The 395th Infantry was in the woods east of the northernmost section of the 2d Division withdrawal route and would provide cover for the first stage of the tricky move parallel to and close. [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. It then intersected a main eastwest road at Bullingen. The black background The 99th Infantry Division was the first complete division to cross the Rhine. This assault, like the first, was ground to a halt due to heavy American small arms and artillery fire. 99th Infantry Division Historical Society 99th Infantry Division Battle Babies The 99th Infantry Division, nicknamed "Battle Babies" and compromised of the 393rd, 394th, 395th Infantry Regiments and supporting units, spent approximately 151 days in combat during World War Two. In the northern portion of the American line, heavy artillery shells crashed around the positions of the un-tested 99th Infantry Division from Lanzerath in the south to the forested areas near Monschau in the north. The unit reported on May 4 that it had "liberated 3 labor camps and 1 concentration camp." At dusk on 16 December, after virtually no sleep during the preceding night and a full day of almost non-stop combat, with only a few rounds of ammunition remaining, about 50 German paratroopers finally flanked and captured the remaining 19 soldiers. At precisely 0530 hours, the forest erupted in an ear shattering German artillery barrage along a 100 mile front. This article contains content in the public domain from U.S. military sources. 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130 The 1st Battalion was positioned on the right. It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. 394th Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment (99th Infantry Division), Medical History, December 1944. [6], The regiment's (3rd Battalion) earned the sobriquet Butler's Battlin' Blue Bastards derived from the name of its single commander, its special fighting abilities, the battalion's color designation, and because the regiment was often lent out and belonged to no one. The 393rd, 394th, and 395th Regiments were put on line, each unit protecting approximately 11 kilometres (6.8mi) of front, roughly equivalent to one front-line infantry man every 91 metres (299ft). In the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge, Robert's regiment was on the front lines in the Losheim Gap. : 33 On at least six occasions they called in . While the 99th was fully involved in this large mobilization, the headquarters moved to Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. Byers, Carl F. MAJ, "Operations of Company G, 395th Infantry, 99th Division, in the Reduction of a Fortified Position of the Siegfried Line, West of Schleiden, Germany, 14-15 December 1944". 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. For their actions the battalion was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation which read, in part: outnumbered 5 to 1, [3/395] inflicted casualties in the ratio of 18 to 1. Although the enemy resisted fiercely, the Ruhr pocket collapsed with the fall of Iserlohn, on 16 April. 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. The enemy artillery was so intense that communications were generally out. The black represents the iron from the mills of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where many of the troops were from. [18], As the battle ensued, small units, company and less in size, often acting independently, conducted fierce local counterattacks and mounted stubborn defenses, frustrating the German's plans for a rapid advance, and badly upsetting their timetable. Butler attended, but did not graduate from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Seth Paridon was a staff historian at The National WWII Museumfrom2005 to 2020. 18 Dec 44-7 Jan 45 Attached to 2d Infantry Division, Blandford (Longton Long, Dorset Barracks), 370th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 371st Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 924th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 372d Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer). [10], Around Hfen, which the 395th defended, the ground was marked with open hills. The 395th Infantry Regiment was a unit of the United States 99th Infantry Division.It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. The breakout from Saint-L, France was accomplished far more rapidly than Allied planners had dared hope, and American units plunged through the French countryside with undreamed of rapidity, far in advance of operational plans. The 99th Infantry Division Artefacts Collection. On the east lay a section of the Monschau Forest. The National WWII Museum Digital Collections. Hfen, along with the nearby town of Monschau, was strategically vital because it sat on elevated terrain overlooking an important road junction. The 38th Cavalry Squadron (led by Lt. Col. Robert E. O'Brien) was deployed to the north along the railroad track between Mutzenich and Konzen station. Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at Elsenborn Crest. For four successive days the battalion held this sector against combined German tank and infantry attacks, launched with fanatical determination and supported by heavy artillery. [16], Following the 11 September 2001, terrorist attacks, the 99th mobilized large numbers of Army Reserve Soldiers. Staff Sergeant, Service Company, 395th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division, ETO, participated in the Battle of the Bulge, the Ruhr Pocket, and the Occupation of Germany, recipient of the Bronze Star. 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. Mission of the 395th Infantry Regiment I. This northern shoulder of the American line where the 99th ID was entrenched would be the hinge on which the German assault would pivot northwest toward Antwerp. Butler held a single platoon of 40 men from Company L in reserve. Ehrenfried-Oskar Bge. By 17 December, German military planners knew that their objectives along the Elsenborn Ridge would not be taken as soon as planned. Sgt. The 5th replaced the 4 th Infantry Division on December 23 rd, and pushed the Germans back to the Sauer River. One Wehrmacht officer captured at Hfen asked his interrogators which unit had defended the town. [13], To the north of Hfen lay a paved main road that led through the Monschau Forest, at whose eastern edge it forked. 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. From Camp Maxey they took a train to Camp Myles Standish outside Boston. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. Good luck with your quest. Although cut up and surrounded in part, the 99th was one of the only divisions that did not yield to the German attack, and held their positions until reinforcements arrived. Fort Benning | Maneuver Center of Excellence Libraries | MCoE HQ The 394th Infantry Regiment was established on 23 July 1918 as the 394th Infantry and assigned to the 99th Division as a member of the National Army. 99th Infantry Division soldiers putting up a winterized squad hut. The 12th SS pushed through the woods and probed the villages at around 1100 hours. . On May 34, 1945, as the 99th moved deeper into Bavaria, it liberated one of a number of Dachau subcamps near the town of Mhldorf. The 10 geographically-based RRCs, including the 99th, were inactivated and replaced with four regional base operations commands. On 1 February 1944, Major Butler assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 395th Regiment. Originally planned as a Pennsylvania unit, [8], That is three to four times wider than recommended by Army textbooks. They inflicted disproportionate casualties on the Germans, and were one of the only units that did not give ground during the Battle of the Bulge. . The Ardennes area was chosen because of a lack of operational objectives for the Allies, the terrain offered good defensive positioning, roads were lacking, and the Germans were known to be using the area within Germany to the east as a rest and refit area for their troops. 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. [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. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. But the infantry often bore worse casualties than the tanks did and had to be replaced and reinforced more quickly. The 99th held lines stretching from Monschau, Germany to Losheimergraben, Belgium, totaling 35 kilometres (22mi). In the pre-dawn hours of December 16th, Hitlers final major offensive began. 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. 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 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. The stiff American defense prevented the Germans from reaching the vast array of supplies near the Belgian cities of Lige and Spa and the road network west of the Elsenborn Ridge leading to the Meuse River. 395th Infantry Regiment (United States) | Detailed Pedia In 1975, the 99th ARCOM moved its headquarters to Oakdale, Pennsylvania. 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. 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. At the Arcadia Conference, held in Washington, DC, from December 24, 1941 to January 14, 1942, the Western Allies agreed to a Germany First policy to govern global strategy, but the question where to engage Germany, and when, remained unsettled. The combination of no ammunition and heavy German armor caused the American lines to fold, like a dam bursting. 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division | American Battle [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. 197th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) - Wikipedia Medical Detachment, 395th Infantry A. P. O. 395th Infantry Regiment (United States) - Wikipedia It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. 