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. The 3rd Battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions around Hfen from 16 to 19 December. 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. The inexperienced troops of the division were lodged on the northern shoulder of the Ardennes Offensive on 16 December. It attacked toward the Monschau Forest, on 1 February, mopping up and patrolling until it was relieved for training and rehabilitation, on 13 February. Battle of the Bulge EN RU CN DE ES. ", The 99th Infantry Division, outnumbered five to one, inflicted estimated casualties on the Germans in the ratio of eighteen to one. The concentration camp was one of the "forest camps" (Waldlager) tied to the Mhldorf camp complex. Specific units were charged with penetrating Germany's West Wall. It was like a golf course, so I used the night for concealment."[6]. 395 Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment (99th Infantry Division) Report, January 1945. 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. 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. squares centered on a black shield. 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. 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. [13], To the north of Hfen lay a paved main road that led through the Monschau Forest, at whose eastern edge it forked. On 28 January 1945, after six weeks of the most intense and relentless combat of the war in the biggest battle of World War II, involving approximately 1.3million men, the Allies declared the Ardennes Offensive, or Battle of the Bulge, officially over. 395thIR - 99th Infantry Division On 22 December 1967, the 99th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM) was activated. [10], Around Hfen, which the 395th defended, the ground was marked with open hills. Images of picturesque Ardennes landscapes before Christmas, conifers with branches drooping from heavy snowfall and beleaguered American forces doggedly defending against a last gasp attack by a defeated enemy all dot the mind when thinking of the Bulge. 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. . Not so in the pre-dawn hours of December 16 in the Ardennes Forest. 395th Infantry Regiment (United States) - Wikipedia WWII and Park Staff Connections - Eisenhower National Historic - NPS Seth Paridon was a staff historian at The National WWII Museumfrom2005 to 2020. Battle of the Bulge They continued to fight even as the American press trumpeted the rapid crumbling of German resistance. They were tasked with moving 10 miles (16km) behind the German lines and cutting the Autobahn to prevent the withdrawal of the Germans. 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. This was the most southern area of the Battle of the Bulge. They killed Germans coming at them from the front, flanks and rear. The National WWII Museum Digital Collections. Still, some German assaults penetrated American lines near the town of Hofen where they were eventually captured after retreating into houses in the town. The blue and white are taken from the coat of arms for William Pitt for whom Pittsburgh was named. Good luck with your quest. 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. Allied forces were fighting their way across France, and fresh units were badly needed in autumn 1944 to continue to press the offensive. The Army operated a program designed to capitalize on the large number of educated and intelligent recruits that were available. Those Germans who made it into the town itself were quickly mopped up. 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. Formerly nicknamed the "Checkerboard Division," which referred to its shoulder patch, in late 1944 having not yet seen battle, the division was nicknamed the "Battle Babies. It was organized with the rest of the 99th on 16 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi. During the first morning of the Battle of the Bulge, they defended a key road junction in the vicinity of the Losheim Gap. 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. 395th Regiment - U.S. Army Center of Military History Category: 395th Infantry Regiment Lt. Col. Henry B. Koon Sr. Special Troops I never dreamed that we would have a defensive position of this size without any backup or help from our division or regiment. The 5th replaced the 4 th Infantry Division on December 23 rd, and pushed the Germans back to the Sauer River. 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. [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. Later that night, another enemy assault was similarly unsuccessful. Crest That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Army Reserve: From a wreath Argent and Azure, the Lexington Minute Man Proper. The 99th Infantry Division, comprising the 393rd, 394th, and the 395th Infantry Regiments, arrived in England on 10 October 1944. 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. [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. 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. [13], German prisoners captured during the Battle of the Bulge volunteered praise of the 99th's effective defense of Hfen. Grouping from Col. Alexander John Mackenzie, Regimental Commandor of The 99th Infantry Division received recruits from the ASTP program (Army Specialized Training Program, to make up for the personnel shortages in front line units during 1944. Peipers right flank had to be secured and the Americans in that region had to be destroyed. The division insignia is a three lined checkerboard design of blue and white squares centered on a black shield. Crest The crest is that of the U.S. Army Reserve. [1] After defensive patrolling, the 99th probed the Siegfried Line against heavy resistance on 13 December. 