So I went to watch Fury again today and the talk I had with two great service men. Both served during the war and both fought in the same skirmish however they were on opposing sides. The first was a loader for a M4A2E2 the second was an assistant driver for a Pazner V Panther. Here is the back story I learned from the two. The Panther went into the battle to rescue a division of 30-40 men who were pinned down by enemy fire, the M4s which consisted of 3 M4 Sherman 2 M4A2E2s and 2 M4A2E8s. The Panther opened fire with its 88 mm while advancing on the right flank so that the pinned down infantry could fall back. The Panther knocked out a E8 and E2 with one shot by punching through the E8s side and hitting the ammo in the E2. Continuing its attack the Panther got around behind the M4s before taking a shell to the track causing it to spin with its front facing the remaining E2, my new friend then loaded an Anti-Tank round and the gunner put it straight through the drivers hatch killing the Driver, Loader, Gunner, and critically wounding the Commander; who was sent straight to a field hospital but did not make it to the hospital before passing. The Colonel in command of the German Forces in the region went under a white flag to the US Lines holding a single box. He asked permission from the US Major to present a medal to the survivor of the Panther but was denied until the Loader of that E2 told the Major and I quote Sir it is a medal for heroism they would do the same for us. So the Colonel went to the Gefrieter [Yeah I know I probably spelled that wrong] and awarded him an Iron Cross for his valor and merit in the field of battle. That old man was wearing his Iron Cross when I saw him at the theater and overheard a woman in around her 40s with, what I think are, her two sons walk up to him and exclaim I hope you burn you Nazi bastard. then walk away I stepped in front of her and told her plain as day while pointing You see that black cross on his chest he was awarded that for heroism. Meaning he put his own life at risk to save a group of people or to take a key objective. The Germans didnt just hand those crosses out and most Germans werent Nazis the Waffen SS were Nazis the Wehrmacht which was the majority of the German army were mostly conscripts who were drafted into service or joined near the end of the war to protect their loved ones. Now go and apologize to the man for what you said. She refused and called me a Nazi Sympathizer I just looked at her and said You have no soul. then walked to theater 7 to watch the movie when the two old men sat next to me to watch it with me, I did not realize I was practically yelling at her for what she did, the old German said I was right about joining up he volunteered near the end of the war to protect his 1 year old brother and his mother when he was 15 years old he was sent to the 4th Panzer to be an assistant driver on that Panther and it was his first engagement when they got knocked out. ~KT-317
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 19:13:11 +0000
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