PVT. Charles Clinton Wade 34874945 US Army KIA

PVT. Charles Clinton Wade 34874945 US Army KIA. He was born on August 15, 1925, in Jones County, Mississippi. He was the son of Charlie B Wade and Gursie M. Moore Wade. Before the war he was living in Ellisville Mississippi and he worked for the Mississippi State Highway Department. He entered the US Army on October 20, 1943 at the age of 18. At the time of his enlistment he was living in Ellisville Mississippi, he was 5 foot 11 inches tall weighed 156 pounds had Brown eyes and Brown hair. He entered 2nd platoon of “A” Company, 263rd Engineers Combat Battalion, 63rd Infantry Division July 11, 1944. He went overseas with A Company and fought in combat with them until April 3, 1945.

On the late morning of April 3, 1945 2nd platoon, A Company, 263rd Engineers, 63^rd Infantry Division crossed the Neckar River north of Gundelsheim Germany with two 2-1/2 ton trucks and a jeep. The Jeep was leading the convoy with 1st Lt. Donald Johnston and his driver. The 1^st Truck was being driven by PFC Anthony Tony D. Orsi, 32481821, the back of the 1^st truck was loaded with assault boats, which were to be used by 1st Battalion, and 2nd Battalion 253rd Infantry regiment for the crossing of the Jagst River from Obergriesheim to Untergriesheim. The second truck was driven by PFC Jesse L. Knowles Jr. 39725663 and in the passenger, seat was PFC Earl Johnson 35931963 the assistant driver. The back of the truck was loaded with the rest of the men of Charles Wade squad.

2nd platoon proceeded southward from their crossing site along the east bank of the Neckar through the narrow streets of Gundelsheim. An unknown lieutenant in the 63^rd Division failed to carry out his order of putting up the roadblock at the underpass. This failure resulted in 2nd platoon convoy to continued southward toward the confluence of the Neckar and Jagst Rivers rather than taking the easterly road to Höchstberg. Because 2nd platoon passed the site where the roadblock should have been on the south side of the city, they soon found themselves miles into enemy territory. They traveled down the road for about 3 miles and came to a small village of twenty or thirty houses. This town was Offenau Germany. They continued through Offenau Germany, passed a farmhouse with a large shed on the right side of the road, and at this point the road turned to the left at a 45- degree angle. At a distance of a half of mile in front of them they saw black smoke rising in the sky. They traveled a quarter of a mile further and saw that the bridge had just been blown up in front of them. The bridge that was destroyed was on the road that led from Offenau Germany to Jagstfeld Germany at the Jagst River crossing. Due to 2^nd Platoon mistake this caused the 38^th SS to blow up the bridge early.

The 3rd Battalion 38th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment 17^th SS Division was defending in the area north of the Jagst and east of the Neckar Rivers when 2nd platoon, A/263 Engineers arrived, in the vicinity between Offenau and Jagstfeld Germany. While 2^nd Platoons Column was driving south on the small road in the vicinity of Offenau the 3rd Battalion 38th SS Panzer Grenadier Regiment opened fire from about 183 meters away from the column with 3 machine guns and rifles from the high ground lying Southeast of the road. At this time PFC Jesse L. Knowles Jr. 39725663 (the driver) and PFC Earl Johnson 35931963 (the assistant driver) of the 3^rd vehicle were severely wounded.

Dismounting their vehicles immediately, the men of Platoon took cover in a deep ditch running next to the road. Around this time is when Pvt. Charles C Wade 34874945 who was shot in the leg by a Machine Gun while lying down. The bullet traveled up his leg, into his abdomen and later developed into peritonitis, an infection of the lining of the abdominal cavity, he died of his wounds 6 days later on April 9, 1945.

