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Remembrances
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I write this story to the best of my memory as it happened many years ago
-- December 1944 --
in the small village of Wy, Belgium,
during the Battle of the Bulge.
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| I was assigned as machine gunner Company H, 290th Infantry Regiment, 75th Infantry Division at the young age of 18 years old. I had misinformed the authorities at the time of my entrance into the Army as to my correct age -- which should have been one year older. I worried that my mother would call and have them to discharge me during Basic Training. She never did, but during the Bulge incident I kept asking myself why didn't she ! |
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| Our unit first saw combat in the village of Soy, but our orders were to advance and on Christmas morning take the village of Wy. We walked all night from Soy to the woods near the village of Wy and started our attack as we advanced into Wy. All Hell broke loose as we entered Wy, and we had to retreat leaving half our weapons as we couldn't run with machine guns plus other heavy gear. With artillery shells pounding down on us, we regrouped in the nearby woods and somehow managed to seize the village of Wy that evening OR the following day. |
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| The Germans retreated and set up positions in the nearby forest. Our CO Headquarters was established in one of the farm houses. Commanding Officer Captain Vogel set up a defensive perimeter in the woods about 1/2 mile from Wy which included two men to a foxhole scattered over a sizeable area, approximately 30-40 feet apart, directly in front of the German perimeter. |
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| During our stay in Wy, I was assigned to get hot rations to these men in the foxholes -- usually in the morning before day break or in the evening after darkness. Submergible heaters were used to heat the rations, mainly beans, hash, spaghetti, crackers. I carried the rations in mortar shell bags extending over the front and back of my shoulder. A password (changed daily) was used as I approached each foxhole. I knew all the men by name but in darkness you had better know the password! I was young, scared, and had to make that long walk in the dark alone over an open field to the foxholes in the woods. I remember just as I entered the woods seeing a young, dead German soldier frozen in a crouched position. He was wearing American combat boots and a box of Lifebouy soap laid near his body. I turned him over with my bayonet each time I passed, afraid a live German would take his place and be waiting for me. |
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| Approaching each foxhole I called out the password and waited for their response before leaving the rations and sharing any known news. Approaching the last foxhole prior to my walk back, I gave my part of the password but didn't get a response. As I got closer and could see better, what I saw devasted me! The two men in the foxhole, Cpl. Frank Fothergill and Pfc. McBride, had taken a direct hit sometime during the night for their weapons and body parts were scattered over a 12-20 foot area. I got so excited that my steel helmet fell off my head and rolled down the hill toward the German position. I ran as fast as I could to report my findings to our CO, and I picked up a replacement helmet from another American soldier who was killed. The war went on and I was part of it. |
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| Several years later I became a member of the 75th Division Association of which I am still active. In June 1987 I picked up the mail and got into our car with my wife driving and started reading our association monthly paper, "Bulge Buster," that I had just received. I noticed an article asking for help from anyone that knew Cpl. Frank Fothergill and the circumstances of his death. I immediately had my wife turn back to our home and called the telephone number which turned out to be Frank's brother, Alan Fothergill. I found out from him that in December 1944 he was in the Army when notified of his brother's death. He was granted emergency leave and headed home to Cincinnati. When he arrived home he found that the shocking news his mother received had killed her and he has been troubled over the years. |
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| I made plans to meet Alan and his sister in Louisville during the 75ths 1988 Reunion and told them the above story concerning Frank's death. Since that time we write each other and hopefully will get together to attend a viewing of the 75th Division Memorial at Valley Forge, PA, where the names of Frank and McBride are honored. |
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| This is the end of my story, but I have been bothered by it over the year and am, therefore, delighted that we have come to a much better closure than I ever thought possible. |
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| Russell R. VEDELOFF |
"H" Company
290th Infantry Regiment
75th Infantry Division
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Campaigns
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Battle of the Bulge,
Belgium
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