A Thoughtful Christmas Gift
Copyright© 2025 by Paladin_HGWT
Chapter 4: Hurry-Up and Wait
Camp of the 82nd Airborne Division, near Reims, France
0745 Hours (Local) [7:45 AM] Monday, 18 December, 1944
At 0600 Hours I had awoken Corporal Lisle, and together we compelled all of the rest of First Squad to get out of their ‘fart sacks’ and trekked their goat-smelling bodies to the showers. Lisle and I had to keep an eye on several of the Troopers, Betts and Jenkins in particular, to ensure that they washed themselves thoroughly. By the time we got back to the stone barn we were using as a barracks, it was still dark outside. Perhaps the sun had risen, but it was not obvious with the heavy overcast and constant drizzle.
I required our entire squad ate breakfast together. Yesterday morning the five veterans who had been together for more than a year, and PFC Daniels, who joined them before their parachute assault into the Netherlands in early September; were as close as brothers. By noon five more men, two veterans, including myself, and three raw recruits had been added to the mix. Breakfast was decent, they had added dozens of real eggs to the powdered egg concoction, their were fried diced potatoes and onions, and a thick gravy mixed with ground pork sausage ladled over toast (a.k.a. S.O.S. Shit On a Shingle). Some G.I.s, like me, had the assistant cooks ladle the pork gravy over everything.
At 0745 Hours we were back at our barn/barracks, and I was keeping an eye on Corporal Lisle as he was motivating Private Jenkins to put his dirty uniforms and skives in a barracks bag, so that he would hand-wash it under supervision, when Technical Sergeant Coffey, our Platoon Sergeant entered our quarters and yelled, “Listen up! Third Herd. Pack all of your field gear in your rucksack. Whatever you don’t want to have to carry when we are marching, put it in your duffel bag and leave it on your cot. It’s going to be cold and wet!”
Sergeant Coffey paused, then said, “Be outside and prepared to go in thirty minutes! ... Squad Leaders, come see me.”
In less than ninety seconds the other two squad leaders and myself had gathered around Sergeant Coffey, he said, “We are going to be riding on trucks for several hours at least. The whole Division is moving out, other units too. Have the men dress warm. Have them take a piss, after they are packed up and ready to go. Also, I will need one man from each squad to police the area after we depart. Sergeant Carter, the Platoon Guide, and link up with us. Lieutenant Olson, the Executive Officer, will be in charge. Any questions? ... Go pack your gear.”
Back in our squad’s area, I told everyone to put on their long underwear, and other snivel gear, we were supposed to be riding on trucks for hours. I told Corporal Lisle to assist me in keeping an eye on what the Joes were packing, and what they intended to leave behind. This morning I had put on my silk long underwear; I took off my boots, and stripped out of my uniform. Then I put on my G. I. Wool long underwear, and my brown 5-button wool sweater. Over that I wore one of my baggy M1942 ‘paratrooper jackets’ with the large, slanted, pockets, and matching M1943 ‘paratrooper’ trousers, with numerous pockets. I was already wearing two pairs of wool socks, a thinner pair, and a thicker pair over them. Layers help keep you warmer.
Before I put my boots on, I took a minute to observe my men, and tried to gauge how they were doing. Nothing seemed to be critically wrong. So, I sat down on my cot and put back on my M1943 boots, tucked the bottom of my pants into the leather cuff at the top of the boots, and then fastened the two buckles on the leather cuff; to reduce the likelihood of cold air and mud getting in the gap between pants and boots. In Paris I had purchased some durable rubber galoshes, designed for hunters, and fastened them over my boots.
Again I took a minute or two to supervise my soldiers, and ensure they were making proper preparations. Then I set aside my mackinaw jacket, two pairs of gloves, a scarf, and my wool ‘jeep’ cap. Next I verified my weapons were properly prepared, and set them and my webbing further down my cot. Quickly I verified the contents of my rucksack, and then rolled up my sleeping bag and bivy sack, and a wool blanket, wrapped them in a spare poncho, and attached the roll to my rucksack. Before securing my duffel bag, I added some luxuries to my musette bag.
I noticed that Corporal Lisle, and PFCs Coogan, Daniels, Walsh, and Bishop, were already packed, and prepared to depart. I directed them to assist the other soldiers in our squad. Only then did I hang a pair of binoculars around my neck, put on my mackinaw, and then my webbing. I stuffed my wool gloves, and scarf into various pockets, put on my jeep cap and steel helmet, and then my fleece lined leather gloves. Then I hung the sling for my M1 ‘Thompson’ sub-machine-gun over my neck, and tucked it under my right arm, and slung my ruck over my left shoulder.
I lifted the cuff of my jacket, to check my watch, it was 0807 hours, the rest of the squad seemed to be as prepared as they were going to get, so I said, “First Squad. Move out. Line up outside. Out of the rain, if possible. Corporal Lisle, lead the way.”
Then I said to Private Thomas, “Thomas, you are assigned to the detail to secure our former quarters. You will report to Sergeant Carter, the Platoon Guide. He, and Lieutenant Olson will be in charge, and see that you rejoin us. Understood.”
Thomas said, “Yes, Sergeant. Go find Sergeant Carter.”
I said, “No Thomas. Stay here, Sergeant Carter will find you. Stay dry for now. I will see to it that Sergeants Coffey and Carter know I have assigned you to the detail.”
Thomas said, “Can I go have a smoke?”
I said, “Okay. But keep an eye on our duffel bags, and be where Sergeant Carter should easily be able to find you.”
He said, “Okay, Sergeant.”
Once I was outside, I saw that Corporal Lisle had lined the men up against the side of the barn, as much out of the wind and rain as was possible. Since we had returned to the Company Area after breakfast, the drizzle had turned into a downpour. The other squads and platoons of Fox Company were filing out into the paddock between the barns, and the house where the Company Headquarters had been located. It was quickly becoming a muddy morass. Some of the men weren’t wearing rain coats, or ponchos, or even their wool overcoats; they looked miserable.
I said, “First Squad, put on your rain jacket or poncho. We are going to be miserable enough, no need to make things worse than they have to be. Help you buddies get their poncho or rain jacket off of their webbing.”
First Lieutenant Miles strode out into the center of the Company Area, and said, “Men, the trucks are late. Go back inside your quarters, and Rest.1 But if you aren’t prepared to start boarding the trucks ninety seconds after they get here. Next time you will Stand in the weather the whole damn time! Sergeants, move your men back inside.”
Thank God for common sense; because too often it is not common at all. We filed back inside, letting the guys who got soaked into the barn(s) first, for the most part. If the barn had seemed chilly when I woke up this morning; it was much more comfortable than standing outside in the pouring rain. Mentally I accounted for each of my soldiers, not that anyone should have wandered off. But if you have ever been an NCO, you likely know that Privates do the damnedest things. PFCs should know better, but they sometimes believe they are entitled to ‘privileges’ they haven’t yet earned.
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