By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
We are smack dab in the middle of the 80th anniversary of what many historians consider to be the most important battle of WWII, often referred to as the Battle of the Bulge. It was fought from December 16, 1944, and ended January 25, 1945. Allied Supreme Commander Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower hated the nickname because it seemed to emphasize our strategic and intel weaknesses. The “Bulge” was the visual picture of the Germans nearly breaking through the line and winning the war, and that was anything but a morale booster.
It was also the battle that scared the bazotts out of Ike due to the dreadful accounts from the front that poured across his desk. First of all, it was a surprise attack, and started at 0530 hours on December 16. It was colder than cold, and the Germans had the home court advantage. When it ended, 19,000 American soldiers were KIA, 47,500 were wounded, and 23,000 went missing. However, the Greatest Generation prevailed by the grace of God, and this Soldier wishes to honor two men who were there and are still with us. Their names are Harry Miller and Frank Cohn.
Miller was a mere 16 years of age when he fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He was a member of the 740th Tank Battalion, and had been in the field for about a month. The 740th somehow managed to piece together 3 Sherman tanks and a M-36 tank destroyer that they got from a supply depot in Sprigmont, Belgium. Giving a presentation in November, he mentioned that everyone was so scared that “their eyes bugged out.” He added, “And it was just so cold, wet, damp, and foggy. It was so hard to see because the fog was one thing that was really bad. You couldn’t see very few feet in front, but you had to keep your eyes open, because if you didn’t, it meant you were going to get hit by an anti-tank gun.” In addition, the 740th decided to go into battle with their tank hatches open in case they needed to get out quickly, and this added to the cold. To this day, 96-year-old Miller still takes long, hot showers or baths, and says, “Whenever I have a shower or a bath, I remember the Battle of the Bulge.”
Ninety-eight-year-old Frank Cohn is Jewish, born in Germany, and his family escaped to America in 1938, when he was only 13. Five years later, in 1943 he was drafted and since German was his first language, quickly became involved in intelligence. He does describe his initial foray into the intelligence world with a bit of dry humor: “I had one week of training, and I became a full-fledged intelligence agent, well-trained.”
Both men continued their military careers after WWII ended. Miller served in Korea and Vietnam, and retired as a senior master sergeant. After the war Cohn joined the Army Reserve, and was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant. He also served in Korea as well as Vietnam, and retired in 1978 as a colonel.
It is estimated that to date there are about 120,000 soldiers who fought in WWII who are still with us, and anywhere from the hundreds to perhaps a few thousand who were “in the Bulge.” Let us give thanks for these men who gave everything that we might be free, and may our gratitude warm their hearts more than a bath or shower ever could.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
December 20, 2024
