W. C. HintonWWII The Battle of the Bulge – 1944Much of the battle was affected by the bitterly cold weather. The temperature was the coldest on record and casualties from exposure to the cold grew in large numbers. Heavy snowstorms became a real problem. Another factor they dealt with was that the Germans attacked in white uniforms so as to blend in with the snow. Weapons froze, so men urinated on them to thaw them. Trucks had to be run every half hour to keep the oil in them from freezing.The men couldn't pin-point where they were — they just kept marching on; day-after-day and week-after-week. Dead bodies were everywhere. The death toll in each city was so great that men had to climb over bodies to get through the town. W. C. Hinton said he can still hear the cries of young children who were starved, afraid and alone, and most were in desperate need of medical care.The persistent deep snow caused the men's wet boots to become unbearable to wear, a hurdle that caused them to hunt for a pair on a dead man that would fit. The Army had bypassed shipments of winter gear in favor of ammunition and gasoline. So the men piled on as much clothing as they could to try and withstand the frigid weather. Weary and cold the men marched on to one city after another eradicating Germans from the homes and shops.
Janet Nicolet (Author)
Janet Nicolet is retired and makes her home in Panama City, Florida. She is a mother, grandmother and a great-grandmother. She is often referred to as the Grandma Moses of the literary set.Her first book was a memoir, "Vintage Years, A Fulfilling Life after Divorce", published in 2007. From 2008 through 2010, she authored a trilogy of inspirational novels titled "Kerri". Janet takes pleasure in teaching memoir writing classes at senior centers in her area, encouraging seniors to pen their life's adventures for their families.