The next day the Second Battalion, Headquarters Company, Machine Gun Company and Supply Company came ashore and joined them. (p. 31-32) In the nine months before 31 May 1918, some 10,000 men had been received by the 315th Infantry, given a period of intensive training, and then transferred to the ranks of the organizations which had secured places on the "priority list" for transfer overseas. (p. 36), This advance guard of the Regiment, after many twistings and turnings, reached its camping ground at midnight and pitched shelter tents in a driving downpour of rain. 391 0 obj <>stream Shoulder patch: White bordered blue shield on which is superimposed a cross of Lorraine. That day was spent in camps near Dombasle, and on the night of 13 September 1918 the 315th Infantry set out for the trenches. A day or two later, batteries of heavy howitzers took up position one by one in the vicinity of Esnes, a ruined village on the right edge of the Regimental sector. Planes dropped leaflets over the frontlines stating that those who wanted to surrender would be treated well and will not be harmed. Lieutenant-Colonel McMahon - 79thUnitHistory. Close at hand was the sharp, staccato of the French 75-millimeter [3-inch] guns, farther back the roar of the six- and nine-inch howitzers, while, in the distant rear, hills and valleys reverberated to the deep boom of the huge naval guns along the Dombasle road. We halted about 10:30 P.M. northeast of Montfaucon, where the 315th Infantry relieved the 314th of their assaulting task. Food, water and firewood had to be carried on men's backs for a distance of two miles over roads that were ankle deep with mud, and the bread supplied to the soldiers arrived with a coating of mud. The division then went on occupation duty, in the Dortmund, Sudetenland, and Bavarian areas successively, until its return to the United States and inactivation. July 28th, 1944: Geffosses The beach was in such excellent secured organized state. (ibid. Buried at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery (by Valerie J. (p. 47-49), With this fact assured, speculation became rife as to whether or not the 315th Infantry would be included in the assaulting forces. 29 May 1944: Third Army but attached to VII Corps. The night was very dark and both steamers were running without lights. 79 th Division Reconnaissance Troop. 17 February 1945: Seventh Army, 6th Army Group, but attached to the XVI Corps. Until then, fightings were exchanges of fire between the two camps, but soon hand to hand fighting became necessary to dislodge the German forces from their dug-in emplacements, more so, the 88, Lives were the main concern of Headquarters, despite the american advance toward Cherbourg, the 315. What a conversation we had. The 79th Infantry Division ( Russian: 79- , 79-ya Pekhotnaya Diviziya) was an infantry formation of the Russian Imperial Army. to remember that sacrifice, and offer some sacrifice for themselves if Freedom is threatened. The forward movement of artillery became nearly impossible, and, as the day wore on, the advancing troops were forced to reply more and more on the momentum of their own attack. Normandy American Heroes provides custom World War II tours of Normandy and beyond On our blog, we write about World War II, things to do in Normandy and much more. (Map based on p.116). After a period of training, he became a private in the 315th Infantry Regiment of the 79th Infantry Division. Epinal American Cemetery . August 8th, 1944: Saint-Georges-du-Bois (see photo below) Many of them stated that they were forced to fight for the 3rd Reich and their only matter was to surrender as quick as possible. The 315th and 316th Regiments together formed the 158th Infantry Brigade (p. 21). Company G Soldiers (315th Inf. He joined the 313th Infantry Regiment out of Detroit Michigan. The sector at this time was extremely quiet. call for assistance was received at Regimental Headquarters from 314th Infantry which requested reinforcements for its front line. This historical account was put together very well, and it is well worth reading. Did you proudly serve in 315TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 79TH INFANTRY DIVISION? But finally the question was settled: on the 23rd, orders were received that the attack would be made on September 26th, and that the 79th Division would form part of the attacking line as a shock division. (p. 38-39), Six weeks were spent in the Tenth Training Area in final preparation. After training in England, it landed at Utah Beach on June 12 - 14, 1944, about a week after the initial D-Day landings. The 315th Infantry (79th Division, United States Army) was a combat unit of the American Expeditionary Forces in France. The official history of the 315th Infantry U. S. A.; being a true record of its organization and training, of its operations in the World War, and of its activities following the signing of the armistice. We wonder about the rest that served with us in the artillery unit we served in. How so ? 