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The company bivouacked in Bouzonville on the night of December 14th. The area was under
intermittent artillery fire. Heavy shells from the Heinie guns in the distant hills landed near the camping site and
everywhere in the village. It was about 2200 hours when the shelling grew more intense. Great 380 mm shells
weighing approximately 1600 pounds began dropping in from six to seven minutes apart.
All personnel repaired to the air raid shelter in the building which the company occupied. This was
formerly a German school building and was now being shared with a platoon of the 30th Field Hospital which
had moved in on the 13th of December. Throughout the night enemy shelling continued sporadically.
At 0230 hours the world blew apart. A direct hit on the rear of the building shattered and crumbled it.
All was confusion. Everything was rubble and bits of plaster and rust and smoke and cries for help. Pfc.
Hedgepeth was killed outright. He was the first battle death in the company’s  ETO experiences. Thank God he
was also the last!
While the shelling continued, men working under the frantic leadership of 1st Sgt Jack Cook dug T/Sgt
Dalton out from under four feet of debris. He suffered only slight injuries. Several of the company officers were
trapped on the first floor and had to be dug out. Lt. Edenfield also suffered light injuries. The rest of the night
was “sweated out’’ without any further hits being registered but the crash and roar and thunderous burst of the
heavy shells did not cease.
Then it was Christmas. Christmas. Peace on earth Good will to all men. It was a strange Christmas
here, in a foreign land, surrounded on every side by bitter hatred and death. Yet under the inspired efforts of
Chaplain Clemens and a beautifully decorated Xmas tree by Lt. Howard an impressive service was held.
Turkey dinner highlighted the holidays. Ice cream was an extra added attraction. For a brief moment weary men
forgot their work, forgot hate, forgot killing, and relaxed in holiday enjoyment.
The holidays were over. The war came back in sharp relief. Winter was with them now with its bitter
winds, its ice arid howling snow storms. Because of the weather, the work of the Recovery and Automotive
Sections was heavier than usual.
In January, two officer promotions came through for the company; Major Sinclair was appointed Lt.
Colonel and Lieutenant Howard was appointed a 1st Lieutenant.
It was at this time that the company made a night trek its personnel will never forget. It wasn’t a long
trip. Forty-two miles. Only forty-two miles – from Elzange, France to Beckerich, Luxembourg. Only forty-two
miles – and it required ten hours to complete it!
The, move to Beckerich was made under the most difficult conditions. Blackout driving on icy roads. A
blinding snowstorm whipped down on the black almost invisible road. The convoy inched along. Windshields
were quickly coated with ice and snow, and had to he cleaned off constantly by hand. Trucks went into
constant skids, often sliding from the road itself. The strain was terrific, and drivers had to switch every couple
of hours to relieve the fatigue and strain which set in. Inch by inch, yard by yard, skidding, slipping, sliding, mile
after mile, hour after hour, through black of night and through biting cold, the convoy crept forward to
Beckerich,
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