Avant-Propos – 2009
Avant de publier sur ce site l’ouvrage des Editions Foxmaster que je dirigeais dans les courant des années 1990-1995 et avant de me séparer de la Société en prenant soins toutefois de conserver le catalogue et les droits, je voudrais attirer l’attention du lecteur d’expression française sur le point suivant : tant Heimdall que Foxmaster et d’autres ont publié bien des ouvrages sur le sujet. A chaque fois, des lecteurs exprimèrent de nombreux commentaires, souvent positifs ou non. Je lance donc ici un appel à ceux qui d’une manière ou d’une autre seraient susceptibles d’apporter à ce travail une quantité d’anecdotes inédites, des images inconnues voir même des récites toujours inconnus à ce jour. Bien que le coût du maintient de mon site en ligne devient de plus en plus difficile à supporter seul j’aimerai faire savoir aux lecteurs, aux historiens et aux passionnées de cette période que la place n’a pas de limite sur Internet. Il ne peut donc être question d’éloigner des photos ou des récits par manque de place comme dans l’édition papier. Aussi, je vous invite tous à ma faire parvenir vos documents et images via émail avec vos désidératas, vos envies, et surtout vos coordonnées afin de pouvoir ajouter vos propos dans le texte que je publie et que j’envisage de renommer – la version corrigée – avec votre aide, vos essais, vos écrits et même vos livres qui trouveront ici la publicité qu’ils méritent.
Gunter G. Gillot Jr – Jalhay – 2009
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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).
Dear Gunter, the press request 99th got had me find this which will be of interest to you and your website. You will get detailed explanation with my letters home of going into Army and joining the 99th Infantry Battalion Separate, the 99th Formation and Training. Followed by full write up the Belgian Ardenne or Battle of the Bulge done with nearly hundreds of quotes from 99ers. What follows is from my November 2007 99th Informations and Newsletter. Below are quotes from many of my Dad’s letters written during the War many and perhaps even most of your readers know of 99er letters written during the War.
This is the wartime story of an American GI. In fact, this is the story of a GI like many other GI’ stories. It’s about friendships, cold, winter, rain, snow, mud, blood, war and dead. But this story has something else. It is the story over one of these GIs who were in Verviers and Liège during the period September 1944 to December 1944. This GI, Orville Iverson – Ivy – had built a strong friendships with the Jacquet Family from Verviers. Especially Claude and Ninette.
Stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the 2nd Infantry Division was sent to maneuvers at Christine, Texas from January 3rd to January 27th 1940 then at Horton, Texas from April 26th to May 28th 1940. In August 1940, from the 16th to 23rd, the 2nd Division was sent to Cravens, Louisiana, and from June 1st to June 14th 1941, the Division participated in the VIII Corps, Brownwood, Maneuvers at Comanche, Texas. It was then sent to Mansfield, Louisiana, for the Louisiana Maneuvers of August and September 1941. On June 27th 1942, the 2nd Division was sent back to Fort Sam, Houston, Texas for the VIII Corps Louisiana Maneuvers and was re-designated 2nd Infantry Division on August 1st 1942. On September 22nd 1942 the 2nd moved to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, then staged at Camp Shanks, New York, October 3rd 1943 until departed the New York POE, October 8th 1943. The 2nd Infantry Division arrived in England on October 18th 1943, landed in Normandy, France on June 7th 1944, crossed into Belgium on September 29th 1944 and finally into Germany on October 3rd 1944. After the Battle of the Bulge and the Germany Campaign, the 2nd entered Czechoslovakia May 4th 1945 and after VE Day the Division returned to the New York POE on July 20th 1945. It moved to Camp Swift, Texas, July 22nd 1945. A little while later, it moved to Camp Stoneman, California, March 28th 1946 and arrived finally at Fort Lewis, Washington, on April 15th 1946.
