"Hell On Wheels!": The U.S. 2nd Armored Division in Europe

By Timothy Lossner

This is the story of Arnold Lossner, a young man of twenty two, when his life took a dramatic turn. He went from following his father's footsteps into the ministry, to following the U.S. 2nd Armored Division into battle. He became a machine gunner on an M-2 half track, and, due to his bilingual upbringing, assumed the roles of translator and interpreter when needed. The division's nickname, "Hell On Wheels," came from General George Patton, who, after watching them train, commented that the Germans were going to be facing "Hell on Wheels ." They were called "Roosevelt's butchers" by the German citizens in towns like Magdeburg and Julich, who witnessed first hand, the bloodbath that resulted with victory on the line; when taking prisoners was no longer an option. From Camp Hahn, in the California desert, to England and through Europe, the friendships that Arnold developed helped him Survive without the love and support of his family. Arnold's faith in God, and his love and passion for his wife, Jane, drove him to not only survive, but to become a hero; bravely going into battle, and beyond the call of duty, saving the life of a friend and fellow soldier. They were the first armor ashore at Normandy, the first Armor into Belgium and the first U.S. armor into Berlin. Like prizefighters facing a larger opponent, they faced tanks with larger guns and thicker armor, forcing them to spar and parry in order to gain any strategic advantage. The smaller, more maneuverable Sherman tanks would swarm the Germans in all out free for alls, like packs of wolves bringing down their larger prey. They were, as described by Stanley Baron of the London Times, "Americans at their most magnificent ."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1797744070
• ISBN13: 9781797744070
• Release Date: February 2019
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 244 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 9.0"