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Monadnock Guide
Council of Elders
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
March 14 2005
Status: offline
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shadawick
Colonial Settler
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
August 19 2009
Status: offline
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 Posted - June 06 2010 : 7:04:04 PM
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I salute those who served in all branches in all theaters and those family and loved ones that waited at home praying the Western Union man or olive drab sedan did not stop in front of their house.
My wife's Uncle James Crisp, then 19 years old was an Airborne-Glider infantryman. He survived the D-Day landings (Losses were horrendous, even higher then the paratroops) He fought through the break-out and race across France only to be killed in the Battle of the Bulge.
He was awarded the Silver Star posthumously. While giving covering fire at a vital bridge while Army combat engineers were wiring and setting explosives, he left the relative safety of a sandbagged revetment to pull two wounded engineers out of the line of fire from lead Panzer grenadiers. After pulling them to safety and giving first aid, he saw a German armored column working it's way down a steep grade and approach the undestroyed bridge. He observed a bazooka team move forward to a vantage point and tried to engage the lead tank. They were caught in the open and machine-gunned. Jim again left the bunker, raced forward and finding both gunners dead, took the bazooka and extra shells and crawled forward toward the bridge. As the lead tank was on the approach of the bridge he fired and knocked the right track off the vehicle, thus immobilized, he continued firing till the tank was burning on the bridge approach. Another tank attempted to move up and push the burning tank out of the way so the column could still cross. Jim crawled to another position where a mortar crew had been killed, finding a damaged bazooka and additional rounds, he again crawled forward and opened fire on the tank now pushing the burning tank. He again hit the second tank in the track (called an immobilizing kill) whose crew jumped out only to be cut down by other glider-men. While Jim was attempting to crawl back to his original position he was initially hit my MG-42 machine-gun (fires 1200 rounds a second and very bad news!) in the legs, as he pulled himself back he was finally killed by sniper fire (head shot through the helmet). His commanding officer was subsequently killed the next day and it was believed by most officers in his unit that he would be recommended for the congressional medal of honor, and would most likely have received it had be had the support and follow-up of his commanding officer who witnessed his heroic actions. Imaging, this young hero who prior to leaving for boot camp had never been further that the next county away from his native North Carolina mountains. In most states he could not even have had an alcoholic beverage nor voted in a presidential election until 1972. He lies among fallen comrades in Belgium. Rest in peace and thank you for your sacrifice Corporal James Crisp. I salute you! |
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Wilderness Woman
Watcher of the Wood
USA
Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
November 27 2002
Status: offline
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Posted - June 08 2010 : 2:54:31 PM
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| As do I. Wonderful story! Thanks for posting it. |
"It is more deeply stirring to my blood than any imaginings could possibly have been." |
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