First Sergeant Robert Maushardt
How He Became One Of The Sons of Bitch(e)
By: Duane (Poncho) Alire
For the last couple of years, E50/E75 Unit Director, Bob Hernandez has pursued a project to document our unit's history in Vietnam. He asked each of us to send him our stories, photographs, and memorabilia. This is a huge dream, which remains, largely, unfulfilled.
In 2014 Bob compiled some of our stories in to a self-published book titled, Bonding of Warriors, True Stories of the 9th Division LRRP/Rangers As Told By The Brave Men That Lived Them. The book is a collection of our memories but is not a comprehensive record and did not include an entry about Robert Maushardt, an E company first sergeant who was one of a handful of soldiers entitled to wear a Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) with two stars.
Additionally, several men have written books describing their experiences in Vietnam with the E50 LRRPs and E75 Rangers. Former 1LT Prescott Smith's book titled "Last Light With The Boys" recounts his time in the army including his tour of duty in Vietnam. Another book, jointly authored by Paul A. Newman, Bob Wallace and Jack Bick, titled "Nine From The Ninth" is a collection of their "war stories" and experiences. These authors, in particular, are eclectic. Newman and Wallace were skilled, decorated combat Rangers with E Co. 75th Infantry, Rangers, Ninth Infantry Division and Bick was an accomplished reporter whose photographs and stories were published in the Stars and Stripes newspaper, and The Octofoil, a monthly publication of the 9th Infantry Division.
Hernandez reminded "E" Company at our 2019 reunion in Kalispell, Montana of the history project. Last year he reminded me, again, saying "Poncho, now that you're home and have nothing to do or anywhere to go, get off your behind and finish the Maushardt article!" Actually, his words were a little more colorful.
This article honors broadly Top Maushardt's distinguished military career and speaks specifically to the personal remembrances of some of the men who knew him as First Sergeant of E50 LRRPs in Vietnam and as a civilian after the war. If there is a historical thread that runs through the article, I suggest it is the defining events that shaped the man we knew as "Top" - a soldiers soldier who "led the way" in WWII, Korea and Vietnam.
The Pen And The Sword
I dusted off a file folder containing old newspaper clippings and copies of E50 newsletters. In the December 2005 newsletter, which was compiled by Hilan Jones, a former E50 LRRP, I found copies of two letters from Maushardt to Jones. One of Top's letters began, "I have never forgotten you or the unit and all the men". He then summarized his military career that began in 1940 when he was stationed in Newfoundland as a search light operator looking for German U-boats. He went through Ranger School at Fort Bragg. In WWII from 1942-1945, Top served in France and Germany with the 399th Regiment of the 100th Infantry Division, where due largely to his ranger training, he often led scouting patrols for his company and was awarded the CIB. In May 1950, Maushardt deployed to Korea with the 7th Cavalry and, again, serving with rangers on patrols, earned a star on his CIB. He was back in Korea from 1965-67 with the 2nd Division patrolling the DMZ. In 1968, Maushardt volunteered for Vietnam where he received a second star on his CIB while serving with E50 as first sergeant from 1968-70. He ended this letter writing, "Two months ago I got a box from St. Louis with all my decorations, ribbons and etc., 27 in all and wanted to throw away all but my two favorites, the Infantry Badge and the Ranger Patch. My wife and daughter raised hell". Top, 89 at the time relented and kept all of them.
On Becoming a "Son of Bitche"
– In Top's Own Words.
(Gently edited for clarity.)
Top's second letter described how he became one of the "Sons of Bitche". In December 1944, the 100th Infantry Division assaulted German fortifications in the vicinity of Bitche, France. When the fortifications fell, the division was ordered to establish defensive positions south of Bitche as part of the Seventh Army during the Battle of the Bulge. Thanks to their impenetrable defense, the men of the 100th later became known as the "Sons of Bitche". Mausardt described the experience in a letter to Jones.
