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Hill 192 - July 11-12, 1944 - Second ID

Article about: Seventy six years ago today my Uncle Charlie, "The Heeby Jeeby Greek on the BAR", C Company, 23rd, engaged in the most savage fighting of his combat experience, and he was one of t

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    Default Hill 192 - July 11-12, 1944 - Second ID

    Seventy six years ago today my Uncle Charlie, "The Heeby Jeeby Greek on the BAR", C Company, 23rd, engaged in the most savage fighting of his combat experience, and he was one of the few 2nd ID soldiers who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, and was on the front from D-Day until September 14, 1944 when he was severely wounded by mg fire in the bitter siege of Brest. In the 2 day battle for Hill 192 the Second ID cleared the way for the assault on St. Lo, and made Operation Cobra possible. He cried whenever he talked about Hill 192. He lost a lot of his friends in that battle, and that experience scarred him for the rest of his life. I will never forget this anniversary. Jim G.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture Hill 192 - July 11-12, 1944 - Second ID   Hill 192 - July 11-12, 1944 - Second ID  

    Hill 192 - July 11-12, 1944 - Second ID  

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    The map shows the advance of the 23rd Regiment on July 11, 1944. The google earth photo shows the same fields and hedgerows that Charlie advanced through and over the first day of the battle as they exist today.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture Hill 192 - July 11-12, 1944 - Second ID   Hill 192 - July 11-12, 1944 - Second ID  


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    Amazing, thanks for sharing this Jim!

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    Nice tribute to your uncle.
    gregM
    Live to ride -- Ride to live

    I was addicted to the "Hokey-Pokey" but I've turned
    myself around.

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    a true hero!!

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    Jim,
    What a excellent tribute to your Uncle. I can hear it in your story how much you loved him. My grandfather was in the 644th TD and was with the 2nd but not at Brest, both were in the same battle but I think the 741st TB and the 612th TD were with your Uncle in that fight.

    God Bless,
    Marty
    Fortune favors the brave 644th td

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    Many folk have no idea of the heavy fighting and near 40,000 casualties in the Bocage from south of Carentan to St Lo , as i visit Normandy Guiding Tours many times a year i usually get to go into the area at least 3 times a year and the contrast between all the crowds around Omaha and St Mere Eglise and the D Day area to seeing no one around St Lo and Hill 192 is stark and sad to see .

    The guys who fought in the Green Hell like Your Uncle Charlie and what they did should be better known , but i always put a cross down for them at one of the Memorials in the area.
    The gates of hell were opened and we accepted the invitation to enter" 26/880 Lance Sgt, Edward Dyke. 26th Bn Northumberland Fusiliers , ( 3rd Tyneside Irish )

    1st July 1916

    Thought shall be the harder , heart the keener,
    Courage the greater as our strength faileth.
    Here lies our leader ,in the dust of his greatness.
    Who leaves him now , be damned forever.
    We who are old now shall not leave this Battle,
    But lie at his feet , in the dust with our leader

    House Carles at the Battle of Hastings

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    Excellent tribute to the Greatest Generation.


    I just zoomed in and see these are 3 different helmets.
    Is one of those "The Heeby Jeeby Greek on the BAR"?

    Semper Fi
    Phil
    Last edited by AZPhil; 07-13-2020 at 10:25 PM. Reason: Made corrections

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    Regrettably, no. When he was wounded in Brittany he lost everything, his helmet, the 2 P38's he carried (he told me that when he had to reload his magazines he would pop off a few rounds with the P38's to make the Krauts keep their heads down), his wedding ring, his wallet, and everything else of value. He was prone when he was hit. He had his head down and the bullet passed through his helmet, left a horrible scars on his forehead and cheek, entered his torso below his left clavicle (in all the years I only saw him once without a shirt on - the entrance wound scar was horrific) and exited just above his left buttocks. He said the force of the impact pushed him back and up into a kneeling position. He told me that he thought that the reason the gunner didn't shoot him again was because of all the blood on his head, face and chest. The gunner killed a Medic who came to Charlie's aid, and one of his squad who also tried to pull him to safety. Charlie said when he realized he wasn't dead and was able to compose himself and determine where the mg was he poured 5 mag's into the area before he passed out. He woke up 3 days later in a field hospital. He has no idea where any of his gear or belongings ended up. He had a really hard time talking about that last day in combat, and only described the action 2 or three times in my presence, but one of the things that he once said has always stuck with me. He said it was the worst day of his life, but, other than the days that his children were born, it was also his best day - he was alive and never had to face combat again.
    Last edited by helmet2id; 07-14-2020 at 04:28 AM.

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    Thank you for sharing Jim and honoring your uncle Charlie. This will be part of an archive available to anyone so inclined to search his name. I'd add his last name through a title edit, occasionally other information can be added by someone doing historical or family research (IMO).

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