Word: river
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After capturing Leipzig, the U.S. First Army drew to a halt along the Mulde River, a tributary of the Elbe, Lieut. Albert Kotzebue of the 273rd Infantry Regiment was told to take 35 men and explore the narrow strip of land between the two rivers to see if he could establish contact with the Soviets. But he was ordered not to go more than two miles to the east...
Kotzebue went much farther, all the way to the Elbe. On the far side of the river, just after noon on April 25, he spotted soldiers. Through his field glasses, they looked like Russians. "Amerikansky!" he shouted, but they did not answer. He fired two green flares, the agreed upon sign of recognition between the two sides. The strangers made no response...
Kotzebue saw some boats chained together on his side of the river. He detonated a grenade to break apart the chains. Then he and five of his men set forth, paddling with boards and rifle butts. Three Russians slid down the bank to meet them. They all shook hands and slapped one another's backs. This was a historic moment, they said. But when Kotzebue reported to headquarters, his commander was furious at his disobedience and ordered that the whole encounter be kept secret...
...hours later, another patrol, headed by Lieut. William Robertson, reached the town of Torgau, on the Elbe, and came under heavy fire from across the river. Robertson broke into a pharmacy, liberated a bed sheet, some ink and Mercurochrome, and painted a crude U.S. flag. He climbed the tower of the town castle and hung his flag from the parapet. "Tovarish!" he shouted. "Amerikansky...
...could speak Russian. When a Soviet prisoner of war was produced, Robertson and the man headed toward the wrecked bridge across the Elbe and shouted that they were friends. On the eastern bank, several uniformed men approached the bomb-shattered bridge. Robertson and the Russian began scrambling across the river, clawing their way from girder to bent girder. As they neared the far shore, one of the Russians finally crawled out on the bridge to meet them...