jtcm Posted November 29, 2001 Share Posted November 29, 2001 WWII Enthusiast Magazine: Thanks to the both of you for agreeing to talk to us about your experience in the engagement near Paderborn. Capt. Sandler: Not at all. Sgt. Luzzato: You bet. WWIIEM: Just as a reminder: Capt Sandler commanded the company on that day in April 1945, and you, as Sgt Luzzato, were in command of one of the M 36 Jacksons in that column, correct ? L. Yep. S. That's quite right. WWIIEM: So we're quite lucky to have two viewpoints on that action. [To Sandler] Could you describe what happened on that day ? S. We were ordered to strike eastwards, and seize high ground above a crossroad, in order to effect the link with the Second Armored Division. We were told to keep to road open, and destroy any enemy opposition. WWIIEM. And what was the composition of your force ? S. Let's see, I seem to remember 4 platoons of tanks, with a couple of Greyhounds [M8 37 mm armed Greyhounds, see fig. 1, Editor] and one 76 [M4A3 armed with 76mm cannon, Ed.] in each platoon, three or four Jacksons [M36, 90mm armed Jackson tank destroyers, see fig. 2, Ed.] to cover us-- L. Three, it was three S.-- right, three Jacksons, a section, and then this company of armored infantry, mostly in halftracks [M3 halftracks, Ed.], with a few trucks. WWIIEM. And what was the quality of the troops ? S. Pretty good overall-- L. Some real experienced guys, then you had some of these guys who'd just come in as replacements-- S. Generally a very decent level of combat power, as far as I can remember. WWIIEM. Well, they certainly performed well in the action. Can you tell us what happened exactly ? S. As I said earlier, we were instructed to seize this crossroad, at the end of a stretch of long, straight road between trees [se fig. 3, Ed.]. I ordered a platoon of tanks, with one Greyhound and one platoon of infantry, to go down that road quite fast, and occupy the high ground above the cross road, and set up good firing positions. The other tank platoons secured the flanks, and the rest of the infantry held back in reserve. WWIIEM. But it didn't work out that way, did it. L. Hell no. S. Near the cross roads, the advance party came across some infantry, and stopped to open fire. At that moment, several heavy tanks-- L. King Tigers, Tigers, Panthers, a real menagerie. S. Several heavy tanks of the enemy appeared, and wiped out the advance party with close range fire. Fortunately, the infantry had taken refuge in some woods, and they stopped the enemy infantry from making any progress, especially thanks to the fire of the halftracks' machine guns. I also had sent an artillery FO [forward observer, Ed.] with the infantry, and he called down some 105 from division onto the German tanks. WWWIIEM. How did you react ? S. Aggressively. I reacted aggressively, as I'd been taught. I sent one armor platoon down the road, one platoon to hook on the left, one platoon on the right, and I moved the rest of the infantry forward. L. And the Jacksons, we got moving up from their position on the left rear flank. S. Right, I brought up the Jacksons on the left. Things got rather messy at that point-- L. Boy you can say that, Captain. S. --because both flanking platoons, on the left and the right, ran into trouble. On the right, the Shermans got into a firefight with the Tigers, and three out of four got knocked out. The 76 survived, though. On the left, the platoon ran into another group of German heavies, and they soon got knocked out too. The surviving 76 on the right got into a duel with the heavies on the left, since the ground was higher on both sides of the road, they had line of sight to each other. But generally this was a really close range slugfest. WWIIEM. What happened then ? S. Some German armor started moving down the road-- a Tiger and some form of half track, i think-- and they were taken under fire by the platoon I'd sent down the middle, to cover the road [Editor: see fig. 3], and our boys knocked them out. On the left flank, the Jacksons moved forward, more or less on their own, although i would rather have seen them hang back in overwatch-- L. So we just went forward to this stand of trees where the Shermans had bought it, and started firing away at the Kraut tanks, and they knocked out two Jacksons real quick, but I brought mine forward, and I blew away one of them Tigers, then I popped smoke and fell back, and i went forward again and took out another Tiger, and so on. I took out four Tigers, just like that. The range was, oh, under three hundred feet. Closest I'd ever seen a Tiger. S. One of the Shermans from the center decided to join in, he tried to sneak behind the remaining Tigers, but he was destroyed by enemy fire. L. I should have gotten a medal. Except I was killed by mortar fire the following week. I was 22. S. Yes, I remember that. Myself, I went on to have a long career as managing director of a canning plant, back in Northern California, before my fatal heart attack during a golfing holiday in Scotland, in 1991. L. You don't say. I never played golf in my whole life. WWIIEM. Anyway, getting back to the exciting events around Paderborn. Could you elaborate on the "butcher's bill" of that day ? (cont'd p. 86). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wild Bill Wilder Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 Wow, JTCM! What an interesting after action report. I've never seen one done like that before. Most fascinating. You gamers continue to amaze and impresse me with your innovations. Nicely done! I hope you enjoyed it. I could not find page 86 WB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtcm Posted November 30, 2001 Author Share Posted November 30, 2001 Hi Wild Bill: I think your scenarios are excellent: learned, literate, elegant and surprising. I really enjoy playing them. This was the first time i played Paderborn. i blundered forward into a big surprise (Tigers ? on the right ?), pulled in my assets from the left, only to get another shock (more Tigers on the left ?), and the day was only saved if at all) by individual exchanges of fire. So I dreamed up this AAR, with a slightly big-picture-ey sort of officer, and the determinig factor, the close range intervention of the Jacksons, being a decision of the tankers themselves. Dunno how realistic that would be... But i tried to keep it a little vague and general, like memories might be. And finally, I tried, a little, to do something else, though i'm not sure what-- by imagining a slightly overenthusiastic and oblivious magazine and journalist, maybe make fun of my own case of "hedgerow envy". best wishes jtcm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergei Posted November 30, 2001 Share Posted November 30, 2001 I really liked it too. These paragraphs cracked me: <blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by jtcm: L. I should have gotten a medal. Except I was killed by mortar fire the following week. I was 22. S. Yes, I remember that. Myself, I went on to have a long career as managing director of a canning plant, back in Northern California, before my fatal heart attack during a golfing holiday in Scotland, in 1991.<hr></blockquote> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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