My wife's uncle fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
The below account is to my knowledge factual but is still a work in progress.
Sgt. Royce "Cordell" Blakely was from north Texas and a tank driver with
"A" company of the 750th tank battalion. In December, 1944, company "A"
was attached to the 289th regiment of the 75th Infantry Division at the Bulge.
I believe he was somewhere in the Battle of Sadzot.
The following was reported to have been witnessed by his friend Jasper "Junior" Cox.
The evening of December 27, they went up to the front lines. That night the Germans were to attack
and they stood by for several hours til word came that pressure was off and to release crews except
one man per tank for guard. Blakely was one of the crew that went back about 1/4 mile to sleep in a
farm house. Blakely's tank was parked close to this house.
When the Germans struck (about 1:30 a.m. December 28) they struck from rear and side and captured
the crews, but Blakely's crew got into operation and was coming down the street firing when a bazooka
hit their tank in the side and knocked it out. Blakely was the driver. The tank commander was killed
and gunner was wounded and captured. Junior saw the gunner next day, but could not talk with him.
When the tank was hit, they saw only one man get out and run from it. That had to be either Blakely
or the assistant driver. Junior was taken prisoner that night and did not know until after his release
that it was Cordell who was killed.
On this day 68 yrs later, I want to give a big Salute! to Cordell.
The below account is to my knowledge factual but is still a work in progress.
Sgt. Royce "Cordell" Blakely was from north Texas and a tank driver with
"A" company of the 750th tank battalion. In December, 1944, company "A"
was attached to the 289th regiment of the 75th Infantry Division at the Bulge.
I believe he was somewhere in the Battle of Sadzot.
The following was reported to have been witnessed by his friend Jasper "Junior" Cox.
The evening of December 27, they went up to the front lines. That night the Germans were to attack
and they stood by for several hours til word came that pressure was off and to release crews except
one man per tank for guard. Blakely was one of the crew that went back about 1/4 mile to sleep in a
farm house. Blakely's tank was parked close to this house.
When the Germans struck (about 1:30 a.m. December 28) they struck from rear and side and captured
the crews, but Blakely's crew got into operation and was coming down the street firing when a bazooka
hit their tank in the side and knocked it out. Blakely was the driver. The tank commander was killed
and gunner was wounded and captured. Junior saw the gunner next day, but could not talk with him.
When the tank was hit, they saw only one man get out and run from it. That had to be either Blakely
or the assistant driver. Junior was taken prisoner that night and did not know until after his release
that it was Cordell who was killed.
On this day 68 yrs later, I want to give a big Salute! to Cordell.
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