April 1, 1945 - April 30, 1945

April
1945

1.) Easter Sun. 6th day here. Went to Mass + Comm. this a.m. but no confession.
2.) Mon. 7th day with Asslt. Red Cross girl came here today with doughnuts.
3.) Tues. 8th day with Asslts. Received picture of D. Spiltz today.
4.) Wed. 9th day with Asslt. Wrote a letter to D. Spiltz.
5.) Thurs. 10th day with Asslts. Should get relieved today but didn’t.
6.) Fri. 11th day with Asslts. Should get relieved today for sure. Got relieved this morning was back at camp by noon at Loiano
7.) Loiano. Artillery went up big barrages tonite at 10:30 to 11. It wasn’t an attack just time on target shooting
8.) Loiano. Another barrage went over tonite same as last nite. Soon the summer offensive will begin + its supposed to be the biggest ever staged in Italy yet. It is said the skies will be black with planes + artillery barrage will be bigger than ever. Reason for such an offensive is that they don’t want another Cassino episode or stalemate.
9.) Loiano
10.) Loiano. Rec. letter from Lucille Hos[…]
11.) Loiano. Received another letter from Dee today.
12.) Loiano. Wrote to Dee. Pres. Roosevelt died today.
13.) Loiano FRI. Dad’s birthday. Gen. Clarke spoke to us today so it won’t be long + the big push will start.
14.) Loiano.
15.) SUN. Loiano. Today the big air raid over Stalz began. From 1 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. airplanes flew over in huge bunches of 50 or 60 at intervals of every 5 minutes. It was said 1500 planes were going to be flown over + they did. During this time we were ordered to wear our steel helmets + stay under cover as our ack ack guns were firing straight up to guide our planes over us to enemy territory. After raid was over we expected shelling but nothing came in. Also big artillery barrages went up at nite + the big push was about to start.
16.) Loiano. Mon. The 5th Army’s big push began today. Our planes flew over again from 12 to 1 p.m. same as yesterday. Troops are mounting stiff opposition. Slight gains were made but lost again. “A.” Co lost a few tanks in their first day of battle and also their co. Capt Rogers + another man a Sgt. Sid Allan were reported missing in action. Bazooka branched their tank out + 50 or 60 krauts swamped over it. They are behind prisoners. They had had 9 casualties + 1 man killed.
17.) Base camp still at Loiano. Rumors are our Bn. Will get relieved when they join 4 or 5 miles + then the 1st Armored Div is supposed to take over + take Bologna + Po Valley. Also is rumored that separate tank Bn.’s like ours will be chosen for a year’s occupation over here in Italy or Austria.
18.) Loiano. The line was broken today + Capt. Rogers + Allen’s bodies were found both were ranking gunmen. Our planes flew over again today from 3:10 pm. To 4.20 p.m. Piece of flak went thru army tent the other day. Only Seif was in it. It lodged in ground few inches from him. No harm done. Went to forward C.P. today …[three words indecipherable]… 2 plats of C. Co. are going to coast with IV corps + 1st Army Div. I was supposed to go along but they changed it + I didn’t . Reports are that line is all broken up + troops are getting lots of prisoners. They expect to move in a day or so and to line advancing. I am still in rear + wasn’t in on initial drive this spring. Base camp expects to move soon. Reports are we are 2 miles from Bologna. Heard Ernie Pyle was killed in Pacific tonite.
19.) Loiano. Left at 10:45 p.m. to go with “A” Co. in a new sector near the coast. Arrived in area 4 miles from front at 3:00 A.M. Went thru Montegrino + quite some distance above it.
20.) Still in area @ will spend the nite here. Davis + Capt + men came here today. Are Pahn-Olonc C. Co. paddled out + is on line again. A. Co. was alerted for 5:30 but was canceled. Will move tomorrow
21.) Sat. Moved to new sector with A Co. Bologna was taken today. Went in Bologna for 3 hours this p.m. Lost A Co. + can’t find them. Have radioed them but can’t locate them by road. Spent all nite until 1 a.m. looking for them since 1 p.m. Yesterday at 1 a.m. have located B Co + stayed with them.
22.) Sun. Found A Co. this morning + moved to another sector with them. Am in Po Valley past Bologna rear. Rode all nite + kept moving until enemy was contacted. Contacted enemy in a town about midnight. A machine gun nest was in town + several krauts. One man was wounded. Bob Anderson about 1 a.m. Met people who took us in + gave us wine + rum. Inf. cleared town in about an hour + we moved on. During nite we traveled 27 miles.
23.) Mon. Still kept going until we contacted enemy. Met them in town about 10 A.M. 3 men wounded + Red + I went in town while inf was taking it under small arm fire. Several prisoners taken. Ate over today + tonite people fed us while waiting to move. Told inf man to shoot a couple Krauts who were trying to get up. Evidently they were wounded. Army prisoners were Mongolians who are Russians freed to fight by Krauts. Expected to cross Po River tday but couldn’t because of opposition on the way. Moved to a new sector with 804 T.D.’s + 362 inf. 91st + stayed in area for some rest. It was the first sleep in 36 hrs.
24.) Started moving again about 8 a.m. + traveled 15 or more miles to cross Po River. Am on the edge of river now at 12 noon. Can’t cross as yet because of opposition. 4. pm. I mock are still here waiting to cross while inf fight to cross it. Prisoners are coming in by the bunches. Last town we went thru the people were so happy that man + woman kissed me Red + other men + gave us bread.
25.) Reached Po but couldn’t cross as engineers were putting in bridge. Slept near here tonite. Inf we are supporting is relieved + so are we for a day or so.
26.) Crossed Po at 5:05 + advanced 21 miles + slept in area. C
27.) Crossed another river today + advanced 4 miles. Expect to reach Vincenza tonite + have to fight all the way up there. It’s 8 p.m. + we are resting on side road to rel inf. Convoys + other units ahead. Only have 8 tanks with us at present. Rest will follow later.
28.) Drove all night fighting all the way. Didn’t reach Vincenza until following day. Met a few towns with krauts in them. After an hour or so the town was cleared + we went on our way again. We traveled 32 miles during nite. Reached Vincenza about 5:30pm. Stayed in ourskirts of town for a rest. About 3 a.m. we had to get up + spearhead again. Was supposed to get relieved but only the infantry got relieved + tanks kept going.
29.) About 5 a.m. we met a lot of krauts + one tank was knocked out by bazooka + 3 men injured. Sure was a hot town. 72 prisoners were taken at one time. Several followed later. Evacuated wounded 5 miles back to town of Vincenza. Traveled about 10 miles today + am waiting to cross another river by engineers ducks. They pick up vehicle + ride them across in ducks. Our company is already across + we have to wait in line. It may be 2 or 3 hours yet. Also fixed up kraut wounded + took his pistol. Saw Parker + Olav + then said Red + I were going to get a bronze star for picking up wounded in town while under shell fire. Kristoff went home today.
30.) Crossed another river at 7:10am + went about 10 miles + stayed in area for the nite. The company was relieved + we are going with the 85 division.