OneManGang
Senior Member
- Joined
- Sep 7, 2004
- Messages
- 2,012
- Likes
- 9,510
Tennessee vs The Maxims vs Bowling Green
Author's note: I feel I must beg your indulgence. This is a long one folks, and trust me, this is a highly edited version. However, I think you'll see that it really couldn't be much shorter. So, pour yourself a suitable libation and relax. Oh, and you may need some tissues as somebody could be chopping onions nearby. - OMG
For one all too brief quarter on Thursday against Bowling Green we long-suffering Vol fans got to see what Tennessee football could, nay, SHOULD, be. The Vols stormed out of the gate in the first quarter. Tennessee ran, Tennessee passed, they scored touchdowns and made it look easy. The defense swarmed and flew to the ball pitching a shutout.
A few dared hope.
But over a decade of football mediocrity would prove tougher to cast aside.
Fortunately, the Vols came out at half and put the game away. That in itself is cause for a glimmer of hope.
It is telling that in the forty seasons from 1969 through 2008 the Vols had three (count 'em) head coaches. Since then, over the last thirteen seasons, there have been five Head Vols, seven if you count interim coaches Chaney and Hoke.
Good Lord.
This speaks to systemic mismanagement that is beyond our task this day.
In the midst of that four decade run, Bruce Springsteen released a single from his 1984 monster album Born in the USA called “Glory Days.” For this Old Graybeard, the last stanza has more and more meaning.
Well time slips away and leaves you with nothing, mister, but
Boring stories of
Glory days, well they'll pass you by
Glory days, in the wink of a young girl's eye
Glory days, glory days
Indeed.
**********
Going to the movies was a rare treat for the Smoyers, who were a working class couple from Lehighton, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Smoyer put on her best dress and her husband donned his suit. House lights dropped and the screen was filled with scenes of a desperate pitched battle in the streets of Cologne, Germany. Toward the end, the camera showed the crew of an American tank that had just taken part in the battle. Mrs. Smoyer gripped her husband's arm as the lens panned over the crewmen and there was their son, Clarence.
The film had been shot by Sgt. Jim Bates. Bates had arrived in Europe as one of of a group of 65 Army combat motion-picture cameramen. These men, armed with a hand-held movie camera, a .45 automatic and a belly full of guts, filmed the US Army in action up and down the front. There was a price to be paid for the images they preserved. Less than half of the men in Bates's group made it home.
Easy Company, 32nd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division, 6 March 1945, Cologne, Germany
Mama Smoyer's little boy was in the gunner's seat of Eagle 7 as the tank moved into Cologne. The rest of the crew were tank commander, Sgt. Robert Early of Fountain, Minn., loader, Pvt. John DeRiggi from Scranton, Pa, driver, T/5 William McVey of Jackson, Mich., and bow gunner, Pvt. Homer Davis of Moorehead, Ky. Eagle 7 was a T26E3 Serial # 26, Registration #30119836, one of ten assigned to the 3rd Armored. It was an early production version of what would become the M-26 Pershing tank. It was the Army's answer to the heavier German tanks that were blasting Shermans left and right. The Pershing's 90mm gun had already proven capable of knocking out the big German cats when used in the M-36 tank destroyer. Its main drawback was that it was a year too late.
German tanks came in two main flavors: the Pzkw IV (Pz IV) that was roughly equivalent to the M-4 Sherman that made up the bulk of the American and British armored units. The Pzkw V (Pz V) Panther was another beast entirely. It had had been designed from the outset to kill Soviet T-34s and American M-4 Shermans. It was damned good at its job and American tankers were rightly frightened by the big German Cat.
The Americans committed three divisions to the task of taking Cologne, they were: the 8th Infantry Division (Pathfinders), the 104th Infantry Division (Timberwolves) and the 3rd Armored Division (Spearhead), with a combined strength of roughly 60,000 men and 350 tanks.
The point of the “Spearhead Division” was “Task Force X” made up primarily of the 32nd Armored Regiment with attached armored infantry. The sharpened tip of the point was Easy Company. The lead tank for Easy Company was Eagle 7.
The main landmark was the medieval Cathedral near a rail station a few blocks east of the huge Hohenzollern Bridge crossing the Rhine. This was Spearhead's objective. If Spearhead could snag the bridge, they could be the first allied units across the river. Late in the day, Eagle 7 led the rest of the platoon backed up by a company of armored infantry down a street dubbed “Wall Street” due to a proliferation of banks and investment houses lining the way. One street to the right, Fox Company was doing the same.
As darkness fell on 5 March, it was clear that most Germans had fled including the top-ranking Nazi officials and military high command. All that remained was a Panther under a Lt. Bartleborth which was guarding the Cathedral Square and a single Pz IV about 3 blocks away on the right. They, and a few scattered infantry holdouts, were about it.
