Chapter 43: Just scared kids in uniform
In Chapter 43, James Winterbottom gets his knee mortar and the men of F-85 move to the front lines.
1. Review the F-85 morning reports for March 2nd to March 5th, 1945.
2. After extensive research, it seems that the U.S. Army never manufactured an 81mm short-tube mortar. They did manufacture the portable M19 60mm mortar. However, from numerous eye witness accounts and contemporaneous documents, it seems that James Winterbottom used a short-tube 81mm mortar in Italy. He, Platoon Sergeant James Orwig and several other men who served with him remember that it was an 81mm device and it is referenced in numerous accounts from that period. It may have been crafted from a damaged 81mm mortar. Click here for more information on this mortar, including additional sketches and letters from members of F-85 affirming James Winterbottom's use of a knee mortar in Italy.
3. The advice to not buckle the helmet strap is as recalled by some veterans.
4. The pages from James Orwig's notebook, Sergeant Murphy's actions, and the move to Mount della Castellana are accurate. At the Hale and Farewell reunion in Denver, CO I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Murphy and discuss the incident with him.
5. Bill Kehres talks about Maurice "Speed" Murphy. .m4v for iPad and iPhone
6. Johnny's conversation with Ed Smieska is fictionalized.
Media and Web links:
1. Figure 43-1 Video: Veterans of the 4th platoon talk about the knee mortar.
2. Figure 43-1 Web: Learn more about James Winterbottom's knee mortar.
3. Figure 43-2 Web: Learn more about James Orwig.
4. Figure 43-4 Video : Listen as Carl Cossin tells the story of Lawrence "Jaggers" Burrows.
5. Figure 43-5 Video: Watch some very young German soldiers march to battle.
Copyright 2007 by Dan Oja