Art Kramer

ART KRAMER'S WWII STORIES

The Day the 344th Stopped Patton

Patton treasured the German autobahns. To him they were high speed highways where he could charge forward at full tilt, covering miles of territory, sweeping enemy forces in his path. But Patton never took A.A. Robinson into account. A.A. Robinson, Lt. Robinson was one of the pilots in the 344th Bomb Group. And a good pilot and a fine fellow he was. But he was on a crash course with both destiny and a furious Patton. We were on a mission over Germany. We were heading East and finally crossed the bomb line. Now we were over enemy held territory and committed to the mission. Robinson was having engine trouble. He slowly started losing altitude. No choice but to drop out of the formation and try to make it back to base, or at least one of the many emergency strips built for the heavies in trouble. Dropping out of formation in enemy territory is dangerous business. He was alone, no fighter cover and he was easy pickings for any German fighters looking for a target of opportunity. He was still losing altitude. So he did what anyone of would have done in his place. He dumped his bomb load to lighten the plane. The problem was that he dumped it on an autobahn in the path oif Patton's advance into Germany. And he just didn't bust up the road, he took out the bridges over deep chasms as well. He stopped Patton's advance dead Patton now had to do a go around through deep chasms slowing his advance quite seriously. Of course, for some strange reason Patton had no intention of being a good sport about this innocent little mishap on poor AA's part. There was all hell to pay. But the furor finally died down and Robinson just kept flying missions. But he never salvoed again. AA, wherever you are today, I hope you are reading this. We can have nothing but admiration for the man that could do what the Germans could never do, bring Patton to a halt.

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