Easy and Fox Companies resumed their advance on the 6th. Eagle 7 was once again in the lead. Sgt. Jim Bates had arrived during the night along with several combat correspondents. He went with Easy.
About 1 pm, Eagle 7 was approaching an intersection. At the same time, Michael Delling, who owned a grocery and was thus a “war essential” person with access to a car and gas, was in his car heading to the bridge with Kathi Esser, his sole employee. All they wanted to do was get the hell out of Dodge. They didn't know that the Americans had been told that no Germans other than Nazi officials or officers had cars and any seen were to be considered targets. Worse, they either didn't hear or ignored the massive roar that marked the destruction of the bridge.
Bob Early saw the car first and called out, “Staff car!” Delling's car was black but mottled with dust and dirt that looked like camouflage. Across the intersection the Pz IV was pulling out from behind a building. Bow gunner Gustav Schaefer saw a vehicle appear on the right and swung his machine gun and pulled the trigger. Green tracers followed the car and began to hit.
Clarence traversed right and pulled his machine gun trigger. Orange tracers tracked the speeding car.
Robert was killed instantly. Kathi was alive but mortally wounded as the car rolled to a stop at the curb. She pulled on her door and rolled out.
Clarence saw the the green tracers and shouted “Tank!” as he traversed to the new threat. Gustav's tank pulled back behind the building. Clarence ordered up T-33 AP rounds. He fired directly into the building hoping for a lucky shot. After four shots the corner of the building collapsed on top of Gustav's tank, jamming the turret and the tracks. Gustav and the tank commander bailed out but were picked up a few days later and sent to an American PoW camp.
As the tanks moved off, Jim Bates, who had filmed the whole incident, crossed the street as American medics converged on Kathi. It was too late, but Bates kept filming and recorded her final moments. Kathi Esser would never bounce her beloved nephew Fritz on her knee again.
As Easy Company halted to await developments, Bates crossed through an alleyway to see what was going on with Fox Company.
Lt. Karl Kellner was in the lead Sherman. They halted as they found the street completely blocked with debris from collapsed buildings and radioed back for engineers with bulldozers to clear the way. Kellner's driver opened his hatch to get some fresh air. Kellner could see the Cathedral but not what was sitting in the square.
Lt. Bartleborth's Panther, though, had a clear shot. His gunner traversed and sent two rounds at Kellner's Sherman. Both rounds hit the left side of the Sherman's gun shield so closely together the holes overlapped. Kellner's driver was killed instantly by the shock wave of impact. The AP rounds penetrated the turret and converted the loader into bloody hash. Fragments of the shells and pieces of armor ripped through the rest of the turret with the velocity of rifle bullets. Kellner's gunner was injured and Kellner's left leg was blown off at the knee.
The bow gunner bailed out. Kellner hauled himself out of the turret and rolled onto the engine deck and then off the back onto the ground, the gunner followed him out of the turret and dived off to the right. Men rushed to Kellner's aid, including a young reporter named Andy Rooney, but it was too late. Karl Kellner succumbed to shock and blood loss within minutes. Again, Jim Bates recorded the whole bloody mess.
Bates now had one thought, he had to get back and warn Bob Early and the men of Eagle 7 of this new threat.
“Hey, Bob! There's a monster of a tank up at the Cathedral! You can see him around the corner!”
Early dismounted and followed Bates up the street. Peering around the corner of a building he saw things just as described. He then pointed to a building overlooking the square and told Bates he would get a good picture from up there.
The plan was that McVey would drive slowly up to the corner and ease into the intersection. As soon as they cleared the buildings, Clarence would fire an AP round into the side of the Panther and then they would back up and do it again.
As McVey brought the tank to the corner, to his horror he saw that the Panther was now pointing its gun directly at them. He hit the gas to speed up and try to throw the German's aim off.
From his perch in the upper floor, Jim Bates heard the roar of the Pershing's motor as it moved up. Simultaneously he saw the Panther's gun swing around and flattened himself fearing it had seen him. Then he realized it was pointing at Eagle 7. He brought his camera up.
In the Panther, Bartleborth was confronted with a tank he'd never seen before. It looked German. He said, “Stop! It's one of ours!”
Clarence pressed the trigger and the big 90 barked. A T-33 AP round shot out at 2800 ft per second and slammed into the side of the Panther just below the turret. As Eagle 7 roared ahead he called for more T-33s. He fired twice more, hitting both times. The last round converted a smoking wreck into a flaming wreck. That first round kicked up so much dust and debris that Clarence couldn't see if he'd hit. The other two rounds were to make sure. Three of the Panther's crew, including Lt. Bartleborth, escaped.
