On January 2, 1942, 33 members of a Nazi spy ring headed by Frederick Joubert Duquesne were sentenced to serve a total of over 300 years in prison. They were brought to justice after a lengthy espionage investigation by the FBI. William Sebold, who had been recruited as a spy for Germany, was a major factor in the FBI’s successful resolution of this case through his work as a double agent for the United States. A native of Germany, William Sebold served in the German army during World War I. After leaving Germany in 1921, he worked in industrial and aircraft plants throughout the United States an South America. On February 10, 1936, he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. Sebold returned to Germany in February, 1939, to visit his mother in Mulheim. Upon his arrival in Hamburg, Germany, he was approached by a member of the Gestapo who said that Sebold would be contacted in the near future. Sebold proceeded to Mulheim where he obtained employment.
Continue Reading >>>
Jul
21
2009
Placed on the rolls of the Army in 1921, the 2nd Cavalry Division was not activated until April 1941. As part of the Protective Mobilization Plan, the division was reserved for activation at Fort Riley, Kansas, but due to manpower constraints it never reached full strength. The 2nd received the appropriate number of cavalry regiments, but units providing the organic support and service troops remained unfilled. The first divisional activations came in October 1940, with the organization of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade and the assignment of the 2d and 14th Cavalry. The 4th Cavalry Brigade activated during February 1941 with the 9th and 10th Cavalry as its cavalry regiments. These last two regiments, the only two available for assignment, were black units. The division, therefore, was unique to Army structure at that time, a racially mixed unit.
Split between Fort Riley and Camp Funston, Kansas, neither post having adequate facilities for the division’s horse cavalry, personnel shortages continued and divisional elements were activated using provisional assets. Brig Gen Milliken, the 2nd Cavalry Division CO in June 1941, envisioned a combined use of mechanized and horse cavalry within the division. During July, Troop A, 2nd Recon Squadron, was formed provisionally as a mechanized divisional element. The division, now organized with horses, scout cars, jeeps and motorcycles, spent most of the rest of the summer training with its new equipment.
Continue Reading >>>
Jun
29
2009
HEADQUARTERS, 99TH INFANTRY DIVISION
Office of the Division Surgeon
A.P.O. 449, c/o Postmaster
New York, New York
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.
Mar
03
2009
The 5th Infantry Division was activated on October 16 1939 at Fort McClellan, Alabama, as the 5th Division. It moved then to Fort Benning, Georgia, on April 9 1940 then to Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, on May 11 1940. It moved then to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, on May 31 1940 and to Shamrock, Wisconsin, on August 3 1940. It returned to Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, on September 4 1940 and moved to Fort Custer, Michigan, on December 13 1940. The 5th Infantry was then sent to Camp Forrest, Tennessee, May 29 1941, for the VII Corps Tennessee Maneuvers, returned then to Fort Custer, Michigan, on July 1 1941 and was transfered to Camp Joseph T. Robinson, Arkansas, on August 25 1941 for the VII Corps Arkansas Maneuvers and the Louisiana Maneuvers of September 1941. The 5th Infantry Division returned to Fort Custer, Michigan, on October 3 1941, arrived New York Port of Embarkation on April 22 1942, departed on April 30 1942, and finally arrived in Iceland May 11 1942 where it was officially re-designated 5th Infantry Division on May 25 1943. The division departed Iceland on August 5 1943 and arrived in Northern Ireland on August 9 1943. The 5th Infantry Division landed in France on July 11 1944, entered Germany on February 8 1945 and Czechoslovakia on May 1 1945. The 5th Infantry Division arrived Boston POE on July 19 1945, arrived at Camp Campbell, Kentucky, July 22 1945 and was inactivated September 20 1946.
Continue Reading >>>
Mar
02
2009
The 6th Armored Division was activated on Feb 15 1942 at Fort Knox, Kentucky then moved to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas on March 15 to participate (Aug 25 1942) to the VIII Corps Louisiana Maneuvers.
It returned to Camp Chaffee Sep 21 1942 and moved then to Camp Young, California on Oct 10 for the Desert Training Center, #1 California Maneuvers.
The 6/AD arrived at Camp Cooke, California on Mar 20 1943, staged at Camp Shanks, New York form Feb 3 1944 until departed New York Port of Embarkation on Feb 11.
It arrived in England the Feb 23 1944 and landed in France on Jul 19 1944.
The 6/AD crossed into Luxembourg on Dec 29 1944, into Belgium on Dec 30 1944 and returned to France on Mar 12 1945. The division entered finally Germany on Mar 20 1945, staged in Germany and returned to New York POE on Sep 18 1945.
It was inactivated at the same date at Camp Shanks New York.
Continue Reading >>>
