And these soft, carefree Americans crushed inexorably forward, onward, sweeping everything
before them like the grim, reaping machine they were. Rumors began to grow in strength – the Germans
were giving up – the German Armies were collapsing – this Division had surrendered here – that
Division had surrendered there –.
Onward. Onward. Berlin. Past the broken city. Forward, Breaking. Killing. Crushing.
Destroying. Overpowering. The collapse of the German might as now evident. It was only a matter of
weeks … a matter days, a matter of hours.
And ever on the move, Ordnance turned a volume maintenance, issue, recovery and evacuation
work. Supply sections made long runs to the depots, but unlike a few short weeks before, the roads
were in good condition, The weather mild. Supplies were rushed to the front line. In ever increasing
quantities and in ever decreasing time limits.
On the 7th, the company moved to Zwiesel, and a day later to Markt Eisenstein. In doing so,
the company crossed the 1937 border line of Czechoslovakia and Germany, the Sudetenland.
And the 9th of May was V-E Day!
Here was no rousing hilarity, no riotous outburst, no drunken happiness. The cost of Victory
had been to great. There was within each man a deep sense of thankfulness that he had lived through it,
and a lasting inner satisfaction in having done his part. The War in Europe was over.
Back into Germany moved the company, to the small city of Weiden Maierhof. A large railroad
warehouse affording sufficient working space for the Automotive, Supply and Armament section to
operate under one roof, was taken over. Men were billeted, along with the C.P., in one large building.
Here, was once again the almost forgotten comforts of civilization – hot, running water, shelter, cots
instead of hard ground.
While routine Ordnance work was still accomplished daily, extra time was devoted to the
erection of a separate shower-building, to the building of a ball diamond, to the creation of a Chapel of
worship, to the construction of a volley ball court, to the stocking of a P-X.
The war was over. Once again men could relax, could eat sitting down instead of on the run,
could indulge in American sport instead of brutal killing, could worship in gratefulness instead of praying
for succor. And as this is being written, the plans are being forged for additional entertainment, movies
and USO shows, for education, in European universities, in unit schools and in correspondence courses.
The job of the 790th Ordinance Light Maintenance Company in Europe is done. It was well
done as its many citations for efficiency and devotion to duty so clearly testify. Some of its personnel will
soon return home to their families. Some of its personnel will return shortly to the States for permanent
assignment there. And some of it personnel, along with the many replacements who have joined the
organization, may go on to the Pacific Theater There they will carry along with them a tradition for “Job
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