Another Group of US Army Photos shot during the Battle of Bastogne and the surrounding of the 101st Airborne Division. The photos were done part inside the city as well as in different spots in the entire perimeter.
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Jan
26
2010
Category : BOB Photos, Battle of the Bulge
Jan
26
2010
US Army Signal Corps Photos from Bütgenbach during the Winter 1944/45 or during the Battle of the Bulge.
When I will find other photos from the city I will add them to this archive.
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Jan
16
2010
 |
 HEADQUARTERS 106TH INFANTRY DIVISION APO 443 US ARMY After Action Report |
A : Enclosed are the After Action Reports and Journals of the following units and General Staff Sections of the 106th Division, covering action against the enemy during the month of December 1944 :
- 424th Infantry Regiment Report
- 106th Division Artillery Report
- 81st Engineer (C) Battalion Report
- 331st Medical Battalion Report
- 106th Division Special Troops Report
- G-1 Report
- G-2 Report
- G-3 Report
- G-4 Report
B : The commanding officers and staffs of the 422d Infantry Regiment, 423d Infantry Regiment and the 106th Reconnaissance Troop are missing in action. Their records are presumed to have been destroyed and are not available. The action of these units is covered, but not completely, in the reports and journals of the General Staff Sections. The 14th Cavalry Group was attached to the division from 111900A to 181300A December. Its action, in part, during this period is included in the reports and journals of the general Staff Sections. After 181300A December, it was attached to the 7th Armored Division.
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Jan
15
2010
Hello to all 106th Infantry Division’s Veteran and Veteran’s Relatives. Here are some interesting links for your reccords.
-1 : Roster 106th Infantry Division – 14.146 men from the Golden Lion are online at this place (sorted by name) : inidianamilitary.org : 106
-2 : Roster 106th Infantry Division (sorted by unit) Golden Lion are online at this place : indiananamilitary.org : 106
-3 : Prisoner of War Golden Lion (sorted by name) are online at this place : indiananmilitary.org : 106
-4 : Prisoner of War Golden Lion (sorted by unit) are online at this place indianamilitary.org 106
-5 : Prisoner of War Golden Lion (sorted by POW Camp & Date) are online at this place indianamilitary.org : 106
Jan
13
2010
The little town of Schoppen is located on the main way that comes from Dom Bütchenbach (East) and goes to Amel (Amblève) (West). Going down on this road you’ll see a small crossroad with 4 roads pointing to your left to Mirfel, and to you right to Shoppen. This was the direction used by the 501. Schwer SS Panzerabteilung (1. SS Panzerdivision LSSAH) also know under the name of Kampfgruppe Peiper when they decided to go from Büllingen (Bullange) to Ligneuville (Engelsdorf) while going trough Möderscheid, Schoppen, Thirimont, Baugnez.
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Dec
16
2009
Category : Battle of the Bulge, Medics & Evacuations
As the combat troops approached the fortifications of the Siegfried Line, enemy resistance stiffened and the tactical situation settled into one of a relatively static front. Opportunity was taken to regroup the medical units of First Army so that this new phase of the campaign might be more adequately covered. An area was secured midway between the army’s north and south boundaries, and the bulk of army medical units, evacuation hospitals, NP hospitals, 91st Medical Gas Treatment Battalion, the 1st Medical Depot Company, and the headquarters of the medical groups were concentrated in this area with all possible speed.
The army surgeon rearranged the army medical units to provide three identical groups. One group operated in each corps zone and was charged with the responsibility for control of army medical service. The composition of the three groups was as follows :
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Dec
03
2009
I have sorted the Belgium photos (Battle of the Bulge), December 1944, January 1945, February 1945. You will find the name of the locations in the photo name itself. If you have other photos you would like to add to this post, jusr send me an email with the attached photos.
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Nov
29
2009
Category : BOB Photos, Battle of the Bulge
As you probably noticed it I have changed the theme of my Wordpress and I have lot of images that were used before with the other theme. I was thiking of erasing them then thought that other Military History Bloggers could maybe use them for their Blogs.
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Oct
11
2009
We left our assembly area near Landerneau, France at one o’clock on the afternoon of September 27 1944, heading for that Western Front. The first two days were uneventful, as we covered around 300 miles, stopping at dusk by pulling off the main road. We slept beside our vehicles, by the side of the road, wrapped up in our blankets.
