Operation Cowboy

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

With the end of the war in Europe just days away, one of the strangest episodes of the entire conflict unfolded along the German-Czechoslovakian border. More than 350 American soldiers had just fought their way through enemy lines to reach the town of Hostau. The settlement, which was still in the hands of a detachment of Wehrmacht soldiers, was home to a treasure trove of considerable value: several hundred prized Lipizzan horses. The famous and extremely rare animals had been seized by the Third Reich as part of a bizarre wartime cattle breeding program. Fearing for the horses' lives, the German officer in charge of the breeding sent word to the Americans that he and his men would surrender en masse if the U.S. Army promised to rescue the beasts. A cavalry unit from Patton's Third Army jumped at the chance to save the legendary Lipizzans. The mission, which has been dubbed Operation Cowboy, would have seen U.S. troops, along with a motley collection of liberated Allied prisoners of war, a bona fide Cossack aristocrat, and a platoon of turncoat German soldiers race against time to shepherd a herd of priceless horses to safety, all the while fending off attacks from a legion of Waffen-SS stormtroopers bent on their destruction. This incredible true story was the inspiration for Ghost Riders, a new nonfiction book by author and historian Mark Felton

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

https://www.pbs.org/video/nature-lipizzaner-stallions/

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

 

[Blackwater 53393]

Disney made a movie about this and there’s a scene in the movie “PATTON” with George C. Scott riding one while giving the interview with reporters that allegedly led to his final dismissal.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

1 hour ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Disney made a movie about this and there’s a scene in the movie “PATTON” with George C. Scott riding one while giving the interview with reporters that allegedly led to his final dismissal.

Patton was never dismissed.

[Blackwater 53393]

3 minutes ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Patton was never dismissed.

Call it whatever you want. He was relieved of his command and reprimanded! He would have been sent home had he not been killed shortly after!

 

 

Edited March 20 by Blackwater 53393

[Cypress Sun]

1 hour ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

Call it whatever you want. He was relieved of his command and reprimanded! He would have been sent home had he not been killed shortly after!

 

 

 

And here we are 80 years later....Maybe George was right

 

The names have changed but strange how things still remain the same.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

15 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

With the end of the war in Europe just days away, one of the strangest episodes of the entire conflict unfolded along the German-Czechoslovakian border. More than 350 American soldiers had just fought their way through enemy lines to reach the town of Hostau. The settlement, which was still in the hands of a detachment of Wehrmacht soldiers, was home to a treasure trove of considerable value: several hundred prized Lipizzan horses. The famous and extremely rare animals had been seized by the Third Reich as part of a bizarre wartime cattle breeding program. Fearing for the horses' lives, the German officer in charge of the breeding sent word to the Americans that he and his men would surrender en masse if the U.S. Army promised to rescue the beasts. A cavalry unit from Patton's Third Army jumped at the chance to save the legendary Lipizzans. The mission, which has been dubbed Operation Cowboy, would have seen U.S. troops, along with a motley collection of liberated Allied prisoners of war, a bona fide Cossack aristocrat, and a platoon of turncoat German soldiers race against time to shepherd a herd of priceless horses to safety, all the while fending off attacks from a legion of Waffen-SS stormtroopers bent on their destruction. This incredible true story was the inspiration for Ghost Riders, a new nonfiction book by author and historian Mark Felton

Wouldn't it be wonderful to watch this with the music, but WITHOUT THE HUMAN NARRATIVE.

[Black Angus McPherson]

We've had four Lipizzaner's over the last several years.  We're down to a Psycho mare and a Lipizzaner/Quarter Horse gelding that is too smart for his own good.

They are half-brother and sister.  Cool horses.  Never had to put shoes on one.  Ours all (Except for the psycho mare) were real mellow and easy to work with.  We started with a stallion who was great and showed none of the bad manners one often expects from stallions.  That is until we brought a Quarter horse mare into the pasture.. Then it was Katie bar the door.  He broke down two fences to get to her.  A quick call to the vet "fixed" that problem.

 

We were lucky enough to see the Spanish riding school Lipizzans when they came to St. Louis for a world tour way back in the 1980's.  VERY impressive and they mentioned the rescue by Patton during the show.  I don't know why they are the "Spanish riding school" when they aren't based in Spain, but I'm sure my wife could tell you.  I'm not sure if they've been back to the US since.

 

I'm not sure if the above stories mentioned why they needed to be "rescued".  They were in a designated area for Russian control and the Germans were afraid the Russians were going to kill them all and eat them.  Thus, exterminating the breed.

 

This is one of my favorite WWII/Patton stories.

 

Angus