We were putting in bridges at that time and
then all of a sudden we were,
they came out one day with orders that
we were on the move again.
So that’s when we ended up with
the 7th Div going up to Northern Holland
but we would, a place called Emden,
near there, we went up to the north,
that’s where they were.
So they were going to assault Leer
on the Ems River.
And our main destination there was to
assault troops across Leer on the
Ems River and we did
that on April 28th.
That was our last assault.
We took four regiments across the river.
That’s when I lost my bowman.
We started there, we were back in a
small canal about five hundred feet
from the river and this Corporal Martell,
was my corporal and we were ready
to get in the boat and,
I was the bowman,
I was the guy that has to hold the boat
when you get over there and
let the infantry out.
As soon as you hit land or come to that,
you got to get out and hold that boat
so that they can just go
right out of the boat.
So the corporal says to me,
“Don, I have never been on an
assault before, how be you
operate the boat?”
I said, “You’re the corporal,
you say it, I do it!”
So we got over there and
he held the boat and I had the guy
beside me, he was hit pretty bad.
He never got out of the boat
so the motor conked out.
We had it at a slow speed but
it just stopped.
In the meantime I am trying to start
the motor and one of our other boats
came in beside me and all at once
I heard one of the other men there,
he hollered, “Martell is hit!”
And I look around and there
all I see is the back of his blouse.
He says, “Give me a hand!”
So we had to jump out in the water up
to our shoulders and then we had to
lift him and toss him over
into the boat like you know and
I had to get back up on the boat and
get the motor started and
then take off back.
So I got back there but by the time
I got back there he was dead.
In the meantime, it’s fate.
That’s why I am here seventy years
he gave me by just changing his
mind and I never forget it.
When I come over here I always put
a poppy on his grave and thank him for
the timing that, well you shouldn’t say,
it’s funny you know but because
he changed his mind I am here today
and he’s there or I would have been
there and he might have been still alive.