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Sep
07
2009
Subject : Action Against Enemy Reports, to : Commanding General, 17th Airborne Division, APO 452, c/o Postmaster, New York, NY
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Sep
03
2009
On Dec 1 1944, Hqs & Hqs Co was located in Waimes, Belgium. On Dec 11, the company marched to Venwegen, Germany a distance of 39-M.
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Sep
01
2009
Although D-day gave the western Allies a beachhead in northern France, it took them almost two months of bitter fighting to break out of the Normandy hedgerows. After the breakout, Allied armies raced across France, liberated Paris, and headed toward the German frontier. The rapid pace of the advance placed a severe strain on Allied logistics, which, along with bad weather and stiffening German resistance, slowed the offensive. By mid-December, American armies had reached the Roer River inside Germany and the West Wall along the Saar River in eastern France. Between these two fronts lay the Ardenne, a hilly, densely forested area of Belgium. The Germans had attacked France through this supposedly impassable region in 1940. In early December 1944, five American divisions and a cavalry group held the 85-mile-long Ardenne front. The difficult terrain of the region and the belief that the German army was near exhaustion had convinced the Allied commanders that the Ardenne sector was relatively safe. Thus, three of the divisions were new, full of green soldiers who had only recently arrived on the continent; the other two were recuperating from heavy losses suffered in the bitter fighting in the Huertgen forest farther north. In addition, the heavy demand for American troops in some sectors had forced Allied commanders to lightly man other portions of the front .
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Aug
31
2009
Headquarters 1111th Engineer Combat Group, A. P. O 230, 2 January 1945, Subject : Certificate of Circumstances Involving EM of the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion, AOP 655
1. This is to certify that the following named enlisted men of B-1/526tth Armored Infantry Battalion did engage the enemy, who far outnumbered them, on the 181230 December, 1944, under the circumstances narrated here :
- Settlemeyer, T/Sgt, Returned to organization
- Smith Albert, S/Sgt, Returned to organization
- Evin, E. G., T/5, 34082797, Returned to organization
- Burdine, E. R., Pfc, 39329120, Returned to organization
- Isaac, Boyle, Pvt, 35798443, Returned to organization
- Surdo, J. H., Pvt, 39288375, Returned to organization
- McCullum, Killed in Action
- Hollenbeck, Killed in Action
- Higgins, Killed in Action
- Frazier, Killed in Action
- Bicker, Missing in Action
2. On December 18 1944, the above named enlisted men did establish a road block consisting of a string of mines and 1 57-MM Gun in the vicinity of Trois Ponts, Belgium. An enemy armored column was reported as approaching on the N-23 from Stavelot.
At approximately 1230 the first tank approached and were stopped by Frazier and Bicker pulling a string of mines in front of the lead tank. Although there were 8 tanks visible, the above named enlisted men showed no panic and manned the 57-MM with the result of the of the lead tank being disabled abd possibly the second one. A direct hit on the gun manned by McCullum, Buchanan, Hollenbeck and Higgins resulted in the gun being disabled and the gun crew killed. The remainder of these enlisted escaped and joined elements of assisting in operations against the enemy men for the next few days.
Robert N. Jewett
Captain Corps of Engineer.
Photos (Gunter) November 15 2009
Aug
31
2009
The following is a report of the action taken by Task Force Hansen (99th Infantry Battalion Separate)(Norwegian Vikings) in the vicinity of Malmedy, Belgium, December 1944.
Sunday, December 17 1944 at 1800-H the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) less A Company moved to Malmedy from Tilff for the propose of blocking the further advance of the Germans in that sector. Attached to this Battalion was the 526th Armored Infantry Battalion and B Company of the 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion to form Task Force Hansen. Lt Col Hansen and Maj Bjornstad proceeded ahead of the Battalion and arrived in Malmedy at 3130-H. By that time the town had been evacuated by all military personnel with the exception of approximately 60 men of the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion under the Command of Lt Col Runkin. The Engineers had established road block consisting of mines and were prepared to dynamite bridges and trees to further block the approaches to the town.
