Frazer's book will tell it like it was
Dr. Merrell Frazer Jr., an attorney and Navy veteran living in El Paso TX, is publishing a book about the I&R/394 platoon at Lanzerath on Dec. 16, 1944.
Frazer says his book it not a "novel," it is historic fact reported in painstaking detail. Novels are "made up" and this book will be "real stories," Frazer said.
He says: it is a military history of a true event; a historical account of one of the most famous initial firefights that helped the Americans defeat Hitler's great counter offensive.
It took place in the thickly forested Ardennes along the Belgian/German border.
The Battle of the Bulge was the largest land battle fought by American soldiers in WWII. It involved more than a million men, American
The small 394th I&R platoon of 18 men was joined by four artillerymen from C/371. They were outnumbered 50-1, which is more than the defenders of the Alamo.
It was a heroic battle, fought with great intrepidity and courage to stall Hitler's main attack.
After the Americans had fought for more than eight hours, were out of food and ammunition, they were captured after their valorous courage had delayed the Panzer attack.
It was much like the battle of the Alamo, these 22 men were recognized as the most decorated platoon in U.S. Army history. They were awarded 59 medals.
Frazer says his book will tell "what actually happened there." He has "ferreted out the unknown facts and to correct a plethora of false and flagrantly flawed accounts of what happened there."
Writing the book has taken seven years, 50,000 miles of travel including six trips to the Ardennes, and visiting all living veterans of the action.
The book will be called "Hold At All Costs" (the last order that came down to them from regimental headquarters that day).
Watch for it.
