I n combat so the saying went you only get to make one mistake. And that’s if you’re lucky.
Well Moe had made his one mistake and it was a doozy.
His first five days as a combat soldier were a blur of images and confusion: reporting to this officer being sent to that officer contradictory orders and instructions a sense of urgency bordering on panic in every office and army base. The Allied forces were clearly in shock — 30 completely unexpected German divisions were hurling themselves against their troops — and they were also in transit as Ike sent every available man to fight in the counteroffensive.
Moe crossed the Channel in the company of thousands of other G.I.’s. He wound up in France and finally found his posting — a command post a few miles behind the front line near the Belgian city of Bastogne. From there he was sent to POW cages throughout the area to help interrogate the German prisoners. His experience in Station X was invaluable and in the space of a few days in addition to translating he was called upon to help his CO analyze the information they received.