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Aug
30
2009
On Monday December 18 1944, Headquarters Company, US Armored Group, received orders from Lt Col Lowell S. Love, Armored Section, 1st US Army, to take up defensive positions south of the gas dump in the vicinity of Stavelot and provide radio security net for 1st Army. The company have never been in action before.
Initialy three company officers were in charge :
- Capt Olaf W. Christolpherson, Commanding Officer
- Lt Walter R. Butts, Radio Net Officer
- Lt Donald Miles, Assault Gun Officer
Equipment consisted of 5 half-tracks and 3 assault guns (3′ .cal). The half-tracks had their regular crews, each consisting of a driver, an assistant driver and three radio men.
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Aug
30
2009
Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 18 Dec 1944
December 18 1944 : Arrived at Stavelot 0400-H 18 December 1944. Picked up Maj Paul J. Solis and Lt Pehovic from Battalion Headquarters. Company and one Platoon of Tank Destroyer on road on outskirts of Stavelot, Maj Solis, Lt Pehovic and myself went into town to get situation from the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion that was in the town (with support of elements of the 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion) at the time. They had a road block (two 3 inches gun from 825th TDB) across the river on the hill and it had be fired on and the men retreated back in town. I sat up our Command Post in the Engineer Building near the bridge (the Amblève River bridge was already wired an ready to be blown).
- At 0430-H I sent 2nd Platoon and a section of TD’s route #4 to the left to the Engineer’s road block. I sent the 3rd Platoon at the same time along route #4 (Stavelot – Vaux Richard – Lodomez) to the right to establish a road block at the road junction. The 1st platoon positions around the Command Post for internal security. The Antitank platoon and the Tank Destroyer platoon and the Tank Destroyer less one section of guns, was held in reserve to be used as situation warranted.
Jul
30
2009
Chapter 3 – Troops and Terrain & The Order of the Battle
During the long-drawn debate over the extent of the counteroffensive, the objective, and the attack form to be employed, the order of battle for Wacht am Rhein took form. This also led to differences of opinion and interpretation.
- How should the armies be aligned ?
- What forces, missions, and zones should be assigned to each particular army ?
- How many divisions, armored and infantry, would be available for use in the attack ?
The answers to these and like questions turned on the Solution adopted and the maneuver employed but will be set forth independently in an attempt to bring some order out of the confused interplay between Hitler, Jodl, Rundstedt, and Model.
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Jul
13
2009
CHAPTER II
Planning the Counteroffensive
Details of the Plan
About 25 September Generalorberst Alfred Jodl was ordered to begin a detailed analysis of the Hitlerian concept, the only function now left to the great General Staff. Some latitude remained to the individual staff officers and those favored few in the high echelon of command who retained access to the Führer in kneading and shaping the very general outline handed down by Hitler into an operations plan. The outline as it now had taken shape contained these major points :
- (a) the attack should be launched sometime between 20 and 30 November;
- (b) it should be made through the Ardenne in the Monschau – Echternach sector;
- (c) the initial object would be the seizure of bridgeheads over the Meuse River between Liège and Namur;
- (d) thereafter, Antwerp would be the objective;
- (e) a battle to annihilate the British and Canadians would ultimately be fought north of the line Antwerp, Liège, Bastogne (1);
- (f) a minimum of thirty divisions would be available, ten of which would be armored;
- (g) support would be given by an unprecedented concentration of artillery and rocket projector units;
- (h) operational control would be vested in four armies and two panzer armies abreast in the lead, two armies composed largely of infantry divisions to cover the flanks;
- (i) the Luftwaffe would be prepared to support the operation;
- (j) all planning would aim at securing tactical surprise and speed;(k) secrecy would be maintained at all costs and only a very limited number of individuals would be made privy to the plan.
Jul
03
2009
I’ve also found these splendid photos. Some are : 101st Airborne Division in Bastogne, December 1944, one (Tank on the Highway) seems to be on the Road to St Vith.
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Jun
29
2009
HEADQUARTERS, 99TH INFANTRY DIVISION
Office of the Division Surgeon
A.P.O. 449, c/o Postmaster
New York, New York
28 January 1945
SUBJECT : Medical History, 99th Infantry Division.
