War Stories

A Soldier's Memories

Years after returning from World War II, Reginald "Pogs" Carlson sat down to record his experiences and reflections from the war. These pages contain his personal accounts of service, sacrifice, and the bonds formed during one of history's most challenging times.

Written with the perspective that only time and distance can provide, these stories offer a window into the life of a young soldier far from home, the realities of military service, and the enduring impact of those years on the man he would become.

What follows are Pogs' war stories, preserved here in his own words.

TL;DR - Reg Carlson's War Stories

Reginald "Pogs" Carlson recounts frontline combat in Italy in 1945, focusing on fear, survival, and the randomness of who lived or died.

Key points:

• He divides his stories into frontline events and everything else; this document covers frontline experiences.
• He served on the line three times: about 5-6 weeks, then 5 days, then 2 days in the Po Valley.
• He later reorganized and shared these memories with family after realizing some had no copies.
• He was awarded the Bronze Star (dated July 18, 1945) for meritorious service, including giving first aid and evacuating wounded men under heavy fire.

Frontline experience near Mt. Arnigo (Apennines):

• Daily life alternated between two dangerous duties:
  • "Out in the holes" (forward observation in exposed positions, often in freezing conditions).
  • "Run the gauntlet" (night supply runs under enemy flares and shelling).
• He describes four major "close calls":
  1. Repeated artillery barrages directly on his position.
  2. A nearby hole attacked with grenades; men badly wounded.
  3. A "test run" by another platoon that was almost wiped out in minutes.
  4. Delaying his exit by a few minutes and narrowly avoiding direct shell impact.

Battle for Mt. Arnigo (April 1945):

• Confused planning, delays, and severe losses as K, L, and M Companies pushed through intense German artillery and mines.
• Mine injuries were frequent and brutal.
• He repeatedly survived near-fatal moments (sniper fire, minefields, close shell bursts, and machine-gun emplacement hits).
• In one case, he raised his rifle at a wounded enemy but stopped at the last moment, describing a strong inner warning not to shoot.
• K Company overran positions and captured prisoners; later, many Germans surrendered.

Aftermath and reflection:

• By the end of the campaign period he describes, many men in his unit had been killed or wounded.
• A final image: soldiers returning from the mountain to hot food while many mess kits remained untouched, waiting for men who never came back.
• Years later (around 1965), he met a former Signal Corps man who confirmed another tragic mine death during the descent.

Overall:

This is a soldier's account of endurance under sustained fire, small split-second decisions that meant life or death, and the emotional cost of surviving when many others did not.