Hitler's Best

crawling on my belly through the thickly frozen grass with my Thompson out in front and no one to watch my ass I slowly raise my head above but only just enough to see a backlit German bunker twenty yards in front of me I quickly lose my shuttered breath falling to the ground in haste as I recall the CO’s words on the enemy we’d face “these Krauts ahead are sure to put our courage to the test we can all be sure of just one thing- these boys are Hitler’s best.” those words were sure more than enough to make my stomach spin while I pulled a grenade from my side and clenched my finger ‘round the pin just like I’d done in basic I breathed out and yanked it free and whispered with a shiv’ring voice “one………two………..three” I tossed that grenade overhead and ducked back down real fast and with my fingers in my ears I waited for the blast I swear I waited years before I finally heard that sound that sent debris into the sky and shook the frigid ground I crawled up closer then to see the dead men that I’d feared but I’ll never forget what I saw after the smoke had cleared I counted three charred bodies and my heart sunk within my chest not one of them above sixteen and these boys were Hitler’s best GBEI was inspired to write this after reading a book full of personal accounts from WWII veterans who were involved in the arduous struggle to free mainland Europe from Hitler's grasp. One particular man recalled the horror he felt after realising he'd killed several young German boys with a grenade. Toward the end of the European campaign, German boys as young as 13 taking up arms was not uncommon. Written December 13th, 2001 © on Dec 12 2001 03:37 PM PST   0 • 1