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 source for this page is a book which came to me briefly via Interlibrary Loan: The Official History of the 315th Infantry U.S.A., being a true record of its organization and training, and of its operations in the World War, and of its activities following the signing of the Armistice, 1917-1919, Compiled and published by Historical Board of the 315th Infantry: Philadelphia, 1920. "A" Company was the first to make contact with the Germans near Flottemanville (D-24 / D-71), "B" Company then reported to have spotted some enemies at Morville (D-287). Still later, batteries of French 75-millimeter [3-inch] guns arrived just behind the line of resistance, and then it was settled beyond all question of doubt that an attack on a large scale was impending. 79th Infantry Division History The division was activated at the Camp Pickett, Virginia on June 15, 1942. km SW of St-Joseph), Petite Motte (11 (p. 47), The Favry Sub-sector was what the French would term a "trs bon" sector. The trip by train was made in box cars said to be capable of holding forty men or eight horses ("Hommes 40 -- Chevaux 8") [however, Company "K" was transported in compartment coaches; a squad was forced into each compartment, and the squad's corporal was given charge of three days of "iron rations" for the men (p. 262-263)]. Some had been with the division since its activation at Camp Pickett, Virginia, on June 15th, 1942. During the afternoon of August 15th, 315th Infantry Regiment started its move toward Paris, motorized. Military Catalog, Sales, Discounts & more. The 79th Division consisted of the 313th, 314th, 315th, and 316th Infantry Regiments. 279 members Join group About this group To honor the Veterans of the 315th Infantry Regiment (79th Infantry Division) who served in World War II in the cause of everlasting Freedom. It's been nearly 40 years since we parted. This was the Esnes-Malancourt-Montfaucon Road. They had undergone the toughening of Tennessee maneuvers, a three-month hitch in the grueling California-Arizona Maneuver Area and a winter's training at wind-swept Camp Phillips, Kansas. The taking of Fortress Cherbourg allowed the Allied Forces to have its first deep water harbor. Not a single bullet was fired. Some had been with the division since its activation at, The first units of the regiment went to their assembly area near Sainte-Marie-du-Mont waiting there until, "A" Company was the first to make contact with the Germans near Flottemanville. (ibid. The ship was one of a convoy of five steamers which carried a total of nearly 22,000 troops, at that time one of the largest, if not the largest, single shipment of troops ever made. It participated in the area of Tennessee maneuveurs, after which it moved to Camp Laguna near Yuma, Arizona, where it trained in the desert. ), Division orders provided that as soon as the 314th Infantry had taken Nantillois, the 315th infantry would pass through and relieve it in the front line, the 314th falling hack in support. The 79th Infantry Division (formerly known as the 79th Division) was an infantry formation of the United States Army Reserve in World Wars I and II . Thanks for making it possible, Thanks so much VetFriends.com for your help and genuine concern for locating this long lost buddy of mine, Please Enter a Valid email address with no spaces, VetFriends Members: The days and nights were quiet and, except for the whistle of an occasional shell, there was little to indicate that here lay the forces of great nations engaged in war. History of the 79th Division AEF (550 pages) Brief Histories of Divisions, U.S. Army 1917-1918; History of the Supply Company 314th Infantry; James M. Cain - "79 Div HQ Troop" Battery D, 311th Field Artillery, 79th Division; Official History of the 313th Infantry (not 314th) Official History of the 315th Infantry (not 314th) The 315th and 316th Regiments together formed the 158th Infantry Brigade (p. 21). on the Internet. 312th Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm Howitzer) U.S. The 79th Infantry Division came ashore on June 14th,1944, at 0400pm and was the fourth American Infantry Division to land on Utah Beach. Early next morning the various units of the 315th Regiment left the train [The Third Battalion arrived in Hoboken at 5 A.M. on July 8th (p. 262)] and went by ferry to United States Embarkation Pier No. Several dozen of Germans surrendered but sometimes unusual events happened. Until just before sailing for France, the men assigned to the 315th Infantry had come from Philadelphia (p. 11), but on 14 June 1918 fifty-seven men from Camp Upton, New York, were assigned to the Third Battalion's Company "K" (p. 261). Army and Navy Publishing