THE ROAD BACK

......And so we left the hill, hoping we would never see it again. My feet were hurting more than ever and every step was torture -- and all the hills were still there. We climbed and dragged ourselves over them all with the thought of rest giving us strength. About three hours later we came to a Jeep and got a cup of warm corn soup of some kind and some time later a blessed K ration. I felt like crying I was so happy -- rest ahead and something to eat! That may sound foolish, and maybe it was, but our nerves, on edge for so long, were beginning to relax and we were no longer iron men but happy little boys, too tired to show it.

It was sometime later in the day that we reached the border town and here we were met with all the rations we could eat -- and what's more, new clothes....winter trousers, gloves, clean socks, shirts. And bandages for my feet. By 5 o'clock we were loading into trucks and heading back even farther. I cannot remember now how many towns we stopped in but we never stayed long enough to suit us. The first thing we did was to shave and wash. I'll never forget my first look in a mirror....black! with beard and grime. What a relief to be clean again. It was that night, I think, that Black and I, standing road block, broke into another outfit's supply truck and stole all the D ration chocolate bars we could carry. Ashamed? Hell, no! They had plenty.