TO : The Surgeon General, US Army, Washington, DC
(Through Technical Channels).
The Medical History of the 99th Infantry Division for the calendar year 1944 is submitted in compliance with instructions in paragraph 6, AR 40-1005, Circular Letter No. 168, 1942, No. 81, 1943, Office of the Surgeon General, and Circular Letter No. 143, 1944, Office of the Chief Surgeon, ETO, United States Army.
Jun
27
2009
UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II
Stetson Conn, General Editor
Advisory Committee
(As of 1 July 1964)
- Fred C. Cole
Washington and Lee University
- Lt Gen August Schomburg
Industrial College of the Armed Forces
- James A. Field, Jr.
Swarthmore College
- Maj Gen Hugh M. Exton
US Continental Army Command
- Earl Pomeroy
University of Oregon
- Brig Gen Ward S. Ryan
US Army War College
- Theodore Ropp
Duke University
- Brig Gen Elias C. Townsend
US Army Command and General Staff College
- Lt Col Thomas E. Griess
United States Military Academy
- Office of the Chief of Military History
Brig Gen Hal. C. Pattison, Chief of Military History
Chief Historian, Stetson Conn
Chief Histories Division, Col Albert W. Jones
Chief Editorial and Graphics Division, Col Walter B. McKenzie
Editor in Chief, Joseph R. Friedman
… to Those Who Served
Jun
09
2009
Category : 017th-ABD, 513th-PIR, Battle of the Bulge
Here we go we a piece of history. It’s a very short one but it’s open to everyone involved with the G-513/17 A/B 1944-1945.
This is coming form the souvenirs of a former G-513 which made the final jump some days ago. Linda, his daughter did send me the text and told me : I found a copy of one of his war stories, I hope you are able to get it. Just a couple of other things I remember him telling me.
John F. Bosler, Co G, 513th PIR
He spoke of a buddy named “Pete”. He and Pete were in a foxhole, a German Tank was coming, Jack (dad), by the way most people knew him as Boz, it drove right over the foxhole. After it had passed, Pete wanted to get out and go back to where the rest of the troops were.
Dad said “No Pete, we have to wait.
The tanks usually come through first and then the troops follow behind. So they put debris all over them and laid very still.
Sure enough, the troops came behind the tank on foot. They walked over the fox hole, and two German soldiers looked at them.
One said, and he spoke in German “no, they are dead” and kept going.
After, they all passed, they went to where the rest of the troops were. My dad, who was only 18 at the time, knew German and they used him to translate some of what the Germans were saying.
I’ve seen the list of men in the unit and there are no “Pete’s” except for someone with the last name of Peterson. I believe his widow is still living. That is all I remember about that small story. I only have a couple more, and I’ll get them to you as soon as I can.
Linda Wagner
Apr
23
2009
FEBRUARY 1945
Original Unit
Designation : 505th Engineer Light Ponton Company
Date of Organization : May 15 1942
Place of Organization : Camp Gordon, Georgia
Authority of Organization : General Order #15, Hq. Eastern Defense Command and First Army, dated May 15 1942
Sources from which original personnel were obtained : Third Reinforcement Depot.
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Apr
22
2009
OCTOBER 1944
Original Unit :-
Designation : 505th Engineer Light Ponton Company
Date of Organization : May 15 1942
Place of Organization : Camp Gordon, Georgia
Authority of Organization : General Order #15, Hq Eastern Defense Command and First Army, dated May 15 1942.
Sources from which original personnel were obtained.
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Apr
18
2009
I was huddled in my foxhole in the Bucholz Forest the night before the Battle of the Bulge started. Of course I had no idea that one of the most brutal battles of World War II was about to begin. Rather, I assumed that for me and my comrades in the 393rd Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division ‘Battle Babies’, December 16, 1944, would be like all the rest.
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Mar
12
2009
Journal Entries of Major Paul Bystrak. He was in the 1st Quatermaster [QM] Company, 1st Infantry Division, December 15, 1944
Location CP : Hauset (vic) (Belgium)
Location ICP : Neu Moresnet (Belgium)
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Mar
02
2009
If the Krauts crack the defenses in the North Shoulder, they won’t surround the 101/AB Division in Bastogne, but the entire 1st Army in Belgium.
