Aug

Thanks for thinking of me. I read through the journal and spotted a few vaguely familiar items. Actually, I don't remember much at all about the details of this battle - where my guns were and what I was doing day by day or hour by hour.

I do remember leaving the jeep for an "on foot" recon and getting trapped in the middle of a "fluid" situation. I was sneaking along one side of a hedgerow while the gun barrel of a German tank parked on the other side was above me to the point I could have reached up and touched it. Somehow I was able to work my way back to elements of my own unit.

My only other memory is that of the life saving efforts of the RAF's rocket firing Typhoons who came in at <50 ft(?) right over my head and directly into the machine gun fire of the oncoming line of tanks - but didn't release their rockets till they were so close a hit was guaranteed. Then full throttle straight up in time (hopefully) to avoid the blast when the rocket hit and the tank exploded. I can never say enough about the guts of these RAF fighters. It's also my opinion - though I think I'm in the minority - that it really was the RAF that saved the day at Mortain. I was there. I saw the long line of tanks approaching with no apparent resistance. There was nothing else to stop them at that point.

Now I have to take a "pill" to calm myself down! But that's OK. I'm among the many who appreciate all you have done and are doing to chronicle the times of our country and our lives.