We had dry rooms, good hot food, very little training and everyone looked forward to a pass to Paris.  Our ‘good’ life was short. On December 17, the Germans launched a massive attack through the Ardennes aim-ed at the English Channel ports. In the surprise attack, the Germans overran several divisions, killing or capturing many Americans. We spent months fighting a desperate enemy in the bitter cold and snow covered forests of the Ardennes, and through the fortified Siegfried Line, to the Roer River.”

Warren Brown says. “Much is written about the Infantry soldier. But un-less you have experienced  ‘winter warfare’ as an Infantry soldier, it is difficult to visualize or comprehend the hardships you will suffer.

Daily you live in rain, snow and extreme cold. You are always hungry - longing for a cup of hot coffee or a glass of fresh milk.

You live and sleep in holes dug into snow covered rocky ground or in bombed out cellars -- the only light or warmth you have is from a can or bottle filled with gasoline stuffed with a rag wick.

You daily encounter artillery fires, mortar attacks, air attacks deadly snipers, and terrifying rockets.

Friends are killed or wounded, nothing ever changes, and each day is the same, attack - dig in - move out, just keep going.  Your hands get so cold you can hardly handle your rifle. You desperately need to get warm.

If you have experienced and survived any or all of these conditions, you are an Infantry soldier.

In addition, as parachutists, we in Hq1 carried everything we owned. We did not have transportation or kitchens. We carried a bare minimum of medical supplies, and we didn’t have engineer supp-ort, tanks or heavy artillery.”

 A WW II comrade recalls. “On March 14, 1945, in Sissonne, France Warren Brown was the ‘jumpmaster’ for our practice parachute jump. He led twelve men out the door of our C-47 plane, a unique occurrence as the   role of ‘jump master’ was a privilege and responsibility reserved only for officers and senior noncommissioned officers.  Therefore, Warren’s  out-standing performance was an exception.”