"15-year-old finds World War II deeply affected his relatives" from the December 6, 1977 Door County Advocate
By WILLIAM ENIGL
15-year-old finds World War II deeply affected his relatives
By WILLIAM ENIGL
As Dec. 7 approaches, lots of people talk about what happened during World War II. To someone who is my age, 15, World War II is as far in the past as the Civil War, because it happened before I was born.
Since I didn't know much about the War I asked some of my relatives about what part they played in the war.
Their story is only a small part of what Door County people played in the war.
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My uncle, Louis Notz, was drafted in August of 1940. It was the first draft in the United States for World War II.
After being drafted, he was sent to Fort Bragg, N.C. He was in the Ninth Infantry.
Louis Notz, right, with his buddy at training camp.
Meanwhile in Europe, Hitler was becoming very powerful and Italy entered the war on the side of Germany.
On Dec. 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and on Dec. 8 the United States Congress declared war on Japan, Germany, and Italy. It didn't take long for the Ninth to change over to war time duties.
After training Louis went to Fort Dix, N.J. From there he boarded a ship and went out to sea. About half way across, the ship broke down and they went back to the mainland where they boarded another ship. About eight days out to sea he was in the P.X. and looked up and saw his brother Bill.
They wouldn't have been on the same ship if his first ship hadn't broken down. After landing they didn't see each other until after the war.
They landed in Casablanca, Africa on Jan. 1943. There had been three task forces set up to invade North Africa. The victory in North Africa was very important because for the first time in World War II the Allies were on the offensive. Also this meant that Germany would have to divert some of her manpower from the Russian Front.
After the battle in Africa they invaded the island of Sicily. Fighting in Sicily was very hard. There were very few roads because it was mountainous.
After that they went to England to rest before invading Cherbourg, France. They were there for six months.
Then they invaded Cherbourg and without letup the Ninth Infantry pushed right through Cherbourg right in back of the enemy.
They fought right through France, Belgium and Germany.
They were in the Battle of the Bulge in France. It started on Dec. 16, 1944, and there was snow on the ground. It was like a winter stalemate. They were about 50 miles away from Berlin.
Germany's Field Marshall Von Rundstedt had termed Germany's effort as "an all out gamble" and this was an accurate description of the Battle of the Bulge.
The Remagen Bridge over the Rhine River was a strategic bridge because if the Americans captured it they could get their men and equipment into the rest of Germany over the Rhine River. The Germans tried to blow it up but failed and the Ninth Infantry division was able to cross over.
My Uncle Louie was the first privileged American soldier to cross the Remagen Bridge with a 105 mm. artillery piece of the United States army. He had the privilege of seeing Hitler's army retreat.
Louis Notz was with the first artillery piece to go across the Remagen bridge.
On May 7, 1945, a message was received from General Eisenhower that an unconditional surrender of Germany had been signed by a member of the German high command.
Then Louie was sent from France to United States. He was on the ship for 14 days before he landed in New York.
From there he went by train to Milwaukee and was discharged.
During the war he got eight battle stars for being in eight major battles. He also received a Bronze Star.
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My Uncle Bill Notz was drafted about the same time as my Uncle Louie. After being drafted he was sent to Camp Bowie, Texas. He was being trained for a tank driver since he had a lot of experience from using a caterpillar tractor on the farm. Then he heard that they were transferred to Port Benning, Ga. From there they went to Camp Pickett, Va. They left New York on Jan. 13, 1943. And landed in Casablanca 12 days later. They spent a month there to unload the equipment.
From there they went to Rabatbat where they stayed a couple of months. Then they went to Cork Forest in Port Lvavte where they guarded the Spanish Moroccan border until September. They were M.P.s at the time and had a lot of things that they would have had at home.
In September they were shipped to Naples where they were also M.P.s. Then they were sent to a mud hole to prepare for combat.
