THE 893 D TANK D E STROYER BATTALION
Lt, CoL HENRY C. KERLIN COMMANDING Officers and Men of the 893 d Tank Destroyer Battalion III July 1941, you, were, as the 93i-d Infautry Antitank Battalion, assigned the mission under Brig. Gen. R, G, Tindall (then Lt. Col.) of experiment• ing with and evolving a tabic of organization, weapons, tactics and tech- niquf for a new type of unit to be used specifically for meeting and destroying enemy armor. Yon met this challange with enthusiasm and aggressive action. You demonstrated the worth of your efforts so con• clusively in the 19-H North Carolina maneuvers that on December 15, 1041, the first Tank Destroyer Battalions were designated as a permanent part of the U. S. Army. You had de\'eloped the most versatile striking force ever to enter combat. You were assigned the mission of imparting your knowledge to newly activated Tank Destroyer units at Camp Hood, Texas. This you did by contributing many officers and hundreds of experienced enlisted men to these new units, and by your brilliant performance as the first Tank [destroyer School and Demonstration Troops. In L)eceinber 1942, you started training with combat as your mission. The story of your magnificent performance against the enemy is told in the pages of this book. Your accomplishments stand out in the annals of the U.S. War Depart• ment as a bright and shining contribution to our Victory; a tribute to each of you and a goal for the future members of the 893d T. D. Bn. and for all future members of armored units to strive for.
HENRY C. KERLIN Lt. Col. 893d T. D. Bn. Commanding EXPLANATION OF THE CREST On June 5, 1Q40, the 34th Infantry Regiment of the 8th Division was inactivated. From the 2nd Battalion of the 34th Infantry Regiment, the 93rd Infantry Antitank Battalion was formed. In '1941, the 93rd Infantry Antitank Battalion was assigned the duty of experimenting and developing tactics of Tank Destroyers and so became the War Department Experimental Tank Destroyer Bat• talion, as such, but without changes in official designation. It participated in North Carolina maneuvers In 1941. On December 15, 1941, the 93rd Infantry Antitank Battalion became the 893d Tank Destroyer Battalion at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. The blue background in the crest stands for the infantry unit which formed the new Battalion. The Wyvern is a legendary French animal. It's light armor, tough claws, fiery tongue and spiked tail represent the idea of aggressive power — power delivered from the front and rear. The wings symboliize speed. These characteristics typify the 893d Tank Destroyer Battalion.
5 KILLED IN ACTION
