The CO of the battalion said that the mission had to be fired, and fired fast. The fate of the battalion depended on it; the fate of the regiment depended on it; and you could carry it on from there. At this particular instant on 16 December, 1944, it looked like the whole damned war depended on it.

The colonel cursed vehemently when he was told that most of the artillery had pulled out, but when he saw that the lieutenant was still present, he grinned and said, 'Hell, we've still got the 4.2's. We'll lick the bastards anyway.'

So Lt. Raymond C. Lindsey (Nashville, AR) and his radio operator, PFC Cook (Florien, LA.) took off through the woods by foot headed for their gun positions, Lindsey talking as he walked and giving firing data over his radio to the fire direction center.

Without an artillery barrage and seeking the element of surprise, the Germans had attacked with everything they had: tanks, halftracks, mortars, heavy artillery, and fanatic infantry. The 2nd Infantry Division was in an offensive posture, attacking towards the important hub of Monshau, with the objective of controlling the important Schwamanuel Dams and the Roer River. The division caught much of the force of the German attack, now known as the Ardennes Offensive. The elements of the 2nd Division held on and slowly drew back to more favorable defensive positions.

Withdrawal along the flank is a most difficult infantry maneuver, particularly under fierce German pressure. But the 2nd Division had to salvage what it could of the men and equipment remaining after that first savage blow to gain time to maneuver from the attack mode and to prepare defenses. Already the enemy was pressing closer. Slightly more than 200 yards separated the two sides.

As Lindsey rushed back through the woods, he and Cook were giving the C Company fire direction center coordinates and orders to "fire like you've never fired before."

At the FDC, S/Sgt Jack Feldman (soon to receive a battlefield commission (Marysville, CA) and Cpl. Marvin Zuidemna (Cedar Rapids, IA), went into action: "Fire Mission!"

The words rang out through the mortar positions, and the combat hardened men of Company C leaped from their slit trenches and dugouts, rushing to the gun positions.

Feldman and Zuidema, knowing the gravity of the situation also knew that now, if never before, their data must be correct. Two hundred yards doesn't leave much of a margin for error. But most of all, speed was essential so they computed their data and sent it to the guns without rechecking it; there wasn't a second to be wasted. The data must be correct.

In a moment, the first volley was on its way. Eight mortars coughed with monotonous regularity, spitting out 25 pounds of white phosphorus, and in less time than it takes to tell, a deadly burning screen of phosphorus enveloped the Panzer tanks and attacking infantry, blinding and searing. The tank drivers lost their sense of direction and charged blindly into each other, off roads, into trees, into gullies, into men. The infantry, caught in the same screen and flames, lost their will to continue the attack, beat at the flames, screamed and milled, vainly seeking cover.

To make the situation more interesting, the mortar men of Company C reached into their bag of tricks and pulled out high explosive shells, mixing them liberally with the white phosphorus. The attack against the 38th Infantry Regiment slowed down considerably.

From 1430 hours and 1600 hours, the 4.2 mortar men laid out their murderous mixture of smoke, flame, and HE, This allowed the infantry the breathing space they needed, moving back to stronger defensive positions. Many of them tiled past the mortar positions, down the muddy road to the rear, and as they passed, they waved and shouted greetings: "Attaboy!" "Give 'em Hell!"

Other units too pulled out under the cover of the protective fire; the infantry, remaining artillery, smaller weapons squads, and finally the tanks left. Company C remained in position, still firing until everyone else had pulled out. Then, its job done, the commands were given "Cease firing" and "March Order," and it too began the process of moving out.

Dusk had begun to settle; before long the deep blackness of the winter night would be closing in on everything. Still the mortar men did not hurry. Methodically and meticulously, remaining ammunition, guns, food, water, gasoline and men, were loaded into jeeps and trailers and moved back on the quagmire road to a new position, already selected by the Company Commander, Capt. Jack Dalton (Sierra Vista, AZ).

Under the cover of darkness, the company moved into new positions to the rear. Guns were dug in, ammunition prepared, slit trenches and foxholes dug. C Company was ready for the next German attack.

They did not have long to wait.

This time, early on the morning of the 18th, Lt. William T. French (Pittsford, NY) called the FDC with an urgent fire mission. It was almost the same story as the previous day's. The Germans had mounted a savage attack with panzers and infantry, amid were pouring tanks, men and supplies through a gap in the U.S. lines. This lifeline had to be cut. In a period of only 45 minutes, C Company's mortars threw out 400 rounds of deadly WP and HE and helped stop the Germans.

A Note From Rose Private Art clarified some of the acronyms used in Mr. Fischgrund's article for non-military folks like me. For instance, "WP" means White Phosphorus and "HE" means High Explosives. So, if you ever have a question about anything on our site, just ask...I'll put the old soldier to the test.

But the enemy quickly reorganized and kept pressing and later in the day it was apparent that C Company and the 2nd Division unit it supported would have to take up new defensive positions.

At 1300 hours a new mission was received from Lt. French: four coordinates, HE and WP, enemy tanks, troops, mobile guns, routes of approach. Hold them off until the new defenses could be reached.

For four long hours the mortar men hurled round after round of smoke and explosives at the Germans. Again, long files of U.S. infantry, smaller weapons, and tanks were moving on the muddy road to the rear of Company C's position.

In the meantime, Capt. Dalton, Sgt. Feldman, and Cpl. Joseph C. Venable (Scott, LA), were reconnoitering for new mortar positions. They found a good site in the little hamlet of Rocherath.

While they were in Rocherath, they were told of cut roads, the enemy between them and the gun positions, and a host of rumors depicting a grim situation. Dalton realized there was no time to waste. They headed back to the gun positions despite the stories, reaching it to find no one. C Company had pulled out!