Put under the operational control of V Corps, First Army, it moved to Le Havre, France on 3 November and proceeded to Aubel, Belgium, to prepare to enter the front lines. With ammunition supplies dwindling rapidly, the men obtained German weapons and utilized ammunition obtained from casualties to drive off the persistent foe. [2]:33 On at least six occasions they called in artillery strikes on or directly in front of their own positions. It was like a golf course, so I used the night for concealment."[6]. This required the corps commander to draw on an infantry battalion from another division, and because of the reputation the 395th had earned at Hfen, it was transferred often to various divisions, including the 9th Infantry Division, the 3rd Armored Division, and the 7th Armored Division. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. In the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge, Robert's regiment was on the front lines in the Losheim Gap. The 99th Infantry's report stated that 1,500 Jews were "living under terrible conditions and approximately 600 required hospitalization due to starvation and disease.". It was demobilized on 30 November 1918, but was later reconstituted on 21 June 1921 as a member of the Organized Reserves just like the 99th Infantry Division. [6][17]:vii. The Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) in the European Theater was one of Americas bloodiest campaigns. Shield The 395th Infantry, Organized Reserves, was organized in 1921. T. E. Piersall and Pfc. [9], Because the unit's radios had been destroyed, the soldiers captured, and the rapid subsequent German advance, U.S. Army commanders did not know about the unit's success at slowing the German advance, or even if they had been captured or killed. A written commendation was received from Maj. Gen. Leonard T. Gerow, V Corps Commander: I wish to express to you and the members of your command my appreciation and commendation for the fine job you did in preventing the enemy from carrying out his plans to break through the V Corps sector and push on to the Meuse River. The Allied victory against the Axis was a long journeyone that actually took much longer than the war itself. It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. The 99th RSC continued to support operations in the Balkan Republics while providing refuge to those fleeing Kosovo as they sought temporary recovery in the United States. The division first saw action on 9 November, taking over the defense of the sector north of the Roer River between Schmidt and Monschau, a distance of nearly 19 miles. One Wehrmacht officer captured at Hfen asked his interrogators which unit had defended the town. German troops pass burning American equipment during the Ardennes offensive. info@nationalww2museum.org [2] Historian John S.D. The war was over six days later.[6]. In early December, the front was unusually calm and the weather was bone-chilling cold. 395th Regiment - U.S. Army Center of Military History During the heavy fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, the unit suffered many casualties, yet tenaciously held its defensive position. When the Ardennes Offensive ended, Gen. Lauer received verbal commendations from Field Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery, 21st Army Group Commander, and Gen. Courtney Hodges, First Army Commander, on the vigorous and effective defense contributed by the 99th. The division headquarters was organized in November 1921. The 5th replaced the 4 th Infantry Division on December 23 rd, and pushed the Germans back to the Sauer River. The Germans were counting on something else, toothey knew that this sector was thinly manned by untested troops. The 1st Battalion was positioned on the right. Several photos from the private collection of, THE EARLY YEARS Joseph Richard Evans (Dick) was born on October 17, 1920 to Charles E. Evansand Wenonah (nee Muirhead/Miller)in, Source: family of Raymond J. Willaredt. Gallagher (1 May 1945 29 September 1945), Organized Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as the Organized Reserve Corps; redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve, Relieved 29 October 1998 from assignment to the 99th Infantry Division, Redesignated 17 October 1999 as the 395th Regiment and reorganized to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the. 395th Infantry Regiment (United States) - Wikipedia So I stayed in the village overnight. The National WWII Museum Digital Collections. Lieutenant Colonel McClernand Butler, commander of 3/395. 395th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division | American Battle The German 20th Infantry Division was an infantry division of Nazi Germany.HistoryThe was established in 1934 under the cover name. Crest That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Army Reserve: From a wreath Argent and Azure, the Lexington Minute Man Proper. [4] Lt. Col. Butler retired from the Army on 14 January 1946 and worked for the phone company for the rest of his career. TO: Division Surgeon, 99th Infantry Division I. [4], The 395th, entrenched along the "International Road" and Elsenborn Ridge, forced the Germans to commit and sacrifice many of their infantrymen and expose their armored formations to withering artillery fire. Earl Denzil Reese April 13th, 1945 - A combat engineer snapped this series of photos while riding on back of a truck during the Battle of the Ruhr Pocket. The citation read: During the German offensive in the Ardennes, the Third Battalion in the 395th Infantry, was assigned the mission of holding the Monschau-Eupen-Liege Road. Butler held a single platoon of 40 men from Company L in reserve. The town of Kuckhof cost the battalion dearly, with more than fifty casualties inflicted on one company alone (I Company). The 3rd Battalion, 395th Regiment had acquitted itself with valor, having held its lines despite the harsh winter weather, the enemy's numerical superiority and greater numbers of armored units. The men carried out missions without orders when their positions were penetrated or infiltrated. Many of the 99th Division's best soldiers were products of the ill-fated ASTP program. 