Patrol To The Sauer
David.Gettman January 20th, 2008
From:
SECOND UNITED STATES CAVALRY – A HISTORY
Compiled, edited and published by Historical Section, Second Cavalry Association
Maj. A. L. Lambert and Cpt. G. B. Layton, 2d Cavalry
27 February 1945
Troop B, 2d Squadron
It was the 27th of February, the Troop was outposting three small towns on the west bank of the Sauer river, when the order came down to send a four man patrol as far as the Sauer, with the mission to reconnoiter the area and find a suitable route for transporting a boat to the river.
Lt. Goulet, Sgt. Hubenet and two other men from B Troop left at 1900 from the Troop CP. They moved to a forward position near the river. At this point the bank over looking the river is approximately 30 feet high, and so steep it is impossible to get a boat down. There is also a roadblock on the road at this point, that is mined with anti-personnel mines. They by-passed the roadblock on the south side of the road and neutralized a German stock mine. They continued east on the road a hundred yards or so, and came to another roadblock. They did not think this roadblock was mined. After proceeding east another fifty yards the point man, Cpl. Cutright, saw some movement in a gully north of the road and followed by Sgt. Hubenet, moved forward to investigate. Cutright noticed a hole in the ground and stepped around it. Just what happened next is in doubt, but the patrol members believe that Sgt. Hubenet stepped in the hole and that the hole contained a mine, for suddenly there was an explosion which knocked Cpl. Cutright and Lt. Goulet, who was about 10 feet behind the Sergeant, to the ground. The Lieutenant and T/5 Morgan moved up to Sgt. Hubenet, and seeing that he was severely wounded, tied a tourniquet on his leg. They attempted to carry him out, but by the time they reached the first roadblock he was complaining of pains in his chest and stomach. Realizing that they could not carry him over such rough terrain on their shoulders, two men stayed with him while the Lieutenant went to the forward OP to call for the medics and guide them to the wounded man. Continue Reading »
