Michigan Soldier-Michigan Pride

NORTH AFRICA LANDING

Now I will try to describe the preparation and landing at Arzew.  We are still out in the Mediterranean but now we are getting ready to land on the beach.  We climb down the nets on the side of the ship and load into landing craft LCA (landing craft assault), my whole platoon in one craft.  We circle around at sea ‘til all crafts were ready, then we started for the beach.  We landed w/o incident, there were no shots fired.  I will always think I was one of the first Americans to land on the beach in Africa during WW II.  My entire platoon and I landed on the beach from a British LCA.  Col Darby and his rangers landed on our right, with the mission to take the high ground and the coast arty unit.  Our password was “Hi-Oh Silver,” the answer was “Away.”  After landing we proceeded to the assembly area.  I met Major Parker our Battalion Commander.  He asked where we were going, I said to the assembly area, “Well, you are going the wrong way,” he said.  “Well,” I said, “I don’t think so sir, if you will follow us you will get to the right place.  You sir, are going the wrong way.”  He very reluctantly followed us to the assembly area.  He left the battalion a short while later and I never saw him again.  We then proceeded towards our objective, which was Oran, where we were to join the rest of the division.  Lt Mirakian with his third platoon led the way.  My first platoon and I followed Lt Mirakian.  When we reached the highway leading from Arzew to St. Cloud, Capt Froncillo ordered me to pass through the third platoon and take the lead.  This we did and now we are on the way to St. Cloud.

We were directed not to talk with the civilians (for security reasons) and as we marched through a small town I noticed a nice looking French girl among those lining each side of the street.  As we passed by I glanced toward her and winked!  Boy did that ever break the ice.  They were still jibber-jabbing among themselves when we went out of sight.  Shortly after this we were hit by a French armored car - an alcohol burner!  It came from the direction of St. Cloud, about the same time we were making the change in the platoon mission, and also, about the same time from the direction of Arzew, a farmer with an ox cart (with two wheels) came down the road loaded with a large load of rocks.  I don’t remember whether the farmer was an Arab or a Frenchman, but we did not stop him.  Little did I dream that this ox cart would have some effect on the armored car and my platoon, but it did!  Of course the road was not very wide.

The car and the ox cart met right where my platoon was hidden, on each side of the road.  The ox cart stopped in the middle of the road, I think he had about five-tons of stone balanced on two wheels so I think he had to be careful to keep from dumping his load.  I guess the driver of the car did not want to hit this load of stone on this ox cart so he pulled off the road, and drove partway down into the ditch, where my platoon was hiding, to avoid hitting the load of stone.  The car went right through my platoon.  The hard rubber tires cut some of my men in two.  Some length wise and some cross wise.  They were our first casualties!  The car continued on but the company behind us (“A” Company, under Capt Hill) took care of that armored car.  Major York was on the scene and was satisfied with the delay and action taken for the wounded.  I will always wonder why Capt Froncillo didn’t have another platoon take up the point while I was engaged with reorganization and taking care of casualties, but he didn’t.  So, as soon as the casualties were taken care of, as best we could, I directed the medic with us to stay with the wounded to make them as comfortable as possible until he was relieved by litter bearers, ambulance or other medical personnel and then to catch up with us.  The first soldier KIA in my platoon was Pvt. Galan, (Spanish descent.)  We got to the edge of St. Cloud, and then we began receiving artillery from a French garrison on the far side of the town.  I had some men into the town.  Capt Froncillo had been near me up to this point, and said he was going back to the battalion for something at that time.  I was c