When Hatcher's regiment was assigned to attack one of the villages, he was sent to scout the land in front of them that night. Defending the village were 18 Tiger tanks, SS storm troopers, and artillery. On January 1st, 1945, Hatcher’s company was ordered to advance down a hill to take a German position. "Our tanks were way behind us," Hatcher said in an interview with his daughter, Debbie Martin. The Germans opened fire on the company when all soldiers were on the hill. Hatcher's squad leader was killed by an artillery shell, and Hatcher was left with shrapnel in his chest and back. He was then shot in the right calf. Hatcher and six other soldiers sprinted and took cover behind a potato bed that was 5-6 feet tall. Everyone in the company was killed. After a few days, the men were captured.
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Above: Soldiers in German POW Camp
Below: Soldiers packed in train cars headed to POW camp |
Hatcher was moved behind enemy lines to somewhere near Nuremburg. The Germans packed the prisoners into the trains with no space to sit. The German trains were constantly being attacked by American P-47 Thunderbolts, so Hatcher was in constant fear of being killed by his own men. Periodically along the trip, Hatcher and other prisoners were forced to clear debris off the tracks. When they arrived at the camp, the German SS took most of their warm clothes. Hatcher recalled that they were fed one “iced tater” a day, not matter the size. He also said that the only water they gave them was the water used to boil the potatoes. The barracks they were forced to stay in were cramped. Two men were forced sleep together, naked with no blankets. Hatcher's bed mate was Calvin Rodgers, another man from Kemper County. They were forced to work 12 hours a day digging tunnels and keeping railroads clear. He was captured on January first, 1945 liberated on April 24, 1945. The German troops let them walk out of the camp. The prisoners walked towards American lines until they met the 37th Infantry Division. Hatcher's brother Arthur was a soldier in 37th. In the four months Hatcher was captured, he lost 98 pounds and had an infected leg.
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