pulled back to an assembly area; HUY.
We spent New Year's day resting and it was at this time Colonel LOVELADY took sick and the command of the Battalion fell to me. CCB Headquaters called me for conference that afternoon.
he next attack, which would see the 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions along with the 83rd and 84th Infantry Divisions attack in concert, the 2nd Armored Division and the 84th Division would be on the right, while the 3rd Armored and 83rd Division would advance on the left , with the boundary being the road between MANHAY and HOUFFALIZE. We were to meet the 3rd Army at HOUFFALIZE in funning the attack. Our task force was deprived of one conmpany of Infantry, but gained the 3rd Battalion of the 30th Infantry Regiment to support us. 'We also were given a TD platoon.
The immediate ogjective for our task force was Just east of HOUFFALIZE. On the 3 January, 19145, at 0830 hours, we jumped off through the 75th DIVISION in a bLinding snow storm. Visibility was about one hundred yards ad the ground was hilly and wooded. Our tanks did not have grousers, only the plain V-track. Consequently it was very slippery and we were able to proceed verry slowly. We got to MALEMPRE the first night. We had captured about fifty prisoners during the day, but there bird been no real fight. The weather was our greatest foe on that march. The next morning we set out again and found some AT guns, two tanks and a mine field about half a mile out of town. They were on higher around with good observation, making it necessary for us to attack up-hill on very slippery ground. Our first tank was knocked out by a mine. The second was hit by one of the anti-tank guns. It was so slippery and the tanks were having great difficulty, that I sent the Infantry to flank the road and eliminate the opposition. We cleared the minefield at night to a width of 30 ft. and it was the thickest mine-field I had yet seen. It took us one and a half days to get across that point of resistance.
Our- next-town was FRAITURE. We thought it was a German regimental C.P. We had good observation so we decided to use our artillery and make a dash for the town. We did so and not a shot was fired while we occupied the place. There were only about twentyfive houses, but we got 1E00 prisoners who were packed in like sausages. Also we found a battery of 75mm artillery and lots of supplies.
The next morning (January 7), we were to join our other task force at REGNE, two or three miles away. At 10 o'clock we arrived there and established communications with the other task force coming up. I was standing beside my peep, talking with the Commander of the other task force by radio, when a sniper picked me off from a house. A bullet went through my chest and came out my back. It knocked me down but I was not unconscious. It was a very strange feeling when I found that I was breathing through a hole in my back rather than through my nose or mouth.
I was very scared and did not take part in any activity. I was given attention very quickly as my medics were nearby. Then I was put on a. jeep in a litter and taken to the rear. Due to the poor condition of the trail over which we had advanced, it was several hours before I reached the aid station, but I was more scared than uncomfortable on the way. When I reached the aid station, I was given a drug to induce sleep and I remember nothing further.

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