German headquarters, about 40 yards away.
Concurrently, about thirty paratroopers entered the village and charged the German command post killing four officers and capturing a clerk. The clerk gave them information on the German units in the area; they had walked into a box. A German battalion was deployed east and north of them.
Before Guillot could decide what to do, mortar fire exploded among the houses and everyone started digging, and patrols were sent to search for more men
These patrols returned with 50 men, a third of them injured on the jump. Later, a lieutenant arrived with eight 101st Division troopers. The group now consisted of almost 100 men and they organized their position near the farmhouses. That afternoon, Guillot decided to move the group to Hill 30 about two miles away. As the group marched past Etienville, they met Captain Adams and he took command. Several days later, the group reached Hill 30 after many confrontations with large German patrols.
Joe Bressler, Hq1 81mm Mortar Platoon recounts his days in Normandy. This experience demonstrates the camaraderie shared by the men of Hq1.
Joe says. “In April 1943 at Camp Mackall, North Carolina, I joined Hq1 and was assigned to the 81mm mortar platoon. I made several friends in Hq1. However, three of us were always together Mel Beets from Texas, Joe Bressler from New York, and Oscar Prasse from Virginia.
I had a bad landing in Normandy, broke my ankle. I was immediately confronted by a German and killed him with a hand grenade. My ankle was bleeding badly and I could not use it. A paratrooper came to investigate my grenade explosion and said he would send help to me. A short time later Oscar Prasse arrived.
Oscar picked me up and carried me to an assembly area near Picauville where we joined Major Warren's group. By daylight about 200 men had assembled in the area including ten of us wounded or injured.
Major Warren received orders to move to Hill 30 and join Col. Shanley's group. As the combat capable men prepared to move, all the ammunition as collected from the
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