Company C had its greatest casualties on 20 December,
although this was by no means the day of greatest
fighting. From 1930 to 2100, enemy artillery intensified
in the entire waterfront area. Private Carl Strawser was
killed when a shell hit his .50-caliber machine gun
position, and Sergeant Joseph Gyure was seriously wounded
Staff Sergeant William W. Rankin was
at the same time.
killed by a 20-mm. shell while stationed at an O P
[observation post].50
A platoon of Engineers from the attachments of
the 505th Parachute Regiment (307th Airborne Engineer
assisted by Company C, then repaired the
Battalion),
bridges at (677982) and (674986) for a company of the
Later in the night a second company
505th to cross.
crossed on the repaired bridge, while the defenders of
Trois-Ponts held their positions in the face of sporadic
enemy artillery fire.
At 1100 on 21 December, reports began coming in that
the two companies of the 505th were having difficulty
across the river.
The enemy launched a strong coun-
terattack and started to surround elements that were
defending on the hill overlooking Trois-Ponts from the
At 1500, Major Yates received a message from the
east.
1111th Engineer Combat Group ordering Company C to
withdraw.
He brushed it aside and characteristically
replied that it was impossible to disengage from the
enemy, inasmuch as Company C was covering the withdrawal
of the 82d Airborne Division.51
Captain Scheuber, Company C's commander, at 1500
ordered that the bridge at (674986) over the Salm River
and the bridge at (677982) over the Ambleve River be
prepared again for imminent demolition.52 Of these, the
timber trestle bridge over the Salm was the most difficult
to blow.
The task was assigned to Lieutenant Joseph B.
Milgram, Jr., and six [enlisted] men--Sergeant Elvin
Goldsmith, Corporal Odis C. Faust, Technician Fifth Class
27
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