"Once we were discovered, the Germans brought up their heavy machine guns and got their mortars in action.  Our outposts and flank guards were so outnumbered by sheer weight of numbers that in spite of their fierce, brave resistance, they were all wounded or killed.  The enemy force consisted of 300 men who overran A Battery's position forcing the cannoneers to abandon their guns.  Capt Clemens and his men engaged the enemy with pistols and carbines (their only weapons).  Clemens then directed a flanking maneuver to attack the enemy from the rear.  He then manned a machine gun and single-handedly destroyed two of the German positions.

Sergeant Vic Snyder (HQ Bty, WI) was elected to take some fire direction equipment, a Jeep, a radio operator to communicate with the observation plane and gun personnel.  The gun crew went down a long, sunken lane between hedgerows, and Snyder stopped in the lane soon after turning off the highway.   "I leaned my fire chart against the bank and made radio contact between the plan and gun crew."

According to Snyder, the registration began, and after firing one or two rounds, the gun operator said he would have to hold up for a few minutes that they were receiving small arms fire.  "I was near enough I could hear the machine guns," said Snyder.  The gun crew was pinned down between the trails, so a call was made to 2nd Armored, and they sent an armored car.  "It had moved down the lane just beyond my position," said Snyder, "when a Tiger tank put an 88 through it from the front to rear decapitating the driver."  A call was made for more help, and two Shermans were sent down the highway. "As they turned into the field just beyond me, each went up in flames--hit by shells from the Tiger."

According to Capt Clemens: "Our 50 caliber machine gun allowed us to enage at a great distance unlike out carbines.  Finally, out of ammunition, we felt we had to withdraw about 100 meters to where our wounded were collected.  We recovered their ammunition and got more from our vehicles.  About that time, Cpl Clell A Rowlan (OK) arrived with more ammunition and another 50 caliber machine gun from Headquarters Battery."

Men started combing the hedgerows for Germans.  Small groups were captured, and at dusk several half tracks pulled into Sgt Snyder's position and unload infantry personnel who swept the area.  "There was a large ammunition dump in the area, and the Germans were guarding it," said Snyder.

Originally published in the March 1998 issue of Fire Mission, the newsletter of the 951st FA Bn, the sister battalion of the 183rd.