American Valor Quarterly Issue 12 - Spring 2015 | Page 21

THE AMERICANS WERE OUTNUMBERED 5:1 AT BASTOGNE, LACKING
COLD WEATHER CLOTHING AND GEAR, AMMUNITION, FOOD, AND
SUPPLIES. AND YET, THEY HELD FIRM THROUGHOUT THE SIEGE.

the Rhine River. One night I was
checking my post and something came
across the river. I used to check on
the river to feel how cold it was and
how fast it was going. The Rhine was
flowing from the Alps, which meant
it was usually very cold and moving
fast. I didn’t think anyone could swim
in that river, or even cross it in a boat,
because the current was traveling so
fast. But out came a gentleman by
the name of Col. Dobie. We were
astounded. One of my men helped him
out of the river and he told us there
were 150 Red Devils in hiding. The
Red Devils were British paratroopers.
The next night, a truck came in front
of my headquarters and I was told to
get in with two other officers. In the
front of the truck was our battalion
commander. We then received
instruction on how we would rescue
those British soldiers across the river.
The rescue would happen by bringing
up canvas boats manned by our men.
I opened my big mouth and asked the
brigadier why we would be sending
SPRING 2015

our men to rescue British soldiers
without participating ourselves. He
said, “Are you volunteering?”
“I will go anywhere with my men
because I don’t want them to go
anywhere I don’t go,” I said.
The next day, I found myself with
the other two officers, who of course
appreciated me volunteering them.
We practiced how to row the