of N4 (which runs southeast to La Roche [Laroche]) and N28
(which runs northeast toward Barvaux and southwest toward
Marche).
The bridge is perpendicular to N4 and connects
N28 on both sides of the river. On the east side of the
river the road to Soy branches off to the northeast.
Along the southern borders of this road are wooded areas
and rising ground. Houses line both sides of the river
and are closely spaced. The main enemy thrusts at Hotton
came from the northeast; from the direction of Soy and
Erezee.65
The sparkplug of the defense of Hotton was Captain
Preston C. Hodges, a veteran graduate of Fort Belvoir's
sixth OCS [Officer Candidate School] class, who had
commanded or been associated with Company B of the 51st
for two years.66 His leadership held together the miscel-
laneous elements present at the bridge and inspired them
to stand and ward off the enemy attacks. Captain Hodges
remained exposed to small arms and artillery fire during
the battle in order to coordinate the firing of the
various weapons and elements under his command. Although
slightly wounded by a shell fragment during the battle,
Captain Hodges remained at his station until the battle of
Hotton had been won and the town was firmly in Allied
hands.67
The personnel and equipment available to Captain
Hodges for the defense of Hotton initially consisted of
the following: one squad of the 1st Platoon of Company B,
51st Engineers, commanded by First Lieutenant Bruce W.
Jamison; half a squad of men from Company A, 51st
Engineers; a squad of Armored Engineers from the 3d Ar-
mored Division, equipped with a 37-mm. antitank gun; two
40-mm. Bofors antiaircraft guns (pressed into service from
the 440th AAA Battalion); and a smattering of bazookas and
.50-caliber machine guns.
Most of this equipment and
personnel was on the southwest side of the river bridge.
On the northeast side of the bridge were personnel of the
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