[u][b]14 July 1944[/b][/u]
We arrived in France two days ago. We were stuck on that bloody ship too long if you ask me. I am so glad I never joined the Navy. I could not stand the constant rocking of the ship in the waves of the English Channel. I must have thrown up a dozen times.

We spent the rest of the day unloading our vehicles from the ship and moving the company to its staging area about five kilometers southwest of Utah Beach. Yes, we disembarked at Utah Beach on the Normandy coastline.

The Battalion S1, Captain Perkins informed the battalion staff and unit leaders last night that Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt Jr. died of a heart attack on Wednesday, 12 July. What is truly amazing, is General Roosevelt was the highest ranking American officer to come ashore on D-Day. He survived that harrowing experience on the beaches, just so he could die of a heart attack not 20 kilometers from where we are sitting now. He was only 56 years old. My father and grandfather both had much respect for his father, the 26th President of the United States. I recall reading about his exploits in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. He was an awe inspiring leader. A young officer like myself could learn from him. This was another tragic loss to the nation and to the US Army.

During our S2 Intelligence briefing we were informed of a large concentration of German armor southwest of Caen along the Odon River, north of the Orne River. We were told the I SS Panzer Corps consisting of the 1st SS Panzer Division (Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler), 2nd SS Panzer Division (Das Reich) and the 12th SS Panzer Division (HitlerJugend) and the II SS Panzer Corps consisting of the 9th SS Panzer Division (Hohenstaufen) and the 10th SS Panzer Division (Frundsberg). We are told these are the elite troops of Germany’s vaunted Panzer formations using Panzer Mark IVs, Mark V (Panthers) and Mark VI (Tiger) tanks. All five of these divisions have experience fighting on the Eastern Front against the Russians. Next, it will be our turn.

Early reports tell us the M4 Sherman will light up like a Bronson lighter when struck by an Armor Piercing (AP) round fired from either of these tanks. British armored commanders say that the best way to attack the Panthers and Tigers is from the rear. It is a wasted shot to even try to hit one in the front, they have such thick steel armor. I sure hope the S3 has a plan for how we maneuver our tanks into the enemy’s rear. I am also told that our M18 Hellcats are the fastest tanks in Europe right now. We may need to test their speed against the German Panzers.

We shall be placed in Division Reserve for now, until they have a mission for us. This will give us plenty of time to get acclimated to our surroundings, drill on tank fighting tactics and insure our tanks are maintained properly.

The 4th Infantry Division is slowly being pulled out of the line and our 4th armor division is being put into action in the positions they are vacating.

[u][b]16 July 1944[/b][/u]
The operations order has been issued. The 1st platoon will be leading followed by the 2nd platoon and then the Assault Gun platoon. The armored infantry platoon will follow the 2nd platoon and I will travel with the 1st platoon. Colonel Abrams informed me that he will lead the 1st platoon, the tip of the 4th Armored Division as we roll into combat for our first time tomorrow morning. It will be an early rise and our tanks will be rolling before the sun comes up. I hope to make another entry into this journal tomorrow or soon after our first contact with the enemy.