Co., 1946. August 18th, 1944: Le Tertre-Saint-Denis (source Lone Sentry). On its right was the 4th Division, on its left the 313th and 316th Infantries, the 313th Infantry on the front line. Owing to the strong resistance encountered by both the 313th and 314th Infantry, the front line of the Division at the end of the first day was considerably behind the line established by the 4th Division on the right and the 37th Division on the left. The Cross of Lorraine: A Combat History of the 79th Infantry Division, June 1942-December 1945. Do you have 315TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 79TH INFANTRY DIVISION Reunion information you'd like to share Relive & share the memories of your service time with your brothers & sisters in arms today. For the attack, the front of the Regimental sector was to be diminished to include only that held by the battalion on the right, at that time the Third Battalion. The 315th Infantry Regiment landed on June 14th, 1944, the first men's thought was the excellent work done by the Engineers, indeed the soldiers were surprised to be able to land out of a boat directly onto a deck without getting one's feet wet! Until then, fightings were exchanges of fire between the two camps, but soon hand to hand fighting became necessary to dislodge the German forces from their dug-in emplacements, more so, the 88mm German guns delivered hell on the Allied troops. Despite a good progress in Normandy, the landscape of the Cotentin Peninsula was a nightmare for the American troops, Germans were disappearing with a snap of a finger when they saw the enemy. Buried at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery (by Valerie J. itself at Montfaucon, in Lorraine, the division selected the Cross of Lorraine, [1] Organization [ edit] 1st Brigade 313th Infantry Regiment 314th Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade 315th Infantry Regiment 316th Infantry Regiment 79th Artillery Brigade References [ edit] Hedgerows were everywhere, worse Germans had dug-in well hidden emplacements invisible with a scope rifle or binoculars. km S of La-Haye-du-Puits), Chanteloup (vic; 1 km W of Sille-le-Philippe), 310th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 311th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 904th Field Artillery Battalion (105mm Howitzer), 312th Field Artillery Battalion (155mm Howitzer). The first of these was the prolongation of the famous Hindenburg Line, which at this point lay three kilometers south of Montfaucon. These soldiers had behind them a wealth of pre-combat experience, plus the last word in equipment. ), The positions of the various companies were changed on the night of September 18th, and it was also at this time that the Regiment first became aware of unusual activity in its sector. 30 June 1944: Third Army, but attached to First Army. Upon his arrival at the camp, his column had grown to around six hundred! Preparations were made for the artillery to reposition itself, but its movement was slowed by the conditions existing on the road over which it had to pass. These soldiers had behind them a wealth of pre-combat experience, plus the last word in equipment. In the evening Company "K" waded through the mud on its way to a camp in the Fort de Hesse [Hesse Forest], just north of Dombasle, where the soldiers were quartered in their first dug-outs. during this combat. hlj@Wb( It participated in the Tennessee Maneuver Area, after which it moved to Camp Laguna near Yuma, Arizona, where it trained in the desert. Reactivated: (Organized Reserve division 29 November 1946). He was in the 157th Infantry Brigade, He was also in the 79th Infantry Division. It began on 31 December 1944 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Alsace and Lorraine in southwestern Germany and northeastern France, and ended on 25 January 1945. Having distinguished jt8^o+=kz3Zv;v8ZoG~oe]=Z_7; [?FM~x1|l_hlYE:^j^M?_8Czv8A?nj{}ym9g_z~o\n[Y\Thk#R]?xB6WkFw/kF_>sSeXa,0+bYXT)+kOC&IBU_Mu77tz_G+}>~Oax{= ?~=HIW,:t{m|{q|{uZ%o;-ssmp.=MQ4.h[M1W8j+16UGd]ckQlJHMQQ)4I]JizxMS{mt=|;4-}MKSi{r>rgrzo endstream endobj 394 0 obj <>stream Thank you for signing up for the VetFriends Newsletter! (p. 46-47), Strong as the German position was by nature, it had been rendered still more formidable by artificial means. This article incorporates public domain material from .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}The Army Almanac: A Book of Facts Concerning the Army of the United States U.S. Government Printing Office, 1950. On Jan 8th, 1945 the 79th met a German counterattack as the Germans were attempting to establish a bridgehead west of the Rhine at Gambsheim. (p. 32). 79th Infantry Division - Cherbourg Campaign: A harbor in deep water, The beach was in such excellent secured organized state. The order creating the various units of the 79th Division was issued by the War Department on 3 August 1917, and the 315th Infantry Regiment was provisionally organized on 26 August 1917, and then permanently organized on 21 September 1917 (p. 19). 