World War II Honoree

Paul August Winkler

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Temple, Texas

Honored By

Larry Winkler

Relationship

Nephew

HE SERVED AS A SHERMAN TANK DRIVER IN COMPANY C, 47TH TANK BATTALION, 14TH ARMORED DIVISION THAT LANDED AT MARSEILLES, FRANCE, 29 OCTOBER 1944. HE TOOK PART IN THE VI CORPS DRIVE THROUGH THE VOSGES MOUNTAINS AND FOUGHT THROUGH GERMAN DEFENSES ON THE ALSATIAN PLAIN. IN DECEMBER, HIS UNIT WAS IN A DEFENSIVE POSITION NEAR NEUNHOFFEN WHEN ON NEW YEAR'S EVE, THE GERMAN ARMY GROUP G LAUNCHED OPERATION NORDWIND, THE LAST MAJOR GERMAN COUNTER-OFFENSIVE OF THE WAR. FROM JANUARY 1-8, HIS UNIT WAS ENGAGED IN ALMOST CONTINUOUS MAJOR COMBAT ACTION AGAINST THE GERMAN THRUSTS. FORTUNATELY THE GERMANS WERE HALTED IN A FURIOUS DEFENSIVE ENGAGEMENT. DURING THE REST AND REHAB PERIOD THAT FOLLOWED, HE VOLUNTEERED TO DRIVE A TRUCKLOAD OF SOLDIERS FROM HIS UNIT TO PARIS FOR SEVERAL DAYS OF R&R. HE WAS ABLE TO REUNITE WITH TWO OF HIS BROTHERS, WHO WERE ALSO IN PARIS AT THE TIME. THEIR REUNION WAS ARRANGED BY THE UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS AND COVERED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY THE STARS AND STRIPES NEWS SERVICE. AFTER THIS MUCH DESERVED REST PERIOD, HIS UNIT RETURNED TO THE OFFENSIVE ON MARCH 15TH, 1945, DROVE ACROSS THE MODER RIVER, CRACKED THROUGH THE SIEGFRIED LINE, AND CAPTURED GERMERSHEIM ON THE RHINE. ON EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 1ST, HIS DIVISION CROSSED THE RHINE NEAR WORMS, CONTINUED PURSUIT OF THE RETREATING ENEMY THROUGH HAMMELBURG, RACED TO THE DANUBE, AND PUSHED ON TO MOOSBURG, WHERE SOME 200,000 ALLIED PRISONERS WERE LIBERATED. DURING THE WAR, HE HAD SEVERAL RISKY EXPERIENCES AND CLOSE CALLS AS THE COMPANY COMMANDER’S DRIVER. ONCE AS THE LEAD TANK, HE SUCCESSFULLY CROSSED A MINE FIELD WHILE THE TANK FOLLOWING IMMEDIATELY BEHIND HIS TANK WAS DESTROYED BY A MINE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION HE VOLUNTEERED TO BE THE DRIVER OF THE FIRST TANK TO TEST A NEW BRIDGE WHEN CROSSING A RIVER. HE WAS ONCE WOUNDED WHEN THE MACHINE GUN IN THE TANK THAT HE WAS MANNING BACKFIRED. ON A DIFFERENT OCCASION WHILE STOPPED BESIDE ANOTHER TANK, THE OTHER TANK’S COMMANDER WAS KILLED BY A SNIPER. AND FINALLY, HE WAS TOLD PERSONALLY BY GENERAL PATTON TO REMOVE THE SANDBAGS ON HIS TANK TO ALLOW MORE SPEED.