Hall, Harold A

Nationality:: American

Biography

He fought in North Africa, Cicily, Italy, and Germany.

He was with the 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, Patton's 3rd Army.

One incident in which he was the key person follows.

As most people know, communications in the European Theater were not good. The 773rd was to join up with an infantry battalion for a joint maneuver. They did not know where the infantry was.

The commander of the battalion sent Harold A Hall on foot in search of the infantry because he was the fastest runner. As he was running he caught glimpse of a German helmet in the hedge rows. He immediately dropped to his belly. He followed the German back to his camp. It turns out the camp was a German headquarters group. There he saw German officers in a tent with the flaps up. They were going over maps planning an attach on the very infantry Battalion Harold was looking for.

He ran back to his commander and told him what he had seen. The commander told him to get in his half track and lead the battalion in. He was to stop "2 clicks" away from the camp.

The entire battalion circled the camp with there 3 inch naval guns pointed inward. The commander got on the bull horn and said, "You are completely surrounded by the 773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion of Patton's 3rd Army. If you desire to live, lay down your weapons and march out of the camp.

The German Headquarters group was taken without a single shot being fired.

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