World War II Woman

Task Force Baum

Although my blog is called www.worldwarIIwoman.com, occasionally I may veer from the woman part or possibly even the World War II part. Today is such a day.

One of my neighbors is Helen, one of the women in my book We Knew We Were at War: Women Remember World War II. Her story tells of what it was like living in New York City during the war years and the attempts to “black out” the city. I frequently visit Helen and her husband Charlie, who served in the 4th Armored Division, Hq Btry 66 Armored Field Artillery. The other day Charlie told me about Task Force Baum, and he lent me the book Raid,  an in-depth study of the task force, by Richard Baron, Major Abe Baum, and Richard Goldhurst. Some of you may know the story already, since information is readily available on the Internet and in printed material.

Briefly, Task Force Baum consisted of almost 300 men, led by Major Abraham Baum, and ordered by General George C. Patton, to free American POW’s at Hammelburg, Germany. Too small in numbers and ill-equipped, the mission was a disaster. All of the 53 vehicles were destroyed or captured by the Germans and many of the men were wounded, killed or reported missing in action.

The account of this ill-fated mission was suppressed for 25 years, the reason being that General Patton had ordered it in attempt to rescue his son-in-law, a prisoner of war at Hammelburg. Contrary to what many of the people involved believed, Patton denied this was the case and stated that he used it as a diversionary tactic to advance the 4th Armored Division, which arrived at Hammelburg a few days later.

Patton had promised Baum a Congressional Medal of Honor for leading this task force, but since Congress investigates the reasons for awarding the medal, and since the task force was “Top Secret,” Baum never received the medal. He did receive the Distinguished Service Cross from Patton who pinned it to his hospital gown while Baum was still recovering from his wounds.

For more on World War II, go to www.peggeorge.com.

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