World War II Diary
“The diary (4" X 51/2") was given to Albert by his mother in December 1943, just before he left for overseas during WWII. He first showed it to me on September 28, 1996. I had been talking about the Internet and how I found some diaries pertaining to WWI and how wonderful I thought they were. He left the room for a moment and came back with his. They consist of the original diary and two small notebooks and nearly every page has a comment, many of them are filled completely.” - George Durgin
December 1944
[…] 1 - Weather about the same, cleared off in P.M. P47's out - Moving slowly ahead, slow going, Germans command most of high ground. Got paid
2 - Clear but cool - P47's out - Threw more tanks & Infantry in pushed up a couple miles took Sarre Union. Sent _______ of it $25.00 Money order $25 P.T.A.
3 - Partially cloudy and cool - P47's out. Taking it easy, expect to move out tomorrow - support 26th Division. Played cards lost $30.
4 - Cloudy, misty - Moved out at noon. Stop and go all day. Abe isn’t giving us a good chance to give him much support. Pulling out stuck vehichles all day. Battallion in Schmittwiller - T/5's held up by track jumping off of one of the H/T’s - getting late.
5 - Cloudy - misty - Pulled into town of Schmittwiller at 0130 - slept in barn. The 94th took the town - Abe had bypassed it. Infantry wasn’t supposed to attack it until today, we beat them to it. Abe lost 12 tanks two towns beyond. Advanced too fasr, wasn’t supposed to. “A” Battery of 94th only one in position, of 94th and 66th, that was able to give him support. F.O. tank knocked out. Britt and Tally killed.
6 - Cloudy with a little rain. Germans shelled town quite heavy. One shell hit house we were in about ten feet over our head, in front out the back, none hurt. Funny part about it was it came out just where the owner had patched the roof not 15 minutes before. Dud landed 20 feet from where Dutch, Monty, Cutts and Pippin were.
7 - Partially cloudy - P47's out doing their good job, we can observe them quite clearly from hill on edge of town, saw two get shot down, too bad. A few shells came in today and at night, not very close. F.O. tank knocked out, just crew Sgt. hurt.
8 - Partially cloudy - P47's out bombing and strafing. A few shells hit near town - 12th Armored up to replace us. Went with Cutts to get 1 of the F.O. tanks which had been knocked out, had to go at dark, tank in position for German observation at day. Was able to be driven back - hole in turrett and gun almost cut in half by another shell.
9 - Cloudy, some rain, snow and hail. Moved at 1100. Going back for a rest, whole Division back. Each Batillion to have a town. Last ones in as usual had to pick up vehicles. It’s just a small town about 8 miles east of Deize - Lanquincour. Took over a room in a former labor camp building.
10 - Cloudy and rain _________ up place of abode, setup stove made things a little cozy. Got two packages, 1 from Pentucket Mills B.C. and 1 from V.F.W. - Saw movie “Two Sisters and a Sailor” - good.
11 - Rained almost all day long - Cleaning up vehicles. Made improvments on place of living not too bad. Went to show “Take It Or Leave It”, Phil Baker, not bad.
12 - Cloudy, a little rain - Boy these vehicles certainly need a going over. Went to show “Hail the Conquiring Hero”, funny, not bad.
13 - Cloudy, windy and a little colder. Still working on vehicles - Some of the boys going deer hunting. Went to the show “Janie”, not bad.
14 - Cloudy and cold - Just about caught up on the vehicles, not working too hard. Passes for 4 days being given out for Paris, only a few can go, it’s being drawn for. Cutts won in maintenance. May go to Nancy one of these days. Went to see show “Chipp Off The Old Block”
15 - Cloudy and cold - Spent most of day washing clothes. Wrote letters of thanks to Mill, V.F.W. and Auxillary. Saw show “Double Indemnity”
16 - Partially cloudy - cold. Went to Ordnance with Storm, about 11 miles back. Cleaning T/5 - Went to show saw “___” pretty good.
17 - Partially cloudy - cool. Spent most of the day deer hunting - didn’t get any. Went to show saw “Dough Girls”, Ann Sheridan, Jane Wyman, Eve Arden, crazy but funny. Letter from Ma. Paratroopers reported landed behind part of 1st Army front.
18 - Cloudy, a little cool - Went around Batterys for Reel. Cleaning machine gun, small day job. Got package from Dot. Went to show saw “The Great Moment”, Joel McCrea, Betty Fields, not bad. Wrote Ma - sent two money orders of $25. Boys out hunting, Dutch shot a deer. Germans made quite an attack on 1st Army front.
