World War II troops spent Christmas in the field

By Tom Emery

The men who fought, and won, World War II are part of the Greatest Generation. But during the war, their Christmases were not so great.

Half a world away from home at holiday time, American troops were usually in the field, fighting in some of the war’s biggest battles. Though they made the best of Christmas, it was a lonely time both on the front and at home.

Christmas in 1941 came just eighteen days after Pearl Harbor, so the first Yuletide during major American involvement came the next year.

American forces in the South Pacific launched an attack on a Japanese air base at Munda on Christmas Eve 1942 to force the Imperial Army further north in the Solomons. That was followed by a Christmas Day attack on the important Japanese-held harbor at Rabaul, which also proved successful.

Back on the island of Guadalcanal, troops reaped the bounty of supply ships that had arrived after American advances. Rations were increased on Christmas.

A Navy spokesman said “turkeys were sent out to Guadalcanal in plenty of time to get there.” Whether they actually arrived is debatable. One recent account said the men were happy to have “an orange and a warm beer.” Other Americans were in action in North Africa that Christmas.

During holiday time in 1943, American soldiers endured cold, muddy conditions in Italy. Noted war correspondent Ernie Pyle wrote that “Our troops were living in almost inconceivable misery…Thousands of men had not been dry in weeks.”

Though the men were supposed to receive turkey dinners from the Army, many wished they hadn’t. A 2017 account quoted one man of the 34th Division who recalled “somewhere along the way refrigeration had broken down. What had been meant as a holiday treat turned into gastric distress.” Some men were sick for days.

Christmas 1944 found Allied troops on a major offensive at the Battle of the Bulge. In addition to the desperate Germans, Americans and their allies struggled with one of the worst winters in Europe in decades, with deep snow and frigid conditions.

“It was in the middle of winter, with freezing temperatures and snow on the ground,” said James Lambeth, 97, a veteran of the 37th Amphibious Combat Engineers. “We sat there in foxholes for most of the time, shivering and shaking. One of my buddies and I got in one foxhole and put our backs together, to keep from freezing.”

One of the key moments in the Battle of the Bulge was a German attack near Bastogne on Christmas Day, which failed with a loss of 300 men and seventeen Panzers. The battle finally ended on January 25.

Elsewhere on Christmas Day in 1944, a small plane carrying famed bandleader Glenn Miller was reported missing over the English Channel. The plane, which disappeared December 15, was flying Miller to Paris.

Miller had forsaken his superstar career with his hit-making orchestra to join the service and form the Army Air Force Band, which provided a welcome respite for troops in the European Theater. After much speculation, a 2014 investigation found that freezing conditions had taken down Miller’s plane.

News from the front dotted headlines back home throughout each Christmas during the war, and countless missions of mercy and care packages were sent to support the troops.

In many camps, men tried to celebrate as best they could, with makeshift dinners, decorations, and church services. But the newspapers at Christmastime were also filled with news of lost husbands, sons, and fathers, more of the poignant moments of war during the holidays.

Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Ill. He may be reached at 217-710-8392 or [email protected].