Veterans History Project: Corporal William H. Behrends, U.S. Army

In his book “Brave Men” famous war correspondent Ernie Pyle wrote that “The front line soldier lived for months like an animal and was a veteran in the cruel, fierce world of death. Everything was abnormal and unstable in his life. He was filthy dirty, ate if and when, and slept on hard ground without cover. …he lived in a constant haze of dust or snow and moved constantly. He was deprived of all things that once meant stability –things such as walls, chairs, floors, windows, shelves, Coca-Colas and the little matter of knowing that he would go to bed at night in the same place he had left in the morning. The front-line soldier has to harden his inside as well as his outside or he would crack under the strain.”

William H. Behrends, “Bill”, was eighteen years old when the draft notice arrived in the family mail box near Dalton. He would have to go to Fort Logan, near Denver, and successfully undergo the physical exam and a battery of other tests. To the recruiter, he emphasized that he wanted into the Army Air Corps. He wanted to be an Officer and more, he wanted to fly!

The recruiter made that clear on the enlistment forms and sent the paperwork on. When Bill arrived at Fort Logan, he was asked if he had any college. Nope. The powers that be then sent him on to Michigan State University at East Lansing, Michigan. He studied there as a member of the military. The college level courses were not easy, but he stayed with it and passed. After six months, he completed the course of instruction and was sent on to pre-flight school at an Army Air Force base near San Antonio, Texas.

When the men arrived at the flight camp, they saw quite a number of PT 19 aircraft on the flight line. The person in charge told the men “in the morning, you’ll learn to fly those things”.

In pre-flight school the cadet’s training was a combination of basic military training and ground school. Bill was an eager learner, and flew several of the trainer aircraft. He flew the PT 19 and the PT 13. By now, the time line has gone into 1944. Bill’s excited about his prospects as are the rest of the guys in his training class. He had over eighteen hundred hours of flying time. As history would have it, the new pilots-in-training were called into a ready room and they were provided a briefing. They were told that the Army Air Corps had an overabundance of pilots…you will be re-assigned to your original training status. DANG!

Bill’s original assignment was that of an anti-tank gunner. He went to that installation and became qualified to operate a 57mm cannon capable of stopping an enemy tank (and many other things). The training was complete and he was assigned to the 3rd Army, 65th Division. The initial plans for his next stop were to ship to Japan. Those plans got scuttled. The Division was sent to the military shipping center in New York City. In a short time, the men loaded onto one of many troop ships and sailed for Europe. On the way across the Atlantic, the ships deployed netting and used the destroyers nearby to keep the U-boats away. The route to avoid U-boats took the men as far north as Iceland. The ships were to land in Wales but went to Le Havre, France. Quickly, the men assembled and moved out to Metz, France. (This is a point near a junction of France, Germany, and Luxemburg.)

The 65th Division was then re-assigned and attached to the 4th Armored Division. They moved north into the area of the Ardennes Forest and the Battle of the Bulge. It was very cold, with 18 inches to two feet of snow to contend with. Many of the men became afflicted with “trench foot”. The snow and mud on their boots could melt from body heat. The result was the skin on the feet was continually exposed to wetness. “Trench foot” became a big problem. Bill said that during a rest period one of the Sergeants told the men to be sure to rinse out one pair of socks, then stretch them out and put them inside their shirts, next to their skin. The socks could dry out from body heat. They could be used the next time of change, rotating the used ones with the dry ones. Of course, the guys grumbled, but Bill tried it out and it seemed to work.

The movement of troops and tanks moved north to Bastogne and to Malmondy. At Malmondy, the Nazis had killed one hundred fifty US soldiers in cold blood. The Battle at St. Vith was very bloody for US forces; many GI’s having lost their lives there. After that, Bills group moved on and were getting bombed pretty steadily. The fighting was tough but diminished during the night time. The next morning, the sun came out and the Germans were gone…gone!

The U.S. commanders decided to chase the fleeing Germans. They had come to a bridge across the Rhine River that had not been blown up by the German Army. The name was the Remagen Bridge, located just south of Bonn, Germany. The 4th Armored Division crossed the bridge under fire from the Luftwaffe planes, but made it across. Then they set up their anti-aircraft weaponry and tank guns and significantly slowed the fighter planes. Bill’s group went across next. Then, all US troops in the area crossed. If the reader has seen the movie “Patton,” this bridge is the place where Patton chose to relieve himself to spite the Germans.

During the battles, the men ate C-rations and perhaps some K-rations. Once into Germany, the Army provided a “ten-into-one” meal suited to feed ten men at one time. Other times, the men would open the cardboard ration package and locate the “entre”. The First Sergeant obtained and used a large barrel that held boiling water. The men would toss their “entrées” into the water and in no time, they would have a warm meal.

Bill’s anti-tank gunner job turned out to be a good deal for him and his crew. The 57mm cannon was pulled by a truck that would be about a ton and a half size vehicle. The crew was made up of ten men: ammo-humpers, loaders, and a gunner. In battle, the driver would stop the truck and the crew would unhook the gun and move it so it faced the desired target. The men would spread the tow arms out and station them to control the recoil of the gun. Then, everyone did their respective jobs. Finally, the gunner would affix the target, and …BANG! Being assigned a truck, the men could sleep in it at night.

The cannon was a weapon of death. If a tank couldn’t maneuver in time, Bill’s cannon could hit targets and affect lethal damage.

The fighting continued into Germany. A large number of friends and battle buddies were lost. At one point, they were caught in a battle. The unit came under heavy fire as it came into view. One of the unit’s 2nd LT was gut shot. Bill was wounded by shrapnel flying around. Bill carried the LT to the medics and learned of his own injuries. As Bill returned to the battle, he found that his truck was hit and disabled. The fighting was still going on so several of the men high-crawled along a stone fence to safety.

The men were able to find two 1935 Ford trucks in amongst several abandoned German vehicles. They got them to run and slowly went back to their fighting positions. The Nazis had pulled back so the men found their cannon. Hooked it to one of the trucks and went on! Bill knew that the “Red Ball Express” was a real entity that carried all the supplies to the front. Bullets and beans, and fuel carried 24/7 in the theater of war.

By now, other units of Allied forces were in Germany and had pretty much determined the fate of the German armed forces. Bill’s unit moved south to Austria. They stopped at Innz. -between Innsbrook and Salsburg. The men figured out that the War was over.

Bill changed jobs fairly soon. The unit became part of the Army of Occupation. Bill was now a truck driver. He drove a gas-powered two and a half-ton truck. There was lots to be re-distributed as well as re-settling people. Bill was well-trained in operating a truck. He also spoke the German language fluently. The two skills were very important to the Command and to Bill. Bill was assigned the truck so he kept it with him at all times. There were things the troops needed like beer and wine and food. Bill and other truckers were essential in helping in that regard.

Life for Bill and the soldiers with him was hard. At one point, they figured out that they had not showered for six months. A portable shower unit had come to their location but by the time it was set up, they guys had to go back into the fight. A USO unit came to their area after one of the battles. They kept in touch with home by writing letters, but not many of them. Bill got to see Gen. George Patton. The General’s vehicle drove by their position. The General was standing in it. Bill could see his pearl handled handguns and heard him say “give ‘em hell!”

Eventually, Bill and his compatriots were informed that they were to move into France, to camps established for re-deployment. These camps were named after American made cigarettes. Bill went to Camp Lucky Strike. He had fifty-eight points in the numerical system used in picking who got to leave first. The ones who earned the Purple Heart, had several children and or had been in the war the longest, got to the front of the line.

His passage to the “States” was on a Liberty Ship. The ride was smooth. He recalled the firefighting ships greeting the Liberty ships as they approached the Pier, spraying water shafts to the sky.

The next portage was aboard a train that took him to Fort Logan, Colo. He found a friend near there who gave him a ride home.

In asking Bill about his awards, his humble remark was that he “came home alive.” He did earn the Combat Infantry Badge, the Purple Heart, the American Theater award, American Defense Service Medal, Army of Occupation Ribbon and the Victory Medal.

Some things still bother Bill. The indiscriminate bombing that was carried out. There was so much collateral damage of people and property. Bill was perturbed at enemy snipers. As guys sat to have their rations, in the blink of an eye one of his buddies was killed as he ate. The situation there was that the victim never got a chance to defend himself from such an anonymous shooter. Another item was the British soldiers who failed to come into the Ardennes Forrest and help their allies in the fight.

Corporal Bill Behrends, great job! Thank you for your service!

Editor’s note: This story is one of many American veteran stories published throughout the year. The writer, who is from Sidney, is conducting the interviews as part of the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project.