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Could I have been the last casualty before
V-E Day ?? If any
person can recall being there when I was shot, I would like to hear from him.
Was it
just an unfortunate accident or a provocation by the POWs ? My identical twin
brother, Bill and I shipped out from the States in early January 1945. We became
separated on February 3rd or 4th at Viviers, Belgium, when I was sent to the 213th General
Hospital in Paris, with pneumonia.
Bill was sent a day later to join the 424th
Regiment. Upon recovering I traveled from place to place by 40 & 8's for
nine
weeks until I too joined the 424th at Rennes. So Bill and I were re-united.
Then within four weeks we again became separated when at 1530 hours in the afternoon of
Sunday, May 6th, 1945, I was shot by one of our own guys as we escorted hoards of German
POWs from Bad Krueznach to enclosures near Langenlonsheim, 10 kilometers away.
I
spent the next four and one-half weeks at the 386th Evac Hospital, before rejoining the
424th and my twin brother. we stayed together until our discharge. With Bill
I attended Upsala and graduated in 1950 with a BBA degree. I married Ruth-Alice
Cunningham (a first cousin to Bill's wife, (Thelma Ruth); Ruth-Alice graduated Phi Beta
Kappa in 1948 from Douglas College, then New Jersey College for Women. We have six
grandchildren from a brood of three daughters and two sons.
Business Forms
Management is my expertise. I received recognition for skilled forms
system design
in a nationally prominent "Form of the Year" competition in 1968,1970, 1972 and
1987. I retired as Manager, Management Systems and Services for the Monroe
Calculator division of Carbide and Moore Business Forms. I am at present Senior
Vice-Commander, James Caldwell American Legion Post 185. |
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03/05/2007
Hi Jim:
Just a short note to say thanks. The 424 L company story I received today
and an earlier one with the February 1945 photo at chow were very much
appreciated. I printed and saved both as hard copy with my file on 424K.
I and my identical twin brother, William, were together in K company. Bill
in the 4th platoon and I, Art, in the first platoon. Bill died last April
25, 2006 and these stories fill me in on the gap from 4 February 1945 to 7
April 1945 when Bill and I were separated for the first time in our lives.
At the repo depot, at Viviers, I was seriously ill and sent to the general
hospital in Paris and Bill went on to join K Company.
While in the hospital only 10 days, it took until 7 April to be reunited. I
was on special orders to get back with Bill, but I had no idea where he was
until again at Viviers, a Lieutenant passed me on the street and said "Say
aren't you one of the twins?" "Yes Sir" I replied, " I'm looking for him." "
I know where he is." replied the Lieutenant " I sent him there!" This was
now mid March.
The next day I was to wait by a bridge for General Strow's command car to
pick me up. I waited 8 or 9 hours when the Lieutenant relieved me to get
some coffee. In my short absence General Strow came by but he couldn't wait.
I tried catching up with Division at St Quentin, but missed them. It took
several more weeks to rejoin Bill at Rennes.
On 6 May 1945 Bill and I were again separated when I got shot taking
prisoners to the stockades and spent 4 weeks in the hospital once more.
From June 1945 to June 1946 we twins remained together and were discharged
together.
Thank you and best regards, Art Potts 424K |
Page last revised
10/27/2019