395th Infantry Regiment 99th Infantry Division commanders. Hfen, along with the nearby town of Monschau, was strategically vital because it sat on elevated terrain overlooking an important road junction. Many members of the 99th Infantry Division had participated in the Army Specialized Training Program or ASTP, derisively nicknamed "all safe 'till peace;" in February 1944, the program was drawn down, and the majority of its members were assigned to later-deploying divisions such as the 99th. 395 th Regiment Constituted 23 July 1918 in the National Army as the 395th Infantry and assigned to the 99th Division Demobilized 30 November 1918 Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the. . The regiment was organized with three battalions, each containing three rifle companies and a weapons company armed with .30 caliber and .50 caliber machine guns. It attacked toward the Monschau Forest, on 1 February, mopping up and patrolling until it was relieved for training and rehabilitation, on 13 February. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The German pre-dawn artillery bombardment on December 16th destroyed 3/395s communication wires at Hfen, but the stunned soldiers soon witnessed an even more ominous sight: enemy searchlights, reflecting off the dense clouds, illuminated the snowy open ground east of Hfen. Pennsylvania State College, and the Pennsylvania Military College. 99th Infantry Division (United States) | Military Wiki | Fandom Who were the soldiers of the 99th infrantry div? | WWII Forums The combination of no ammunition and heavy German armor caused the American lines to fold, like a dam bursting. 99th Infantry Division shoulder sleeve insignia, Army Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths, Final Report (Statistical and Accounting Branch, Office of the Adjutant General, 1 June 1953), Distinguished Service Cross (United States), "Battle of the Bulge: U.S. In January 2003, the 99th RSC started mobilizing units for projected operations in Iraq. [15], The 395th hit the attacking Germans with such terrific small arms and machine gun fire that the Germand couldn't even remove their dead and wounded in their rapid retreat. [8], That is three to four times wider than recommended by Army textbooks. The coat of arms was originally approved for the 395th Regiment Infantry, Organized Reserves on 15 June 1931. Encountering paltry resistance at first, the Germans launched an attack on the towns and initially met with success, pushing into Rocherath with a clear path beyond. [10], Around Hfen, which the 395th defended, the ground was marked with open hills. The sudden infusion of new men caused some friction with the old hands in the short term, but the long-term effects were generally positive. Due in part to the 99th Infantry Division, this ground mission has not been continuous, and he will not achieve his goal[15]. WWII and Park Staff Connections - Eisenhower National Historic - NPS ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 Allies and former enemy Germany mark 75th anniversary of Battle of Battle of the Bulge: WWII vets travel to Belgium for 75th anniversary. [13], German prisoners captured during the Battle of the Bulge volunteered praise of the 99th's effective defense of Hfen. [7]:3, Col. Butler went ahead to look over the area they were assigned to defend. This assault, like the first, was ground to a halt due to heavy American small arms and artillery fire. No one had anticipated such a rapid Allied advance. On 17 September 2008, the 99th Regional Support Command was activated at Fort Dix, N.J. Even the most hardened veteran occasionally thinks he hears twigs snap, boots crush snow or other odd noises that can cause nerves to fray. The 99th Division was constituted at Camp Wheeler, Georgia, on 23 July 1918. During the Battle of the Bulge, the regimentat times virtually surrounded by Germanswas one of the few units that did not yield ground to the attacking Germans. That task fell to the 277th Volksgrenadier Division and the 12th SS Panzer Division. EN. [1] During the Battle of the Bulge, the regimentat times virtually surrounded by Germanswas one of the few units that did not yield ground to the attacking Germans. By December 1944, Allied armies had reached the western border of Germany itself. [16], The U.S. Army Center of Military History states that the 99th RSC does not perpetuate the lineage and honors of the 99th Infantry Division. Richard Mills were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. The 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry, led by Lt. Col. McClernand Butler and 2nd Lt. Col. Roy S. Groffy, occupied the area around Hfen, Germany, on the border with Belgium during early December. 395th Infantry Regiment (united States) - Encyclopedia Information Here it held firmly against violent enemy attacks. 197th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) - Wikipedia 394th Infantry Regiment Co. A, first platoon This is my Dad's story. The 99th Infantry Division was recognized as a liberating unit by the US Army's Center of Military History and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1992. 