A Distinguished Service Cross Winner.
Albert Anthony Darago Jr was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1925. His service in WW2 starting as a draftee on 26th July 1943 as he enlisted into service for his country. The photographs above shoe him at left, Stateside and on the right in Belgium in the winter of 1944-45. There is barely a few months in between, but Albert was to be part of one of the greatest and most discussed events in history. The Battle of the Bulge!
His unit, Battery C of the 143rd AAA Gun Battalion had been rushed into the line and having emplaced their 90cm guns had a brief respite as they awaited the "storm" of the German offensive to break over them. They were billeted in the quiet Belgian village of Stoumont...
On December 19th 1944 misty morning was shattered as the armoured spearhead of Kampfgruppe Peiper rumbled it's way up the road towards the village. The first tank into the village was Panther 225, commanded by SS Rottenführer Prahn. An American Infantry officer asks for volunteers to form a tank stalking team armed with Bazooka launchers. Albert quickly volunteers as does Pvt Seaman, another Battery C man.
They take a route around the rear of the "Robinson House" and crawl along the ground behind the roadside hedge. Here they have an excellent view of Panther 225 as it commands the road.
Above left: The familiar image of the attack on Stoumont on December 19th, on the road blazes Panther 225, the second Panther, this may be Friedrich in 202, Koch in 231 or 232 commanded by Bräuschke, approaches the hulk. On the background, to the left can be seen the "Robinson House". Today this street scene is barely recognisable as a Police station was built on the former field before the house.
Above Right: Private Seaman, the second DSC winner of 19th December.
Both Darago and Seaman fire their Bazooka rockets at the leading Panther and immobilise it. They carefully retrace their route back to the Infantry Officer, running a gauntlet of MG42 fire from Panzergrenadiers who have set up an MG on the other side of the street as they do so.
Citation:
"For extraordinary heroism in acting against the enemy on 19th December 1944, in Belgium.
During a strong German counteroffensive, the rumbling of and undetermined number of hostile tanks was heard approaching Private Darago's 90mm gun position. When an Infantry officer from an adjacent unit suddenly appeared in search of two rocket launcher gunners, Pvt Darago (and Pvt Seaman) volunteered for the dangerous mission of stopping the advance.
Although unfamiliar with the weapon, he courageously crawled to within 40yds of the tanks. Ignoring the devastating MG fire placed upon him, he fired a rocket and scored a direct hit.
He returned to the officer to have his weapon reloaded, and with undiminished daring crawled back to his original position, and while subjected to intensified MG fire, scored a second hit and completely destroyed the tank.
The great valour, outstanding personal courage, and heroic actions of Pvt Darago exemplified the highest traditions of the Armed Forces".
Albert Darago was fortunate to survive that battle and the war. He is seen above in March 1945, as he receives his Distinguished Service Cross.
Aged 86 Albert still recalls the battle and also the other winner of the DSC, Pvt Seaman, who sadly died.
Additional News!
We are pleased to announce that after 67 years the heroism of the men of Battery C of 143rd AAA Gun Battalion is to be recognised by the unveiling of a memorial plaque.
As a result of our story on Albert Darago we were contacted by the daughter of Lt. Leon Kent, the former commander of Battery C during the battle of December 19th 1944. For many years it appeared that the dramatic events that these men were part of had been overlooked by many historians.
Captain (then Lt.) Leon E. Kent
As the tanks of KG Peiper probed the area for a route towards Liege, Lt. Leon Kent identified a position in the winding road that led towards the railway station outside Stoumont. This position would be ideal for ambushing the advancing tanks.
He and his men hurriedly deployed their 90mm gun adjacent to the rail station. Lt. Kent had expected that his actions would be supported by the supporting infantrymen, but in the end it was just his one gun crew against a column of Panther tanks! Leon Kent voluntarily placed himself in a position on the gun to encourage and support the gun crew. The gun crew brought down devastatingly accurate fire to bear on the leading tanks, destroying two tanks and ensuring the blocked road could not be used by the advancing column.
As a result of Lt. Kents exemplary actions on that day KG Peiper was stalled and the route to Liege crucially blocked. After many years of lobbying by his comrades the promoted Captain Kent was finally awarded a Silver Star in 1998 for his actions in 1944! His gallantry on that winters day in 1944 reflecting the highest traditions of military service, and reflects great credit upon himself and the US Army.
On September 24th 2011, the Museum Dezember 1944 at La Gleize witnessed the unveiling of the memorial plaque above to that event. Above: Al Darago unveils the plaque, above right, in the Museum. The weapon on the wall is a Raketenpanzerbüsche 43.
Leon Kent is now a grand 96 years of age, and although he is currently unable to personally make the journey to Europe he entrustied his daughter to make the journey on his behalf, accompanied by DSC winner Albert Darago and his wife. Major General John Crowe joined the party at the unveiling ceremony.
Above: What passes to most as an insignificant road next to an old railway line. But it was behind the building in the foreground that on fateful December in 1944 that then Lt. Leon Kent positioned his 90cm AT gun, in order to inflict a killer blow not only to the first German tank in the advancing column, but also to thwart the ambitions of Kampfgruppe Peiper in his march to the Meuse river. (See Duel in the Mist page 119).
It therefore only seems appropriate to dedicate this story to the extraordinary valour of all the men of Battery C as well as Leon Kent, Albert Anthony Darago, and Pvt Seaman, whom history had passed by, but has now finally lifted up and acknowledged. We salute them!
"Here, the invader was stopped". Albert Darago stands outside the Museum at La Gleize.
The definitive account of the Battle for Stoumont is the excellent book, "Duel in the Mist" written by Timm Hasler, Roddy MacDougall, Stefan De Mayer, Simon Vosters and Hans Weber. The book ISBN number is: 0-9555413-0-1.