RANK NAME DATE PLACE Pvt. Alineda, Edward R, 27 Jul 44 France Pfc. Blatnick, Anthony 9 Apr 45 Germany Cpl. Bauer, Raymond J. 6 Nov 44 Germany Tec 4 Bell, Jay 10 Mar 45 Germany Pfc. Bogan, John E. 31 Jan 45 Germany Cpl. Brown, Robert R. 1 Sep 44 France Pfc. Bunga, John 15 Jul 44 France Tec 5 Byers, Lewis D. 16 Sep 44 Germany Cpl. Cable, Elmer H. 1 Sep 44 France Sgt, Campbell, Paul A. 19 Sep 44 Germany Pfc. Cannizzo, Charles 9 Apr 45 Germany Tec 5 Canon, Herbert T. 5 Nov 44 Germany Pvt. Carduff, Joseph J. 2 Sep 44 Germany r^fc. Clark, Alonzo L. 9 Apr 45 Germany Tec 5 Cody, William J. 7 Nov 44 Germany Sgt. Daniels, John J. 10 Sep 44 Belgium Pvt. Dibert, William F. 8 Apr 45 Germany P\'t. Dinkins, Sherman T. 7 Nov 44 Germany 1st Lt. Ellis, William J. 6 Apr 45 Germany Sgt. Grahem, Cecil H. 24 Sep 44 Germany I^fc. Greenwood, Edward H. 5 Feb 45 Germany Pfc. Gustafson, Elmer W. 3 Feb 45 Germany S/Sgt, Harden, Ira I. 5 Nov 44 Germany Sgt. Hardin, Morris D. 30 Jan 45 Germany r^vt. Henard, Joe F. 7 Nov 44 Germany Sgt. Hughes, Clarence P. 29 Aug 44 France Cpl. Jennings, Archie L. 30 Jan 45 Germany Cpl. Kietzman, Frederick W. 12 Dec 44 Germany Sgt. Kudlock, Joseph jr. 25 Aug 44 France Tec 5 Lee, Arnold G, 7 Nov 44 Germany 1st Lt. AlcElory, Goodwin W. 5 Nov 44 Germany P\t. Morris, Charles L. 14 Aug 44 France Pvt. Milcarek, Joseph 28 Jul 44 France Tec 5 Romeo, Joseph T. 28 Jul 44 France O
The following is a list of Honors won and damage inflicted on the enemy by six4iiiiidred-forty of the world's finest soldiers, the S93d Tank Destroyer Battalion, during nine and one half months of continuous con• PLACE tact with the enemy. RANK NAME DATE Congressional Medal of Honor 1 13 Aug 44 France Riigcr, Jack Croix De Guerre (French) 2 17 Sep 44 Germany Ruiz, Ttieotiorc K. Silver Stars 29 27 Jul 44 France Scroggins, Jolin P. Bronze Stars 1S6 15 Dee 44 German) Siccnavagc, Edward (Oak Leaf Cluster to Bronze Star) 16 2S Aug 44 France Strohl, Raymond E, Air Medal 2 10 Aug 44 France Thomas, Charles W. (Oak Leaf Cluster to Air Medal) 2 17 Aug 44 France Tougas, Joseph E. Purple Heart 260 13 Aug 44 France Walker, Clyde M. (Oak Leaf Cluster to Purple Heart) , 36 10 Mar 45 Germany Wallrauch, Edward O. Medical Badges 31 Williams, Raymond 7 Nov 44 Germany Certificate of Merit 39 Damage inflicted on the enemy: ACCIDENTAL DEATH 3 Mark HI Tanks Destroyed 12 Half-Track, personnel car- Germany Pfc. Combs, Willie 11 May 45 22 Mark IV Tanks Destroyed riers destroyed Germany S/Sgt. Stakes, Lloyd 31) May 45 15 Mark V Tanks Destroyed 53 General purpose vehicles 12 Mark VI Tanks Destroyed ilestroyed 32 Towed AT gLins Destroyed 76 Machine Guns nests dest- MISSING IN ACTION 59 Pillboxes neutralized royed Kratt. Richard I. 7 Nov 4-1 Germany 10 Mortar positions wiped out 53 • Fortified houses destroyed leonard, Turnev W. 7 Nov 41 Germany () Observation posts destroyed 214 Strongpoints neutralized Paulson, Paul S. . 7 Nov 11 Germany 21 AA guns Destroyed 1 ME 109 Airplane shot down 4 AinmunitiDii trucks dest- 42 Roadblocks knocked out. royed 5 Supply dumps captured 16 Artillerv pieces knocked out 3 Fuel dumps burned 10 Bunkers destroyed 1 Locomotive destroyed 2 380 MAA Rocket guns dest- 4 - Motorcycles destroyed 28 SP (inns Destroyed ' 3 Infantry howitzers captured royetl and destroyed 55 Officers ea|iiured 2S72 Enlisted men captured 9 Officers known killed 2202 Enlisted men known killed
