0 Members
Page Maintained By
James Mcnamara
|
|
For more information go to www.strikehold504th.com,
Thanks,
Jim McNamara
THE FOLLOWING WAS TAKEN FROM "THE DEVILS IN BAGGY PANTS" BY ROSS CARTER.
WE HAD BEEN AT THE BRIDGE BUT A SHORT TIME WHEN THE HAPPY-GO LUCKY MASTER SCOUT, BACHENHEIMER RODE UP ON A BICYCLE. HE LOOKED OVER IN THE DIRECTION OF NIJMEGAN TWO OR THREE MILES AWAY, WHICH AT THE MOMENT WAS BEING DIVE BOMBED AND STRAFED, AND WISTFULLY COMMENTED: "I AIN'T BEEN OVER THERE YET. HE STRADDLED HIS BICYCLE AND STARTED OFF.
"BACHENHEIMER", ADMIRED THE ARAB, "YOU'RE SHOWING NO MORE SENSE THAN USUAL. IT'S DAYLIGHT; THE KRAUTHEADS HOLD THE TOWN AND IT'S BEING BOMBED. IF YOU GO OVER THERE BY YOURSELF, YOU WON'T COME BACK."
AH HELL! I'M GOING OVER THERE TO SEE WHAT THE SCORE IS." THE BACHENHEIMER LEGEND STARTED ON THE ANZIO BEACHHEAD. HAVING LEFT GERMANY FOR THE STATES WHEN TWELVE YEARS OLD, THIS BROWN-EYED,ROSEY CHEEKED, SLIGHTLY BUILT YOUNGSTER OF TWENTY-ONE SPOKE ENGLISH AND GERMAN EQUALLY WELL. HIS SERVICE TO OUR ARMED FORCES BEGAN IN SICILY WHERE HE HAD BEEN CAPTURED, INTERROGATED AND PUT UNDER GUARD NEAR THE GERMAN REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS. SOMEHOW HE MANAGED TO EAVESDROP ON A REGIMENTAL STAFF MEETING AND TO ESCAPE WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING ENEMY PLANS.
ONE NIGHT ACCOMPANIED BY A BUDDY WHO SPOKE NO GERMAN HE SNEAKED UP ON A GERMAN HAVING A SUPPER OF WIENERS AND POTATOES. THE ENEMY SOLDIER NEVER SUSPECTING THAT AN AMERICAN COULD SPEAK SUCH FLUENT GERMAN INVITED THEM TO SHARE HIS RATIONS. THE THREE SAT IN THE DARKNESS IN CONVIVIAL INTIMACY UNTIL BACHENHEIMER, TIRED OF THE GAME, SUGGESTED TO THE GERMAN THAT HE EAT WELL AS HE MIGHT NOT EAT AGAIN FOR A LONG TIME. WHEN THE SUSPICIOUS SOLDIER REACHED FOR HIS GUN, BACHENHEIMER SHOT HIM IN THE THROAT.
ONCE WHEN GUTIERREZ, KALE AND TEDESCHI WERE WITH HIM, BACHENHEIMER SEIZED A GUNNER OUT OF A MACHINE GUN NEST AND WITHDREW WITH HIM IN A HAIL OF BULLETS TO THE COVER OF A DITCH. TEDESCHI, SERIOUSLY WOUNDED, HAD TO BE ABANDONED. KALE, A MEDIC WHO WAS MORE FAMILIAR WITH RED CROSS BRASSARDS THEN TOMMY GUNS, WAS LYING WITH HIS GUN POINTING TOWARD HIS OWN CHEST; GUTIERREZ, A DARING YOUNGSTER OF MEXICAN ANCESTRY, HAD THE JOB OF KEEPING THE PRISONERS WITHIN BAYONET RANGE. IN THE DARK, THE ENEMY SUCCEEDED IN PULLING THE TRIGGER ON KALE'S GUN, WHICH SENT A BURST OF 45 SLUGS THROUGH THE MEDIC'S SIDE AND CHEST. GUTIERREZ DEXTEROUSLY SLID THE POINT OF HIS BAYONET INTO THE KRAUTHEAD'S THROAT. A YEAR LATER TEDESCHI MINUS A LED LANDED IN NEW YORK AS A REPATRIATE OF THE GRIPSHOLM. KALE TURNED UP AS A FREED PRISONER AT THE END OF THE WAR.