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. Originally planned as a Pennsylvania unit, the horizontal band of white and blue. The "Checkerboard" or "Battle Babies" division landed at the French port of Le Havre and proceeded northeast to Belgium. The 99th Infantry Division, nicknamed Battle Babies and compromised of the 393rd, 394th, 395th Infantry Regiments and supporting units, spent approximately 151 days in combat during World War Two. Plans called for the division to include the 393rd, 394th, 395th, and 396th Infantry Regiments. Who were the soldiers of the 99th infrantry div? | WWII Forums On 22 December 1967, the 99th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM) was activated. The Combined Bomber Offensive (CBO) in the European Theater was one of Americas bloodiest campaigns. The coat of arms was originally approved for the 395th Regiment Infantry, Organized Reserves on 15 June 1931. By the end of the December 16, much of the American front lines in the Ardennes had been broken by the German assault. Ordered into active military service: 15 November 1942 Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. The Battles for Elsenborn Ridge Part I - New Orleans The Germans would never take Hfen, nor most of their other ambitious objectives in the Ardennes, due in large part to the soldiers of 3/395 and the 99th ID as a whole. The Battles for Elsenborn Ridge Part II | The National WWII Museum The enemy was moving through large gaps in the lines, and Americans were either being captured or killed in enormous numbers or retreating in disarray and panic. As the tanks neared Krinkelt, they plowed right through elements of the 2nd Infantry Division, many of whom had arrived literally moments earlier to reinforce their brothers who had earlier reinforced the 99ers. Category: 395thIR On this page, we honor the memory of the men of the 99th Infantry Division and pay tribute to their extraordinary contributions to the war effort. [2], Because of the success of the 395th and the 99th, the Americans maintained effective freedom to maneuver across the north flank of the German's line of advance and continually limited the success of the German offensive. Honor Roll - 99th Infantry Division Cemeteries & Memorials; Burial Search; About Us; Education; Facebook; Twitter; YouTube; Instagram; ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501. The failure to breach the 99th IDs sector stalled the entire German advance and a decisive breakthrough was never achieved. Lieutenant Colonel McClernand Butler, commander of 3/395. Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at the Siegfried Line. Later that night, another enemy assault was similarly unsuccessful. When three hours later a third SS assault hit the defenders, it too was stopped. 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. [12] For their part, the German army was planning a seven-day campaign to seize Antwerp. It was activated on 1 December 1939. 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. DELBERT A. SAYRE - 99th Infantry Division The silver and bronze star medal of Col. Alexander John Mackenzie, Regimental Commandor of the 395th Infantry Regiment. The 99th RSC's mission was to provide command and control and full-service support for assigned units and facility management. The division headquarters was organized in November 1921. Either short or completely devoid of ammunition, the defenders of Rocherath began to filter to the rear in the growing darkness that swallowed the battlefield. 394th Infantry Regiment (United States) - Wikipedia 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. . The Army operated a program designed to capitalize on the large number of educated and intelligent recruits that were available. 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. The Legacy of the 99th Infantry Division: Our Artifacts Collection The 99th Infantry Division Historical Society is dedicated to preserving, Discovering the Legacy of a WW2 Soldier: Tips and Tricks Are you interested in learning more about a WW2 veteran, They shall not grow old, As we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, Nor the years, Dean F. Gilbert was a membert of 3rd Platoon, L Company,394th Infantry Regiment. Through their stories, we gain a glimpse into the challenges they faced, the horrors they endured, and the triumphs they achieved. Despite mauling the Germans on their first attempt to take Hfen, 3/395s situation was grim. Due in part to the 99th Infantry Division, this ground mission has not been continuous, and he will not achieve his goal[15]. The division crossed the Danube near Eining on the 27th and after a stubborn fight the Isar at Landshut on 1 May. WWII and Park Staff Connections - Eisenhower National Historic - NPS Crest The crest is that of the U.S. Army Reserve. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. A group of photos from his wartime, unfortenately we have not been able to. The 395th was held in the United States until more room was available for the unit to enter Europe. