Ran Over By A Tank And ...

[key2theattic]

I used to get in a lot of trouble for telling my buddies in grade school about my Dad being run over by a tank in WW2 - to put it politely, the nuns thought it was quite the tall tale. I was glad to see this article in the "Victory News" and a clipping from another publication survived all these years when I was going through Dad's stuff after his death in 2007. Anyway, I thought I'd share them with everyone.

[key2theattic]

His injuries were quite extensive. The tread ran over him at the waist - the only thing that saved him was the deep mud on the battlefield. He lost about half of his small intestines and was in and out of the VA hospital for several years with follow-up surgeries and therapies. He lived a good long life, but that day in Aachen took its toll.

[Cobra 6 Actual]

Wow, just wow. I’m glad he survived and that your “story” was vindicated in those documents.

[M24 Chaffee]

That’s just terrifying! Very glad he was able to enjoy a long life! 
 

Frank

[BANGMilitaria]

That's absolutely terrifying. Years ago, I interviewed a veteran of the 16th Infantry who had a similar experience just a few miles away in the Hurtgen Forest, where he was pinned beneath a fallen tree during an artillery barrage. I'm so glad that they both survived and lived long, fruitful lives beyond that brutal campaign. Was your father also in the 1st Infantry Division?

[key2theattic]

He was with the 2nd Armored Division. He saw quite a bit of turf - went into and across north Africa, over to Sicily and Italy, landed on Omaha Beach a day after the 1st wave, across France, Belgium and Holland and was injured just across the France/Germany border at Aachen. He laid in the mud after being run over for some 18 hours - the medics, thinking he'd be dead in minutes, kept stuffing cigarettes in his mouth and moved on to GIs that they figured could be saved and left him behind. Finally, they peeled him out of the mud with the last group of survivors before evacuating the area. Funny thing about it was, he never smoked!

[268th C.A.]

Unlucky but lucky! Great story, with a happy ending, Glad he made it home. What a story....I have a tunic of a medic that was left in the cold of the Ardennes for dead. They passed him over many times. Then realized he was alive.  3 days he laid there for dead. His sister in-law shared the story with me.  Many thousands like this I'm sure...

RIP 

[DBURDBUSH45]

On 8/20/2022 at 1:14 AM, BANGMilitaria said:

That's absolutely terrifying. Years ago, I interviewed a veteran of the 16th Infantry who had a similar experience just a few miles away in the Hurtgen Forest, where he was pinned beneath a fallen tree during an artillery barrage. I'm so glad that they both survived and lived long, fruitful lives beyond that brutal campaign. Was your father also in the 1st Infantry Division?

My grandfather was with the 1st Inf. Div. during WW2, he said besides Normandy that it was nothing short of “divine intervention” that he survived the Fall of ‘44 through Jan. of ‘45 and the hellacious “campaigns” he was involved in, specifically mentioning the Hurtgen Forest. There’s an interesting movie that focused on that battle some years ago called “When Trumpets Fade.”

As part of one of my history projects in college I did considerable research and interviews of WW2 vets and their “experiences” trying to re-adjust to civilian life. Truly beyond remarkable that generation!!

[The Rooster]

 

[Powerhouse]

Hello,

A lucky man in his misfortune. Thank you for sharing his story.

He was member of the 41st Armored Infantry regiment?

Do you have any other documents or objects from your father?

[key2theattic]

12 hours ago, Powerhouse said:

Hello,

A lucky man in his misfortune. Thank you for sharing his story.

He was member of the 41st Armored Infantry regiment?

Do you have any other documents or objects from your father?

He was in the 41st Armored Infantry. He acquired some standard items - bayonet, Nazi belt buckle, German Marks and a variety of coins. But the photos show the most interesting item - he found it sitting on a table in an abandoned German bunker.

[Deuce]

He was a very lucky Soldier! I just finished reading “Spearhead” by Adam Makos. Massive armored machines lumbering around the battlefield do not mix well with human bodies. Any idea if it were a German or American tank during this experience?

[key2theattic]

It was an American tank. He had extensive shrapnel wounds. He and other wounded GIs were put behind a tank for protection. That didn't work out too well.