WWII Diary of Chick Bruns – 70 Years Ago

Nothing much to do today. Just lay around and rest. Heard rumors that the 85th was moving up from the south and our company or battalion would come off of the lines. That will be a break. Played cards and listened to the radio.

I got tired of laying around and the doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with me outside of being shocked. Rather than stay in the hospital I took off and came back to the company. They are still up on the line.

This is really Tuesday that I am writing this on. I have been in the hospital. Last night we were resting along the side of the road. I must have been asleep at the time, and was also knocked out. A truck had ran over the side of the bank and had ran over six of us. When I came to, I looked up and saw I was under the truck. There was a lot of moaning going on and I crawled out from underneath. My side hurt a little and I was vomiting. Vince Badali was pinned under the rear wheels and the truck had to be lifted to get him out. We were all rushed to the hospital. Miner had a broken leg, Reeves a broken shoulder,  Ross shoulder was hurt, also his hip and chest. Badali was a mess and was breathing hard. He kept hollering for me. Seal was shaken up quite a bit also. I still don’t understand how I got out of that without a scratch. Badali was on one side of me and the rear wheels were on top of him. The front wheels had both passed over me and never touched me. I remember that I was curled up in a knot so I must have been just small enough to get missed. I was very lucky. I was in the hospital all day today, and part of Monday.

We moved again this morning to the other side of Cori, just short of Velletri. The 3rd has pushed so far ahead that we have both flanks open. The Engnrs were called up to fill in a gap in the lines. We are to leave tonight. Germany has been throwing a few shells around close, but not too close.

We moved the first thing this morning to the other side of Cisterna. The town of Cisterna is completely demolished. I couldn’t believe my eyes. How one town so large could be tore up so badly. It’s really a shame, but it can’t be helped. We moved into our area and the dogboys had pushed so much farther that we left for another bivouac. We stopped just this side of Cori. We had to go back to the old area and pick up some mines and equipment that was left behind. German wreckage and ours lay all along the road. The dead haven’t been covered up as yet, and some of them have really been tore up. This has been a costly drive, but now we have them on the run.

Not much going on today. The dogboys are still at the edge of Cisterna and we are moving up this evening. We bivouacked just outside of Cisterna. The artillery is laying down a terrific barrage. Good night.

The fighting for Cisterna is still going on. This one sight no one will ever forget. Doggies dying left and right. Being literally blown to bits. How they stand it is beyond me. So far we have had five casualties, and one fellow is missing. Some of the fellows found his billfold and it had been torn to shreds by shrapnel. Latest report tonight was that “G” Company of the 7th Infantry was in Cisterna. Wrote a couple of letters and went to bed.

Well, the big push is on, and what a fight it is. Bombers have been going over all day long. The strafing that came in on the fighting is terrific. Soldiers just literally being blown to bits. I sure hope Snook makes out Okea. So far we have only had five casualties. “C” Company lost their Company Commander by a “booby” trapped mine. The mines are very thick and Jerry has laid them everywhere. The guns have been pounding all day. I turned in some personnel mine and Bangalores today and also a lot of salvage. It all depends on how the push makes out whether we move or not.

Everyone is busy as can be. The push is supposed to come off tomorrow but no one knows for sure. Every one was issued a gas mask. It looks like it won’t be long now. We played a ball game tonight and just before we finished the game the team all had to leave to move up. I’m lucky to be in the supply room. Received a couple of packages today. Wrote a couple of letters and went to bed.