11-21-1944

“Colonel Robinson and I are walking at the tail of the column approaching Hesse. The column was halted by snipers and mortar fire. After the snipers were searched out and annihilated, the open-field advance resumed. The German mortars also resumed. One round fell several yards from me srtiking a number of infantrymen. A fragment struck me on the back of my left hand, but only grazed it. This was as close as I ever got to a Purple Heart, Thank God.

CT-4 is moving along a narrow road to very little resistance. The headpoint of the column encountered enemy artillery fire. A tank that was working with CT-4 was hit as it advanced and was knocked out. It then blocked the road, halting our advance. The German artillery continued shelling. The Lt.? Officer of our Bttn. Called for fire using a liaison plane to direct. When the artillery fire arrived, it was very erratic. I realized that our plane’s spotting was very ineffective, so I proceeded, along with a radio operator, to climb to the top crest of a hill to try and bring effective fire on the Krauts. It turned out to be a single 88mm gun. It was in good view from where I was, so it only took a few rounds from C-Battery to knock it out and scatter the crew (the ones that were still alive). The column was then again able to advance. For this I received the Bronze Star. Why?”

Below is a transcript of the commendation orders dated 17 July 1945.

GENERAL ORDERS)
:
NUMBER 133)

Lieutenant Colonel Walton S. Van Arsdale, 0303931, Field Artillery, 311 Field Artillery Battalion, U.S. Army, for heroic achievement in action against the enemy on 21 November 1944 in France. When Heavily concentrated fire, emanating from positions which commanded excellent observation over the area, caused several casualties to advancing friendly forces, Lieutenant Colonel Van Arsdale moved to the head of the column of troops to assist continuation of the advance. Seeing the urgent need for friendly artillery fire on the enemy positions, he contacted the observation plane attached to his unit and instructed the observer to adjust fire. When it came, the concentration fell short of the target, endangering friendly troops in the halted column. Unhesitatingly Lieutenant Colonel Van Arsdale proceeded alone to a ridge from which, although he was in clear view of the enemy, he directed accurate fire on enemy emplacements, enabling the column to resume its advance. The courage displayed by Lieutenant Colonel Van Arsdale reflects great credit on the armed forces of the United States.

BY COMMAND OF BRIGADIER GENERAL WATSON.