I was now transferred to a machine gun company and was on duty one night about 11.30. It was very cold. My loader Frank Martin and I were talking quietly about our dear homes across the sea. Suddenly the German machine guns opened up and we ducked down in our own gun emplacement and could hear the bullets hissing over our heads. Then it was silent again. We knew the Huns were getting restless so our signal captain sent up a "very light" which lights up No Man's Land. And we saw about 5,000 Prussian guards coming at us with bayonets fixed. I held fast to my trigger, waiting for orders.
The lieutenant came to me and said, "George, don't get nervous. We are going to get them in a trap." And I said:
"Lieutenant, do you think I will ever see the Statue of Liberty again?"
He said, "Cheer up, George, I will send the order soon."
So they fired another "very light" and there they were 100 yards from where I was stationed. All was quiet. We kept still as mice.
Then suddenly a big red rocket went up which called for an artillery barrage and I heard the shells of our artillery firing behind the Germans so they could not go back to their own lines. This was followed by two red rockets, meaning direct fire from our own machine guns. And then I yelled, "Here's where the suicide club shines," and opened up.
We gave them all the "presents" they wanted. My machine gun was red hot, and my hands were burning, but I didn't mind that. We were going to get them and give them what they deserved.
We gave them "sweeping fire" and mowed them down like grass. Daylight came and there were the Prussian Guards in big piles, dead and wounded. We certainly did catch them in a trap.
That morning I went into the dugout and we boys sat around on bundles of straw and sang some songs and told stories and jokes.
When the mail man would come around with the letters from home, we would gather around him and listen for our names to be called.