REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS 1944

REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS 1944

Contributed photo

     State Rep. Paul Davis (left) and Rep. Pete Johnson (right) recently presented a World War II vintage map to veteran Lionel Breau of Greenville, showing the location of many of the battles that were fought in Germany that Mr. Breau was involved in. They also presented a copy of a poem, written by Earle Howard, about the Battle of the Bulge which was fought during Christmas 1944. Earle Howard is the father of retired State Trooper Monte Howard of Corinna, and the family did not know about the poem until they found it among his belongings after his death earlier this year.

A Soldier’s Christmas Carol of 1944

To my family and friends and with memories
of my buddies of the Second Infantry Division
By Earle A. Howard, Sr.
HQ’s Co., 1st Bn., 23rd Infantry, 2nd Division

“Twas the week before Christmas, and quite still on the front,
In a holding position, held almost a month.
The men were all resting, in trenches, their beds,
With visions of families, at home, in their heads.
The night was quite calm, except for some shells
That would burst here and there to remind us quite well.
The war was yet with us, the fighting not done,
For the Germans were stubborn and would not be outdone.
So they gathered their armies, and this would divulge
What was known to our men as the “Battle of the Bulge.”
It was still on this night, the 16th December
But one all the Allies would always remember.
For out on the snow there arose such a clatter
We awoke from our foxholes to see what was the matter.
When what to our fearful eyes did appear,
An army of Germans with tanks for their spears.
The onslaught was fierce and hard to contain
And many of our boys died fighting in vain
The Allied Commanders soon saw the huge hole
The Nazis were making and soon we were told
To fall back and regroup, stand fast as it could.
The week was so tense and the weather so foggy
The Air Force was unable to fly any Sorties
We finally got high ground on Elsenborn Ridge.
As the Germans tried desperately to break through
The ridge our men fought endlessly for five days and five nights
And we held our ground in spite of their might.
The next day was Christmas and lo and behold.
The battle of the Bulge was nine days old.
With the Nazis defeated in their desperate plight,
Our men thanked God for our strength and our might.
For us who survived, we will never forget
Our buddies who fought in the onslaught they met.
Though the enemy fought hard, they soon found their fate
For the Elsenborn Ridge line never did break.
As the battle calmed down, and the holiday neared
The men who fought boldly would kneel down in tears
And thank God with the hope they would see the New Year.
Another battle was won as we held fast our ground
The Second Division was set to rebound
To pursue to the end of this Great War
And go home to their families in peace as before.
Though the winter was cold and the snow very deep
We tried once again to get a little sleep,
Our thoughts were of home on this Holy Night
Just hoping to say next year with fondly delight
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.”