3 miles South before Cherbourg, the number of prisoners of war increased, while Captain Locks (AAR Spelling) was on his way to lead the prisoners at the Prisoner of War enclosure, his column counted one hundred prisoners. Most of this page is direct quote, but in many places I have edited and paraphrased the text to make it shorter (I have not indicated where). (p. 263) The Company was to be relieved the third night, September 20th, but the relief was not accomplished until early on the morning of the 22nd, when because dawn was close at hand the soldiers had to rush to reach their reserve positions unobserved. But how ? Private Henry Gunther, the last American soldier to be killed in action during World War I, served with the 313th Infantry Regiment of the 79th Division. 1/331 [The soldiers of Company "K" left at 8 P.M. hiking to Vaux in a heavy rain with slickers fastened to their packs. This resistance was finally overcome and the advance resumed. 310th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm Howitzer) Immediately following its declaration of war against the Imperial Government of Germany (on 6 April 1917), the U.S. Government rented some 15 square miles of land in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, which the War Department proposed making into a national army cantonment to receive recruits from eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland and the District of Columbia. . [Official Division history]. (ibid. June 18th, 1944: Orglandes (ibid. Major General William D. Frink, Jr. (1 December 2009 8 February 2013), Major General Megan P. Tatu (9 February 2013 4 December 2015), Major General Mark Palzer (5 December 2015 8 December 2018), Major General Eugene J. Leboeuf (8 December 2018 Present), 363d Support Battalion (PETRL PL & TML OP), in, 319th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 373d Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 372d Quartermaster Battalion (Petroleum Support) in, 383d Support Battalion (PETRL PL & TML), in, 155th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 371st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 420th Support Battalion (MVT CTL) (EAC), in, 314th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 469th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 336th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 418th Quartermaster Battalion (Petroleum Support) in, 419th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 329th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 620th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in, 394th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, in. The 79th Division saw extensive combat in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive area where it earned the name of "Cross of Lorraine" for their defense of France. Lives were the main concern of Headquarters, despite the american advance toward Cherbourg, the 315th Infantry Regiment and the other two (313th and 314ths) were withdrawn in preparation for a coordinated attack scheduled on the 23rd of June. But the next morning the soldiers marched to Haironville, 27 kilometers [17 miles], where they arrived at 5:30 on 10 September 1918. 79th Infantry Division - Operation Northwind: Hold Hatten. By six o'clock on the evening of 26 September the first wave of the 315th Infantry had crawled up the hill slopes and into the Hindenburg trench. After informing the enemy personnel of the situation, 1700 Germans were taken as prisoners. 9 The 79th Division first saw action in June 1944 when it participated in the liberation of France. 79th Infantry Division. Operation Nordwind was the last major German offensive of World War II on the Western Front. United States Army Center of Military History. Regt., 79th Div.) As of 2020 the following units are subordinated to the 79th Theater Sustainment Command:[5]. This division, also known as the "Cross of the Lorraine" division, was responsible for Cherbourg's capture. June 12th, 1944: Audouville-la-Hubert (p. 63), By eleven o'clock that morning, the Division front had been pushed well forward: The leading elements of the 313th Infantry were filtering through the battered ruins of Montfaucon, and the 314th Infantry had gained the southern edge of the Bois de Tuilerie. Despite a good progress in Normandy, the landscape of the Cotentin Peninsula was a nightmare for the American troops, Germans were disappearing with a snap of a finger when they saw the enemy. 