Joey wrote_
Every G.I. had a canvass pouch clipped to his pistol belt containing a bandage that looked like large size sanitary napkin with long tails, so you can tie it around a leg or a head wound.
Standing lined up in the street, I turned to a guy named Ramsey and said to him; how bad is it Harold? He didn't answer; but the look on his face told the story. He put the bandage on my head.
The Germans decided to send two armed guards and have us marched across a field and into the woods. I had a feeling they may have orders to take us into the woods and mow us down.
I told Ramsey,if you see them just start to raise their guns , don't hesitate. Immediatly attack the guy on the right and I will attack the one on the left.There's six of us. Some of us will die; but some will get away.
The guards walked us though the woods for for quite a while. I felt realy lousy from the wounds and could not go much farther.
All of a sudden a rickety looking small truck showed up. We were loaded on it and proceded to move along the edge of the woods for a while.
The truck stopped near a fairly high ranking German Officer. This guy was a sight to behold. He was straight out of a low budget war movie from the 30's. He wore his Greatcoat nonchalantly tossed across his shoulders, and; I swear to God, he even wore a monacle.
The officer had Ramsey taken out of the truck, so he could interrogate some one. Ramsey kept repeating his name, rank, and serial number like a good soldier.
The officer got so mad he slapped Ramsey across the face with his folded up dress gloves, and gave up.
We were let out of the truck soon after that and found some rocks to sit on under the trees. Darkness was decending on what looked like a bad night ahead.
The two guards were still with us and they weren't too happy at the prospect of spending the night with the six of us who would slit their throat in a heart beat if we got a chance.
I said to the guards; Do you have Bunker around to hide in when the Artillary Barrage starts tonight, (in my pidgen German).
They responded with, (nix haben). I put both hands to my head and said,(ai yi yi). That didn't need any translating. They went off to the side and buzzed between themselves for about ten minutes. Came back and said,( will you take us safely through the lines, we want to surrender.)
I put out my hand to shake on it and the two guards threw their guns on the ground. From that point we were all in it together.
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