Dad didn't talk much about the war (WW II). I know that he arrived at La Havre, France in January of 1945. He would sometimes tell a story or two. These are a few of the stories that he told as I remember them. If anybody has a different version, please chime in.
Oops
Turn back the time to early 1945, somewhere in the Ardennes Forest. The temperature is freezing cold.
Dads unit was on patrol. They spotted a German machine gun nest. They could see one German soldier leaning up over his machine gun. One of the Americans snuck up behind the German soldier and plunged his bayonet into him. The bayonet immediately breaks. The German is frozen solid.
Good Dogs
Nighttime, somewhere in Germany.
Dads unit was on a mission to blow up a German ammo dump. Their unit had two German Shepherd dogs along with them. As they approached the ammo dump, the dogs went forward while the unit held back. The searchlights from the ammo dump would swing back and forth. When the search lights would almost expose the dogs, the dogs would drop to the ground. As soon as the light was off the dogs, they would raise up and move forward until they were close enough to lunge at the guards and take them out.
The Requisitioning
Dads unit was somewhere in Germany and they had "requisitioned" a house from a German family to stay the night. Several soldiers were in the upstairs of the house. They hear a German plane fly over and don't think much of it. Then they hear sounds coming from the chimney. Out rolls a German bomb from the airplane. Everyone scrambles to get out. Thank goodness it was a dud.
Firefight
Dads unit was on patrol somewhere in Europe. They were in a field that had a hedge row along side it. They started taking enemy fire. After the firefight Dads sergeant asked him, “Stringer, you feeling okay?” Dad answered “Yeah, why?”. Sergeant: “Look at your helmet.” Dad pulls off his helmet and there is a bullet hole in the front of the helmet. He got to looking and the bullet entered the front of the helmet, followed the helmet liner around his head and exited the back of the helmet. Unfortunately, the Army would not allow him to keep the helmet.