Reflections of My Life by JL Byars – page 23

The Third Armored Spearhead Division had many “firsts” including:

First Division unit to cross the German border, September 12, 1944

First to take a German town in the war, September 13, 1944

First to breach the Siegfried Line, September 13, 1944

First to shoot down an enemy plane from German soil, September 18, 1944

First to fire an artillery shell on German soil, September 10, 1944

First American division to completely pierce the Siegfried Line, September 15, 1944

First invasion of Germany in force since Napoleon

After the Peace Treaty was signed, we were sent to different groups, according to our Point Ratings. These were determined by years in service, overseas time, combat time, etc. Those with the most points would get to go home first. We all knew about where we were on the list.

One night as I was leaving the mess hall, the First Sergeant called me aside and asked me if I was ready to go home. I told him, “Yes, but I don’t have enough points for it to be my time.” He told me to get my things and be ready to leave in the morning. I asked him why I had the chance to go early and he said that there were some big bomber planes leaving for the USA but they had some holes shot in them and some of the soldiers were afraid to ride in them. I told him, “If the pilot could fly it – I could ride it!!”

The next morning, several of us rode a boxcar train to the town where the airfield was, and we loaded on the planes. They looked pretty bad, but after all we had been through, we figured we could handle it. We flew across France and England and as we came over the White Cliffs of Dover, the pilot turned the plane on its side and circled over twice, so we could get a good look.

We landed in North Africa and stayed there about a week. We learned a lot about their customs. One boy 14 years old spoke English and told us he was married and had several children. He said if he and his wife should separate, he would take all the male children and she would take all the female children.

In Africa we boarded a hospital ship that had no seats – just places for stretchers and beds. We stopped for fuel in the Azore Islands and then landed in Miami, Florida. There we took a troop train to San Antonio, Texas and Fort Sam Houston to be mustered out. Mustering out pay was $300.00. We were given $100 ($50 cash and a $50 check) with the rest to be sent later, and our discharges.

Those of us coming north of San Antonio, toward Big Spring or Lubbock bought a ticket on an autobus. The one we were on blew out a tire east of Colorado City and didn’t have a spare (remember rubber was very hard for civilians to get). One of the soldiers caught a ride into town and had a tire brought out. We got to Colorado City early in the morning and I walked out on the highway going to Snyder. Doris’ parents lived a mile east of Dunn and that is where my wife and the 22 month old daughter that I had never seen were. A dentist, David Ratiff, who lived in Colorado City, but had an office in Snyder, picked me up. At Dunn he let me off and almost immediately, the milk truck came by and picked me up and let off in front of the Grant’s house.