T H E
Paper YOUR WEEKLY
NEWS MAGAZINE
August 17, 2023
Volume 53 - No. 33
By Tom Morrow Dec. 17, 1944 Kurt Junger’s heart was beating like a rabbit being chased by a four-10 gauge shotgun. Only it wasn’t a shotgun he was fleeing but the deadly rapid fire of what seemed like dozens of German machine guns. The crackling of their reports filled the air both near and far. Kurt was running from his own comrades, although none, he hoped, knew what he was doing.
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He could see fellow Germans running on his right and left, firing their Mauser rifles from time-totime at something or someone running ahead. A few of the Waffen SS troops were stumbling in patches of snow and timber thicket as about a dozen or so U.S. troops scattered deep into the trees. Kurt fired his Lugar pistol up into the trees occasionally to give the appearance of pursuit. He was a medic … a non-combatant, but he
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didn’t remember how he came into the possession of an officer’s pistol. His pledge was not only to Hitler, the Fatherland, and God – in that order – but also to preserve life wherever possible. He considered himself lucky not to be carrying a rifle or machine gun. The sky was gray as if to threaten snow and the heavy forest of pine trees made it dark even for late afternoon. On Kurt’s left about 50 yards away a German corporal ap-
peared to be firing into a snow drift, but there was more. An arm from a helmeted figure flew up as if to signal surrender. No matter. The German continued to fire a second, and then a third time until the arm fell. The American soldier had been running for his life from what was certain death. A handful of other G.I.s was fleeing as well – including Kurt. Only no one was chasing him. His mock pursuit, so far, went unnoticed by other German soldiers. The sprawling winter scene fanned
Snow
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