The Krauts fired tracers about four or five feet
above the ground while another gun would fire grazing fire with
ball ammunition parallel with the gun that fired tracers. We knew
this because we could hear the bullets cutting the grass around
us and yet see tracers going over our heads. We lay there for a
few minutes trying to catch our breath and figure what next to do.
Then the Krauts fired a red flare. I knew then we were in trouble.
. . .
Bob Strutz told me later that two of his men had remained out
in a hole near the river until daylight. They couldn't move even
so much as to get to their canteens. They finally stuck up a white
handkerchief. The Krauts told them to come out and walk to the
river. When they got to the river, the Krauts told them to swim
across. One of the men had sense enough to tell the Krauts they
couldn't swim. So the Krauts told them to move downstream a little
piece and then come across. The men walked a little downstream
and then ran like hell back to us.