Also taking place at the 2^nd Truck it was common practices to have a green camouflage nets folded across the hood in front of the windshield. The two men inside the 2^nd truck PFC Earl Johnson, and PFC Jesse L. Knowles Jr., were wounded so badly they could not get off the truck. In the meantime, the nets caught on fire, making a heavy black smoke screen. Several of the men were able to escape from the ditch due to the black smoke. They “were very fortunate in that there was a small stone quarry located near our location.” But “In a very short period of time, we could hear PFC Earl Johnson and PFC Jesse Knowles yelling for help. Some of the men wanted to try and save them, but Sgt. Synder and Lt. Johnson thought it would be sure suicide if we returned to the burning trucks.” This was an extremely difficult decision, but they had no choice under the circumstances and that was the way It had to be. That decision haunted many of the men for some time. Sgt Stevens told  Lt Johnson that Stevens and PFC John N. Rash 37496279 were going to try and get some help they they barely made it out before being surrounded the SS troops. 

Lt. Johnston knowing that he had 2 men attempting to go for help still knew it was in his men’s best interest at the moment to attempt to break through the 38th SS PGR lines and try to make it back to the last town. At this point Lt. Johnson was able to get his men out of the quarry and into the buildings close by and the platoon continued returning the fire of the enemy. Lt. Johnson seeing that he was engaged in a hopeless fight and realizing that the casualties of his platoon were mounting rapidly, Lt Johnston evacuated the wounded men which would include PVT. Wade, to the cellar of the building which he was occupying with the idea in mind of returning during the night with reinforcement to evacuate them. During this action Lt Johnston was wounded despite his wound he personally saw to that, the wounded were safely placed in the cellar Lt Johnston began leading the remainder of his platoon from the scene of the action by carefully choosing his way around and through the buildings. As he was advancing over a small rise in an attempt to find an exit around the crest of a hill which was under observation of the 38th SS PGR Lt. Johnston climbed a set of steps and raised his head up to look for a means of escape. As he did, bullets from a different machine gun than earlier opened fire upon him, hitting him in the face and he fell backwards down the steps into the bottom of the quarry, killing him instantly.

Upon 1st Lt. Donald Johnston death, T/Sgt. William E. Snyder took command of the Platoon since he was the Platoon Sergeant. Sgt. Snyder realized that all avenues were covered by automatic weapons fire forcing him to lead his men back to the houses that had the wounded men from 2^nd platoon in them. The men of 2^nd Platoon defended the houses and hoped that S/Sgt Calvin “Cal” L. Stevens, and PFC John N. Rash would be able to get back to them before the 38^th SS over run their position.

The rescue force arrived around dusk, when the tanks got near the disabled vehicles, they spun to the right and, while still turning, started to fire at the machine guns. Within fifteen minutes there was no more response from the machine guns. 2nd platoon, A/263 Engineers were finally relieved after being in a fire fight for 8 hours. Sergeant Snyder started to lead the men out of the house, but Sergeant Stevens didn’t see Lieutenant Johnston, so Sergeant Stevens asked where Lieutenant Johnston was. Sergeant Snyder said he had gotten shot and was lying in the bottom of the quarry. The rescue force helped the engineers load the eight wounded men, including Pvt. Charles C Wade 34874945 and the three dead men PFC Earl Johnson 35931963, 1st Lt. Donald Johnston O-1045125, PFC Jesse L. Knowles Jr. 39725663, they were put onto the tanks and jeeps. One of the men of 2^nd Platoon went “berserk” and they had to tie him onto the hood of a jeep to get him back to the field hospital. He was evacuated as a Non battle casualty due to fugitive, the men of 2^nd Platoon did not see him again. The two trucks, the jeep and the assault boats were all damaged beyond repair due to the ambush and were left behind.

PVT. Charles Clinton Wade 34874945 was taken to the 117th Evac Hospital but he died on April 9, 1945, at the age of 19, due to the wound he received on April 3, 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Stare Medal, Purple Heart Medal, The American Theater of operations Medal, The European African Middle Eastern Theater of operations Medal with two battle stars. the World War Two Victory Medal, and the Combat Infantry Badge.

 

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