SSgt. Edward "Ski" Wisneski
United States Army Company E 47th Infantry Regiment
from:Sagamore, PA
Edward Wisneski trained at Ft. Bragg, NC as part of the initial cadre of the 9th Division. He made the invasion of North Africa 8th of November 1942 landing at Safi Yellow Beach. He replaced units decimated at Kasserine Pass. On 26th of March 1943, marching at night, he attempted to take Hill 369 at El Guettar, Tunsia. Due to faulty French maps they were led into a wadi or canyon. One soldier described it as a football stadium, flat with little cover and steep walls all around. Just as sun was rising, all hell broke loose. Flares went up and Italian troops with German officers opened up with MGs and artillery. Any movement was met with MG fire. After a few hours, 2nd battalion commander Lt. Col. Louis Gershenow surrendered. All of Company E and part of Company F were either killed or captured. Company E XO, 1st Lt. David Conroy, was one of the first killed. Company E CO, Capt. Benjamin Humphrey was shot through both hips. One soldier said it looked like he was cut in half by MG fire. S/SGT Wisneski broke down an M1 rifle, put the stock on the outside of one leg and the barrel on the outside of the other and strapped his belt and Humphrey's belt around Humphrey's legs.
Besides 175 of Company E and part of Company F, Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Gershenow, Lt. Craig Campbell (Aide to Eisenhower), Lt. Sidney Thal, Lt. Willard Duckworth (S2), Lt. Carlos Burrows, Lt. Harold Red Tallman and Capt. Horace Spalding CO of Company H were all captured.
Edward spent 26 months mostly in Stalag 3B and was moved to Stalag 3A in February 1945. They rarely received Red Cross packages and when they did, it was because the Red Cross was due for an inspection. They received a half-barrel of coffee that was so bad, they took turns bathing in it until it was cold. He attempted to escape twice and after the 2nd time the Germans smashed the top of his right foot with a rifle butt and broke it. Edward died December 1988.
As a side note, Benjamin Humphrey survived the war and became a doctor. He married a doctor. He, his wife and 2 sons were killed in a small plane that he was piloting which crashed in the mountains of his home state of Idaho in 1973.
