On Christmas Eve, 1944, my father, Staff Sergeant John Petro, had arrived in Strasbourg with the 42nd “Rainbow” Infantry Division. The town of Strasbourg, located on the French-German border, had just been liberated from Nazi control by the French 2nd Armored Division forces only a month previously. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. John C. Hightower, was ordered by General Lauer to move to Hünningen, several miles northwest of Losheimergraben on the main road to Büllingen. Facing the Americans were elements of a German tank division, a paratroop division and an infantry division. Trail of the Rainbow Division: Marseilles to Austria. At the beginning of the battle there were 33 officers and 748 enlisted men in the battalion. 44th Field Artillery Battalion 4th Engineer Combat Battalion 70th Tank Battalion ... 9th Infantry Division (less detachments) Major General L.A.Craig 47th Infantry Regiment Entered the Service From: January 18, 1945. The division … The rest of the 42nd moved east to continue through Germany. Historical source for stories, items and militaria of the Golden Lion Division. "Situation on December 16, 1944 was as follows: HQs + attached Medical Battalions of the 134th Medical Group were located at Malmedy, those of the 64th Medical Group at Trois-Ponts, Platoons of the 42nd Field Hospital were spread across the front i.e. The winter of 1944 was one of the coldest in recorded history; temperatures averaged 20 degrees. Bill Petro is a technology sales enablement executive with extensive experience in Cloud Computing, Automation, Data Center, Information Storage, Big Data/Analytics, Mobile, and Social technologies. Battle of the Bulge: U.S. Army 28th Infantry Division’s 110th Regimental Combat Team Upset the German Timetable August 1944 was a disastrous month for the Third Reich. The attack came as a complete surprise. He and his squad had camped at night in the snow. During the fighting, 1st Lt. Carlyle Woelfer, commanding Company K in the 3rd Battalion, 222nd Infantry, captured a German officer with maps detailing the German attack. “They had tanks and heavy artillery, endless infantry troops,” Bearse recalled. Formation of the “Rainbow” division was authorized on August 1, 1917, less than two months after creation of the AEF’s first operational division, the 1st US Infantry Division, “the Big Red One.” That unit had been formed by the amalgamation of regular army units. Three Germans moved on the vehicle, killing one American Soldier, but were then killed in turn by Woelfer. By mid-February 1945 the rest of the 42nd Infantry Division arrived in France and the infantry regiments were rebuilt. Return to Table of Contents "Rainbow Division" In 1917 men were selected from various units of the national Guard of 26 states and the District of Columbia to form a truly representative division with a view towards "bringing the war home" to the people. Cialis lasts in the system for an incredible 24 to 36 hours, which allows those suffering from ED a larger window of opportunity to enjoy sexual activity. Welcome to Wesley Johnston's (somewhat reluctant) Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes Offensive) web page, part of the 7th Armored Division web site.For now, this is primarily a link page, a focal point for Battle of the Bulge (Ardennes Offensive) information on the web. Corson commanded Company A in the 1st Battalion, 242nd Infantry. Battle of the Bulge 17 December 1944 to 5 January 1945 1st Army: ... 42nd Field Artillery Battalion . American troops in the Battle of the Bulge. ”Is your Division a part of Roosevelt’s SS?”. Though the Rainbow division only fought for 106 days, German soldiers came to respect the Rainbow Division and fear its patrols and raids. 78th Infantry Division: Major General E.P.Parker 309th Infantry Regiment 310th Infantry Regiment ... 42nd Field Artillery Battalion . Capt. So we were quickly repulsed. 