Stanley A. Madere-773rd Tank Destroyers Bn.

This is a old Army buddy of my Dad's who is Harry H. Morgan. They served in the same Battalion together in WW2. They recently made contact once again after all these years. This year being 2003. Above are Stanley's medals. He wrote a letter for his Mom just in case anything were to happen to him. As luck will have it, she never had to receive this letter. 

Dear Mom; 
I am writing because I don't know if I will survive the next battle. I hope that everyone is praying for me and all of my comrades. 

Collect my G I Insurance, also request any and all pay and allowances that are due to me, get all medals and awards that are listed on my records. 

General James Dolittle, of the Army Air Corps, visited the hospital at Lemmington, England while I was a patient, he was decorating the men who had done deeds above the normal. I had an award for bravery the (Bronze Star) that was for action on the 20th August 1944 near Argentan, France. I was released from the hospital December 3, 1944 and I am now on my way to France to join my unit. I was injured in late August, in September I was flown from France to a hospital in England for surgery and recovery. I still experience some pain because the doctor used only seven stitches to seal a opening that was twelve inches in length. The Doctor gave the reason for so few stitches was that there was a shortage at that time . 
I am writing this because you would never receive this information with the present system in place ( censoring all mail) ( V-Mail ). Therefore this will be placed in with my personal property that will be sent to you if I never return home. This will be the information that will tell you what happened to me during my time in Europe. 
I was home on leave in December 1943, just before the holiday. This was to be my last leave before being shipped to England. This I was not allowed to disclose. Yes we were a part of the invasion to liberate the European countries that are under German control. 
We sailed from the port of New York the first week of January 1944 and arrived in Scotland, where we boarded a train that took us to England to await the day when we would invade France. During this time the Germans were still sending bombers to bomb the towns and buzz bombs ( bombs with wings) to England that would come crashing down from the sky when out of fuel and explode on impact. 
While in England, we were quartered in the town named "Stowe On The Wold ". I enjoyed visiting some of the very old towns. Stratford on the Avon was my favorite .The towns on the South end of England, Poole , Weymouth, Dorchestor and many others were to my liking. 
Our stay in England did not last very long, we were loaded on board a ship with our tanks, equipment and other supplies then sailed for France to join the troops that went before us. When we arrived at a place called Utah Beach the door of our ship opened and we were able to drive our tanks into France. 
The first week we did not see any action, it was almost as though we were on a vacation trip. Fun and games drink a little apple cider and talk to the few Frenchmen that were still In the area. 
Things were ready to happen. The Chaplain was ready to have service for all who were interested. I was one of the flock who attended. 
An hour or so later we were on the road to an assigned area. When we arrived two members of the tank crew wanted to cook a can of bacon. I was the third man to get on ground and start the gas stove going. Captain Wilton Richard came over to tell us that the German Army was to the left side of our tank. All hell broke loose at that time . It only took seconds for the crew to re-enter the tank and become battle ready. 
Yes, all Hell did break loose, our fighter planes were strafing the German Troops and the Germans started firing on us. We were ordered to move forward onto the road that was maybe one hundred feet from where we had stopped to cook our can of bacon. " Boom ", a mortar shell exploded on the side of the tank. The Sgt. yelled "we are hit every one out" There was no damage to the tank and we should have stayed inside where it was safe. 
We moved up a short distance to the little town of St Leonard that was the only road that the Germans could use to escape the trap that we and the British were closing. (The Argentan -Falaise Gap ). 
Our company was on the South side of Argentan in the town of St Leonard and my tank was now located in an apple orchard, with the gun pointed towards the German Army. I just realized that I had injured myself when we jumped out the tank before coming to this location. The pain was the worst that I had ever experienced. I did not want to tell anyone of my injury and I did not until several weeks later. 
I could see that our company was in place and the Germans knew the location of every tank that we had at this point on the battle field. They started shelling our position and at this time the target was my tank. After several hours of shelling they made a counter attack. Two German tanks tried to breach our line by means of the road. Both were destroyed by one of our tanks. 
We now know that " WAR IS HELL" and we were experiencing it in the worst way. Being shelled all day by German artillery, not knowing where the next shell was going to explode or who would be injured or killed. This is one day that I prayed to God and was very sincere, with the promise that I would be a much better person if my prayers were answered. 
Later in the day we had a direct hit on the left side of our tank. Three of the crew jumped out for fear that the tank would catch fire and explode, two of the crew were lost to shell fire on the outside, myself and the crew member that stayed took a chance that the tank would not explode and we won. We were able to drive to the rear where the battalion had setup, there we exchanged our damaged tank for one that was kept in reserve. Our equipment had to be loaded onto this tank. It was late at night when we completed this task. We were able to rest until daybreak, that was for several hours before returning to our assigned place at St Leonard. 
Things were quiet, the shelling had ceased for the time being. I walked over to the two German tanks that were now burned out hulks, there was only one body showing, it appeared to be the driver of the second tank because the body was half way out of the driver's hatch. Being brave I walked towards the crossroad where I had a friend with a crew on a anti-tank gun. There were two of our dead covered with green army raincoats. It was not a nice thing to look at without saying a prayer for them. After being gone from my tank for a short time we were giver orders to move out. Four tanks and we only knew that we were to encounter several enemy tanks. Well this became as a big surprise. We four tanks met the German Seventh Army armored column .This is where three and one-half hours of fierce combat started. We had a full load of ammunition and at the end of this battle most of it was exhausted. The German Column of one hundred eighteen armored tanks and trucks were destroyed. Two hundred twenty nine men captured. This battle was over for the time being. We located a place over looking the valley and spent the night with hopes that no other part of the enemy would come up this road. This is where the battle to close the gap ended on August 20,1944. 
We were on the move and on to another conflict with the enemy. My injury was very severe and I knew that I had to see the battalion Doctor. My colon was now enlarging the tear in my inner body lining, showing on the outside, the size of a baseball on the lower left side of my body. My question to the Doctor was," Can you give something to hold my guts inside?" He said yes, then started writing an order that he handed me to read. It read, you are on your way to a hospital in England for surgery to repair the hole on the inner lining of your body. The doctors in England did the repairs as best they could. That is what I was told when I was released from the hospital. 
Now its December 4, 1944 and I am on my way to join my unit.
Your Son,
Stanley

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Awarded The Bronze Star

Under the provisions of AR 600-45 and circular, third United States Army, current series, the Bronze Star is awarded for bravery in action in Northern France:

Tec 5 Stanley A. Madere of the 773rd Tank Destroyer Bn., United States Army, On 20 August 1944 near France in the face of 3 -1/2 hours of fierce combat, as a member of a tank destroyer crew, he assisted in destroying an armored colum consisting of 118 vehicles and the capture of 229 prisoners. Entered service from Louisiana.

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Some Pictures

A picture of Stanley and his lovely wife Marria in 2004.

This page last updated: August 14, 2005