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. The division crossed the Danube near Eining on the 27th and after a stubborn fight the Isar at Landshut on 1 May. 394th Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment (99th Infantry Division), History, January 1945. The 99th Infantry Division was the first complete division to cross the Rhine. This article contains content in the public domain from U.S. military sources. There Major Butler collapsed due to exhaustion on 30 April, and Lt. Col. J. After clearing towns west of the Rhine, it crossed the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen on the 11th. [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. Later that night, another enemy assault was similarly unsuccessful. [14] If the Germans penetrated Hfen, the U.S. soldiers would have to withdraw several miles to the next defensible position.[10]. 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. 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. 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. Attached below the shield a silver scroll inscribed "VIGILANS ET CELER" in Black letters.[21]. It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. Mission of the 395th Infantry Regiment The 99th Infantry Division Artefacts Collection. I decided to stage the night attack at Bergheim because my troops would be going across an open area about 500 yards (460m) long and 400 yards (370m) wide. . The campaign in North Africa began with a daring Anglo-American commando raid code-named Operation RESERVIST. The 10 geographically-based RRCs, including the 99th, were inactivated and replaced with four regional base operations commands. Family lore, The 99th Infantry Division Artefacts Collection. A U.S. Army World War II division was configured as a Triangular division, with three regimental maneuver elements. The 99th Infantry Division, comprising the 393rd, 394th, and the 395th Infantry Regiments, arrived in England on 10 October 1944. Just south of Hfen, the lines of the 99th entered this forest, ran through a long belt of timber to the boundary between the V and VIII Corps at the Losheim Gap. [1] After defensive patrolling, the 99th probed the Siegfried Line against heavy resistance on 13 December. 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. Hfen, along with the nearby town of Monschau, was strategically vital because it sat on elevated terrain overlooking an important road junction. Good luck with your quest. 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. On 28 April the 14th Armored Division, commanded by MG Albert C. Smith, crossed the Danube River at Ingolstadt, and passed through the 86th Infantry Division, which had established a bridgehead on the previous day, with the mission of securing crossings of the Isar River at Moosburg and Landshut. [20], After a short period off the line, the battalion conducted offensive operations in Germany, including the seizure of several German towns from 1 to 5 March. After the battalion was inactivated on 29 September 1945, its colors remained folded for more than fifty years. American troops from the 290th Regiment near Amonines, Belgium. The 395th received the following campaign streamers: The entire regiment was recognized with the following unit decorations: A silver color metal and enamel device .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}3732 inches (2.94cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Argent, a buck's head attired of ten tynes couped Or. Peipers right flank had to be secured and the Americans in that region had to be destroyed. Fourteen of the 18 platoon members were wounded, while only one soldier, a member of the artillery observation team, was killed. represents the iron district of Pennsylvania. 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. His World War II story. Mission of the 395th Infantry Regiment I. The regiment assumed occupation duties in Hammelburg and Bad Brckenau until it was shipped home in the summer of 1945. He found that his 600 riflemen were assigned an extremely large area about 6,000 yards (5,500m) long without any units in reserve. While the supply situation improved in October, the manpower situation was still critical. After the Gulf War, the 99th ARCOM became the 99th Regional Support Command (RSC). [1] The Allied victory against the Axis was a long journeyone that actually took much longer than the war itself. [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. He began his career conducting oral histories and research for HBOs miniseries The Pacific and holds the distinction of being the first historian hired by the Museums Research Department. During the heavy fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, the unit suffered many casualties, yet tenaciously held its defensive position. 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 statue of the Minute Man, Captain John Parker, (H.H.Kitson, sculptor), stands on the common in Lexington, Massachusetts. Notable. Although 3/395 had only 600 men to defend a large area, they had been told that the German army, or Wehrmacht, was no longer capable of major offensive operations and that their winter in the Ardennes would be a quiet one. 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. Category: 395th Infantry Regiment Lt. Col. Henry B. Koon Sr. Special Troops [12] For their part, the German army was planning a seven-day campaign to seize Antwerp. Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at the Siegfried Line. Sgt. [16], Following the 11 September 2001, terrorist attacks, the 99th mobilized large numbers of Army Reserve Soldiers. In the event of an emergency, the battalion headquarters and company administrative personnel, including clerks and motor-pool staff, were to join the platoon, creating a small reserve force of about 100 men. 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. 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. 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]. 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. In January 2003, the 99th RSC started mobilizing units for projected operations in Iraq. Due to the dwindling attendance over the years, the decision was made to hold the final convention in 2011. [16], On 16 July 2003, the command was redesignated as the 99th Regional Readiness Command, placing additional emphasis on training, readiness, and mobilization. The 99th battled on to the bridge at Remagen that was taken on March 7th. Not only did your command assist in effectively frustrating that particular part of the plan, but it also inflicted such heavy losses on the enemy that he was unable to carry out other contemplated missions in other sectors of the Allied front. I never dreamed that we would have a defensive position of this size without any backup or help from our division or regiment. The 99th Infantry Division, on December 12, . Two months later, when the 99th Division was transferred to VII Corps under Maj. Gen. Walter E. Lauer, the commanding officer of V Corps, Maj. Gen. Clarence R. Huebner, wrote him: The 99th Infantry Division arrived in this theater without previous combat experience early in November 1944. 