2023 Copyright VetFriends.com. (ASN): #33847376 Entered the Service From: Pennsylvania 315th Infantry Regiment, 79th Infantry Division Awards: Purple Heart ***I would like to thank Andy Find A Grave ID 48021049 for adding his gravesite photos to this memorial*** ***I would like to thank ernie Find A Grave ID 48454782 for. (p. 62-63), Under these circumstances, the morning of the 27th found the Esnes-Malancourt-Montfaucon Road buried under a hopeless jam of ambulances, artillery, supply trucks, and vehicles of all descriptions. Since 2009, it has been active as the 79th Theater Sustainment Command. 2/314 As the First and Third Battalions of the 315th Infantry closed up on the line of the regiment ahead, they were ordered to hold their positions and await further orders. ), At 5:30 A.M. on the morning of September 26th, the first waves of infantry swept forward, and the American Army, with nine divisions on a 25-mile front, began an offensive that ended only with the Armistice. Infantry. 813th Tank Destroyer Battalion (SP), from July 1st to September 9, 1944, April 18th, 1944: Pettypool Hall, England After passing Malancourt, very stiff resistance was met in the form of machine gun nests and minenwerfer cannons. They arrived at 12:30 A.M. and their captain found some barns for them to rest in. The first groups left at 2 P.M. [The Third Battalion left at 4 P.M. and there were thousands of cheering or tearful people at the station to see the soldiers off (p. 262)], and by 5 o'clock that afternoon the entire Regiment was on its way to Hoboken, New Jersey. 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 harbor installations were destroyed by the Germans when the Americans arrived in the suburbs of the city. (p. 45), [On 12 September 12 at 6 P.M. Company "K" had marched the short distance from Haironville to the Bar-le-Duc road where a large fleet of motor trucks was waiting. The ship assigned to the 315th Infantry was the former Hamburg-American liner "Amerika", renamed "America", and at that time the third largest U.S. transport ship. The scrapbook is titled 314th Infantry Regiment and 79th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized), The Cross of Lorraine Division, 79th Infantry Division. ), Although the firing ahead had been in progress for quite a time, the advance went on rapidly. (p. 264)], "No Man's Land" in Sector 304, with Montfaucon in the distance (p.44), Opposite the 315th Infantry lay one of the most formidable positions on the entire Western front: five hundred meters beyond the Regiment's most advanced posts of the outpost line, across the waste of rusted wire and shell-torn ground that marked No Man's Land, lay the German front line. The 314th Regiment had advanced across the front of the entire German 16th Infantry Division (deployed from Neufchateau to the Moselle) and was unaware they did so. One after another of the companies marched from their barracks in "R" block at Camp Meade to the station at Disney [unidentified], where trains of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad were waiting for them. Giovanni emigrated to Bristol Borough, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 1905, and he was living there when he was, apparently, drafted into the U.S. Army. Towns of Hardinvast and Tollevast were taken by the 2, The regiments final drive was to take place at Le Bosquet. He got into a sound truck, approached it near the German Hospital. Beyond all, far back on the northern horizon, rose the dominating heights of Montfaucon [altitude: 280 meters = 900 feet], which the German High Command had said would never be taken by the Allies. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 /^6 ;ei;Tf>b:eXgl1lC?.J@t U&2Z[L}d55SBlD+?#jS P~PNq&U7gHwT66.&)oh _^ O Soldiers of the regiment reported that many civilians came to discuss, even if there were troubles of communications, the troops knew civilians were filled with happiness. Back to all Infantry Divisions. motor trucks (p. 263)]. He was the first men of the 79th Infantry Division to receive the Purple Heart. While the 315th Infantry Regiment was getting ready for action, an order came from the Division telling them to be on a 3 hours alert. 3/331, 79th Artillery Division I really hope some other people can find this service and get in touch with people like I did. (p. 51), After the necessary changes of position had been accomplished, the Regiment was disposed in support of the 314th Infantry as follows: The First Battalion occupied the front line on the left half of the Regimental sector; Company "C" in trench Delacroix, Companies "D", "A" and "B" along the Boyau Tournefiere. ZMZK.l=mf=Ue;Rh5:JjmIjjNziM. For the second time the Cross of Lorraine Division was on French soilbut there the comparison stopped. (p. 264), [High-Explosive (H.E.) Shell: a steel artillery shell designed to do harm by busting in the air or in the ground. on August 12, 2009. The division was first activated at Camp Meade, Maryland in August 1917, composed primarily of draftees from Maryland and Pennsylvania.
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