Our men had cleared for several miles east of St. Vith and we moved up to Atzerath. We no sooner had set up the aid station in a farmhouse than a couple of shells landed on the road a little ways ahead and wounded several of our men. They were brought to the aid station and we began to splint a GI who had his leg broken. As we were working we heard a barrage of shells coming in and everyone standing in the aid station hit the floor. I could see the flashes of the shells hitting out in the yard as well as feel the blast. Fifteen or twenty shells must have landed right around the aid station. I felt sort of funny leaving the solider up on the kitchen table while we were on the floor and when we got up I apologized for it. He said it was OK, but he did wish someone had handed him his helmet !

You just can’t beat the foot soldier. He is the finest man in the world. Humble, obedient, grateful, and comical. We stayed there for three nights. On Ground Hog Day the sun was shining and the snow was melting.