1st Platoon was at Wiltz (serving the 28th Infantry Division) while 3rd Platoon was in St. Vith served the 106th Infantry Division… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge_order_of_battle -- Army -- Infantry Division, 42nd, World War, 1939-1945, World War, 1939-1945 -- Regimental histories -- United States, World War II, United States. The officer and another prisoner were put on an M8 Greyhound armored car for transport to the rear. On this Christmas Eve, over three-quarters of a century later, remember to hold your loved ones close in the warmth of your love. On Christmas Eve, 1944, my father, Staff Sergeant John Petro, had arrived in Strasbourg with the 42nd “Rainbow” Infantry Division. Battle of the Bulge - End of the War. As soon as the Allies had broken out of the Normandy Beachhead, they pushed the Germans back rapidly until they had reached the … Gen. Henning Linden. The Reinforced Tank Battalion (42nd with 63rd AIB) In … The 42nd Division took up a 31-mile sector along the Rhine River defensive lines. The Battle of the Bulge: One Company's Story. In a failed Jan. 5 to Jan. 7 counterattack at Gambsheim, units from all three regiments were combined in a patchwork force that was ultimately repulsed. “We were outnumbered two or three to one. Publication date 1946 Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0 Topics WWII, United States. He was exposed to enemy machine gun, small arms and even tank fire. ... 35th Infantry Division, 70th Infantry Division (7th Army), 42nd Infantry Division (6th Army), 65th Infantry Division (3rd Army), 76th Infantry Division (1st Army), 117th Cav Sq, 66th Infantry Division. By the end of January, the Allied forces had recaptured all ground taken by the German forces in this area. On the northern portion of the bulge the 30th Infantry Division stopped the German advance blocking a critical path to Liege and Antwerp. The Battle of the Bulge was to be the last major German offensive campaign along the Western Front in Europe during WWII. The 232nd Regiment was brought up from reserve to help in the defense. “One morning my company moved to a barren, frozen hillside with orders to dig defensive positions covering an area about three times larger than we were capable of adequately defending. By mid-February 1945 the rest of the 42nd Infantry Division arrived in France and the infantry regiments were rebuilt. In World War II the division was reactivated but filled with draftee soldiers. The regiment earned a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions. Filled with draftees, the Fourth Division, whose insignia had been adopted by its first commanding general, Major General George H. Cameron, became … The French had begun evacuating it in 1939 when war was declared upon Germany by France and England following the German attack on Poland. By mid-February 1945, the rest of the 42nd Infantry Division arrived in France. It involved many divisions across a wide front. See our page on the Annual Flag of Friendship Ceremony at St. Vith. December 16, 1944 - May 9, 1945 . The Germans launched their final assault just seven miles from the fight at Hatten on Jan. 24, looking to cut American supply lines back to Strasbourg in the town of Haguenau. He hoped to split the Allied forces and close the port of Antwerp, the largest held by the Allies on the continent, by using a “bulge” through Belgium. “On the close approach of enemy soldiers, he left the protection of the building he defended and set up his gun in the street,” his Medal of Honor citation states, “There to remain for almost 12 hours driving back attacks while in full view of his adversaries and completely exposed to 88-millimeter, machine gun and small arms fire.”, “All I did was try to protect some other American Soldiers from being killed,” Bertoldo would tell newspapers back home after the war. The back and forth fighting continued through the rest of the night as the 222nd fought to contain the German breakthrough towards Haguenau. To all whom participated in this battle, I thank you for your courage and devotion. Eight days earlier, the Battle of the Bulge had begun, and the 42nd Division, along with others, supplied much-needed reinforcements to the biggest and bloodiest battle of World War II involving American forces. William Corson in a letter to a 42nd Division reunion gathering in 1995. There was some glimmer of hope on December 17 as the 42nd Field Artillery and the 12th Regiment’s own Cannon Company ... while the 10th Regiment from General Irwin’s battle-hardened 5th Infantry Division … Third Platoon had to fight its way into its own company kitchen area. The division presently includes Army National Guard … "Situation on December 16, 1944 was as follows: HQs + attached Medical Battalions of the 134th Medical Group were located at Malmedy, those of the 64th Medical Group at Trois-Ponts, Platoons of the 42nd Field Hospital were spread across the front i.e. Of all the uniformed American troops in the world at that time, 1/8th participated in the Battle of the Bulge. The regiment had two battalions in the defense, covering a frontage of 7,500 yards, three times the normal frontage for a regiment in defense, according to the “42nd “Rainbow” Infantry Division Combat History of WWII.”