9 STAR Commendations: Order of Day 4th Inf Div 17 Sep 19J4 Sgt. Steve Sytar (Cluster) S/Sgt. Garland B. Cook Commendation 22d Inf Regt 7 Oct \ Tec 4 John F. Kcrstan Sgt. Delbert A. Amig Commendation 12th Inf Regt 19 Oct 1944 1st Sgt. Guy T. Hodge Pvt.-Wilburn Martin Commendation 2Sth Inf Div 19 Nov 1944 Tec 4 Max Wertheimer Pfc. Edward G. Power Commendation Sth Inf Div 11 Dec 1944 Sgt. Tony Tassone 1st Lt. William J. Ellis (Chister) Commendation 78th Inf Div 19 Mar 1945 Pvt. Frank Zlmecki Sgt, Imrich M. Sarabok (Cluster) Commendation XVIII Airborne Corps 17 Apr 1945 Pvt. John Shaute Sgt. Sylvester Szymkowiak Commendation 78th Inf Div 20 Apr 1945 Pvt. Robert-A. Burgess (Cluster) Tec 5 James A. Miller Commendation III Corps 26 May 1945 r*fc. Steve Bea S/Sgt. Raymond E. Strohl S/Sgt. Franklin G. Reiiulollar, Jr. Capt. Samuel W. Shibler Distinguished Unit Citations: 1st Lt. August D. Corsalini 2nd Lt. Benjamin H. Lassiter 3d Platoon, 1st Section 1st Platoon, Co. "A", and 1st Section 1st 2nd Lt. Lawrence C. Cross l*fe. Edward H. Greenwood IMatoon, Reconnaissance Company. 2nd Lt. Louis J. Izzo Cpl. Raymond J. Bauer Company "C", 3d Platoon, RecQnnaissan.ce Co., and attached Med• Sgt. Charles Protenic Sgt. Patrick R. McMahon ical Personnel. Sgt. Mike Blazevich 1st Lt. Donald E. Ellison Sgt. Nicholas Petock (Cluster) Sgt. Wade H. Pugh CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OE HONOR 1st Lt. Jack W. Fuller (Cluster) Cpl. Donald McGill 1st Lt. Turney W. Leonard Pfc. Jesse D. Silcott Tec 5 Torrence L. Freeman Tec 4 Edward F. Oleyn Capt. John B. Cook CROIX DE GUERRE Pfc. Charles P. Miller (Cluster) Tec 4 Donald H. Davies (Cluster) S/Sgf. Danforth H. Webster Pfc. Jack Bassin Cpl. Charles O. Foote Tec 5 Paul J. Jancovic Sgt. Alton J. Harrell (Cluster) AIR MEDAL Pfc. Earl A. Brisley 1st Lt. Goodwin W. McElroy 1st Lt. liryant E. Campbell (2 Clusters) Sgt, Melvin K. Austin (Cluster) Tec 3 John Hornyak, Jr. 1st Lt. William j. Ellis Cpl. Ralph D. Dell Erba Cpl. Harry W. Graham Tec 5 Herman B. Nail Pvt. Stanley E. Sawyer SILVER STAR P\'f. Loyd T. Derrick 1st Lt. Thomas A. Cookingham 2hd Lt. Patrick R. McMahon Cpl. Chester Winchowski P\'f. Thomas W. McLemore S/Sgt. Herbert C. Donavant 1st Lt Clyde M. Walker Capt. Sidney C. Cole Pvt. Otto T. Alhrecht Tec 4 V. J. Lybrand Sgt. Charles W. Thomas Cpl. Leo H. Grill P\t. John L. Marcus Tec 4 Dcwev Scott Pfc. William G. King Tec 4 Robert E. Stone