The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-08-27
Re111age1l Battle Can Now Be Told!
Gallant Sogo Heretofore Unpublished, Relates Epic Bottle, By Single Compony, Which HeIped Shorten War

was pinned down by machine gun fire. TiSgt. Frank Mykalo, Scran- ton, Pa, with two riflemen worked their way forward to try and spot the enemy position. A sniper and machinegun position were spotted and mortar fire was called for.
 MOrtafs in Action
 SiSgt. Kenney and his mortar square Pics. Frank Kleczka, Ci- cero, H., Darrel Schill, Gowrie, Ia, George Laur, Detroit, Mich. Joe Di- rocco West Orange, N. J., and Wal thall Ivey, Newport News, Va, and StSgt. Estes Owens, West Minister s. O., set up their mortar. Owens spotted the first round on 8 200- yard range. A correction was made or the second round and a direct hit was scored. This was the first American mortar crew in action on the east side of the Rhine.
 The thiyd and anti-tank platoor1s had gone forward only short dis tance when they received small arms fire. The men took cover in a dailroad underpass. The fire was being received from across the river, from a barge down the river and from a wooden shed about 250 yards away. Mortar fire was again used, setting the shed on fire.
 The mortar squad set up the right flank outpost for the bridge, near the underpass. For additional se- curity machinegun was set up about 25 yards out from the mortar dugout with Pfc. John Clark, Spring. field, O.. as gunner together with a few riflemen, among them PIC. Epifano Castello, Clovis, N. M.
 The Situation has developed like this Sniper fire was almost con- stant, one sniper being knocked off only to be replaced by another. The ascent of the hill was possible, how ever. because nearby snipers had been eliminated. This move got underway.
 Pinned Down by Barrage
 With It. Major Sharp, Tyler, Tex. taking the lead again the men started to crawl up the steep and slippery embankment. In spots there was no cover. There was nothing to grab onto. Only their bare hands digging and clawing to rocky, muddy ground kept the men from falling back down to the bottom.
 During this time the men were ex- posed to the enemy sniper fire put they kept slowly edging upward. The climb was slow and tedious. the men being weak after eight days ot steady fighting coupled with lack oi sleep and food in their drive from the Roer to the Rhine. & Further up the slope the vegeta- tion became heavier. The bushes and trees forced the men to wind in and out in the upward climb.
 A whine was heard, then another The men fell and hugged the ground. About 25 shells came in landing only few feet away. For tunately most of the shells were duds. The men clung desperately to the ground, hoping and praying that the shells would miss them Every Shell seemed to be heading straight for the men. The veterani of the bulge" battle called this ths lucky dud barrage."
 It reminded the men a little O the famous "screaming Mimi bar rage' they had undergone on Dec 18 in the battle of the bulge. Only 23 of this group were veterans o' the bulge-the rest were replace ments.
 Darkness was now descending. Tt the left out of the bushes appeared a dark shape. S/Sgt. Eugene Quar' tini. Masury, O., found 1t was banl which afforded some protection against the shslling. The men hud' dled to the side of the bank whils the enemy dropped in another ar tillery barrage, this one live.
 The enemy evidently had neare the men coming up the hill. It wa! impossible to be quiet because of thu sliding rocks.
 When the barrage stopped th' men proceeded on up the hill. Owen and Moulton, out front scouting captured a German officer, the en emy forward artillery observer search revealed a telephone ant wires which were soon neutralizeo.
 Dig-In For Stand
 Pfc. Albert Gomez, a Granger Tex, riflem-n, tok the officer bacl down the hill for questioning ant then returned to the crest. wher' his platoon was digging in for al expected counter-attack. Germal voices had been heard off in tn darkness.
 ED NOTE-Part 2 of this gai-
 lant story will appear in tomor-
 rows Waterbury Democrat.