Glen Hines
Company A
85th Mountain Infantry Regiment
10th Mountain Division
Glen Hines and his Mother.
Glen Hines and his Brother and Father.
Skiing at Camp Hale.
May 11, 1945
Dearest folks,
Well
censorship has been lifted entirely except future operations (even personal
guesses) and casualties before 30 days have passed.
Here’s the Story.
“In the Lines With Hines”
Report #000
I
left Patrick Henry (saw Red Skelton there) on January 4th on the USS
Westpoint – the largest and best ship the US has ever built – class.
Arrived at Naples on the 13th.
Got on Landing Crafts Infantry and sailed up the Mediterranean coast on a
beautiful trip to Leghorn. Thence
to Pisa. From there up to Bagni
DiLueca and a good setup. There I
went on a couple of patrols, but found no Germans.
After a quiet month there we went to our first contacts with the real
horrors of war – Mt. Belvedere. With
all praise for the division I say that they did something 3 other outfits had
failed to accomplish. Our battles
spearheaded the main push for the long ridge with our platoon leading it.
We were under a 3 hour mortar barrage, a terrific artillery barrage, and
small arms fire beside mines. I
left several friends there, but also I saw American soldiers show the courage,
fight, and stamina that has made it possible for us to be where we are now.
After
a short rest we made the next push where we met real hard, bitter, small arms
fire. Myself and several of the men
were pinned down for a half hour on an open slope with “burp” (machine) guns
firing within inches of us but only one of my boys was hit in the leg.
A miracle. This was at
Canolle (next to Castle’ D’Aiano) where I got an undeserved Bronze Star.
After a 4 day rest camp and a pass (1 ½ days) to Florence we held fast
till we moved across the valley to Castle D’Aiano.
From there on April 14th at noon we moved up on the final push
to drive the Germans from Italy. Our
company moved up on hill 913 to hold it. There
we suffered more than you can imagine. I
lost 14 men of my platoon in 24 hours. It
was terrible and after so many 88’s and 150’s I actually didn’t care if I
lived or died. I just wanted to get
out of there. After a day – night
– and another day we moved out to a quieter area for a couple of days. In the meantime the 86th & 87th
Regts. got rolling to become the spear head for the whole front.
It developed into a race of who could run faster us or Jerry.
Finally we caught up to the front at Monte Pastore where we jumped off
for a decisive push up a large highway leading to Bologna.
We hit lots of resistance there and again I was lucky, but several of my
friends, especially one, weren’t so fortunate.
After what seemed like days (actually 1 day) we held up on top of a high
sharp mountain. From there we could
see the long dreamed of Po Valley. The
next day our company led and we moved out into the attack again.
Our mission seemed impossible. By
a lucky glow of fate we met no resistance and took the town of Lavino (5 mi West
of Bologna), the first American troops to enter the Po Valley.
We reached there at 10 AM. The
next morning at 10 AM, after a nice nights sleep, we watched as the 5.5 inch
guns passed us making us definitely rear area troops.
Really a fast moving battle. A
funny thing happened at Lavino. We
were sitting around loafing after reaching town when suddenly a Jerry motorcycle
came racing through trying to escape. Our
machine guns were set up, and blasted the hell out of the 2 Jerrys on it.
We captured 13 prisoners that night and one told us they hadn’t known
where the front was for 4 days. He
gave us the same old line – has a cousin in New York, was forced to fight, and
here is my money. The bastards.
Then
we moved on up to Novi – a real reception where the Partisans had 400 Germans
& 100 Fascists prisoners. They
were going to starve them the way the Germans had done to them for 5 years.
Then
we bypassed Montuva and up to the old Po River.
It had seemed like the end of the rainbow – something you could search
for, but always so far away. A bit
barrage of air bursts had just come over before we got there.
We had a quiet crossing in small assault boats – so quiet I cracked
something about the Rover Boys on the Po.
From
there a nights sleep and then a 22 mile push (hike actually) in 10 hours with
enemy on all sides of us. Then on
trucks to Villa Franca (So of Verona) where we captured a large airport.
A jerry plane landed there that night thinking it was still theirs.
Then trucks up to a small town on beautiful Lake Garda (also into the
Alps). Then we moved up 5 more
miles to Malcesino where we received the happy news of the Germans unconditional
surrender in Italy. We stayed there
till we had also received the V-E news.
Since
then we’ve moved to the town of Garda – right on the lake.
This is the most beautiful country I’ve ever seen.
Now we are in the town’s largest hotel with running water, lights and a
radio.
Well,
there is the story of your son in Italy. I
have no souvenirs except my head on my shoulders which is all I wanted.
I’ve seen suffering as no man should suffer.
I’ve seen beautiful country and the ultimate in elations.
Its been an experience such as I hope never to repeat, but I’ve also
met men & boys I’ll never forget. Some
of them I’ll see again someday, others I’ll never get to see.
One
thing that is outstanding in my mind is the Red Cross girls – they were great.
Something else I’ll never forget is the grinning faces of surrendering
Germans who minutes earlier were trying to kill us. They are no good believe me.
I
have also seen cheering Italians who have only been living to see the day of
liberation we brought. These are good.
I’ve
had some terrifying experiences, I’ve had some wonderful experiences; these
are the products of war. I’ve had feelings of fear, courage (seldom), hate, and
love; these too are the products of war. At
times I’d have given anything to keep alive and well. Other times (at least the once) I wished I’d be killed and
the war would be over for me. All
in all I guess my desire for life and the hand of God saw me through.
Well
folks, that’s about all, hope it hasn’t been boring.
Now
I’ll sit back, puff on a cigarette and relax.
Goodnight
and all my love,
Glen