On this day 80 years ago, the Americans are about a week away from arrival in Schwarzenfeld.
Two units will be involved in the fateful events recounted in The Sower of Black Field. The 11th Armored Division, which forms the spearhead of Patton’s Third Army, will clear the town of enemy forces, impose martial law, and then swiftly proceed to the next town, where they repeat the process. Hours after their departure the 328th regiment of the U.S. 26th Infantry Division, more commonly referred to as the “Yankee Division” or “YD 26th,” will occupy the town as a peacekeeping force. (For reference, see the Wikipedia article on the general process that U.S. forces followed for occupation.) It’s worth taking a moment to reflect upon what these men have experienced as they approach Schwarzenfeld.
For readers who have an avid interest in military WWII history, I acquired an excellent map from alamy.com that tracks the location and dates of the American spearhead and its progress through Germany in April 1945. Click on the map to see a larger copy.
On this day, April 14th 1945—exactly 80 years ago—the spearhead units are passing between the German towns of Kulmbach and Bayreuth, about 100km (62 miles) from Schwarzenfeld.
A few historical details on the units mentioned above. Both units landed in Europe after D-Day. The 328th arrived first in September 1944. The 11th Armored followed a few weeks later in October. They received a bloody christening into warfare in the snows of the Ardennes, a campaign that history calls the “Battle of the Bulge.” One event in particular has left an indelible impression—an incident in which soldiers from the Waffen-SS gunned down 84 American prisoners at a crossroads near the Belgian town of Malmedy. When news of the killings spread among American forces, it enraged frontline troops. The 328th infantry regiment issued orders that “no SS troops or paratroopers will be taken prisoner but will be shot on sight.” It’s abundantly clear that the mad carnival of warfare is taking its toll.
During the research process we discovered a memoir written by J. Ted Harman, an American soldier enlisted in the 11th Armored. Hartman commanded a tank in this unit. The brief passage below gives us a sense of the tension that he and his fellow soldiers were experiencing 80 years ago, as the spearhead penetrated deep into the forested region of the Bavarian Oberpfalz…
“The countryside was heavily wooded and hilly, the type of topography where tanks can get ambushed if they are not on the alert. As we were passing through one village, the townspeople told us that SS soldiers were in the woods on the other side of town. After we shot up the woods with machine guns, we learned that the rumor was false. We had long since decided to take no chances, so we were doubly prepared.
We assumed that many of the men from the villages that we were entering now were serving in the German armed forces, as the inhabitants seemed to be mostly older women. Tanks are very noisy, and their image engenders fear. Our entry into most of the villages was a surprise, so many of the women were crying, presumably frightened about what our tanks or we might do.”
—J. Ted Hartman, Tank Driver: With the 11th Armored from the Battle of the Bulge to VE Day, page 94.
The photo for today’s post also shows two P-51 Mustangs soaring in the skies above. These planes were frequently used for reconnaissance missions. They also scouted the landscape for locomotives passing through the countryside. Pilots have been ordered to shoot any train crossing German territory because it is likely carrying reinforcements to enemy lines.
They never question that these trains might be carrying something else.
Useful reminders
This post is part of a month-long series reflecting upon historical events that contributed to my debut historical fiction novel, The Sower of Black Field. Visit the “Latest News” area on my website for a recap »
The Sower of Black Field is available in paperback, eBook / Kindle, and audiobook on Amazon. Get your copy »
This post includes a brief excerpt from J. Ted Hartman’s book, Tank Driver: With the 11th Armored from the Battle of the Bulge to VE Day. This book is readily available on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, audiobook, and eBook/Kindle. If you’re interested in WWII military history, I encourage you to give it a read. Get your copy »