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 Put under 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. ", The 99th Infantry Division, outnumbered five to one, inflicted estimated casualties on the Germans in the ratio of eighteen to one. The German spearhead in the north, led by the 1st SS Panzer Division and Jochen Peipers Kampfgruppe plowed through jammed roads to the south of Elsenborn and the twin villages of Krinkelt and Rocherath hell bent on their ultimate destination of the Meuse River. Fourteen of the 18 platoon members were wounded, while only one soldier, a member of the artillery observation team, was killed. The 99th RRC continued to provide command and control for assigned units and support for the ongoing deployments. The division insignia is a three lined checkerboard design of blue and white squares centered on a black shield. After the Gulf War, the 99th ARCOM became the 99th Regional Support Command (RSC). "[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. History | AMEDD Center of History & Heritage - United States Army [14] If the Germans penetrated Hfen, the U.S. soldiers would have to withdraw several miles to the next defensible position.[10]. 2nd and 3rd Battalion cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes. The insignia was devised upon the 99th's formation in 1942 when the division was headquartered in the city of Pittsburgh. Some toppled directly into US foxholes as American troops engaged them at point-blank range. Due to the dwindling attendance over the years, the decision was made to hold the final convention in 2011. 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. "[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. In the 12 years he was Manager of Research Services, Seth and his team increased the oral history collection from 25 to nearly 5,000 oral histories. Against light resistance, it crossed the Dill River and pushed on to Krofdorf-Gleiberg, taking Giessen 29 March. [citation needed]. The division was chiefly manned with graduates of the ROTC programs of the Carnegie Institute of Technology, Duquesne University. After the battalion was inactivated on 29 September 1945, its colors remained folded for more than fifty years. Location of the 99th ID sector (red box) on a map of the Bulge. When hostilities ceased on 7 May 1945, the regiment had during six months of fighting experienced 300 percent turnover due to casualties. Akins, Thomas W. MAJ, "Operations of Company "E", 442nd Infantry Regiment, Attached to 92nd Division, at San Terenzo, Italy, 20-23 April 1945" (Po Valley Campaign) Albright, Barry E. CPT, "Operations of the 2nd Battalion, 508th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, in the Invasion of Normandy, 5-13 June 1944" (Normandy Campaign. 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. Every member of the platoon was decorated, which included four Distinguished Service Crosses, five Silver Stars and ten Bronze Stars with "V" devices signifying awards for valor in combat.[10]. Organization and training began in October but were not complete by the time the war ended in November 1918, so the division was demobilized in early 1919. During the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, the 3rd Battalion took 19 prisoners and killed an estimated 200 Germans. 395th Infantry Regiment (United States) - Infogalactic: the planetary Troops Fight at Elsenburn Ridge", "Why the Bulge Didn't Break: Green Troops Grew Up Fast to Become Heroes of Hofen", "The Battle for Lanzerath HillThe True Story16December1944", "A hero remembers the Battle of the Bulge", "The Heroic Stand of an Intelligence Platoon", "General Orders No. 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. The rapid advance did not deter the men of the 38th Infantry Regiment, however, who put up a fierce defense. Up to that point, the Army had married a battalion of tanks to a battalion of infantry in support of the tanks. As they did so, another German assault hit them, this time with support from 5 MKV Panther tanks. There was no cover. 3d Battalion (TS)(AR) 395th Regiment - GlobalSecurity.org Specific units were charged with penetrating Germany's West Wall. 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. Asked why he thought so, he said, "Two reasons: one cold-bloodedness; two efficiency. This was the most southern area of the Battle of the Bulge. Still, some German assaults penetrated American lines near the town of Hofen where they were eventually captured after retreating into houses in the town. He returned to Illinois and in 1933 was commissioned a second lieutenant in the National Guard. This page was last edited on 11 March 2022, at 19:44. provides support December 1944. Your organization gave ample proof of the fact that it is a good hard fighting division and one in which you and each and every member of your command can be justly proud[16], Major Butler was decorated with the Silver Star, the French Croix de Guerre, the Belgian Fourragre, the Belgian Order de la Couronne, and the Bronze Star Medal with the Oak leaf cluster.
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