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Daddy2's Story written 2 weeks before he went to Heaven.
On the 17th of August, 1944, my company (Co.E,359th regiment 90th Div.) moved
into a small town called Chambois, France. For reasons unknown to us, we had
been forced to march all that day-We would soon know why! Chambois is a very
small place consisting then of a few stores and a couple of warehouse buildings
and a large ravine divided the village.
We set up our machine guns on the northern edge of the village, in an orchard
overlooking about a 10 acre field. In the orchard several ammo wagons with
horses still in the traces, the horses stood with heads down bones locked in
position, as if asleep...evidently the Germans had left in great haste.
We dug our machine guns in and posted guards for the night. By now we knew
our mission. Several German soldiers were captured trying to hide in the barn.
At about 8 am a truck convoy moved down the road to our immediate front. Our
machine guns opened fire causing the truck to leave the road. About 20 German
soldiers got in the road ditch for safety. Trucks kept coming and we continued
to stop them. Some caught fire and burned; however, to my knowledge none of them
got thru.
The trucks loaded with German soldiers kept coming. We disabled so many trucks
that the road was completely blocked. We called artillery down on the soldiers
and after each barrage, a white flag would go up over the road ditch. I would
motion for them to come across the field. About 200 soldiers single file with hands
on head would come and surrender, we pointed them to the rear. Before the day
was over, about 2000 Germans had gone thru our position. I am sure this was
happening up and down the line.
Sometime in the late afternoon a Tiger Tank rolled over the road ditch and pointed
its gun at our position. For some reason it never fired a shot. Lt. Lovelace
ordered everyone to fall back to the ravine. On the back of the tank rode 6 German
soldiers. I picked them off with my M1 rifle. This was the first time I knew without
a doubt that I had killed a person. At the time, it bothered me very much and still
does. These men I had just killed belonged to some mother, was a brother, a husband, or
a sweetheart. However, never once did I have any intention except to do my duty. The
tank kept coming. I managed to keep the tank buttoned up. The machine gun kept firing
but the 88 did not fire a single round. On later reflection, I believe they were out
of ammo.
Before I could get to the ravine to our rear the tank came within 10 ft of my foxhole.
I had nothing to knock it out. The tank wheeled around and retreated as it came in
running over the bodies of the 6 soldiers I had just shot.
Not knowing what was going to happen next, I started for the ravine. Somehow I caught
a small arms bullet to my right shoulder. The bullet traveled about 14 inches up my
spine and exited at the base of my skull. I managed to get to the ravine and fell down
the embankment about 10 feet and landed in about 4 feet of water. My buddies pulled me out
and got me up the opposite bank. I eventually ended up in a hospital in England. It took
60 days for my wound to heal before being sent back to the frontline.
This was the last battle of the Falaise Gap and we closed the last road of escape. A
whole German army was bottled up and our machine gun crew controlled the last exit. We
had a ringside seat to see the collapse of Hitler's best.
At a later date in early November 1944, I participated in the Moselle River crossing.
After we got across the Germans flooded a large area and we were cute off for 3 days - No
food, no ammo, and no nothing. The fields were full of hilled up potatoes. I taught my
crew how to bake potatoes in hot ashes. Potatoes rolled in mud and placed in hot ashes would
cook in about 30 minutes. The mud would break off taking the peeling with it, leaving a very
white potato ready for eating.
After the Moselle River crossing, the company moved on to Metz, France. The weather was getting
extremely cold. My feet froze which gave me much pain and suffering.
We moved on into Metz, France and E Company was selected to occupy a big hotel. We had
running water, beds, and everything. We blacked out all of the windows and everyone in my
squad was engaged in writing letters. This was the last I remember in Metz, France. When I woke up,
I was in a hospital. A piece of shrapnel hit me on the right side of my skull. From this I was
left with a ringing in both ears and a hearing loss that has since progressively increased. (60% loss)
Sometime about the middle of November, 1944, I was sent to England for hospital care. Shortly there-
after, I was transported as a litter patient back to the United States. I was discharged from the
Army at Nichols Hospital on November 24th, 1945.
Ross N. Boatright
American Soldier by Toby Keith is dedicated to my precious Daddy2.
He was a veteran of World War II of which he was awarded two silver stars
and one purple heart for bravery.
I Love you Daddy2 and miss you so much!
Daughter #1 - Judy
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