Preble, Vernon William

VERNON W. PREBLE, the first American Field Service man to cross the Sangro River in Italy. He lost his life attempting to save the lives of others while under heavy enemy gunfire. He was serving attached to an R.A.P., the forwardmost medical station on the Eighth Army front.

__ AFS Letters No. 20

"On 4 November the Trigno attack pressed forward, during the night. All the ambulances were forward, but the Buffs RAP [to which V. W. Preble was attached] was apparently the first to cross. [...]"

Preble had driven across to the north bank of the Trigno at night with the Buffs, under shellfire, while the battle for S. Salvo was in progress. He waited half a mile from town to carry casualties back across the river---exposed to bombings, shellfire, and even machine-gunning. In the 48-hour period he crossed the Trigno 3 times with casualties from the victorious assault on S. Salvo.

During the next few days the weather cleared, and on the 28th the big assault on the Sangro Ridge began. According to the C Platoon record, "at first the ambulances had to wait on the south side of the river, but later the diversions were opened. These were the world's worst. There was great danger of tipping over or breakdown. A few of our ambulances crossed at the start. One hit a box mine buried beside the first farmhouse beyond the main bridge. This was V. W. Preble's and he himself was mortally burned when the petrol tank exploded." At the time of this accident, Preble had just beaten out R. W. Beck in a race to be the first AFS ambulance over the Sangro. As he was lifted into an ambulance, Preble said: "I guess I won't drink any more beer for a while." Four days later Vernon William Preble died. His bravery had saved many lives, and he was much mourned.

__ George Rock. Chapter 7. "Italy 1. Termoli, Volturno-Monte Camino, Trigno-Sangro-Ortona (1 October 1943 to 14 January 1944)" History of the American Field Service, 1920-1955. New York 1956.