People were hoping for snow this morning in our area of Sacramento
MALMEDY MASSACRE
but were disappointed. It was cold enough to snow but the moisture wasn't there. I was not among those waiting in anticipation.
but were disappointed. It was cold enough to snow but the moisture wasn't there. I was not among those waiting in anticipation.
My encounters with that
element of nature are mostly unpleasant ones.
element of nature are mostly unpleasant ones.
As a child I lived for a time in the High Sierras and spent one winter in a simple cabin with only plain boarding for walls. I helped the cause by stuffing the cracks between the siding with newspaper to keep out the chill. Water was carried from a nearby creek and the morning wash basin full would be frozen. Play outside meant frost bitten fingers. The only good thing to recall was when mom would put some fresh snow in a bowl and add milk and sugar to make a simple ice cream.
As an infantryman in WWII I spent a couple of winters in the snow of Europe. In combat that is no fun. I remember being dug in to the side of a railroad embankment (a side wise foxhole) and having our minister bring me a pair of dry socks to protect my feet from frostbite. I had to kick the return slide on my M-1 rifle to get a round in the chamber as it was frozen. And once while on guard duty with a friend we shared a foxhole during our rest period; and, during the night we were covered with snow and our replacement luckily and literally stumbled upon us while searching desperately in the dark.
On one combat patrol we wore white 'long john' underwear over our uniforms to serve as camouflage as we marched. This was a venture to regain ground taken by the Germans at the Malmedy Massacre, where they captured a hospital and shot the American patients. We did retake this area and provide evidence for possible war crimes trials after the war. You can probably read about it by using google. In our approach to this area we were opposed by a few rifle shots from the surrounding hills and as we sought to make shelter in the fields by digging fox holes I spotted a depressed spot that I thought would give me a head start. In actuality it had frozen water in the bottom and I had to use my small shovel to chip it away first. As time passed the opposition grew stronger and soon a mortal shell burst above me. I felt a sting on my back (I was reclining while attempting to dig) and reached back to see if I was injured. I found a small fragment of the shell lying on my back that was still warm from firing. I carried it for years as a good luck charm. The photo above is of my buddy Bob Smothers and I just before the Malmedy venture.
The upshot of all this is that I did suffer some frost damage to my feet during these winters and I do not enjoy wading about in snow. I am happy to sit in the warm lodge, sipping a bolstering drink, while watching you ski buffs suffer outside. I am
Just Sayin'
As an infantryman in WWII I spent a couple of winters in the snow of Europe. In combat that is no fun. I remember being dug in to the side of a railroad embankment (a side wise foxhole) and having our minister bring me a pair of dry socks to protect my feet from frostbite. I had to kick the return slide on my M-1 rifle to get a round in the chamber as it was frozen. And once while on guard duty with a friend we shared a foxhole during our rest period; and, during the night we were covered with snow and our replacement luckily and literally stumbled upon us while searching desperately in the dark.
On one combat patrol we wore white 'long john' underwear over our uniforms to serve as camouflage as we marched. This was a venture to regain ground taken by the Germans at the Malmedy Massacre, where they captured a hospital and shot the American patients. We did retake this area and provide evidence for possible war crimes trials after the war. You can probably read about it by using google. In our approach to this area we were opposed by a few rifle shots from the surrounding hills and as we sought to make shelter in the fields by digging fox holes I spotted a depressed spot that I thought would give me a head start. In actuality it had frozen water in the bottom and I had to use my small shovel to chip it away first. As time passed the opposition grew stronger and soon a mortal shell burst above me. I felt a sting on my back (I was reclining while attempting to dig) and reached back to see if I was injured. I found a small fragment of the shell lying on my back that was still warm from firing. I carried it for years as a good luck charm. The photo above is of my buddy Bob Smothers and I just before the Malmedy venture.
The upshot of all this is that I did suffer some frost damage to my feet during these winters and I do not enjoy wading about in snow. I am happy to sit in the warm lodge, sipping a bolstering drink, while watching you ski buffs suffer outside. I am
Just Sayin'
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