SC 167571 – The 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry, that cleared the road and fields of mines, marching through the Kasserine Pass and on to Kasserine and Farriana, Tunisia. 26 Feb 1943. Photo : McGray.
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Feb
03
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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Dec
10
2009
La suite du travail sur Verviers 1940-1945 au jour le jour et encodé bénévolement par notre petite nouvelle dans l’équipe EUCMH. Anne Catherine, qui termine une formation de secrétaire et qui, dans sa vallée perdues de la région de Trois-Ponts – Basse-Bodeux cherche désespérément un travail m’a proposé de faire un peu de bénévolat et de reprendre à sa charge la digitalisation de l’un de mes livres préférés : Verviers, 5 ans de Guerre au jour le jour. Ce travail aura le mérite de mettre sur Internet une oeuvre unique car il n’existe pas, à ma connaissance, un autre livre qui reprend cinq années de guerre et d’occupation principalement centré sur une région comme celle du grand Verviers. Donc, avec l’arrivée de Véronique (France – Normandie) qui travail déjà comme une enragée à la digitalisation d’archives, voici Anne Catherine qui rejoint l’équipe. Tout ceci ne sera finalement qu’au profit des visiteurs du site mais je pense – comme le dit la célèbre campagne de publicité – que vous le valez bien.
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Dec
03
2009
La suite du travail sur Verviers 1940-1945 au jour le jour et encodé bénévolement par notre petite nouvelle dans l’équipe EUCMH. Anne Catherine, qui termine une formation de secrétaire et qui, dans sa vallée perdues de la région de Trois-Ponts – Basse-Bodeux cherche désespérément un travail m’a proposé de faire un peu de bénévolat et de reprendre à sa charge la digitalisation de l’un de mes livres préférés : Verviers, 5 ans de Guerre au jour le jour. Ce travail aura le mérite de mettre sur Internet une oeuvre unique car il n’existe pas, à ma connaissance, un autre livre qui reprend cinq années de guerre et d’occupation principalement centré sur une région comme celle du grand Verviers. Donc, avec l’arrivée de Véronique (France – Normandie) qui travail déjà comme une enragée à la digitalisation d’archives, voici Anne Catherine qui rejoint l’équipe. Tout ceci ne sera finalement qu’au profit des visiteurs du site mais je pense – comme le dit la célèbre campagne de publicité – que vous le valez bien.
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Nov
26
2009
La suite du travail sur Verviers 1940-1945 au jour le jour et encodé bénévolement par notre petite nouvelle dans l’équipe EUCMH. Anne Catherine, qui termine une formation de secrétaire et qui, dans sa vallée perdues de la région de Trois-Ponts – Basse-Bodeux cherche désespérément un travail m’a proposé de faire un peu de bénévolat et de reprendre à sa charge la digitalisation de l’un de mes livres préférés : Verviers, 5 ans de Guerre au jour le jour. Ce travail aura le mérite de mettre sur Internet une oeuvre unique car il n’existe pas, à ma connaissance, un autre livre qui reprend cinq années de guerre et d’occupation principalement centré sur une région comme celle du grand Verviers. Donc, avec l’arrivée de Véronique (France – Normandie) qui travail déjà comme une enragée à la digitalisation d’archives, voici Anne Catherine qui rejoint l’équipe. Tout ceci ne sera finalement qu’au profit des visiteurs du site mais je pense – comme le dit la célèbre campagne de publicité – que vous le valez bien.
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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
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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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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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
18
2009
The Red Ball Express was a gigantic convoy system created by Allied forces to supply their forward-area combat units moving through Europe following the breakout from the D-Day beaches in Normandy. The term “Red Ball” was a railroad phrase referring to express shipping. The system lasted only three months, from August 25 to November 16, 1944, when the port facilities at Antwerp, Belgium were opened. The term Red Ball is often used incorrectly to refer to all WWII European supply convoys by historians and the veterans themselves.
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Mar
04
2009
The 1st Infantry Division also nicknamed The Fighting First, is the oldest division in the United States Army, and has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917. The 1st Division started preparing for World War II by moving to Fort Benning on November 19th 1939 and ran its personnel through the Infantry School. It then moved to the Sabine Parish, Louisiana area on May 11th 1940 to participate in the Louisiana Maneuvers, returned to Fort Hamilton on June 5th 1940 then to Fort Devens, Ma., on February 4th 1941. The Division was sent to both Carolina Maneuvres of October and November 1941, moved to Samarcand, North Carolina on October 16th 1941 and on December 6th 1941, returned to Fort Devens, Ma. It was then transfered to Camp Blanding, Florida (February 21st 1942) where it was re-designated 1st Infantry Division on May 15th 1942. The 1st Infantry Division moved then back Fort Benning, on May 22nd 1942, to Indian Town Gap Mil Reservation, on June 21st 1942 and, finally, Division departed New York Port of Embarkation on August 1st 1942. The 1st ID arrived in England on August 7th 1942 and assaulted in North Africa on November 2nd 1942 (Operation Torch).
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Mar
04
2009
Activated on Apr 15 1941 at Camp Beauregard the 3rd Armored Division moved to Camp Polk, Louisiana, on June 11 1941 and was transferred to Camp Young, California, on July 26 1942 for the Desert Training Center II Armored Corps California Maneuvers. It moved then to Camp Pickett, Virginia, on November 2 1942 and arrived the Indian Town Gap Mil Reservation, Pennsylvania, on January 21 1943. The 3/AD staged at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, August 26 1943 until departed the New York Port of Embarkation on September 5 1943 and arrived England on September 18 1943. The division landed then in France on June 23 1944, crossed into Belgium on September 1944 and entered Germany September 15 1944. The 3rd Armd Div returned to Belgium on December 20 1944 and re-entered Germany on February 7 1945. The 3/AD was inactivated on November 10 1945.
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Feb
15
2009
The 5th Armored Division was activated at Fort Knox Kentucky Oct 1 1941 and was moved on Feb 16 1942 to Camp Cooke in California. On Aug 14 1942, it participated in the Desert Training Center Armored Corps California Maneuvers and returned to Camp Cooke Nov 19 1942. On Mar 17 1942, the Division moved to the 2nd Army #1 Tennessee Maneuvers and arrived at Pine Camp New York Jun 24 1943. It moved then to Indian town Gap Mil Res Pennsylvania Dec 8 1943; staged at Camp Kilmer New Jersey during Feb 1944 until departed New York POE on Feb 11 1944 and arrived in England on Feb 24 1944. The 5th Armored Division landed in France Jul 25 1944, crossed into Luxembourg Sep 2 1944 and into Belgium Oct 5 1944. The Division, finally, entered Germany Dec 1 1944, returned to Belgium Dec 24, to Holland Feb 5 1945 and re-entered Germany Feb 25 1945. Sent back to USA, the 5th Armored landed in New York Oct 10 1945 and was inactivated at Camp Kilmer New Jersey Oct 11 1945.
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Feb
05
2009
SC-197925 (NARA). C Battery, 702nd Tank Destroyer Battalion, 2nd Armored Division, tank destroyer on dug-in ramp has plenty of elevation to hurl shells at long range enemy targets across the Roer River. Left to right : Sgt. Earl F. Scholz, Pvt. George E. Van Horne, and Pfc. Samuel R. Marcum. (16 Dec 1944)
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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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