"On Jan. 4, the 760th went into combat for the first time. We were pretty green and did a lot of things that were not according to the rules. Apparently, we surprised the Germans so much, by the things we did, that they forgot to wipe us out, and as a result we were successful." This is a quote from a 760th tank Battalion magazine.
They helped to take over the Benediction Monastery at Cassino. The Nazis had been using the Monastery as a lookout post where they could direct artillery fire and have shelter for their gunmen.
They continued on their drive towards Rome. After fighting through Rome they continued on for another 40 miles. They struggled through the mountains, pushing as hard as they could up Mount Grande.
Bill Notz, on the battleground in Italy.
Meanwhile, back at home, President Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945 and Vice President Truman was sworn in as our new president on that day.
On April 28, 1945, a group of Italian partisans tried and executed Benito Mussolini and his mistress.
On May 1, 1945, a broadcast from Hamburg stated that Adolf Hitler had given his life in defense of Berlin.
It was apparent the war was almost over.
Uncle Bill's tank battalion continued on until the fighting ended. They assembled in Genoa waiting to go home.
He received four battle stars for four major battles; he also received the Purple Heart and an oak leaf cluster for being wounded twice in action. In addition he received the Silver Star for bravery in action. The citation reads as follows:
"For gallantry in action, on 8 February 1945, in Italy. Sergeant Notz led six tanks across the mouth of a canal and through a minefield, losing only one where six had previously been lost. Although his tank was road-bound because of mines, he proceeded into a wooded sector infested with enemy snipers where his helmet was pierced by sniper fire. Disregarding this, Sgt. Notz remained in an advance position forward of an infantry company. During the night, the company was attacked with small arms fire and hand grenades by a strong enemy patrol and Sergeant Notz inflicted numerous casualties on the enemy from his tank. Later, when the enemy again counter-attacked vigorously, he accomplished the same feat and in a subsequent advance by the infantry, he remained in his exposed position until all of his ammunition was exhausted and the supporting infantry lost. His gallantry and aggressiveness under fire reflects on the finest traditions of the United States Army. Entered military service from Sawyer, Wisconsin."
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My Grandpa Notz had been running a farm in Oconto county for a Dr. Vermeiren. In the spring of 1942 he decided to leave the farm to go to Sturgeon Bay to work in the shipyard.
My Grandpa Enigl worked at the L.D. Smith Shipyard in Sturgeon Bay at the same place my Grandpa Notz worked. At the time there were about 5000 employees there. My Grandpa Enigl worked there from 1942-1945, all the time during the war. A lot of the people who worked in the shipyard lived in Door County and had farms. Grandpa Enigl worked as an electrician on the frigates and P.C. boats. My Grandpa Notz worked as a chipper.
My Uncle John Viestenz also was from Oconto and came to Sturgeon Bay to work as an electrician in the Smith shipyard. My Uncle Clarence Notz also worked at the shipyard.
On Feb. 12, 1943, a letter was sent to the Smith shipbuilding Co. saying they would receive the Army-Navy "E" award for outstanding production of war materials.
On May 31, 1943 a letter was sent to the Smith shipbuilding Co. they would receive the Maritime "M" pennant and the victory fleet flag.
Each employee received a lapel pin from the Department of the Navy and they each received a Maritime Merit badge from the U.S. Maritime commission.
Many people came to Sturgeon Bay to work in the shipyard. Defense homes, apartments and dormitories were built so these people would have a place to stay. My Grandma Notz was a housekeeper at the dormitories. These were rooms for men and women who did not have their families with them. On March 31, 1945, she received an award from the Federal Public Housing Authorities. It was an official efficiency rating of "very good."
Besides needing men in the service overseas we also needed men to train other men for combat and to keep our camps up at home.
One of these was my Uncle Milton Fleischman. He spent a lot of his time in New Mexico.
Pearl Harbor awakened in all Americans an awareness that our fighting forces and the men and women of industry must fight together for the preservation of human freedom.
They fought and worked together until victory was final and complete.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
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