Local Battle of Bulge Commander Places Wreath at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

By Sparta Live, January 30, 2003

http://spartalive.com/local-battle-of-bulge-commander-places-wreath-at-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier

Few battles in the history of international warfare have the enduring legacy that is reserved for the Battle of the Bulge. Perhaps it is the severe brutality resulting from two days of grueling combat that gives this epic battle a special mention in the archives of WWII history. Or, maybe it was the momentum toward Allied victory this battle seemed to spark. Whatever the reason, poll Americans from all generations and almost everyone has heard of the Battle of the Bulge. Likewise, ask most residents of White County if they are familiar with Dr. Charles Mitchell and the answer is he is just as common in local conscience as the Battle of the Bulge is worldwide. However, the battle that raged December 17-18, 1944, is not simply a vague mention in history for the man commonly known as “Doc” Mitchell. For Captain Charles A. Mitchell, commanding officer of Company A in the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion, those two days on hostile Belgian soil forever blended his life with a significant chapter of world history.

On the night of Dec. 17, 1944, the 526th convoy entered Malmedy as the drive to liberate Belgium was about to climax. Germany had launched a sweeping attack, and the 526th was given the mission of blunting the assault even though the number of Nazi soldiers was overwhelming. Company A had just completed a six-week stretch at the Chateau De Grimonster in preparation for the offensive. For this group of courageous young men, who had not yet encountered combat, the intense resistance that awaited them would soon culminate in the Battle of the Bulge. “Company B entered Malmedy first,” said Mitchell. “Some of the soldiers heard the church bells playing Yankee Doodle Dandy. We thought they were welcoming us, but they were warning the Germans that Americans had arrived. Company A saw its first combat action that night. We took heavy casualties.” As daylight broke on December 18, Mitchell and the fatigued men from Company A entered their second day of non-stop combat.

“Mortar shells and artillery were exploding everywhere, and fire was burning in every direction,” he said. “The air was acrid black with smoke.” Mitchell took a brief moment to reflect before continuing. “It was a miracle that some of us survived while others didn’t,” he said, as he relived those days. Having confronted the German forces in two days of vicious fighting, the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion began their retreat. “We burned 500,000 gallons of gasoline during our retreat in order to prevent it from falling into German hands,” he said. “The massive wall of fire prevented the Germans from getting through to advance their position. The heat and destruction was indescribable.”

The legacy of those two days of combat was yet to be recognized by commanding officer Captain Charles A. Mitchell and the survivors of his heroic A Company.  Even then, a youthful Mitchell understood the significance of their efforts. In a letter to his men after Victory in Japan (V.J.) Day, Mitchell expressed his pride for their efforts as well as his desire for continued friendship; a desire that has been a reality for almost 60 years. A portion of the text of his departing letter reads: “It has been my extreme pleasure to have been commander of Company A for two years. Two years in which my close association with you has given me a friend in each of you. I can truthfully say that no commander could have asked for more, nor received, more cooperation or support than I have received from you. Assignments bordering on the impossible were carried out with efficiency and perfection, traits I know each of you will retain once we are returned to our homes and families…War is a dirty business; an unpleasant one. Yet, within our small group was built an Esprit De Corps of quality unshatterable; friendships that we shall carry through the years to come. That is the story of our success.”

Indeed, the story of their success is forever memorialized at the Chateau De Grimonster, the Belgian home of the 526th Company A. A memorial plaque was erected on the entrance grounds of the Chateau which reads in part: ‘Chateau De Grimonster was the home of Company A of the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion from 1 November to 17 December, 1944…with respect and gratitude to Captain Charles A. Mitchell, Company Commander, and the brave men of A Company who together we served.’

Mitchell returned to the Chateau De Grimonster in 1992 to deliver a speech at the unveiling of the memorial. A portion of his speech reads as follows: “It is with a deep sense of humility that I stand here today before this memorial to Company A 526th. This monument not only symbolizes the soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice for peace and justice; it also pays tribute to the brave and courageous Belgian people who remained here to repair the damage to their homes and lives caused by the horrors of war. We remember with sadness those who gave their lives; we remember with fondness our special friends, neighbors and family who shared times of happiness and grief with us… and ss our band of members grows smaller and with the passing of time and the knowledge and memories of this war fade, it is especially gratifying to know this monument will stand here as an eloquent and enduring testimonial to the 526th A and the heroic people of Belgium.” True to the spirit of his departing letter, Mitchell and surviving members of the 526th Company A have maintained their unity for almost 60 years. “Since the end of the war, we have been having a reunion,” he said. “I have been active in the association since its beginning. The reunion started becoming a biannual event many years ago. September’s meeting was the 14th biannual reunion. Our first meeting was in Fort Knox, Ky. This was where Company A was activated into service on March 20, 1943. We have met in Los Angeles, Boise, Nashville and many other cities through the years.” The most recent reunion found the men of 526th A Company in Washington D.C. on September 24-29, 2002. “We planned on visiting the WWII Memorial, but it wasn’t completed yet,” said Mitchell. “We held a memorial service at the amphitheater on September 25 and later moved outside. It was on this day that we placed a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.” Under military escort, Mitchell and three other members of the 526th Company A walked to the tomb and placed a wreath. “It was a really emotional moment,” Mitchell said. “It reminds you of what sacrifice is all about. A true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.” After almost 60 years, the passion and pride Sparta’s Doc Mitchell harbors for the brave men of Company A is just as intense as the winter night in 1944 when he led them into one of the most famous battles of world history. For all his accomplishments in this critical chapter of Allied victory, Mitchell is reluctant to discuss his own achievements. It is still memories of the men with whom he served that have endured most. “We lost many men on those two days,” said Mitchell. “Every now and then, I get letters telling me some of my friends have died. Our numbers are shrinking.” Though their numbers may shrink and the passage of time will eventually claim all the survivors of the 526th A Company, their legacy to the history of this nation will endure. The width of an ocean and the expanse of nearly 60 years separates Sparta from the Battle of the Bulge. Yet, the inscription on a monument in Belgium will forever bond a part of this community with a famous historical battle. The inscription recognizes the heroic efforts of Captain Charles A. Mitchell. Residents of Sparta have recognized his valor for many years, but most White Countians simply call him “Doc”.