PFC Dan McBride recalled a moment that occurred during the period when the Fox Company paratroopers were in defensive positions in the vicinity of St. Oedenrode.
“The incident did not happen in St. Oedenrode, but it was in an area close to the town. We were attacking a house that was occupied by a group of Germans. We were shooting at them, and they were shooting back at us. SGT Thomas ‘Pop’ Terrell and PFC James Kennedy went around the back to cover that door, in case any of the Germans tried to escape.”
Featured image: PFC James Kennedy (Courtesy of the Nicholas J. Neises Family).
A German ruse
SGT Thomas “Pop” Terrell (Courtesy of the Nicholas J. Neises Family).
“We yelled at the Germans to surrender, but there was no response. Kennedy only had the mortar tube because he had lost the base plate and the tripod. Aiming was pretty difficult. Kennedy held the mortar between his knees, put his helmet at the bottom of the tube as a sort of base plate, aimed until he thought it was about right, and dropped a shell in. The house was about 150 yards away, and it hit right on the roof of the house. We yelled again to the Germans to come out and surrender, but they still refused to do so. Old Calfboy Blasingame crawled up with his bazooka. He turned one round loose, and the projectile went right through a window of the house and exploded inside. All the Germans started screaming and howling and came running out of the house.
“Two Germans came walking out of the back door. One Kraut came out with his hands in the air, and a second one was right behind him, real close. Pop Terrell stood up and said, ‘Kommen Sie her.’ [German: Come here!] When they got close, the Kraut in front dropped down, and the second one pulled up a rifle and took a shot at Pop Terrell. The bullet hit his helmet, which flew off and grazed the top of his head and split the skin. He got mad as hell and shot both these Krauts. He went around the house and shot all the other Germans that came running out. Pop Terrell was from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We were always kidding him, saying they used alligators for watchdogs and hoot owls for chickens, but he was not joking that morning. He was thoroughly pissed off, I can tell you that!”
This is a short story several of Fox Company’s paratroopers, as described in the book: From the Frying Pan to Mittersill, Fox Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (1942 – 1945). If you are interested in learning more about these courageous Fox Company paratroopers, order your copy now!