. They expected to spend time in a quiet sector to learn the ropes of combat. With a desperate need for infantry troops in Europe the Soldiers of the 222nd, 232nd, and 242nd Infantry Regiments had been pulled out of training in the U.S. and shipped to southern France. By mid-February 1945 the rest of the 42nd Infantry Division arrived in France and the infantry regiments were rebuilt. … Good job — on this and other posts on your dad. During WWII, the Bronze Star was a medal awarded specifically to ground troops engaged between Dec. 6, 1941, and Sept. 2, 1945, in recognition of heroic or meritorious achievement on the field of battle. History of Christmas Music: More than just Carols. Three days later there were 11 officers and 253 enlisted men reporting for duty. But one soldier from the 242nd Infantry, Master Sgt. The next day, my father captured the Nazi General in charge of the anti-aircraft artillery in south Munich. But the price was dear; 100,000 Americans were either killed or injured. As I describe elsewhere, the 42nd was among the first to liberate 30,000 inmates of the Dachau Concentration Camp. The original version of the patch symbolized a half arc rainbow and contained thin bands in multiple colors. ... 5th Infantry Division. But by the turn of the New Year, the Allied front became stable, supply lines firmed up, and reinforcements swelled the US troops to 600,000 with 400,000 supporting them. US soldiers from the 42nd Infantry Division were hurried to France in the final days of 1944, expecting to head to a quiet sector. But they began 1945 in a … In the West, American, British and Canadian armies had driven the Wehrmacht out of France and back to the Siegfried Line. Secretary of War Baker asked that the new unit have the best trained men possible and that it represent all parts of the country. Major Douglas MacArthur, who worked for Secretary Baker, suggested amalgamating elements … Making sure we can live in freedom. 42nd Infantry Division Soldiers were in desperate combat in January 1945 at "other Battle of the Bulge" The division is now part of the New … This is the order of battle of German and Allied forces during the Battle of the Bulge — specifically, at a point near the end of the battle, which lasted from 16 December 1944 until 25 January 1945.. As with any large Army organization in extended combat, forces and their assignments shifted over the course of the battle. But the battle was much bigger than that. And it … The Nazis made progress for almost three weeks. Three days prior to the German Offensive they were attacking towards the Ruhr Dams in Germany. American combat interviews are another useful source. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! The division then attacked German units that had been ground down by the Nordwind attack. he later helped liberate a concentration camp& also saw combat in the korean war. Battle of the Bulge - End of the War. These units vary in size from a small number of people up to and including an Army Group. A few of these soldiers may have been lost outside the massive theater of the Battle of the Bulge but still buried or memorialized at these three cemeteries, ... 42nd Field Artillery Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. They al… According to War Department General Order 114, December 7, 1945 there were approximately 2,000 units that received the Ardennes Credit, (The Battle of the Bulge). And it was a loser.”. Their attack launched from the borders of Belgium and Germany, but at the time they had no idea of the German plan. 42nd Infantry Division Soldiers were in desperate combat in January 1945 at "other Battle of the Bulge" The division is now part of the New York Army National Guard, headquartered in Troy, N.Y. In November, the Division moved into the Hurtgen Forest and fought what was to be its fiercest battle. U.S. Army Soldiers of the 42nd Infantry Division’s Task Force Linden prepare a defensive position at their log and dirt bunker near Kauffenheim, France, Jan. 8, 1945.2. Moving among buildings in Hatten to fire his machine gun, at one point Bertoldo strapped it to a table for stability. On November 17, 1917, the same year that America entered World War I, the 4th Division was formed at Camp Greene, North Carolina to begin its long tradition of service to our country. 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