3/9/2008

We were deployed with a force of about 80 soldaten to our HQ. The morning was crisp with a cold chill that would touch your bones. Since the Aufklarung is a recon unit we were sent to a rally point to wait for a truck to pick us up to be transported with the 353rd Infantry Division to the far side of the map about a mile away. while the main force was set into a defensive position the 5th SS Wiking was sent to the far left flank to engage the US forces. This was our diversion to allow us time to move to the Allied flank to take objectives. We were dropped off and made no contact with the enemy, we found 5 of the 7 objectives and waited for the go command from HQ. After about 30 minutes of scouting we took our objectives and headed back to the LZ. The 353rd was running late so myself and my kamerade Vendlin went to find them. They came up their ridge line with their objective in hand and we took it to the LZ while they set up a security force on the ridge line to provide cover for the extraction. Hans sent Johann and myself to cover the far left flank which was near an allied objective. We waited until the 353rd had pulled out to the truck before we left as well. Over the period of about an hour and a half in the field we were able to obtain complete concealment and not a single shot was fired. We remained undetected.

Once back at the HQ we were sent for immediate reinforcement of the left flank. The 5th SS Wiking had been pushed back by a major Allied offensive. Vendlin came and got myself and Johann and were got into our transport truck to find a way around the Allies position and a way into their HQ. We laid prone in the truck and were able to bypass the entire battle undetected. We found a hole and brought back about 15 men to expose the hole and press a small attack on their HQ. Everyone to us was expendable. So we sent them all to their deaths while we fell back and planned the next assault. Even though we did not get their HQ on that push we opened up their right flank and took the entire area. The 353rd was sent to hold the area and they were reinforced by one of the SS units. Vendlin and myself lost Johann in the midst of a sporadic fire fight that turned out to be an ambush, so we headed back for the truck.

Once we got back to HQ we were given a 5 minute pass to eat and drink what we could from our field rations. We then learned that our left flank was exposed due to the rapid advance of our men. We were assigned to the left flank. Once again as a recon unit we had the flexibility to move around. we had some Allied forced moving down the ridge parallel to ours and we opened fire. They retreated so we moved after them to claim the ground. Only being the two of us we decided to scout around because if we were attack in force we would be eliminated rather quickly. We found some elements of a mixed SS unit and we joined in behind them. After about 10 minutes of marching we met up with the main attack force. We were going after the HQ. We had encircled them and were pressing forward. They were able to punch a hole in the line big enough to sneak the Russians out. We found this out once we got pinned down in a creek bed. Vendlin and I were discussing how it was possible for 3 Russians to pin us down and I offered with permission to do a solo flanking mission to at least kill one before I was hit. I got my answer and the men provided a barrage of cover fire. I was able to get around to their side and knew I was a dead man but at least I could get the rest of them out. Then to my surprise the 353rd was moving up the road and I gave them the orders to cover my flanking mission and have support fire. It took about 30 seconds but the amount of fire we put on them was enough for kill 10 men. I went to the ridge and held my gun high and the men ran up the hill and we rallied with the 353rd.

After about 3 minutes of deliberation we decided our best bet was to follow the ridge line and provide support for the men attacking the HQ. What we did not know was that the hole the Russians came out of had been expanded. We were getting ready to move out when we came under fire from the 82nd Airborne who was massed appropriately in force. We took 75% casualties during that fight but was able to push them back and close the hole. We then encountered some extreme Polish fighters who decided to charge us, but we had our sub machine gunners up front and that ended that quell rather fast.

Vendlin called to me and motioned to move back. He said that we had been here long enough and needed to report back to HQ. When we got back to HQ we found the rest of our unit and the entire 353rd. We were given orders to mount up and crush the Allied HQ. We had about 26 soldaten on those two trucks and were 2 minutes from our LZ when our attack was called off. We were pissed to say the least. We could have victory with one single blow. But what we didn't know until we got back to base was that we were applying so much pressure to their HQ and causing so many casualties that they had surrendered.

SS-Mann Fritz Holtzer