19 - Partially cloudy, cool. Moved out at 1030 to help 1st Army form new 3rd Corp. Thru Marhange, Port-A.-Mousson, Pagny, Briev, Lorgry to Anbange in Belgium. Long ride. Picking up vehicles along the route. “A” Battery S.P. got stuck, Cutts T/5 got stuck, “A” maintenance H/Track thru a track at Chambley. “B” Battery S.P. blew a bogie at Audor-le-Roner. 653 English gave us sandwiches and coffee. On the road again at 2345. Sure is a dark night.
20 - Cloudy - a little foggy and cool. Got in at 2315. This is Aubange - just across the boarder in Belgium - 6 miles from Longwy in France and about 2 ½ from Luxembourg boarder. Slept in attic of school. Belgium people seem to be very nice. Moving out again. Sat in cafe waiting to move. Dinner “A” Battery. Met man who had spent some time in the States. Moved to Bebange - slept in barn.
21 - A little foggy and cool. Breakfast with “B” Battery. Pulled “C” Battery S.P. out. Moved out at 0930 - headed north. “C” Battery S.P. fell out - didn’t get in until 1745. Bivoac about ½ mile outside of Arlon. 1st time we havn’t slept inside. Pitched taup. May move out tomorrow.
22 - Snowed early this morning, about 5 inches. Made things miserable - Expecting to move out. Moved out at 1130 - thru Arlon, up highway N4 to Attert. Pulled out again to Schockeville, 7 ½ miles from Arlon. Slept in barn. On guard and was it cold. We are in the 3rd Corp, now with 80th Division, 26th Division and we are on the right flank of where the Germans broke through. We have them stopped and are gaining back some ground.
23 - Clear and cold. Bombers & fighter planes over all day. Enemy slowly being moved back on this flank. Moved out again to Perle, just over the line into Luxembourg. Had to go foward to get F.O. tank which hit a mine. This is the closest I have been yet, about 300 yards back of our lines while the fighting is still going on. Couldn’t move tank, too much ice on the roads. Slept in house. Broke cable.
24 - Clear and cold. Cutts crew went up to fix tank with help of 53rd T/5. Repaired the cable. 37th and 53rd took town they were firing on yesterday. About 300 prisoners have come through today. A lot of the 9th Armored Division were captured in sudden drive of Germans and other equipment, even 105 howitzers. Germans are pretty well in check. May move.
25 - Still clear and cold. Battalion moved out at 0130 headed for Bastogne to relieve pressure on 101st Airborne, some of the 9th & 10th Armored which are trapped in there. We are staying to put engine in B Battery S.P. Ate turkey dinner at Service Battery, very good. Engine in and running at 1700. Pull out in morning. C.C.R making slow, but good progress.
26 - Clear and cold. Pulled out at 1000 - with C Battery S.P. that fell out at Arlon. C.C.R. still moving ahead through heavy resistance. Reached Batillion just as they were pulling out and then our engine blew a cylander. At Juseret. Wait for another engine. Germans bombed Arlon R.R. Station - quite a bit of damage. C47 over Bastogne dropped supplies. 2 towns to go & Col Abrams will be there.
27 - Clear & cold - Engine came ion this P.M. C.C.R still pushing ahead night and day. Almost into Bastogne. Battalion doing plenty of firing. C47 over Bastogne again, Germans bombed Bastogne. 3rd F.A. 9th Armored attached to us for support. C Battery was going to Bastogne just before dark. 37th cleared path but didn’t move in. Thet are trying to clear another road so they can move in tomorrow.
28 - Cold - Foggy. Put engine in Col Abrams. Broke thru to Bastogne today, soldiers ther certainly glad to see friendly troops. Push carried him beyond the _____________corridor leading to city only about a mile wide. We went up with Mr. Wather about 1730. 29 Clear and cold. Took walk around town, plenty of damage. Mostly 10 Armored and 101st Airborne in town. Lot of firing going on. Germans shelling with rockets, guns and mortors. Bombed town about 1930. A 500 lb one landed about 50 yards back of house, it blew part of wall in, knocking us to the floor. Umholtz recieved cuts on the head. Recieved medical treatment at F.H. 2 casualties In A Battery, 1 killed. Cisoline and Eppele hurt in later bombing and strafing.
30 - Clear and cold. German planes over again at 0120. VanBosherck, Buell and Barbrick hurt not seriously. Over again at 0530 & 0700 - 10 Armored lost H/T & Ammo truck. Service Battery moved out after 2nd raid, houses where they had been staying demolished in later raids. 5 men in AB trapped in building killed. C.C.R. moved back to Hompre. C.C.B. broke thru. Bastogne bombed again tonight, glad we got out.
31 - Cloudy, a little snow. A little warmer. Still pretty cold sleeping in a tent. We are supposed to move back as soon as 6th Armored gets up to relieve us. Bulge continues to get smaller. Our planes make it hard for Germans to get gas and supplies. Their planes continue to come out at night. Some new tanks are coming in. Xmas card from Ma.