474th AAA Bn Unit Insignia

474th AAA Bn Unit Insignia

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Tragic Ambush of a Battery Commander

After witnessing the hideous atrocity of Nordhausen, the battalion had a personal tragedy of their own. 
A routine trip from his command of Battery B to Battalion HQ ended Captain Potter's life.  On the afternoon of 16 Apr 45, a jeep trip to HQ went terribly wrong.  Captain Gordon Potter, his driver Sergeant Albert Allgeier and PFC William Ousley were ambushed and incurred multiple bullet wounds. The battalion would not learn about their fate till 3 May, seventeen days later.  Three of the original Camp Edwards members.  Sgt Allgeier and PFC Ousley were from Pennsylvania and are buried in Margraten Cemetery in the Netherlands.  Capt. Potter was from Washington DC and is buried in Virginia.