S/sgt. William H. Mathewson
Updated: 2 days ago
Staff Sergeant William H. Mathewson
Born on May 14th 1914 in Wilmington, Delaware. Before going into the army in January, 1942. He worked for the Wiltex company. After basic training Mathewson was assigned to L company 104th infantry regiment, 26th infantry division. Mathewson was already a Sergeant before going overseas. arriving in France on September 7th, 1944 company L and the rest of the regiment made its way to the frontline where they relieved the 4th armored division.
October 8, the 3rd Battalion was committed in its zone of responsibility, including the ruined town of Rechicourt. All front line changeovers were made at night to avoid drawing enemy fire. There was a second quarter moon the first part of the night which, together with a rising fog, gave the whole scene an eerie, unreal appearance. The mud was partly dried and partly frozen and in the fields lay the dead, bloated bodies of cattle and other livestock killed by earlier shellings. When daylight came there were dead Germans visible lying in the fields in front of some of the positions. Soon after daylight came the then new whine of artillery as Jerry began throwing in a few heavy mortar and " 88 " shells.
Sgt. Mathewson was wounded in action by artillery in his leg on october 19, just a few days before a big offensive maneuver by the regiment. He told in a letter to his parents that he chose to stay on the frontline since it was only a small wound.
On 12 November, the 3d Bn advanced rapidly with K and L Company. Getting only slight resistance there. The 2nd Bn met much heavier resistance against their attack. On the afternoon of the 12th that the 3d Bn had gotten Into Rodalbe. The character of the fighting up to this point had been such that the report was hard to believe. The enemy, it was true, was fighting a Delaying action, but the resistance had been very stiff with each terrain feature utilized to its maximum advantage. It was feared that the 3d Bn had zone out on a limb, with the 2d Bn far behind on the right, and elements of the 35th Division on the left also behind. A patrol sent into Rodalbe that night confirmed the presence of the 3d Bn in the town, The battalion was ordered back, but by that time the enemy had begun his counterattack. The counterattack began at about 1600, with infantry and tanks coverings on the town from all sides. Some of the 4th Armored Division's tanks were coiled in a field rather near to Rodalbe, but were too bogged down to set moving and offer some relief. K,L and M companies were in Rodalbe and I Company was sent to reinforce them, but could not get in, since by this time the enemy had the town surrounded with tanks. The 3rd Bn was out of radio contact with the artillery at this point, and the artillery could not advance because direct counter battery fire was being received at that time. During the night the Germans came into the town with tanks. Some reports said three tanks were sighted in the streets, and other reports gave the number as seven. By this time some of the men of the 3rd Bn had been able to infiltrate through the enemy encirclement and get back to Conthil, while the remainder took up Positions in cellars. An eye witness of the action, who later escaped, saw Civilians come up to the tanks and guide them to the buildings which the Americans occupied. The tanks then fired a number of rounds into the cellars of the buildings, causing very heavy casualties. Many of the Americans were captured, but some managed to hide out in the town while the Germans occupied it.
‘’ I will never forget my experience in Rodalbe where French citizens enthusiastically pointed out to German tankers the cellars in which the trapped American troops were hiding so that the Germans could point their guns through the windows and slaughter them.’’: G.I. from the 104th Infantry Regiment.
during the chaos of tanks firing point blank into the cellars Sgt. Mathewson was taken prisoner of war and was taken to STALAG IIIB and later in 1945 to STALAG IIIA where he would be freed by the Russian army in may 1945. he returned home in 1945 to his wife and lived a peaceful live after the war up to his passing in 1989.
His ID bracelet worn during the war.
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