BACHENHEIMER PROWLED BEHIND THE ENEMY'S LINES SO MUCH THAT HE KNEW THE LOCATION OF THE COMPANY, MEDIC AND SUPPLY DUGOUTS, OF THE MACHINE GUN NESTS AND THE VARIOUS PLATOON HEADQUARTERS. HE EVEN KNEW THE NAMES OF THE OFFICERS AND THEIR REPUTATION AMONG THE MEN.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF NOTCHES HE COULD HAVE CUT ON HIS GUNSTOCK. ONE NIGHT THE STORY GOES, WHILE ROVING THE DARK LONELY TRAILS OF THE VOLTURNO COUNTRY, HE DISCOVERED A SIX-MAN ENEMY PATROL CLIMBING THE MOUNTAINS. HE LIQUIDATED THE REAR MAN AND TOOK HIS PLACE. ONE BY ONE HE DID AWAY WITH THE MAN IN FRONT OF HIM UNTIL ONLY TWO WERE LEFT. HE SHOT THEM.
SUCH WAS BACHENHEIMER, WHOM WE HAD COME TO LOOK UPON AS A PHENOMENOM OF THE FIRST ORDER. CASEY WATCHED HIM PEDAL OFF WHISTLING A MERRY TUNE AND EXCLAIMED: "WHAT A JOKER!"
WE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER IN ASTONISHMENT. CLAM-LIPPED CASEY HAD BEEN GUILTY OF AN EXCLAMATIN!
A SQUAD OF NAZIS KAMERADED BACHENHEIMER AS HE RODE BOLDLY INTO TOWN AROUND ONE P.M. HE JUMPED FROM HIS BICYCLE AND VANISHED--IN A HORIZONTAL RAIN OF BULLETS. HIS KNOWLEDGE OF GERMAN, COOL NERVE AND ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS GAINED HIM THE POSITION AS A LEADER OF THE DUTCH UNDERGRUND IN NIJMEGEN. FROM HIS BASEMENT HEADQUARTERS HE DIRECTED THE OPERATIONS OF THREE HUNDRED GUERILLAS, WHO HINDERED GERMAN TROOP MOVEMENTS, AND COLLECTED MUCH USEFUL INFORMATION FOR THE ALLIES. IT WAS A CURIOUS SITUATION. THE GERMANS HELD THE TOWN, BUT BACHENHEIMER ADMINISTERED IT. WHEN WE FINALLY MOVED IN, WE FOUND BACHENHEIMER SITTING IN HIS HEADQUARTERS ISSUING ORDERS TO HIS GUERILLAS. SOON COLONELS AND GENERALS WERE SEEKING PRIVATE BACHENHEIMER'S ADVICE.
GENERAL GAVIN IS SAID TO HAVE ASKED COLONEL TUCKER WHY SUCH A VALUABLE MAN WAS STILL A PRIVATE. THE GENERAL ORDERED BACHENHEIMER TO REPORT TO HIM, PERHAPS INTENDING TO GIVE HIM A COMMISSION. THE KID WORE A JUMP SUIT, MOCCASINS AND A KNITTED CAP TO HIS INTERVIEW! SO FAR AS WE COULD LEARN HE WAS NEVER GIVEN A COMMISSION, PROBABLY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT ONE. IT WAS NOT IN THIS CARELESS JOKER TO CONFORM TO CONVENTIONAL ARMY REGULATIONS.
ONE DAY A BRITISH INTELLIGENCE OFFICER WAS TONGUING HIS GUMS TO BACHENHEIMER ABOUT A LARGE PRISONER-OF-WAR STOCKADE LOCATED EIGHTEEN MILES BEHIND THE LINES. THE MASTER SCOUT SUGGESTED THAT THEY CROSS THE RIVER AND HAVE A LOOK-SEE. THE LAD'S GUERRILLA PARTISANS STRUNG A TELEPHONE LINE ACROSS THE RIVER AND ROWED THEM ACROSS. THEY WERE TO USE A TELEPHONE HIDDEN ON THE BANK TO REQUEST A BOAT WHEN THEY RETURNED FROM THEIR MISSION THEY NEVER USED IT.
THE KRAUTHEADS HAD ACCUMULATED A LARGE DOSSIER ON ONE MAN-ARMY BACHENHEIMER, WHO HAD PLAGUED THEM SINCE SICILY. THEY HAD EVERY REASON NOT TO WANT HIM TO LIVE. FOR A WHILE HE WAS CARRIED ON REGIMENTAL ROLLS AS MIA, THEN AS KIA.
BACHENHEIMER TOLD ME ON ANZIO BEACHEAD THAT HE KNEW HE WOULD GET IT IF HE PERSISTED IN HIS SPYING, BUT. HE SAID THAT HIS SENSE OF DUTY AND THE ATTRACTION OF THE PERILOUS ADVENTURE MAGNETIZED HIM TO IT. BACHENHEIMER, GAY YOUNG STALKER OF DEATH, I TAKE OFF MY HAT TO YOU IN DEFERENCE. I WONDER IF ADEQUATE CREDIT WILL EVER BE DONE YOUR NAME.... Click on VFW Magazine stories on first page. Under construction Marker pictured on page is at Ft.Bragg is not a grave marker.
|
|
|
|
| Back to Tribute Page |
|
|