September 1944 – Groesbeek Heights, Holland. By the second day of Market Garden, the German High Command was desperately calling for counterattacks by any forces available. Near the small town of Beek, scattered units from the 82nd Airborne had captured a wooded hill that offered excellent observation and fire positions over the surrounding countryside. On the morning of the 20th, Kampfgruppe Becker, hastily organized from multiple ad hoc units, began its assault against Hill 759. The crucial struggle for Devil’s Hill was just beginning. 

Able Company, 504 PIR 
0530 18 September, 1944 
Near Neerbosch, on the Maas-Waal Canal 

Holland is flat, no two ways about it. On Sicily it was the heat. In Italy, it was the mud. But here in Holland, it is the complete lack of cover. Pool-table flat, pancake flat, you get the picture. Scouting the position before we jumped off, Murph (1st Lt. Murphy, 1st Platoon leader) and I could only spot one low rise to provide any defilade on our approach march. 

The plan was simple — stupid simple — I guess. 3rd Platoon and our MG team, under 2LT Smith would take up positions on top of the “hill” to our left, acting as base of fire. 2LT Cherry, with 2nd Platoon, would be our backup, in the very likely event that the whole plan “went south.” And my buddy Murph drew the short straw, as usual. He would take 1st Platoon straight down the road toward Bridge 10.