Hi Jonesy,
Did you know I'm a son of a bitch? Yes, Jones, that's what I am. I'll try to explain.
As you know, I went through the 2nd World War with the 100th Infantry Division. The Division had 3 combat regiments, 397, 398 and 399. I was in the 399th. We hit southern France in the fall of 42 or 43. From there (we went) up the Rhone Valley, taking town after town by leap frogging the 3 regiments. It went that way till we hit a brick wall at the Citadel. It was late in January or February. Cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey.
For around 103 days in below freezing weather, the 3 regiments tried to take the town. Picture us, wet, cold and clothes freezing to our body at night. Wet and stinking at day light, no bath, the shit in our clothes, one holy mess but we got over it.
Our regiment 399 with the 3rd battalion in the front and K Company, my outfit, leading the way we took the town in a snow storm. I'll never forget how happy the people were till they smelled us. End of story except a few days later we got showers and clean clothes. Oh yes, the people smelled us and our steaming clothes and turned away.
The newspaper, Stars and Stripes, called us Sons of Bitche. Never let anyone know the hell we went through till I got the card 65 years later. Had nightmares and chills over it and a hearty laugh.
Before I close use the $50.00 for you and your wife for a night on the town. Can't take it with me.
From the Son of a Bitch(e)
Top
p.s. Hope you can read this my eyes are shot.
Warriors Remember Top Maushardt
Duane (Poncho) Alire: "I remember Top Maushardt as clearly today as he was in 1968 because I took this picture of him in the company area at Dong Tam. He was a barrel chested man with a confident bearing, a composed nature and a command presence. I knew little else about him. When he addressed me, he called me "Poncho" just like everyone else. And while I am sure we occasionally referred to him as an "SOB" in 1968 and 1969, I certainly did not know how proud he would be of this nom de guerre."
Salvatore John (JerseySal) Di Sciascio, Staff Sergeant, Vietnam, E50 LRRP Team Leader, 1968 -1969 and current E50/E75 Unit Web Master: "I recall Top Maushardt from Dong Tam. He was built like a Coke Machine with a head. Yet, Top was never intimidating. Oh, he was a tough as railroad spikes but I never heard him shout in anger or use profanity. Top had that elusive quality we call 'presence'. His loyalty to his charges was exemplary. Top was no slouch. He got his hands dirty and, often, worked along side of us on details."
Since our LRRP compound was next to the generators...
Prescott "Smitty" Smith, First Lieutenant, E50 LRRP Operations Officer, 1968 wrote in his book titled, Last Light With The Boys: "As I arrived in the LRRP Company at Bearcat, I was surprised to learn that Capt. Dickey was going to go on a thirty day leave back to the States and would be departing within a week ... With Capt. Dickey's departure for the States, suddenly I was the only officer in the unit. ... Robert Maushardt, the First Sergeant of E Company, was a veteran of three wars, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. From the moment I arrived in E Company, he was a tremendous advocate for me in the unit. Whenever, I had a question or was uncertain in my role as an officer in the unit, he made himself available to provide timely insight and direction for me. Because I didn't know anyone in the unit, except Ray Gallardo, Maushardt helped me to develop a functional understanding of most of the enlisted men in the unit. ... I would soon discover that there was a broad range of performance and ability levels among the men of E Company. Maushardt was invaluable in helping me learn the strengths and weaknesses of the men and develop a leadership style that would be appropriate."
Rick Stetson, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret), E50 LRRP Operations Officer1967-1968, and former E50/E75 Unit Director wrote in 2009: "It was with great sadness that I learned of the passing of Bob Maushardt. As I told his son-in-law, Dan Crawford, all E Company Rangers hold "Top" in the highest regard. He served his country with great honor and distinction and I am thankful he was able to join us at our reunion in San Diego. ... We are fortunate to have served with a brave soldier like Bob Maushardt who will now join the ranks of the departed but never forgotten E Company comrades. Top, we salute you."