394th Infantry Regiment Medical Detachment (99th Infantry Division), History, January 1945. The 99th RSC's mission was to provide command and control and full-service support for assigned units and facility management. This did not turn out to be true. In 1975, the 99th ARCOM moved its headquarters to Oakdale, Pennsylvania. An overwhelming majority of them were women and children. His World War II story. [11] They continued to Linz am Rhein and to the Wied River. [16], In September 2007, in preparation for the transition to Fort Dix and establishment of the new 99th RSC, the 99th RRC assumed administrative responsibility for the former regions of the 77th and 94th RRCs, which had inactivated. American troops from the 290th Regiment near Amonines, Belgium. Many historians have written about the famous Buffalo Soldiers of the all-Black 92nd Infantry Division, who fought with distinction during World War II. After fighting in the Ruhr area, the unit moved southward into Bavaria, where it was located at the end of the war. Location of the 99th ID sector (red box) on a map of the Bulge. 395th Infantry Regiment (United States) - Infogalactic: the planetary commanders. The insignia was devised upon the 99th's formation in 1942 when the division was headquartered in the city of Pittsburgh. 2nd and 3rd Battalion cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes. Asked why he thought so, he said, "Two reasons: one cold-bloodedness; two efficiency. Several photos from the private collection of the family of Dean F. THE EARLY YEARS Joseph Richard Evans (Dick) was born on October 17, 1920 to Charles E. Evansand Wenonah (nee Muirhead/Miller)in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The 99th RRC continued to provide command and control for assigned units and support for the ongoing deployments. [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. The last stand of 3/395: how one US Army battalion helped win the [17]:51, On another day, the 3rd Battalion took 50 Germans prisoner and killed or wounded more than 800 Germans, losing only five dead and seven wounded themselves. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. [16] The accurate fire from the 12 3-inch guns of A Company, 612th Tank Destroyer Battalion, was instrumental in keeping German tanks from advancing. A 105mm artillery piece from the 2nd Infantry Div. Infanterie-Division) was a German division in World War II. Butler was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 21 March 1944, and remained in command of the 395th until 30 April 1945, when he collapsed from exhaustion. After clearing towns west of the Rhine, it crossed the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen on the 11th. After the battalion was inactivated on 29 September 1945, its colors remained folded for more than fifty years. Delbert followed a communication training and became enlisted radio repairman. Told it was the 3rd Battalion, 395th Infantry, he said, "It must have been one of your best formations." Through their stories, we gain a glimpse into the challenges they faced, the horrors they endured, and the triumphs they achieved. The program never fulfilled its promise, and the large number of "ASTPers" were rapidly integrated into various divisions to make up for personnel shortages in front line units during 1944. "[13] The division continued to attack without opposition to the Inn River and Giesenhausen until VE-day. They then crossed the Wied River, where they joined up with the 7th Infantry Division. Battle of Elsenborn Ridge - Wikipedia As the American defenders began to assess casualties and ammunition supplies, the 12th SS hit them again. 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]. 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. No one had anticipated such a rapid Allied advance. The 395th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army, part of the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. It is believed that Delbert was transferred to the 395th Infantry Regiment at some point. The National WWII Museum Digital Collections. Mission of the 395th Infantry Regiment I. It was credited with destroying "seventy-five percent of three German infantry regiments." From Camp Van Dorn they were transferred to the more established Camp Maxey in Paris, Texas for additional training. 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. 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. Ehrenfried-Oskar Bge. 395th Infantry Regiment (united States) - Encyclopedia Information . The buck's head was used to indicate the allocation of the organization to the mountainous section of Pennsylvania, where deer abound. The 395th Infantry had mostly held their lines, and now with the battle hardened 2nd Infantry Division on the way to back them up, the lines of defense near Elsenborn appeared to be significantly harder to pierce. 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. The thick forest was tangled with rocky gorges, little streams, and sharp hills. April 13th, 1945 - 99th Division, 395th Infantry Regiment, in the Ruhr 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 lines were then moved back to form defensive positions east of Elsenborn Ridge on the 19th. On 17 September 2008, the 99th Regional Support Command was activated at Fort Dix, N.J. . This was the road network the Germans needed to meet their objectives. 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. George Co 2/395-IR (99-ID) Schleiden - Germany December 1944 The 395th was held in the United States until more room was available for the unit to enter Europe. But the infantry often bore worse casualties than the tanks did and had to be replaced and reinforced more quickly. Accurate estimates of German wounded were not possible, but about 20 percent of the 326th Volksgrenadier Division were lost. 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. During the heavy fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, the unit suffered many casualties, yet tenaciously held its defensive position. [6] On more than one occasion, BAR gunners would allow Germans to get within feet of their positions before opening fire, with the objective of increasing the odds of killing the attacking Germans. A second road ran parallel to the division center and right wing, leaving the Hfen road at the small hamlet of Wahlerscheid, and continued south through two very small villages, the twin towns of Rocherath and Krinkelt.