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SGT. MAJOR HERBERT L. GREMMINGER

May 25, 1944 at the courthouse in Farmington, Missouri began the tour of duty of our dad Herbert L. Gremminger.  All the family was there to send him off. 

Dad's journey first took him to Jefferson Barracks.  He was there for 7 days, and was trying to hold out for the Air Corps - but the Air Corps was only taking 18 year old pilots at that time and Dad was 26.  Dad had a favorite saying, "Things always happen for a reason."  I believe that twist of fate is what brought him back to us. 

Note:  He had tried to enlist in the Air Corps prior but was turned down due to an ulcer.  He was already a pilot so he thought he would get right in. 

His next choice was the Tank Corps.  After his decision at 2 p.m. he was on his way to Fort Knox, Kentucky.  There for Basic training - then to Chaffee, Arkansas for 1 month.  Back to Fort Knox as a "Cadre" instructor for one month.  The Army wanted him to stay there as an instructor but Dad wanted to go with his buddies when they were shipped out.  He stayed behind for that month...then Dad pleaded to be shipped out and was sent to Fort Meade, Camp Killmer, New Jersey...he never found those buddies again! 

On December 31, 1944 he left headed for Glasco, England on the Queen Mary.  He was then loaded on a LST boat for a ride across the English Channel to La Harve, France.  During this trip he explained they had to walk in water up to their boot tops when entering the helm of the boat and the men were lined up sitting with their backs against the wall.  Wet and hungry he suddenly felt himself fall backwards and knew for sure he had fallen somehow into the sea.  When he opened his eyes he was in a dry area of the boat with the crew, they were laughing at him.  He was bewildered.   The crew explained that on every trip whoever was sitting by that door they pulled in the two men who happened to sit by the door.   Dad had some time to dry out.  When he landed in France they had not eaten in 2 days.  About 11 a.m. he was in the chow line and a boy named White from Desloge came up and tapped him on the shoulder, but they never saw each other again! 

Assigned to the 707th Tank Battalion - Company "D" Dad was sent direct to the front lines, assigned the 2nd day to a platoon of 17 tanks - 68 men, they were attacked and lost all tanks, he spent 14 days behind German lines, only moved at night, crawled and probed with his bayonet every inch searching for mines.  I'm told only about 10 men survived.  "That was the beginning of his tour!" 

He woke up one morning, smelled food, he was on the edge of a German position, lying quiet, looking around he saw American planes...the Germans had confiscated, he waited for his chance, crawled in the plane - not knowing if it had fuel...took off, flying at tree top level and found his outfit and rejoined the "707". 

Of course Dad was not the same when he returned from the War.  I was five years old but I remember if you were going to wake him up you stood away from him and reached to him with a nudge...because he woke with a start and always flailed his arms, he was a large man, so I learned to stay back.  He told me in the War, most of the time he slept in a fox hole and was ready to fight the Germans when he woke up! 

I remember my Grandmother would not ride in the car when Dad was driving because of driving Tanks he sometimes forgot he was driving a car.  I thought my Grandmother was going to wear out the floor board she would always stomp her feet as if she were trying to stop the car. 

Mother kept the home fires burning, we lived with my Grandparents in the same house I now live in. (I have lived here 54 years - the house was built in 1927 by my Grandfather).  Mother worked at the Trimfoot Shoe Company in Farmington, took care of me and my Grandparents who were elderly and needed much care.  My Grandmother was a diabetic and in those days she had to go to St. Louis to see her physician often.  Those were hard trips to make with her in one day. (Now I drive up every week in one hour.) 

If Mom had any spare time she would read, do jigsaw and cross word puzzles.  She always had a large garden and canned. 

Times were hard for all, gasoline and nylons were a few of the items that I'm told were hard to come by.   Dad saw to it that Mom had a good car before he left, she drove a Plymouth.  He also made extra seats in the back on each side so Mom could haul extra people to work.  This was extra money for her. 

Dad was in the Battle of the Bulge.  One of the stories he told was of crossing the Rhine.  In order to cross the Rhine after the Germans had blown up the bridges, they made their own bridge by lining up boats and placing steel rails on the boats.  My Dad was the second Tank lined up to go over the make-shift bridge.   His buddy in the first Tank moved slowly onto the steel and started across the Rhine.  Dad waited a few minutes and as he was getting his Tank crew ready to roll, saw his buddy floating down the Rhine on some of the boats - he never saw him or his crew again.  Dad waited for the repair of the bridge and with a signal he forged ahead not knowing if his fate would be the same as his buddies.  He and his crew did make it across.  I have a photograph of this make-shift bridge. 

He did tell of some funny times, one I recall was a story he told when on leave to Switzerland.  He wanted to learn how to snow ski, he did tend to think he could do anything, so he started down the hill and promptly found himself upside down, feet straight up and his head about 5 feet into a snow bank.  His buddies had to pull him out.  I don't think he tried to snow ski again. 

May 10, 1994 my father passed away before I could finish his World War II story which I had always yearned for him to tell in its entirety.  I had finished his photo album and he was proud of the completed project. 

The details now are only what I can put together as Dad found it difficult to talk about the War.   I was three years old when he left and five when he returned.  So I only know what I picked up from hearing Mom and the family talk and what I was told by him. 

I would appreciate any information anyone would have regarding those times about our family as it will help put some pieces together.  I now need to finish his story for our future generations. Please contact me at 314-431-0097 if you have any information. 

In 1993 Dad and joined "The 707 Tank Battalion Report" an organization of Veterans and families.  This is an active group and I hope to obtain more information through this media. 

His discharge papers read: Sergeant Major: Was in charge of 600 men in four companies.  Supervised, prepared reports, correspondence, records, payrolls, and forms of personal matters such as special orders and court martial.  Maintained staff journal and policy file. Was thoroughly familiar with general military procedure. 

I'm so proud of my father and the heritage he left our family, he was a brave and proud man.  The men that fought the battles of World War II for us gave us the greatest gift of all, FREEDOM. 

Herbert L. Gremminger was the father of Diana Tenholder of Bonne Terre, MO and Patricia AuBuchon of Desloge, MO. 

Grandfather of Julie and Lori Tenholder of Bonne Terre, Dennis AuBuchon, Bonne Terre, MO, Stephen AuBuchon of Barnhart and Scott AuBuchon of Desloge, MO. Great-grandfather of five. 

He worked for Union Electric of Rivermines, MO for years until he retired.

THE DAILY JOURNAL, St. Francois County, Missouri, Wednesday, April 26, 1995.

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