395th Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment (99th Infantry . German losses were much higher. Butler said, "The biggest difficulty in carrying out a night attack is control, and having men who can coordinate well as a team in the dark. The 3rd Battalion of the 395th Infantry Regiment (3/395), commanded by Lieutenant Colonel McClernand Butler, occupied the town of Hfen on the German border. The real crusher to the German offensive plans in the Ardennes occurred 46 miles north east of Bastogne, in a small area consisting of a copse of small villages and a piece of high ground called Elsenborn Ridge. [5] After more than ten days of intense battle, they pushed the Americans out of the villages, but were unable to dislodge them from the ridge, where elements of the V Corps of the First U.S. Army prevented the German forces from reaching the road network to their west. Outnumbered five to one, they inflicted casualties in the ratio of 18 to one. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Artificial Intelligence just flew an F-16 Fighting Falcon for the US military, WWII vet finally receives Silver Star for heroism at Battle of the Bulge, This is the massive Nazi sneak attack at the Battle of the Bulge, Rarely seen footage from the Battle of the Bulge, The first tank to break into Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge was almost lost to history. At the end of the day, the veterans of the 26th Infantry still held their ground, and looked out on a battlefield strewn with destroyed German armor and scores . The real crusher to the German offensive plans in the Ardennes occurred 46 miles north east of Bastogne, in a small area consisting of a copse of small villages and a piece of high ground called Elsenborn Ridge. 395th Infantry Regiment (United States) - Infogalactic: the planetary The 12th SS pushed through the woods and probed the villages at around 1100 hours. [1] After defensive patrolling, the 99th probed the Siegfried Line against heavy resistance on 13 December. 99th Infantry Division (United States) - Wikipedia While the 99th was fully involved in this large mobilization, the headquarters moved to Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. The 99th Infantry Division, comprising the 393rd, 394th, and the 395th Infantry Regiments, arrived in England on 10 October 1944. [14], The 99th as a whole, outnumbered five to one, inflicted casualties in the ratio of eighteen to one. American artillery fired at pre-registered locations along the German route of advance, and along with support from in the knick of time arriving American armor halted and turned the German advance into a retreat. Originally planned as a Pennsylvania unit, In a long fight with about 500 men of the 1st Battalion, 9th Fallschirmjaeger Regiment, 3rd Fallschirmjaeger Division, the 18 men of the platoon along with four artillery observers inflicted between 60[6][7] to more than 100[8] casualties on the Germans. Category: 395th Infantry Regiment Lt. Col. Henry B. Koon Sr. Special Troops The 395th were moved by train and truck, and finally by foot, to front line positions near the German town of Hfen a few kilometers west of the Siegfried Line and near the Belgium-German border. Over 83,000 Americans were casualties during the battle which lasted from December 16, 1944 until January 25, 1945, and as a result, the battle occupies a prominent place in our collective minds. Those who survived the initial onslaught and did not manage to flee, had to eke out a living on a battleground ravaged by incessant bombardment and street fighting. Two men who had been sent on foot to regimental headquarters to seek reinforcements were later captured. When the Germans finally broke through 3/395s lines and established a foothold in the town, the Americans recaptured the buildings by firing anti-tank guns through the walls. From 21 December 1944 to 30 January 1945, the unit was engaged in aggressive patrolling and reequipping. When told it was 3/395, the prisoner replied, It must be one of your best formations.. The lines were then moved back to form defensive positions east of Elsenborn Ridge on the 19th. The thick forest was tangled with rocky gorges, little streams, and sharp hills. Later that night, another enemy assault was similarly unsuccessful. Excited to share my latest group in the 99th Infantry Division collection. 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division | American Battle The Medal of Honor was awarded T/Sgt Vernon McGarity, Company L, 393rd Infantry, 99th Infantry Division, for actions taken near Krinkelt, Belgium, on 16 December 1944 during the opening phases of the Ardennes Offensive. In the northern sector opposite the 99th, this included more than 4,000 deaths and the destruction of sixty tanks and big guns.