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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Jan
13
2010
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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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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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.
Mar
05
2009
Category : War Trials Related
Joachim Peiper (SS #132) was born in Berlin, Germany, on Jan 30, 1915. His father, Waldemar Peiper, was a career Army officer in German’s Imperial Army who fought in East Africa during World War I. He married, in 1909, Charlotte Marie Schwartz from Berlin. Joachim Peiper had two brothers, Hans-Hasso and Horst (both in the SS, one drowned with the Bismark while the other was ’suicided’ in Poland for obscure reasons.
Peiper was just 18 when, in 1933, he decided to join his brother Horst in the Hitlerjugend. In order to learn riding, he first enlisted in the 7. SS Reiterstandarte, on Oct 12.
In 1934 he caught the attention of SS Reichsführer Heinrich Himmler who convinced him to enlist with the SS Verfügungstruppe. In 1935, Peiper attended the SS officer’s training school (Junkerschule) in Braunschweig and was commissioned the following year.
On Apr 1, 1936, he was transferred to the Leibstandarte, where he was later appointed adjutant to Himmler. He held this position until Aug 1941. During this period, he temporarily left his duties and actively took part in the Battle of France.
In August 1941, he returned to the front lines and commanded various infantry and panzer units within the Leibstandarte, by now expanded to a full division.
While on Himmler’s staff, Peiper also met and married his wife, Sigurd ‘Sigi’ Hinrichsen, (she war working in Himmler’ General Staff) with whom he had three children : Hinrich, Elke, and Silke. Himmler was particularly fond of Peiper and took a keen interest in his ascension towards command. By age 29, Peiper was a full colonel of the Waffen-SS, well respected and a holder of one of wartime Germany’s highest decorations, the Knight’s Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords, personally awarded to him by Adolf Hitler.
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Jan
29
2009
Category : Battle of the Bulge, Germany
With the help and the work from my American friend David Gettman, the son of Lt Henry ‘Shorty’ Gettman, Platoon Leader of the 1st Platoon, 99th Reconnaissance Troop, 99th Infantry Division (1-99/99th Inf Div), 1st Army, ETO, WW II, Gerolzhofen, Germany, post VE Day.
In loving memory of Henry ‘Shorty’ Gettman, May 18 1911 – May 24 1983, and dedicated to all those heroes who proudly wore the Golden Caltrop of the 99th Reconnaissance Troop, and the Checkerboard of the 99th Infantry Division, the Battle Babies. Your sacrifice will not be forgotten.
Action This Hour !
On No 1, Fire 1 !
On No 2, Open 3 !
Advance !
Kill or be killed !
Geronimo !
Spinner !
Contact !
Pilot to Bombardier !
Open bombay doors !
Bombs away !
Gung Ho !
1000, 2000, 3000, Yank !
Yep, in the movies it sounds dramatic. But ‘breaking in’ at the front with dough boys on patrols through the snow – that’s another story. That is the true story. The story of Reconnaissance on reserve. The story of the battle of the defense of Höfen, Germany, November 9 to December 12 1944.
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