SGT. LESTER PORTER

ACROSS THE DANUBE


Wars are not supposed to be fought during the winter. This time the war couldn't wait until the end of winter. Until the invasion of Normandy in June of 1944, Laurens County's men had been spared the brutal fighting of an infantry war. As the summer of 1944 progressed more and more reports of injuries and death came back to grieving families. The "Hellcats" of 12th Armored Division were pushing inch by inch, mile by mile across Europe. Berlin, Germany was their ultimate destination. Utweiler, Germany was the first German town to fall justbefore Christmas of 1944.

A young Dublin sergeant was a member Combat Command A, 66th AIB. On the 16th of January, Command A was viciously shelled by German artillery near Offendorf. The young sergeant was seriously wounded in the left hip. Three years before he was a Boy Scout in Troop 65 and a Junior Wildlife Ranger led by Wildlife Ranger, John N. Ross. The twenty year old boy, now a man, quickly recovered and rejoined his unit on February 15th. His mother feared he was dead. By mid-April the "Hellcats" were approaching the Danube River. No invading army, not even the armies of Julius Caesar, nor Genghis Khan, nor the immortal Napoleon had ever managed to cross the river.

Reports came in that the German army had left one bridge, at Dillingen, intact. The American armored units sped toward the bridge. There was no time to waste. The German 6th Panzer Division was a stubborn and formidable foe. The dash was so rapid that the German forces had little time to organize their defenses. The date was April 22, 1945. "Berlin Sally" was broadcasting that the bridge was scheduled to be destroyed. The Americans pulled out of camp at 0700 hours and 4 hours and 32 miles later they arrived in Dillingen. Sally warned that the German Army was dug in - ready for a fight. When the Americans got to the bridge, it was still up. Captain Riddell and Platoon Sergeant Houston were the first on the bridge. They shot a couple of men who were trying to blow the bridge.

Sgt. Houston called for a squad to cross the bridge. Near the end of the bridge were six five-hundred pound bombs, hundreds of pounds of wet Italian dynamite, sandbags, and wires running off in many directions toward the edges of the bridge. Sergeants Houston and Welch pulled back across the bridge. The young Dubliner led the remaining men as they ran across the bridge. The first task was to clear the area and establish a defensive position at the eastern end of the bridge. Other members of the squad were Frank Zendell, Robert Crumpton, Edward McGarr, William Moore, and John Horne.

The German army tried to explode the bridge. Six planes were shot down. Elements of the 199th Armored Engineers were sent to remove demolitions from the bridge. With the aid of only the moonlight the sergeant and his buddies spotted mines floating down river were captured in a net strung over the Danube. Hundreds of German soldiers were killed. The Americans repelled all attacks and captured over a thousand prisoners. Edward McGarr captured two prisoners with an empty rifle. Artillery fire poured into American position. The second most important bridge in the European War Theater was now open. The Bridge at Remagan may have been bigger, but the bridge at Dilligen remained intact. The 12th Armored Division poured across the bridge. The next four days were spent fighting off large scale air and artillery attacks. On April 28th the Hellcats crossed the railroad bridge at Landsburg and feinted on Munich. The actions of these young American heroes paved the way for the final push into Berlin ten days later when the war ended in Europe on May 7, 1945. One survivor of Dachau Concentration camp credited the rapid capture of Dilligen Bridge as the reason that the lives of himself and the rest of the people in the camp were saved.

The citizens of Dublin were proud of their young hero. Dublin Theatre manager Bob Hightower planned a special 7th War Loan premiere of the new Tracy and Hepburn movie, "Without Love." The purchase of a war bond was the ticket for admission to the movie in honor of the first American soldier to cross the Danube. That day, June 27, 1945, was "Buck" Porter Day in honor of Dublin's young war hero, Lester Porter.

Lester Porter, son of Attorney Lester Lee and Ruth Guyton Porter, was born in Dublin in December of 1924. Lester graduated from Dublin High in the first year of World War II. After one year at North Georgia College, Porter began serving in the 12th Armored Division of the Seventh U.S. Army. For his actions in World War II, "Buck" Porter was awarded the Purple Heart, World War II Victory Medal, Presidential Unit Citations, Croix de Guerre and Foix de Guerre, the Rhineland Battle Star, and many other service ribbons. After the war Porter graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Zoology. He then graduated from Northern Illinois College of Optometry.

Dr. Porter and his new wife Katherine Davis Porter returned to Dublin in 1951. Dr. Porter began his practice of optometry here and forty six years later, he is still practicing, now with his son, Dr. Edwin Porter. Dr. Porter has been active in civic and governmental affairs for all of that time. He has served in statewide Optometric positions for several years and has served as President of the Moore Street P.T.A., Lion's Club, Dublin Association of Fine Arts, and the Dublin-Laurens Chamber of Commerce. Porter served two terms as Mayor of Dublin from 1970 to 1974.

Laurens County has a rich heritage of his sons who served their country during World War II. The stories are moving and fascinating. They are stories of ordinary men, who when there time came, stepped forward and exhibited outstanding feats of courage.