[8]. ", The 99th Infantry Division, outnumbered five to one, inflicted estimated casualties on the Germans in the ratio of eighteen to one. The Germans threw wave after wave of infantry, and a unit of panzers, at the town. These would later prove instrumental in defending themselves from the attacking Germans and in protecting themselves when their own artillery fired on or just in front of their own positions, which happened at least six times over the next few weeks. Those Germans who made it into the town itself were quickly mopped up. The Germans planned to use massed infantry assaults to punch holes in the American lines, after which the feared German tanks, or panzers, would race through these gaps while the winter weather kept Allied planes grounded. [4], Distinguished Service Cross (United States), "Lineage And Honors Information, 395th Regiment Lineage", "World War II: Interview with Lieutenant Colonel McClernand Butler", "The Operations of the 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry (99th Infantry Division) Prior to and During the German Counter-Offensive, 10November 24 December 1944 (Ardennes Campaign) (Personal Experience of a Company Commander and Battalion Operations Officer)", "Why the Bulge Didn't Break: Green Troops Grew Up Fast to Become Heroes of Hofen", "The Battle of the Bulge Part II Holding the Line (review)", "Chapter 5: The Ardennes, the Battle of the Bulge", "Battle of the Bulge: U.S. Seth Paridon was a staff historian at The National WWII Museumfrom2005 to 2020. The 14th Armored Division and the Liberation of Stalag VIIA [7]:3 American press reports from the European theater foretold the imminent fall of the Third Reich, and many men in Lt. Col. Butler's battalion thought that the war just might be over before they got there. The 395th Regiment's success earned it many difficult assignments. The unit crossed the Altmuhl River on 25 April, the Danube River on 27 April, and the Isar River on 30 April. Up to that point, the Army had married a battalion of tanks to a battalion of infantry in support of the tanks. While the supply situation improved in October, the manpower situation was still critical. The black background provides support December 1944. Ordered into active military service: 15 November 1942 Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. April 13th, 1945 - 99th Division, 395th Infantry Regiment, in the Ruhr During the Battle of the Bulge, the regimentat times virtually surrounded by Germanswas one of the few units that did not yield ground to the attacking Germans. The 395th Infantry Regimentwas an infantryregimentof the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Divisionduring World War II. The 395th Regiment became an active unit as part of the 99th Infantry Division on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Missouri, along with its brother regiments, the 393rd and 394th. Forests, by nature, are eerily quiet at night. As the night grew darker, optimistic American officers in the 2nd Division relayed a message to headquarters, Action quieting; believe we can hold. This would prove to be a false hope. Harold was . While the 99th ARCOM was allowed to wear the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 99th Infantry Division and use its number, Department of the Army policy does not allow for the lineage of MTOE units, such as infantry divisions, to be perpetuated by TDA units, such as ARCOMs. On 5 March 1941, as the United States began to mobilize for the possibility of war, McClernand Butler became a second lieutenant in the Regular Army. The defense of Rocherath that had been held most of the day by infantry was decided in less than thirty minutes by 5 German tanks. Through their stories, we gain a glimpse into the challenges they faced, the horrors they endured, and the triumphs they achieved. Attached below the shield a silver scroll inscribed "VIGILANS ET CELER" in Black letters.[21]. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 As many as half a million civilians remained in Stalingrad when the Germans approached in the late summer of 1942. of William Pitt for whom the city of Pittsburgh was named. "[13] The division continued to attack without opposition to the Inn River and Giesenhausen until VE-day. From Camp Van Dorn they were transferred to the more established Camp Maxey in Paris, Texas for additional training. Sgt Harold Rutz, 395th Infantry Regiment, M Company. During the first morning of the Battle of the Bulge, they defended a key road junction in the vicinity of the Losheim Gap. Asked why he thought so, he said, "Two reasons: one cold-bloodedness; two efficiency. No division commander was appointed during the organization's brief existence. This was the road network the Germans needed to meet their objectives. With its sister battalions, the 1st, 395th Engineer and 2nd, 395th Field Artillery, the 3rd Battalion (TS) (AR) role is to train National Guard armor and infantry battalions across a three-state region and improve their combat readiness. "[7]:24, Two Distinguished Service Crosses and several Silver Stars were awarded to members of the battalion for valorous actions against the enemy during this battle. Peipers right flank had to be secured and the Americans in that region had to be destroyed. Crest The crest is that of the U.S. Army Reserve. The ferocious assault caught the Allies off-guard and the rapid German advance famously caused a bulge on Allied maps. 395 th Regiment Constituted 23 July 1918 in the National Army as the 395th Infantry and assigned to the 99th Division Demobilized 30 November 1918 Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the. The division lost about 20% of its effective strength, including 465 killed and 2,524 evacuated due to wounds, injuries, fatigue, or trench foot; German losses were much higher. The failure to breach the 99th IDs sector stalled the entire German advance and a decisive breakthrough was never achieved. So fierce in fact that the German commander pulled his tanks back for fear of running into a superior American force, deciding to hold his positions until the following morning. Fourteen of the 18 platoon members were wounded, while only one soldier, a member of the artillery observation team, was killed. Specific units were charged with penetrating Germany's West Wall. The regiment helped to capture the Ruhr Pocket, where thousands of German troops and hundreds of German vehicles were captured. After failing to capture Monschau on the battles second day, the 326th Volksgrenadier Division turned its attention back to Hfen on December 18th. It was redesignated with description updated, for the 395th Regiment on 7 June 1999. The retreat turned into a route as the German tanks, two less due to a duel with two American Shermans, rolled unmolested down the street in the village. The National WWII Museum Digital Collections. