We both came out of the Army Specialized Training Program [ASTP] I don't remember which Univ where he went; I went to the Univ of Cincinnati for 2 semesters. We both ended up in the same platoon in Co "C" 48th Tk Bn of the 14th AD. At first Mac was in Tk # 1 as a loader and I also a loader in Tk # 3. We arrived at Cp Campbell, KY and trained 'till we departed for France 14 Oct 44.

Our first day of combat was 22 Nov 44, where we encountered a roadblock defended by AT guns, Mortars and German Inf. That was our baptism of fire. We had no tanks lost in this encounter. After many more encounters we were headed for Benfeld, Alsace at night when Mac's tank and #2 tk were hit and destroyed. Mac got out of that Tk without a scratch, but the Pltn Tk Cmdr was killed and the gunner was badly wounded. In a few days after replacing the Tk, I was placed in Tk # 1 as the gunner with Mac my loader. Mac was offered the job, but he said that because he wore glasses he would rather I be the gunner. The Benfeld episode occurred 1 Dec.

On 10 Jan [Mac's 22nd birthday] we were in a bloody attack in the PM. During this attack I was able to knock out 3 Kraut tanks. When we pulled back to reorganize Mac said those Kraut tks were his birthday present! I had celebrated my 21st birthday 2 Jan. The next morning at 6 AM we were counter- attacked by an overwhelming force. I managed to destroy two more German tks. At this time we were told to counter-attack around the left flank. It was very foggy with 8 in of snow on the ground. As we proceeded in our attack we were fired on from our right front and our tank was disabled. Mac went out the top hatch and was hit by machine gun fire, killing him instantly. I went out the bottom escape hatch, waited a few minutes, which seemed like hours, crawled around the left side of the tk and saw that Mac was dead. I then crawled back to our other tks using a potato furrow [ 8 in deep] for cover. Many more incidents occurred before the war ended. I was wounded 1 May about 20 miles NE of Munich.

I hope this info sheds some light on what happened to your Uncle. I say again he was a very good friend.

Warmest regards,
Darrell Todd

Partial photo of Company C, 48th Tank Battalion, 14th Armored Division, recently sent to my Dad by his brother,Bill. Garrett in in the second row from the bottom, 4th from the right. I understand Mr. Todd is standing to Garrett'sright.
.... Mike McAfee June 2002

A best friend’s death in battle
DARRELL E. TODD was a masonry contractor who commanded the Oakdale unit of the National Guard from 1957-61 and retired as a major in 1984. In 1985 he returned to Europe and found the grave of Pfc. Nathan McAfee and other friends in a military cemetery near Metz.

The 14th Armored Division arrived in Marseilles on Oct. 28, 1944. We collected our equipment and headed north to Lyon and Epinal and into combat in the Vosge Mountains.
I was loader in the No. 3 tank and my best friend Nathan McAfee of Corsicana, Tex., was loader in No 1. His tank was knocked out Dec. 1. Our platoon leader was killed and the gunner seriously wounded.
I was promoted to gunner with McAfee serving as my loader.
DURING DECEMBER the Germans started the Battle of the Bulge offensive. We were in Alsace-Lorraine in the vicinity of Strasbourg in the villages of Rittershoffen and Hatten.
The afternoon of Jan. 10 (McAfee’s 22nd birthday), my platoon attacked to the northeast toward Hatten, about a mile away.
Being in the lead tank, I was first to sight three enemy tanks to our front. I knocked out the middle one. With the help of the other four tanks, we made War Stories
flaming coffins of the other two and pulled back to the village for the night.
Next morning was foggy with eight inches of new snow. The Germans had sent in “Screaming Meemies” all night and at 0630 started their attack. Their tanks were white (ours were covered with sandbags) and their infantry wore white parkas.
The first German tank I spotted was 75 yards in front. Through my telescopic sight I saw my tracer disappear into the turret. I traversed left and fired two rounds into the next tank. We lost our No. 5 tank and received orders to regroup and counter-attack from the left flank.
My tank was knocked out and my friend McAfee went out the top and was hit by machine gun fire.
The lieutenant and I went out the bottom escape hatch. Ammo and gasoline in our tank started to burn and explode. I crawled to the left side and saw that McAfee was dead and started crawling back, using an 8-inch deep potato furrow for cover and putting snow on my back for camouflage.
On Jan. 20, we pulled back about 30 miles to regroup. I was promoted to commander of No. 5 tank and given a green gunner and loader. But they were fast learners.
On May 1, my tank and crew we executing a combat flank patrol mission 30 miles east of Munich. Leaving the village of Taufkirchen and firing at German trucks and troops when we were ambushed by a self-propelled tank destroyer.
My gunner fired but my loader was killed with the first German round. The second round struck my gunner and me.
I HAD ABOUT 10 POWS on my tank and all jumped into the ditch with my driver, assistant driver, gunner and my self. The loader died in the tank and my gunner died within a few minutes.
We were sent by medic jeep to a field hospital, then flown to Rheims, France. We heard the war ended while in flight.
I returned to the U.S. in February ‘46 and married Shirley Humphrey in Chicago in August. She was the sister of a tank driver in my company. My friend McAfee had introduced us.
January 14, 1993