This is the first attack. The men moved quickly and surely. They took the objective fast. The Kraut never had a chance--men were green as grass,--but took plenty of prisoners.

Won't ever forget this town! What a hotspot! -- artillery "what was really a barrage" . . . 1000 yards! And the men just took it like veterans!--buckled down and kept right on slogging and pushing through.

The Kyll River. We were really sweating blood that night . . . (one of the highlights:--One platoon completely surrounded by a platoon of Germans--completely armed--all the poor b------ wanted to do was surrender!) Auw--screaming meemies--beaucoup PWs.

4 hours sleep. Tired, tired, tired--and hungry-even a "K" looked good. Three days here. Longest in one spot in long while.

Ran into a hornets' nest which wasn't supposed to have been there. 4 Kraut officers tried to get into CP . . . alert guards took care of that . . . lost a. squad leader here. . . . really laid down his life for his men. Took town . . .

By-passed town; cleared out woods. Wet, cold, miserable--still going. Another river.

Can look down Krauts' throat across river. "Haben sie eier?" Combat patrol to Minheim. Sweated that one out. First USO show. Got replacements. Sure can use thew.

"Outposting" the town. 2nd platoon in trouble--turned out all right. Good eats. Lots of mail. Warm weather beginning--about all a "doughfoot" could ask for.

Outposted a brewery. Big hotel, sheets on beds; champagne. Rhine just like any other river-except that it's the Rhine.

100 miles by motor convoy. New experience. Calluses other than on feet. Beats walking, though.

Morning just before attack heard of F. D. Roosevelt's death--didn't believe it--Friday 13th--crossing under sniper fire--learned to really love the "tankers" that day. Zeitz, a large city, a key city. Things like this are usually pretty expensive. We paid what it cost . . . We were fixing to cross the Weisse Elster River when German snipers opened up all around. (Got a new shavetail as platoon leader, "Joe" Conger, who turned out to be as good as they come!)

Heavy artillery barrage came in. Relived 6th Armored. Excitement. Russians getting close. Fighting Germans not very far ahead of us. We got what turned out to be our last pounding by German artillery. It wouldn't have mattered, though even if we had known! We were still too excited over the prospect of those Russians.

Into the Bn. Reserve. Still here at time of V-E Day. School's out --but news received quietly. Home?--our CBI?