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By Kevin Allen
Early on the morning of December 16, 1944, the commander of the U.S. 406th Artillery Group, Colonel George Axelson, had a difficult decision to make. The Germans had just launched the offensive that would become known as the Battle of the Bulge, and one of their first targets was the 38th Cavalry Squadron, dug in around Monschau, Germany. The lightly armed cavalry troopers needed help, and the commander quickly called for artillery support from the 406th. Axelson had just the thi
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3 thoughts on “The Proximity Fuse: The Gunner’s Dream Finally Became Realized”
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3 thoughts on “The Proximity Fuse: The Gunner’s Dream Finally Became Realized”
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Thanks! SO INTERESTING & SO INFORMATIVE… Uncle Guy
The forward observer that that radioed in coordinates for the first barrage of artillary on the Germans in that forest was my uncle, Chester Logan. He spent the night in a snow drift directing the incoming fire to devastating impact. When he was found half-frozen the next morning, his comrades in arms convinced him that he really didn’t need to see the carnage that those shells caused. Because of the secrecy of the proximity fuse and concerns about the secret falling into German hands, he was using the call sign of an officer rather than his own. He was awarded a Silver Star but the citation was ambiguous because no one wanted to draw attention to that breach of protocol.
With apologies, you have Col. Axelson’s name incorrect. The commander of the 406th Artillery Group in December, 1944 was my grandfather Oscar Alfred Axelson, who was never named or known as “George”. He was a West Point alumnus (graduated with one of the early-graduating classes in 1918), served with both Coast Artillery and Field Artillery units, died in 1979, and is buried at West Point along with his wife, my grandmother Norma Rosa Axelson.