Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Christmas 1944/ 2014

Tracks of the StoneBear  ROF = Ring of Fire journey

Christmas 1944/ 2014 

Through the journey of this lifetime it's been a blessing to cross paths with many unique individuals. This past Veterans day the pastor at the Methodist church asked all the Veterans to stand and say their branch of service.

I had seen this old guy. Frail,... feeble. difficult to walk even with a cane, a friends arm to hold onto is needed. Difficult to stand to sing a hymn, but a distinguished elderly man that always wore a suit to the church service. I didn't know anything about him except he had a lot of dignity.  

I could barely make out what he said... wasn't sure of his name. It was that frail of a voice. Obviously a WWII Veteran. He's got to be 90. 

Over the next couple months spoke with him and learned a little more each time.

This is too neat to let pass; this gets a blog post.

This gentleman is Mr. Willard Yarbrough from Birmingham/ Cahaba Heights, ALabama.

This post is timely... This is December 23, 2014. 

70 years ago, tonight,... Mr. Yarbrough was known as:

Ssgt Willard "Pokey" Yarbrough in Gen Patton's 3rd Army at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

I'm honored to see this guy still kicking around. Good smile... a good guy. 
Still fits in his Army uniform. Not many Soldiers can do that. 

Some more bits and pieces of info came in stages. 

The nickname "pokey" may not be spelled right. It's not because he was a slowpoke. The bits and pieces of the story explained to me was,... Mr Yarbrough grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and at that time in the late 1920's and '30's the hispanics refered to the gringos that were nice to them, referred them as "pocianos" meaning [the] sweet/ kind ones; the people that were kind to them. So Ssgt Yarbrough got the nickname being from San Antonio. Maybe the name was spelled "poqi"? If i can get a better clarification I'll update and correct.

Birthday party and  Yes, that is a Purple Heart medal on the lapel.

 At the Alabama Veterans memorial off of I-459 in Birmingham, Ala.


35th Division, 320th Regiment, 1st Anti-Tank Battalion, C - Co... Charlie Company, 1st Platoon.

This is an Anti-Tank Platoon. These guys were on THE front where the German tanks attacked. This is some pretty steep/ hairy duty! Think about being up on the line when a German Tank Battalion comes your way into sight.


Born March 11, 1923 Ssgt Yarbrough was 20 years old in those brutally cold nights at Bastogne. This year 2014, Mr. Yarbrough is 90+ years old and still kicking. Well Done Soldier!  

This is a US Army history report of The Ardennes/ Battle of the Bulge 

If you have seen the movie "Patton",.... "Band of Brothers",... and the recent movie "Fury",... you get just a taste of what it was like to endure those horrific battles. I'm glad to honor these Veterans like Ssgt Yarbrough and ALL the Veterans of the WWII 3rd Army, especially Mr Yarbroughs 35th Division, 320th Regiment. They were the stuff! Well done Soldier!

You bet your Wheaties he's All Army. Hoo- Ahhhh!
*******

from wikipedia: 35th Division WWII


World War II[edit]

Combat chronicle[edit]

The division was activated on 23 December 1940, as a National Guard Division from Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. The division was transferred to the Western Defense Command following Pearl Harbor. In California, in March 1942 the division underwent 'triangularization' losing two of its regiments and both brigade headquarters.[5] From here the division moved north for further training at Camp San Luis Obispo where a third regiment was added to complete the three regiment organization. Added to the 137th Infantry Regiment from Kansas and the 134th Infantry Regiment from Nebraska was the 320th Infantry Regiment (draftees). The division then transferred to Camp Rucker, Alabama before moving onto Camp Butner, N.C., in May of 1944.[citation needed]
The division departed for Europe on 12 May 1944. It arrived in the United Kingdom on 25 May 1944, and received further training. It landed on Omaha Beach,Normandy, 5–7 July 1944, and entered combat 11 July, fighting in the Normandy hedgerows, north of Saint-Lô. The division beat off 12 German counterattacks atEmelie before entering Saint-Lô, 18 July. After mopping up in the Saint-Lô area, it took part in the offensive action southwest of Saint-Lô, pushing the Germans across the Vire River, 2 August, and breaking out of the Cotentin Peninsula. While en route to an assembly area, the Division took part in the attempt to stopOperation Luttich, secure the Mortain-Avranches corridor and to relieve the 30th Division, which was taking a severe beating from the Germans' assault, 7–13 August.[citation needed]
Then racing across France through Orléans and Sens, the division attacked across the Moselle, 13 September, captured Nancy, 15 September, securedChambrey, 1 October, and drove on to the German border, taking Sarreguemines and crossing the Saar, 8 December. After crossing the Blies River, 12 December, the division moved to Metz for rest and rehabilitation, 19 December. The 35th moved to Arlon, Belgium, 25–26 December, and took part in the fighting to relieveBastogne, throwing off the attacks of four German divisions, taking Villers-laBonne-Eau, 10 January, after a 13-day fight and Lutrebois in a 5-day engagement. On 18 January 1945, the division returned to Metz to resume its interrupted rest. In late January, the Division was defending the Foret de Domaniale area.[citation needed]
Moving to the Netherlands to hold a defensive line along the Roer, 22 February, the Division attacked across the Roer, 23 February, pierced the Siegfried Line, reached the Rhine at Wesel, 10 March, and crossed, 25–26 March. It smashed across the Herne Canal and reached the Ruhr River early in April, when it was ordered to move to the Elbe, 12 April. Making the 295-mile dash in 2 days, the 35th mopped up in the vicinity of Colbitz and Angern, until 26 April 1945, when it moved to Hanover for occupational and mopping-up duty, continuing occupation beyond VE-day. The division left Southampton, England, 5 September, and arrived in New York City, 10 September 1945.[citation needed]
 *****

This is during Christmas Eve service, standing, holding a candle while singing "Silent Night". My prayer that night was for grace and peace for Ssgt Yarbrough and ALL the Soldiers of the 3rd Army, All their buddies that didn't make it back home, and All their families. Thank you All.


 Singing Silent Night and a prayer for ALL of the 3rd Army Veterans.





I was told his "Army" cap was worn out, so I got him an "Army Veteran" cap for Christmas. He grinned and was proud. Next week at church he gave me a "Soldiers Angel" lapel pin. what an honor.  

I said 70 years ago tonight you were at Bastogne,  I bet your feet are still cold?  He just grinned, laughed, and nodded an affirmative YES! He said he stayed on his men to keep changing their socks. The Soldiers that didn't change to dry socks... their feet sweat and the sweat would freeze through the boots and frostbite their toes and feet. He said a lot of men got black toes from being frozen.




   
Army Soldiers Angel lapel pin


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