D Company, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne troopers Pvt. Alvin Quimby of Claremont, NH with an M3 “Grease Gun” and Duane Tedrick of Illinois with a BAR during the Battle of the Bulge, January 1945. [1170×770]
Pvt. Alvin T. Quimby (31178970) of Claremont, NH and Sgt. Duane L. Tedrick (17076815), Illinois both from Company ‘D’, 506 PIR, 101st Airborne in Bastogne January 1945.
“….he (Sgt Tedrick) recalls a particularly haunting incident that occurred shortly before Christmas 1944. Toward evening, far off in the forest, a German loudspeaker began to play American Christmas carols. Across the silent white snow, through the black trees and under the winter moon came the eerie sound of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.” The surreal music was made even more sinister when a German, speaking perfect English, said, “Good evening, American paratroopers. Don’t you wish you were home now? Listen. On our Christmas menu we’ll be having turkey with gravy and stuffing. Of course there will be fresh vegetables, too. Oh yes, and for you Southern boys there will be plenty of baked ham and grits on the side.” This, said to a man in a frozen hole eating another K ration after days of siege, was almost unbearable. “All you have to do, Americans,” the German continued, “is to walk 300 meters in our direction with your hands up, and then you can join us for the Christmas feast.” The G.I.s didn’t, of course. They held on….” “… a few days later, Sgt. D.L.Tedrick was blasted by a German Tiger tank shell. He was found incoherently dragging his Browning automatic rifle by the barrel as he wandered aimlessly on a path. He survived.” (from an extract by his future his son in law – Major John W. Davis)
The Siege of Bastogne was an engagement in December 1944 between American and German forces in the Belgian town of Bastogne, as part of the larger Battle of the Bulge. The goal of the German offensive was the harbour at Antwerp. In order to reach it before the Allies could regroup and bring their superior air power to bear, German mechanized forces had to seize the roadways through eastern Belgium. Because all seven main roads in the densely wooded Ardennes highlands converged on Bastogne (Bastnach in German), just a few miles away from the border with neighbouring Luxembourg, control of its crossroads was vital to the German attack. The siege was from 20 to 27 December, until the besieged American forces were relieved by elements of General George Patton’s Third Army. The fighting finally ended 17 January 45.
Duane L Tedrick (1922-1996) Alvin T Quimby (1915-1988)
AcanthisittaThink813 on
So glad they both survived
JaSkynyrd on
They both look cool, but dude in the overcoat is an effing G. What a bad ass
3 Comments
Pvt. Alvin T. Quimby (31178970) of Claremont, NH and Sgt. Duane L. Tedrick (17076815), Illinois both from Company ‘D’, 506 PIR, 101st Airborne in Bastogne January 1945.
“….he (Sgt Tedrick) recalls a particularly haunting incident that occurred shortly before Christmas 1944. Toward evening, far off in the forest, a German loudspeaker began to play American Christmas carols. Across the silent white snow, through the black trees and under the winter moon came the eerie sound of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.” The surreal music was made even more sinister when a German, speaking perfect English, said, “Good evening, American paratroopers. Don’t you wish you were home now? Listen. On our Christmas menu we’ll be having turkey with gravy and stuffing. Of course there will be fresh vegetables, too. Oh yes, and for you Southern boys there will be plenty of baked ham and grits on the side.” This, said to a man in a frozen hole eating another K ration after days of siege, was almost unbearable. “All you have to do, Americans,” the German continued, “is to walk 300 meters in our direction with your hands up, and then you can join us for the Christmas feast.” The G.I.s didn’t, of course. They held on….” “… a few days later, Sgt. D.L.Tedrick was blasted by a German Tiger tank shell. He was found incoherently dragging his Browning automatic rifle by the barrel as he wandered aimlessly on a path. He survived.” (from an extract by his future his son in law – Major John W. Davis)
The Siege of Bastogne was an engagement in December 1944 between American and German forces in the Belgian town of Bastogne, as part of the larger Battle of the Bulge. The goal of the German offensive was the harbour at Antwerp. In order to reach it before the Allies could regroup and bring their superior air power to bear, German mechanized forces had to seize the roadways through eastern Belgium. Because all seven main roads in the densely wooded Ardennes highlands converged on Bastogne (Bastnach in German), just a few miles away from the border with neighbouring Luxembourg, control of its crossroads was vital to the German attack. The siege was from 20 to 27 December, until the besieged American forces were relieved by elements of General George Patton’s Third Army. The fighting finally ended 17 January 45.
Duane L Tedrick (1922-1996) Alvin T Quimby (1915-1988)
So glad they both survived
They both look cool, but dude in the overcoat is an effing G. What a bad ass