1st Squad, 1st Platoon, Able Co landed without incident, albeit East (Left) of our intended landing area.
We took up hasty positions getting what cover we could on the beach, while LT Sneiderwine, our Platoon Leader told us to wait while he checked out the area.
The Lieutenant promised us he would return with further instructions after not longer than 5 minutes, but after more than 30 minutes there was no sign of him.
The staff S-2 Officer, LT Potter, came up to me looking for a squad for a mission. In the absence of my Platoon Leader, and Platoon Sergeant, I took charge and volunteered my Squad for the mission. I had no idea if our LT had become a casualty, and since I knew we were not where we supposed to be upon landing anyway, I decided it best to get off the beach and on a mission as quickly as possible.
I asked Lt Potter to relay the where we had gone to LT Sneiderwine when he returned, and reported to CPT Morrissy of Lima Company as instructed. As it turned out, our mission sent us in the right direction.
CPT Morrissy designated my Squad call sign as Able 1, RANGER, and gave us the mission to follow-up on a RECON patrol he sent up to the top of the DJEBEL MURD JADJU ridge. The initial team he sent in that direction earlier had not returned, and he needed somebody to observe the French movements.
CPT Morrissy’s instructions were to proceed up the trail to a designated point on the ridge where we were to observe the French flank, and report any significant movements back to him. Also to keep an eye out for the first team he sent up there. Additionally, when I queried him about actions I should take upon contact with the enemy he said, “Handle what you can handle.”
I brief my squad on our mission, established an order of march, and proceeded up the trail towards Bou-Sfer. It was a significant upward grade in places, and I could tell we were not the first Americans to follow it because after awhile there was discarded American equipment along the trail.
At the limits of our view we occasionally detected what appeared to be Arabs. These Arabs were skittish and did not give us any trouble. They seemed more concerned with picking up discarded American equipment then bothering us. They scattered from view if we made any abrupt move within their sight.
After a mile or so we came under sniper fire from a nearby farmhouse, (about here on the map). I tried calling out in French to the firer that we were Americans, friends to France, and asked that they stop firing upon us; all with no apparent effect. The sniper kept firing upon us, so we were forced to return fire. The lone sniper was killed by our combined rifle and BAR fire. Upon examination he turned out to be a member of the French Navy, (here is his pay book). We discarded the rifle bolt far from the rifle so it could not be used again, and continued on with our mission.
Another half mile and we came to a barn which turned out to house elderly mules. These mules are apparently the property of the French Army, and are tended by a distinguished former French Army gentleman name Clousseau. He is friendly towards Americans, and helpful in relaying local geography.
We reach our designated position on the DJEBEL MURD JADJU ridgeline before dawn, which provided a decent observation point. I dispatched two runners to CP Morrissy, notifying him. These runners accomplished their mission and returned without incident.
Before dawn 8 NOV 42, we started hearing the sound of the report of two large guns within a mile of our position. I dispatched my two scouts, Karras and Greeley to investigate, and they came back with some details about the guns position, crew, and defenses.
The guns turned out to be 75mm, and were being fired against our 3rd Battalion forces. I decided to conduct an assault using my squad to take them out of action using the noise of the guns own firing to cover the sound of the attack and hopefully achieve the element of surprise.
Pvt Crowinshield was eventually able to contact both the 3rd, and our own 1st Battalion headquarters via radio, and I received word that our forces were being pinned down by these guns. Instructions were to notify headquarters when we had knocked these guns out of action.
Details of squad action against the gun emplacement already posted. (Commentary about enemy weapons and equipment, intended actions, and personal remarks about wanting to throttle Crowinshield omitted from report to superiors. General rule is to accentuate the positive in reports).
We captured 7 French prisoners, as well as a 1920’s vintage French truck (wooden spoke wheels, of course), not in running order. At our instruction, the French prisoners were happy to disable their 75mm guns by throwing the breechblocks over the cliff.
We found the gun emplacement position to be an excellent observation point, able to command a view of the entire bay area, as well as the other French artillery positions. I decided to relocate our squad to this position. It was better in all respects to our previous one. I had Despaux, and Keegan watch the prisoners, and sent PVT’s Greeley, and Karras back to our previous observation point to retrieve the rest of the squad, and equipment. PVT Crowinshield and I (SGT Lewis) started scanning for French forces.
It was not long before we picked out another enemy gun position firing on our forces. These guns were larger then 75mm, and Crowinshield wasted no time in attempting to reach our British Navy allies on the radio in order to call the position in. That Crowinshield is a real smoothie with the Brits, and good with the radio too. He got some British navy guys on one of those BIG ships to listen to him, anyway.
I was able to make out the grid coordinates, and read them out to Crowinshield. Before we knew it there were spotting rounds coming in on the enemy gun position. Crowinshield was able to call in the adjustments, and when they fired for effect… WHA-WHOOM !!!! BOY oh BOY! I hadn’t seen anything like it before, even in the first war. The enemies big gun emplacement just disappeared in clouds of earth and rocks. It was like the Earth just erupted where they were. Sure am glad I wasn’t over there.
Well, we kept our eyes peeled, and we were able to pick out another gun position and call in the naval gunfire again. It was fun!! Crowinshield really got a knack for it. I think he was talking to some Brit guy named “Rodney”. PVT Despaux got our attention, and let us know there was something going on back at our old position. I didn’t see what was going on there. You will need to ask one of the others who was there about the action that took place.
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