Recollection of Sgt. Douglas C Dillard, A Company, 551ste PIB, 83nd Anb. Div.
ETO, Battle of the Bulge, Dairomont, Belgium, January 1945


Map of the Belgian Bulge – showing where the 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion fought its battles

"FIX BAYONETS"

… we were to ''Fix Bayonets and Charge''! This was the order we received from 1st Lt. Richard W. DURKEE O-1325809, CO, A Co, 551st PIB (attached to the 82d A/B Div) – it was about 1600 hrs, January 4, 1945 – we charged across the field and wooded area into the German positions in support of B Co (during the attack against Dairomont) . Everybody charged like crazy, we were yelling and screaming like madmen, as we moved upon the enemy . We could now see the Germans’ breath and flashes of their two machineguns – as we approached the enemy positions . Lt. Durkee knocked one German down with the butt of his carbine; the Germans in the first row who had been firing in another direction, now turned around trying to run from their foxholes – but as we were on top of them, they didn’t have time to do so, our men leaped everywhere thrusting their bayonets into the startled Germans, Lt. Dick Durkee went from one to another, using the butt of his M1 carbine and shooting like hell … at the time I was close behind our leader and tried to fire my Thompson SMG which was frozen solid, so I couldn’t fire, nevertheless the Lt. killed those 6 or 8 Krauts in the foxholes all by himself …we bagged 64 in total . Our losses were to become heavy too, after the attack against Rochelinval and its subsequent capture January 7, 1945 . The GOYAs had started the counteroffensive in the Salm River sector January 3 with 643 men, and when the 551st PIB was relieved January 8, only 14 officers and 96 EM were still alive … fighting conditions were absolutely terrible during winter, trench foot and frostbite were common, since almost no one had overcoats or overshoes to wear!

Picture taken in 1944