The men continued to play tricks on Sobel. Pvt. George Luz could imitate voices. One night E Company was leading the battalion on a cross-country march. The barbed-wire fences kept slowing the progress. Sobel was in front.
”Captain Sobel,” a voice called out, “what’s the holdup?”
”The barbed wire,” Sobel replied, thinking he was addressing Maj. Oliver Horton, the battalion executive officer.
”Cut those fences,” Luz called out, continuing to imitate Horton’s voice. “Yes, sir!” Sobel replied, and he ordered wire cutters to the front.
The next morning a contingent of Wiltshire farmers confronted Colonel Strayer. They complained mightily about the cut fences. Their cows were wandering all over the landscape. Strayer called in Sobel. “Why did you cut those fences?”
”I was ordered to cut them, sir!”
”By whom?”
”Major Horton.”
”Can’t be. Horton’s on leave in London.” Sobel caught hell, but he was never able to learn who had fooled him and was therefore unable to retaliate.
Source:
Ambrose, Stephen Edward. “Duties of the Latrine Orderly.” Band of Brothers: E Company, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne from Normandy to Hitler's Eagle's Nest. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2004. 46, 47. Print.
Further Reading:
Technician Fourth Grade George Luz, Sr.
[Easy Company, 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division / “Screaming Eagles”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_Company,_506th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)
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