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II.It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. Because of Major Butler's success in leading his battalion in successful night attacks during the war, which the U.S. Army handbook did not recommend, the French army later asked him to write a paper on battalion-size night attacks.[6]. The three heavy German assaults had worn down the ammunition supply, particularly that of the machine gunners, and had left the defenders mostly helpless. The division was destroyed near Vitebsk during the Soviet Vitebsk-Orsha Offensive of Operation Bagration in the summer of 1944. It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. Yet, despite their successful defense and reinforcement from the 2nd Division, the 395th was in a precarious position on the morning of the December 17. Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at the Siegfried Line. The infantry at Hfen lay in a foxhole line along a 910 metres (2,990ft) front on the eastern side of the village, backed up by dug-out support positions. 99th Infantry Division - U.S. Army Center of Military History The 99th battled on to the bridge at Remagen that was taken on March 7th. Lineage and Honors Information as of 12 January 2018, CHARLES R. BOWERY, JR.Chief of Military History, Constituted 23 July 1918 in the National Army as the 395th Infantry and assigned to the 99th Division, Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as the 395th Infantry and assigned to the 99th Division (later redesignated as the 99th Infantry Division), Organized in November 1921 with Headquarters at Franklin, Pennsylvania, Ordered into active military service 15 November 1942 and reorganized at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi, Inactivated 29 September 1945 at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts, (Organized Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as the Organized Reserve Corps; redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve), Relieved 29 October 1998 from assignment to the 99th Infantry Division, Redesignated 17 October 1999 as the 395th Regiment and reorganized to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the 75th Division (Training Support); 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions concurrently allotted to the Regular Army, Regiment reorganized 2 November 2008 as a parent regiment under the United States Army Regimental System; concurrently 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions relieved from assignment to the 75th Division (Training Support), Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at the Siegfried Line, Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at Elsenborn Crest, Army Superior Unit Award, Streamer embroidered 2008-2011, Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes, Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered ARDENNES. The situation became so dire that Butler deliberately called in artillery on his units own position to prevent them from being overrunone of six times this would occur at Hfen. Infanterie-Division) was a German division in World War II. American troops from the 290th Regiment near Amonines, Belgium. This page was last edited on 11 March 2022, at 19:44. 394th Infantry Regiment (United States) - Wikipedia The buck's head was used to indicate the allocation of the organization to the mountainous section of Pennsylvania, where deer abound. They engaged in division-level maneuvers in July 1944. History | AMEDD Center of History & Heritage - United States Army Their success in defending Hfen resulted in the 395th Infantry being repeatedly assigned to other divisions for difficult assignments during the remainder of the war, earning them the sobriquet, Butler's Blue Battlin' Bastards. "[16][17]:75 Another German officer who was captured said, "I have fought two years on the Russian front, but never have I engaged in such a fierce and bloody battle. The Battles for Elsenborn Ridge Part I - New Orleans The largest of the ghettos where Eastern European Jews were first confined and, later, deported to extermination camps by the Nazis was set up in Warsaw, Poland. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. 394th Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment (99th Infantry Division), History, January 1945. [19] The regiment's successful defense prevented the Germans, who had counted on surprise, numbers, and minimum hard fighting as their keys to success, from accessing the best routes into the Belgium interior, and seriously delayed their scheduled advance by more than 48 hours, allowing the Americans to move large numbers of units and bring up reserves. Honor Roll - 99th Infantry Division "They shall not grow old, As we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, Nor the years condemn. On the east lay a section of the Monschau Forest. Butler's uncle, General Edward J. McClernand, fought in the Indian Wars and was awarded the Medal of Honor. The 99th Infantry Division was formed in 1942 and deployed overseas in 1944. 20th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) - atozwiki.com The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II.
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