Men, women share their stories of life, death

ROGER V. ENFIELD

MEDICAL TECHNICIAN, 67TH EVACUATION HOSPITAL, 1ST ARMY, U.S. ARMY

'They stopped ... to cut a GI's throat'

We had traveled to Bastogne, Belgium. (We were) assigned a building with heat. The rumor was the Germans would do nothing until spring. We had it made.

Three days later, an airborne unit kicked us out, and we had to set up our tents between Bastogne and German-held land. On the hill above us we could see German troops. We started receiving wounded.

One night I went to the cook tent for a cup of coffee. Behind me was a G.I. in full gear, blackface and all. I asked what he was doing.

"I've been up on that hill, watching the Germans."

I asked what they were doing.

"I don't know, but maybe getting ready for a big drive."

I said the rumor was not until spring.

"Let's hope. You sleeping in those pup tents behind the hospital?"

I said yes.

"I wouldn't, if I was you. I followed a patrol through tents like that, and they stopped long enough to cut a G.I.'s throat."

No pup tent after that.

Three days later we were on the move again. We set up in Malmedy and started receiving patients, frostbit and some wounded. It was a sunny winter day as I walked in the courtyard. A G.I. truck shot past our gate. It was a truckload of Army nurses from the 101st Evac Hospital, screaming, "They killed them. Those in the last two trucks."

Things happened fast then. I started my shift on a ward where some patients couldn't be moved. They asked for volunteers to stay, and, being the youngest unmarried, I volunteered. All but one truck had left.

Then they said, "We have enough older unmarried, so, if you can catch that truck, go."

I ran.

That was the first I knew of the Battle of the Bulge.

Age: 79
Hometown: Lakewood

<Tacoma News Tribune - http://www.tribnet.com/news/local/story/5136665p-5065703c.html>