By the time I got to know my father, time had worn him down. I never knew the young 22-year old who served in the 18th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron during World War II. This account of his time in the service was re-created from various sources and articles. My dad died when I was 21 and I never had the desire or opportunity to discuss his time in the war or as a Prisoner of War.
Al Frohne was a Technician 5th grade assigned to the 18th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron which was part of the 14th Cavalry Group. On 19 October 1944 the 18th CRS had taken up positions in the Losheim Gap. His primary duties were as a weapons repairman. He was always good at fixing things and after the war had an appliance repair business for the next 40 years. Back in training one of the proudest days was when he passed his weapon repair test. They blindfolded the men, gave them a sack of gun parts and they had to repair the weapon blindfolded.
December 16th, 1944 was a foggy and cold day in Roth Germany. Roth was one of the forward operation posts from which they directed artillery fire to enemy positions. It was supposed to be a fairly quiet sector and until this day, that certainly seemed true. At 05:15 the 18th CRS report two red flares just east of Roth. By 05:30 the attack had begun and at 06:00 the report of full engagement in Roth with all weapons hot came into the command post. Shortly after this, the report came in at 06:10 that the general attack of Krewinkel, Afst and Roth were fully underway and all positions are fighting for their lives as the attack continues west. At 09:00 the news that Kobscheid had fallen and cut off any retreat path for the 18th CRS in Roth and they were now fully surrounded. The next radio contact was from Capt. Stanley Porche, CO, Troop A 18th Cav at Roth, and Lt. Herdrich in Kobscheid at 14:00: "Were moving back! Your friends to the south, are moving back too. Its up to you whether you withdraw on foot or in vehicles. I advise you to go on foot. --Wait!...Tiger tank 75 yards from CP, belting us with direct fire." This was the last communication from the 18th CRS in Roth.
Sometime shortly after this, they ran out of ammunition and the main force at Roth had surrendered. My dad and about 50 or so other men alluded capture and found their way to a barn on the outskirts of Roth and laid low with the hopes of moving past enemy lines under the cover of darkness. It was at 19:30 that a brick came through a barn window with a note attached. "Surrender or be killed." The barn was encircled by German troops. My dad was the first to walk out into the unknown. He opened the barn doors to face down several machine guns. The only thing that must come close to that feeling is from my deepest, darkest nightmares. But this was all to real for dad.
In his own words, "It was total darkness. About 50 of us were in a barn, and we were going to try to escape that night. But the Germans threw a rock through a window, with a small note attached asking us if we wanted to surrender or be killed."
They were then marched to Stalag 13-D outside of Munich. This trip looks to be about 90 miles. From there they spend the next 6 months moving between camps until they were liberated. Dad was a survivor and had a keen sense. He did a few things to help his survival. First. He heard the Germans were taking clothing away. He was smart enough to tie his socks around his waist so he could keep them and put them on later. This helped him avoid frostbite. Another thing he did was march on the outside of the column. He learned quickly that German tanks coming down the road did not move. If you did not move fast enough, you were dead.
Back in the states Mom received word on January 23, 1945, that Dad was missing in
action.
On February 28, 1945, word reached Mom that he was a prisoner of war.
More details to come...
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