towns of Binshied and Arzfeld passed under our wheels between the 23rd and the 24th, and nothing
much happened. On the way into the town of Binscheid we passed over a road curve that was being
swept for mines at the time we passed. Very shortly after we got by, a newspaper correspondent
happened to spin his wheels just at the wrong time on the curve, and “Blam”. A newspaper man was
immediately sent for.
No sooner had we reached Arzfeld than we were notified that we were to go into a rest period
back in the rear. The 6th Armored was to take over our area. On the present drive, Task Force Scott
and the 358th Infantry had taken 607 prisoners and were in the process of cleaning up the woods to the
Prum River.
On February 25th we moved back to Winterspelt, for our rest, acting as the Corps reserve. Out
in front of us sat a battalion of Long Toms, firing over the Prum River every so often. Our promise of a
rest was an actuality; showers, clean clothes, loafed around, and took things easy. There were movies
for those that wished to go, and church was also held. It was rumored that we were in SHAEF reserve.
Everyone asked: “What gives?” A new month found us still in reserve and a lot of men were thinking
perhaps the war was over, but the more sober ones believed it to be a period of reorganization and much
needed rest.
At noon of March 3rd we march ordered and went to fighting again. We crossed the Prum River
and went through the town of Prunsfeld, a town so full of holes, shell and bomb, that it was hard to find
more than two walls of the same building still standing, and finally ended in Dachschied. We had gotten
a good six day rest and the spirit was again high, thus causing the men to make such remarks as: “A
couple more weeks of regular moving and we should be crossing the Rhine”. At that time we were
supporting the fires of 915th F.A. Battalion.
Near the town of Serwerath, two Germans walked out of the nearby woods and gave themselves
up to Cpl. Leo Widzinsky, Headquarters Battery. The story is that when Leo discovered they had no
lugars, he told him to go surrender to someone else. Our destruction of these German towns was
methodical and thorough. The civilians looked on with blank expressions as we passed through, it did
not take much imagination to guess what their thoughts were. We wondered if they remembered the
pictures that the Nazis released after their bombings of Coventry, London, Rotterdam, and Warsaw, and
other points east, west, north and south? Probably not.
Our infantry team, 358th, went like the proverbial house afire after the rest period, and we kept
up to them in good style. We made a late move toward the town of Pelm, but B Battery and part of
Headquarters were the only elements to make it on the night of March 7th, the rest pulled off the road
and closed in the next morning after daylight. All were ready for another march, only to be told that the
11th Armored had road priority, for they were striking for the Rhine, and we were to follow them. On
the morning of the 9th on the way to Burch – many French P.W.’s shouted and waved in their
splendaneous manner.
The Battalion convoy roared down one of Hitler's Autobahns on March 10th. The Autobahns
were beautifully graded and equal to the best US highways. The particular highway that we went sailing
down had a large racetrack and grandstand, perhaps 150 yards long, on the side of the road. Columns of
prisoners marching to the rear areas were an excellent indication of the speed and power of the drive that
was moving along out in front of us. The 4th Armored was smashing along at a terrific pace, hundreds
of German horses were still in their traces, smashing pieces of animal matter, indicating to us the
disorderly retreat of the once great German army.
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