Issue 2.14
These two brothers grew up and lived in Bannock County of southern Idaho. They both enlisted or were drafted into the Army before the Japs struck at Pearl Harbor. December in 1941 changed all of their plans. Ralph and Boyd were identical twins and you had to be married to one to be able to tell them apart. Even in this year 2014, if you’ve seen one of them, you’ve seen them both. After Pearl Harbor, they both went to O.C.S. (Officer Candidate School).After more than four years in the military; they both attained the rank of Major. I have written about Ralph before so I’ll write about Boyd.
Boyd fought with his anti tank battalion all through the battles in North Africa. The Germans with their heavy tanks had bigger guns against the American’s non armored smaller anti tank guns. There was a mine field separating the opposing armies. Boyd and his aid heard crying and moaning coming from that area. Boyd and his friend crawled out and pulled a wounded soldier to safety. Boyd and his friend were awarded a decoration for bravery. While battling in the hot sands of North Africa, General George S. Patton severely and profanely reprimanded Boyd for leading his men while not being properly dressed for the task. Boyd did not have his neck tie on nor had his leggings on in the hot desert. Paratroopers were the only ground troops who wore boots, called jump boots. All others wore canvas leggings that laced from ankle to below the knee.
Boyd never said that if he and his men then started wearing a tie and leggings. The Americans and the British were victorious in North Africa. The next was Boyd’s landing with the Americans on the Italian peninsula at Anzio. The Americans were on a narrow strip for four months and all the time being pounded by German Artillery. For that one strip of land, there were 70,000 casualties in both American and German armies. The Americans were still learning how to fight a war against a well trained and disciplined German and Italian force. It was slow going but the Allies slowly fought their way up the Italian boot.
When Rome was liberated, there was a great victory parade. The Americans and the British were cheered as liberators rather than conquerors. During the victory parade, the spectators were mostly women and children. Boyd’s tank destroyers were liberally decorated with flowers and the soldiers were handed bottles of wine. Great crowds gathered at St. Peters Square and the Pope came out to give a speech. Boyd was a mere fifteen feet from the pope for the speech. He thanked the Allies for liberating Rome. The Allies fought their way past Monte Casino and up the way to France. Italy was very mountainous and so was easy to defend by the Germans. Boyd did get to Southern France and kept going. By that time, the Allies had landed on the French Coast on D-Day. Boyd fought his way through France against the Germans. When they got to Germany, they did not stop, they kept right on going. Boyd’s battalion fought all the way to the Danube River. They liberated the Nazi death camp at Dachau. The row of box cars were filled with dead men women and children who made it to the death camp but were locked in the box car to starve to death. This was the worst experience of Boyd’s life. Boyd ended up in the Russian sector. He was taken prisoner and threatened. Boyd was in combat for a very long time and received one wound. Boyd was very fortunate to have survived the war.
Sam Wyrouck can be contacted at 801-707-2666.