Eagle 7 moved on. She and her crew fought to the end of the War on 7 May.
Clarence Smoyer returned to the Lehigh Valley, got married, settled down, and put the war behind him.
It was many years later that Clarence finally watched a video tape of that fateful day. The combat footage was raw but he could handle it. It was Bates's close up of a dying Kathi Esser that shook him to the core. From then on his nights became a struggle to get a few hours of sleep before the nightmares began.
21 March 2013, Cologne Cathedral Square, Cologne, Germany.
A reporter had found Gustav and then arranged a meeting of the two old warriors. After their initial meeting Clarence and Gustav talked of that day when their lives crossed. Gustav comforted Clarence. He explained that he had shot at the car as well. Their eyes teared as they realized that they had both killed her. Gustav looked at his new friend and said softly, “It's war. It's in the nature of it. It can't be undone.”
They walked to a nearby church cemetery and laid yellow roses at the graves of Robert and Kathi. Clarence apologized to them and asked their forgiveness.
That night, Clarence got his first good night's sleep in over a decade.
At 98, Clarence still lives in Lehighton. He is the last surviving member of Easy Company. He says simply, “I never wanted to be the last.”
Gustav Schaefer died from cancer in April, 2017. At his funeral the card on one bouquet of flowers read:
I WILL NEVER FORGET YOU!
YOUR BROTHER IN ARMS
CLARENCE
YOUR BROTHER IN ARMS
CLARENCE
On 6 March 2021 a pair of yellow roses were placed on the grave of Kathi Esser just as they have every year since 2013.
Spring Quarter 1977, U.S. Military History class, HSS Building, The University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Dr. Chuck Johnson had just finished telling a tale of unbelievable courage, sacrifice and suffering when he paused. He looked toward the back of the room but really not. His students put down their pens and a profound silence swept over them. You could have heard atoms split.
Chuck took a shaky breath and said, “You know, if you're 'doing' military history and it doesn't just break your heart … you're doing it wrong.”
***********
So, how did the Vols do against The Maxims?
1. The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win.
The Vols' critical error came when they collectively decided that the game was in the bag after the first quarter and took their foot off the gas and their eye off the ball on offense. The defense, however, refused to let the Falcons take advantage of the situation and only allowed two field goals in the second canto.
2. Play for and make the breaks. When one comes your way … SCORE!
It has to be troubling that the Vols couldn't generate a single turnover against a team that would have difficulty playing a KIL schedule. On the plus side, Tennessee had five chances inside the 20 and scored on all of them. Well done.
3. If at first the game – or the breaks – go against you, don't let up … PUT ON MORE STEAM!
This was the key. Tennessee came out in the second half and eschewed the pass and opted for a punishing ground attack that rocked the Falcons and resulted in two touchdowns on three possessions that settled Bowling Green's hash.
4. Protect our kickers, our quarterback, our lead and our ballgame.
The offensive line appeared dominant for three quarters, shoving the Falcons around and allowing the Vols to ring up 476 yards of total offense. Of course, we thought the same thing last season after the South Carolina and Mizzou games. Stay tuned. Note to young Mr. Milton: if you insist on standing flat-footed in the pocket against an SEC defense, don't be surprised when the team surgeon orders a Lamborghini. Your offensive line owes you a four-count worth of protection, anything else is gravy. The ball needs to be out of your hand before three.
5. Ball! Oskie! Cover, block, cut and slice, pursue and gang tackle … THIS IS THE WINNING EDGE.
This speaks to effort. We fans have to be pleased with what we saw Thursday night. Minus, of course, the offensive let down discussed above.
6. Press the kicking game. Here is where the breaks are made.
The kickers seemed to be all right. However, this writer did note some holes in coverage that a Florida or Alabama could turn into points.
7. Carry the fight to Bowling Green and keep it there for sixty minutes,
More like forty-five or so, but it was enough. After the last two campaigns, we Vol fans should not complain about a 32-point win. Ever.
Up next, the Pitt Panthers venture into the confines of Neyland Stadium for the first “Johnny Majors Classic” honoring the late Coach who occupies a legendary status at both schools.
Wish the Old Man could be there to see it.
Suggested Readings
R.P. Hunnicutt, Pershing: A History of the Medium Tank T20 Series
Charles B. MacDonald, The Last Offensive: The U.S. Army In World War II
Adam Makos, Spearhead
Clarence Smoyer, Top Gunner (https://www.3ad.com/history/wwll/memoirs.pages/smoyer.htm)
It was that close. Eagle 7 in the foreground. Cologne, Germany, 6 March 1945. (US Army)
Last edited:
