janvier - 2004

 
   
 
An american soldier told about his war day by day, from hell of Omaha to Hurtgen, in the ranks of the Big Red One

John F. Mickey was American, he was 35 in 1944 and lived in Michigan. He did enlisted in september 1943, he thought he could do some "job" in this war. When he enlisted he was not expected for that kind of life : the long separation from loved one, the horror of war, and even hunger and thirst. All along the fightings he took notes, and many years later he decided to write about sixty pages. John F. Mickey passed away in 1991. With his son's permission, his memories are told there. It is the experience of a "common" man who believed in some human valours, and who fight for them from the beaches of Normandy to the Hurtgen forest, in Germany, where he had been wounded.
(John F. Mickey's memories - 1944/1945)
Episode1 : " The reader not get the wrong impression about the war in Europe" by John F. Mickey
In these pages I write brief accounts of factual occurrences and personal experiences of the war we fought in Europe from D-Day to the Hurtgen forest in Germany. I begin with personal notes of loved ones. I cover many things that no one asked and no one told about the activity of those in combat in France, Belgium and Germany, in the 26th regiment of the Big Red One division. Names of every village, town and city and exact dates are not remembered but the country and the months are. The dates mentioned are accurate. Much is remembered from the daily notes I had written on the pages of a pocket prayer book. The foot soldier of the infantry had high regards for the artillery, the tanks and the air force for their support. Also to those who were home for their physical and moral support.
Not every combat veteran wants to talk about his war experience. Many even today will say : « I don’t want to talk about it ». Some never snapped out of it and live with their tragic experiences. Family members and friends never asked about the war. They were told not to ask questions of the returned veteran. « Help him forget about the war and let him adjust quickly to civilian life », they were told. A war experience is not easily forgotten, every anniversary brings back memories of what did happen. The veterans who returned to Omaha beach on the 40th Anniversary wept as they recalled what happened on D-Day. Most veterans of World War II are at least 80 now. The number of living veterans is greater than expected or anticipated. More of us are living longer because of the medicines available and our life style is improved. Sons and daughters of World War II veterans are in their fifties, and it is surprising that they know little about their fathers military experiences. They do know what his rank was and that he made D-Day and that he was in Germany, but that is about all they mention.
My letter of November 1984 to the Daily news of Liege, in Belgium, was received coincidentally when Belgium was commemorating the 40th Anniversary of their liberation from the german occupation. It was published in La Meuse newspaper, and it brought me hundreds of letters of appreciation to our First division and the 3rd Armoured division for their liberation. It was this response and the questions many asked that inspired me to write these pages of brief accounts about World War II.
In reading these short stories let the reader not get the wrong impression about the war in Europe. The war was not fought in spurts, nothing came fast and easy. The days were long and the going was rough, the enemy was dug in everywhere behind the hedges. Some days, gaining 200 yards was a days work. There were no long lines of fighting. We and the enemy were scattered some times fighting in small groups of three to five men. From D-Day on we were never full strength. Replacements, supplies and ammunition was not coming to us. The weather was not always ideal, there were hot days and there was rain that made the muddy roads slowing down men and vehicles. The battle for Saint-Lô lasted all month of July. Twelve divisions took part in this longest battle, only after the Air bombing and the 20 000 artillery shelling of the city. This beautiful city of 15 000 was a pile of rubble left for bulldozers to level.

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