Stephen F. Dennstedt, Sergeant USMC, Vietnam, 1967-1968 wrote "...I was only 16 years old when I first met Sarge; he was my Army Junior ROTC instructor. And he had a profound affect upon my life. He taught me respect, discipline, honesty and courage. He was one of the very BEST men I've ever had the privilege of knowing. ... He was a humble, gentle, kind, likable man - who on occasion and when called upon by his country, was a stone-cold killer. He was never conflicted about his duty to family, friends and country - or about his God."
One Final Note Remembrance
By Bob Hernandez
While Ron "Tess" Tessensohn, our company artist, and I were in San Diego doing a recon for the 2009 E Company reunion, I learned that Top Maushardt lived in the area and we decided to give him a call and invite him to lunch. We did not serve with him in Vietnam as I served in 1967 and Tess in 1970. We knew nothing of his military service other than he was at one time a first sergeant for E Company rangers.
He quickly accepted our offer so we drove to his house to meet him. He was in his nineties and he used a cane to walk as he needed a knee operation. His mind was sharp and his memory was better than I expected for a man of his age.
When he learned that we were planning a reunion in San Diego he got very excited and offered many suggestions on hotels and places of interest to visit. He made it clear that the most important thing was that the reunion be held close enough to his home so he could attend it. We guaranteed we would make that happen.
Tess and I made several more trips to San Diego to complete our recon of San Diego and each time we would visit Top. On one occasion Tess presented Top with one of his reunion t-shirts and he got very excited and put it on over his shirt. Top went to his wife's bedroom, she was very ill and bed ridden, to show her his new shirt. He then called us into the room to meet his wife.
She smiled at us and thanked us for thinking of her husband and visiting with him. It was then that Top leaned over and said "Honey, I'm going out with the boys and I'll be home soon". He then kissed her gently on the forehead. It was a very tender moment.
Marshall Larson accompanied us on our next visit with Top and we learned that his wife had passed away a few weeks earlier. We wanted to cheer him up so we took him to the local VFW where he had joined as a life time member about 25 years earlier. He was surprised to see his name still listed on the wall.
When we returned to Top's home he had a case of beer waiting for us and said that we couldn't leave until it was all gone. We sat in his back yard and he told us the story about how he became a "Son of Bitche".
When the plans for the reunion were complete, Top learned that he was going to need knee surgery and was very upset that he would not be able to attend. On the day before his operation, I gathered up about seven or eight guys and we went to visit him in the hospital.
As we entered his room and surrounded his bed a very upset nurse came in and said that some of us would have to leave and come back later to visit. Top was very delighted to have us there and told the nurse to wait a minute.
He then said, "Nurse, get my papers ready, I'm checking myself out!" The nurse gave Bob a stern look and said "But you have an operation scheduled in the morning." Bob shouted back, "Then cancel it! I have a reunion to go to"!
About two hours later Bob rode into the hotel on his scooter to visit with his Ranger Buddies. He said that he was too damn old to have the operation anyway and would much rather attend the Reunion. He enjoyed the rest of the day reminiscing with the guys about days gone by.
The following day Bob insisted that we follow him to a casino to eat at his favorite buffet. We loaded up several vehicles and caravanned to the casino for dinner. It was very special to have the opportunity to spend time with a man who served his country in three wars and was still here to talk about it. 
The next evening at the reunion banquet, with his family present, we honored Top Maushardt for his outstanding military career.
He passed away a short time later but I am forever grateful to have spent this time with him and to learn of his outstanding accomplishments.
Conclusion
Master Sergeant Robert E. Maushardt's memory will live on with his family, at The National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Georgia and in the hearts and collective memories of the men who served with him in Europe, Korea and Vietnam. As great as what he did, all of that is overshadowed by WHO he was!!!
Author's note: Special thanks to the men who contributed to this article and for helping E50 LRRP/E75 Rangers remember Top Maushardt - an American Hero.