KING RED BALL 3 DRIVERS
KING RED BALL 3 DRIVER

Before we left we heard a speech that further quickened our pulses. Action at last and a chance to see some more of France.

KING RED BALL 3 DRIVERS

“I don’t know why you are so goddamned upset, it woke me up too!!”.Įxcerpt from the journal of Louis Coke – 327th Combat Engineer with the 102IDĪll men with driver’s permits (and a few without) were to become Red Ball drivers hauling vital supplies to rail centers. I’ll go to my grave remembering his immediate response. I of course immediately awoke, fearing the worst, and in the same moment in great pain, said “Gracious Charles, why don’t you be a tad more careful where you are going!!”. Charlie was helling it, when he hit what must have been the mother of all potholes, sending quite a shock through our truck, the force of which seemed to ram the end of the steel rifle rack up thru my skull. We usually were number 20 in the column, which meant we usually drove faster to keep up with the convoy spacing. One night while hauling 155mm artillery shells, Charlie was driving, while I, in the passenger seat was trying to take a nap, using the gun rack at the edge of the seat as my pillow.

KING RED BALL 3 DRIVER

The drill was one man would drive 2 hours, then a 10 minute break to answer natures call, when the other driver would take over. Charlie Morgan from Pisgah, Alabama, a real character. Although paved, they had obviously not been designed to carry these continuous heavy loads, and therefore had many potholes to be dodged. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, down French roads, about 24 feet wide, and generally lined on both sides with rows of tall trees. The deal was two man teams per truck, 20 truck to a group plus one jeep to lead, and round trips from Le Havre or Cherbourg to Patton s rear near Metz hauling gasoline or artillery shells to his army. I learned early in my army career to never volunteer for anything, but standing there with rain streaming off my helmet and down my nose, I figured what the heck, and did.

asked anyone holding a blue card showing proficiency in driving a 2-ton GI truck who wanted to volunteer to drive the Red Ball, to step forward. Lo, France, a whistle blew about 2:30AM, and we all fell out. One rainy night in an apple orchard near St. Please email the webmaster about any errors or omissions that you find so we can correct it.Ĭompany B, 327th Engineer Combat Battalion Please forgive any errors or omissions in this list.

King red ball 3