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. A few miles to the east lay the Siegfried Line, the enemys final defensive line guarding the German heartland. [13], To the north of Hfen lay a paved main road that led through the Monschau Forest, at whose eastern edge it forked. [6][17]:vii. The success of the defense of the twin villages would be short-lived if ammunition was not resupplied. Forests, by nature, are eerily quiet at night. There are nine white squares and nine blue ones, signifying the number 99. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 The Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle ever fought by the United States Army. 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 town of Kuckhof cost the battalion dearly, with more than fifty casualties inflicted on one company alone (I Company). Medical Detachment, 395th Infantry A. P. O. Any delay would jeopardize the plan to cross the Meuse River and advance on Antwerp before the skies cleared and the Allies regained their balance. The blue and white checkerboard in the division's insignia is taken from the coat of arms of William Pitt, for whom Pittsburgh is named. No division commander was appointed during the organization's brief existence. Told it was the 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry, he said, "It must have been one of your best formations." On 1 February 1944, Major Butler assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, 395th Regiment. Here it held firmly against violent enemy attacks. The regiment helped to capture the Ruhr Pocket, where thousands of German troops and hundreds of German vehicles were captured. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. 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 platoon members were not recognized for their courageous deeds for thirty-seven years. 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. Battle of the Bulge 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. Subscribe to 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division Footer menu. The division headquarters was organized in November 1921. 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. It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. During the battle to come, if the Germans succeeded in taking Hfen, their ranks would be swelled rapidly, and the 99th and 2nd Infantry Divisions would be outflanked and could be attacked from the rear. [2]:33 On at least six occasions they called in artillery strikes on or directly in front of their own positions. ", The 99th Infantry Division, outnumbered five to one, inflicted estimated casualties on the Germans in the ratio of eighteen to one. In early December, much of the Allied forces were established in a general defensive line from the North Sea to the Swiss border. . "[13] The division continued to attack without opposition to the Inn River and Giesenhausen until VE-day. 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 was reconstituted in the Organized Reserve on 24 June 1921 and assigned to the western half of the state of Pennsylvania. [14], The 99th as a whole, outnumbered five to one, inflicted casualties in the ratio of eighteen to one. 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. Originally planned as a Pennsylvania unit, the horizontal band of white and blue. 395 Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment (99th Infantry Division) Report, January 1945. While an RSC is allowed to wear the insignia and use the same number as a previous infantry division, it is not entitled to its lineage and honors. 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. . [10], Around Hfen, which the 395th defended, the ground was marked with open hills. 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. 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. The division insignia is a three lined checkerboard design of blue and white squares centered on a black shield. 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. 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. The battalion was badly outnumbered and nearly surrounded. . 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. 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 camp was newly built, and the barracks were covered in tar paper. This was the road network the Germans needed to meet their objectives. The National WWII Museum Digital Collections. And while the defense of the crossroads of hell was gallant to be sure, it was not the back breaker that most people assume it to have been. Richard Mills were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. The Germans were operating under a tight timetable, however, and the assaults center of gravitythe 6th Panzer Armyhad only one day to breach the 99th IDs line. On 3 November 1944, the 395th Regiment disembarked at Le Havre, France. The 395th Infantry, Organized Reserves, was organized in 1921. The buck's head was used to indicate the allocation of the organization to the mountainous section of Pennsylvania, where deer abound. 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. 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. By December 1944, Allied armies had reached the western border of Germany itself. [12] The 99th Infantry's after action report stated they found 1,500 Jews "living under terrible conditions and approximately 600 required hospitalization due to starvation and disease. [4] Lt. Col. Butler retired from the Army on 14 January 1946 and worked for the phone company for the rest of his career. Infanterie-Division) was a German division in World War II. By the end of the December 16, much of the American front lines in the Ardennes had been broken by the German assault. They killed Germans coming at them from the front, flanks and rear. The artillery barrage lasted for an hour, and shortly afterwards German infantry from the 277th Volksgrenadier Division burst through the forest and headed at the positions of the 99th Infantry Divisions 395th Infantry Regiment near the village of Rocherath. The unit was inactivated after World War II, then became a reserve unit, and was redesignated as the 395th Regiment in 1999. German losses were much higher. 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. 2nd and 3rd Battalion cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes. More often than not, the noises thought to have been heard arent anything at all, and the forest resumes its eerie silence. TO: Division Surgeon, 99th Infantry Division I. The black represents the iron from the mills of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where many of the troops were from. It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. The last drive began on 23 April. 3/395, soon to be nicknamed Butlers Blue Battlin Bastards, was one of the only US Army units that did not retreat in the opening days of the battle. Two men who had been sent on foot to regimental headquarters to seek reinforcements were later captured. General Eisenhower and his staff chose the Ardennes region, held by the First Army, as an area that could be held by as few troops as possible. 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.
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