Denise George - The Lost Eleven: The Forgotten Story of Black American Soldiers Brutally Massacred in World War II

CALIBER

Published by Berkley

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375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014

Copyright 2017 by Denise George and Robert Child

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: George, Denise, author. | Child, Robert, 1963 author.
Title: The lost eleven: the forgotten story of black American soldiers brutally massacred in World War II/Denise George and Robert Child.
Description: First edition. | New York: Caliber, 2017.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016041981 (print) | LCCN 2016056855 (ebook) | ISBN 9781101987391 | ISBN 9781101987407 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: United States. Army. Field Artillery Battalion, 333rd. | World War, 19391945Participation, African American. | World War, 19391945AtrocitiesBelgiumWereth. | Ardennes, Battle of the, 19441945. | Wereth (Belgium)History, Military20th century.
Classification: LCC D769.34 333rd .G46 2017 (print) | LCC D769.34 333rd (ebook) | DDC 940.54/1273dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016041981

First Edition: January 2017

Jacket photographs: snowy landscape Dirk Wstenhagen/Westend61/Corbis; soldiers Bettman/Getty Images

Jacket design by Steve Meditz

While the authors have made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers, Internet addresses and other contact information at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the authors assume any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

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In appreciation for the faithful service and great sacrifice of eleven black GIs massacred in Wereth, Belgium, on December 17, 1944.

And in appreciation for all African-American men and women who have courageously served in the U.S. military.

Freedom is not free. It is costly.

Dear Reader:

The Lost Eleven will introduce you to eleven courageous African-American GIs in the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion who served heroically and sacrificially in the United States Army in World War II. While most black soldiers filled noncombatant support roles, these eleven mastered the complicated operation of the 155mm howitzer, one of the most important weapons in the war. In 1944, they traveled across German-occupied France with General Middletons VIII Corps, providing support fire where most urgently needed. With their record-setting speed in loading and positioning the 155, and their extreme accuracy in firing, they helped prove the combat skill of black soldiers. This story, and the fate of the eleven, unacknowledged for half a century and left out of the Congressional War Crimes Report of 1949, is told here in book form for the first time.

The events in this book are true, gleaned from military documents, interviews, VIII Corps and 333rd Battalion after-action reports, and written verbal accounts. While accurate in content, some of it has been creatively retold. Some of the dialogue, unrecorded by history, has been created.

All the characters in this book are historical and use their real names, with the exception of Jeb, the training instructor, and Greta, the Langers German-loyal neighbor who betrayed them, whom the Langers refused to identify.

This exciting true story of eleven black heroes will delight your spirit, give you rare first-person historical insights, and make you proud of Americas devoted GIs. But be forewarned. While this story will warm your heart, it will also break your heart. Graphic and deeply moving, this story screamed to be written, and now yearns to be read by generations yet to be born.

It is with great honor that after seventy-two years, and within the pages of a book, we introduce you to the Lost Eleven.

Denise George and Robert Child July 2016