I wrote years ago from my Dad's stories of a twenty year old soldier's worst Christmas. |
Christmas 1944 A Veteran’s Tale It would be Christmas Eve out there Somewhere beyond the icy hills. Hills that reminded him of home, The Ohio River valley. His parents were both in Detroit Working in the war factories, But home was always the valley, In the overheated old house in the town That would be reeking of coal smoke. His old dog sleeping on his bed, The Christmas tree would seem so big And shining with lights and tinsel, His sisters, aunt and grandparents Would be gathered around it. It would snow there from time to time, But not with fog and freezing cold. Colder than he had ever been Colder than he would be again. Last Christmas had been in England In a chilly, dark, wet barracks A sad, lonely ‘Christmas dinner‘. Tomorrow looked to be worse Just more sorry, bland C rations, If they could thaw enough to eat. The new man was curled around His booted feet and shivering Once in a while despite sleeping. Man, he thought, a kid green as grass But he was a volunteer now And they were under strength. They were to be in the rear now Coastal Belgium had been battered The people were happy to see The Rangers and had showed it That they had even shared their drink, Sugar beet liquor they made themselves From the sugar beet vats nearby In an abandoned factory . It had tasted like it sounded, Sweet and hot with the alcohol. That unknotted weary muscles Warming the gut and heart a bit, To relax for the first time there Since Normandy, the breakout. Then a new order in the night Had ended that party and leave. No trucks just the long cold march, Hung over men staggering on Into the east, the broken hills Where Belgium and Germany met. The Germans had pushed a deep bulge, In the Ardennes on December 16. And here they were crouched in snow Along the south flank of the Bulge, Waiting relief up from the south. Scuttlebutt said it was Patton. He detested old Blood and Guts, Telling Rangers to wear neckties In forward areas. Tonight, As he shivered yet again He would kiss the SOB If it got them out of these woods Just long enough to thaw his toes. They never saw Patton’s breakthrough. His battalion was relieved The first part of January But for only 3 days off the line Before moving on toward the East And crossing the German border. |