Like so many young American men in the days before June 6, 1944, Linn Randolph found himself heading toward Europe on a troop ship with 6,000 other U.S. Army recruits. Today, he's a spry storyteller at age 90--sharing his "General Patton was as close to me as my field binoculars," he says, laughing and admitting that many of his fellow squad members in the 13th Armored Division were intimidated by the notorious military leader. "I didn't want to get any closer," he laughs. Earning the rank of Master Sergeant, Randolph served in a tank transport outfit. He and his men drove huge, flatbed trucks, loaded with tanks and ancillary equipment, such as heavy, ponderous tank treads. "The tanks couldn't drive to the front lines," he explains. "Too slow, too much gas. So Randolph remembers the friends he made in the Army, the friends he lost and his vivid experiences. "I'll never forget the day we were approaching a bridge in order to cross the Danube River," he says. "I realized the bridge wouldn't hold the big rig with the tank, so we were backing up to unload the tank and try to take 'em across one at a time." Randolph says a group of Military Police began shouting and waving to his squad. "The MPs were shouting, 'The war is over! The war is over!'," he recalls with some emotion. "When they got close enough, I said, 'You're gonna have to repeat that.' It was the news we'd all been waiting for. But when I heard it, I just couldn't believe it." Linn Randolph still wears his commemorative cap from the mighty 13th Armored Division. It's a badge of honor, worthy of him and the countless humble heroes who are part of America's "Greatest Generation." |