Sgt. Richard H. Chirdon S/Sgt. Marshall F. Pritts Tec 4 John A. Timko (Clusler) Tec 5 Max W. Crawley Tec 5 Donald L. Harris 1st Lt. Donald F. Cameron Cpl. Ben E. Whalen Tec 5 Wavne C. Sheldon Corp Edward J. Ponganis . Tec 4 Joseph Homza Cpl. Pete Maneno Tec 4 Thomas W. Griffith Pfc. Anthony C. Picarello 2nd Lt. Christopher P. Caputo Pfc. Harry W. Ekstrom Pvt. William M. Blazier Cpl. Bruno H. Aglietti 1st Lt. Jack W.. Fuller Pvt. Rupert W. Dawson Pfc. Burton W. Merklinger, Jr. Tec 5 William L. Brennan 1st Lt. Paul A. Broome Pfc. Frank R. Comfort Pvt. John Bandol Sgt. Harry M. BIy Pfc. Dave A. J. Maybcrry 2nd Lt. William E. Copley Pfc. Harry J. S/opiela Sgt. John J. Daniels Tec 5 Stanley E. Pawlak Sgt. Ray C. Faulx Sgt. Clarence P. Hughes 2nd Lt. Arlic W. Wilson (Cluster) 1st Lt. Robert H. Wolken Sgt. Edward Sicenavage 1st Lt. Curtis M. Edmund Sgt. Sledon W. Harris Pfc. James W. Rinehart Pvt. James S, Hadnagy Cpl. Rex E. Corsbie Sgt. Antone Rose 1st Lt. Curtis M. Edmund S/Sgt. George M. Shaffer I'vt. John Joyce Tee 5 Joseph E, Butler
10 11 Tec 4 John H. Waiter S/Sgt. William Cunningham Pfc. Arthur S. Malcne Sgt, Sidney Smith M/Sgt. Frank O. Waugh Sgt. Joseph F. Burns Pvt. Carl E. Sackett 1st Sgt. Steve Pyrch Sgt. Herbert D. Ingram Cpl. Audray A. Deetz Pvt. William E. Stockton Pfc. Ambrose Racaniello S/Sgt. Lloyd .Stakes Cpl. Frederick E. Swalby Pvt. Kenneth L. Tawyea Sgt. Joseph Yencha Capt. F.mil j. Bernard Pfc. Kenneth Qillis Pvt. Clark L. West S/Sgt. Raymond L. Sherwood S/Sgt. James W. Rinehart 1st Lt. Daniel Cohen Pvt. Chester Winchowski Tec 5 Raymond C. Sehcppman Tec 4 Bernard L. Ditchey 1st Lt. Edward A. Rupple • Tec 5 Robert T. Osborne Sgt. Walter Clifford, Jr. Capt. Eug-ene H. Perry (Cluster) Sgt. Bernard Zukowski - PURPLE HEART S/Sgt. Leo V. Amilkavich Sgt, Andrew T. Ridgely T/Sgt. Wasyl C. Homa S/Sgt. Cecil H. Grahem T/Sgt Wasyl C. Homa Sgt. Charles J. Metsopulos 1st Lt. Howard C. Davis CWO Harry Sinclair 2nd Lt. Leonard J. Allen Tec 4 Herman B. Nail Tec 5 Francis Sutton 1st Sgt. Charles W. Dean Capt Marion C. Pugh (Cluster) Pfc. Clarence Peck Lt. Col. Samuel E. Mays M/Sgt Clayton C. Brown 2nd Lt. Louis J. Izzo Cpl. Edward J. Ponganis Pfc. Vernon L. Heiter (Cluster) Sgt. John F. Snow Sgt. Richard H. Chirdon Pvt Charles F. Schmitz Sgt. Morris D. Hardin S/Sgt. Albert Hal! Pfc. Vernon L. Heiter (2 Clusters) P\'t. Edward Spaleny fee 4 John F. Mueller Tec 5 Paul R. Bethe Sgt. Charles A. Pranitis (2 Clusters) Pfc. Linvil R. Ware Capt. Marion C. Pugh (Cluster) Sgt. Lloyd P. Garner Pfc. Woodrow Fugate P\t. Thomas E. Bandelin Major Henry C. Kerlin Sgt. Robert M. Bowen Sgt. Stephen M. Comarnitsky Cpl. Charles R. Carlson Sgt. Jess W. Ullery S/Sgt. William B. Gardner S/Sgt. John A. Bednarczyk (1 Cluster) 2nd Lt. William E.Copley (1 Cluster) Sgt. Henry J. Jagoda Sgt. Alex Vargo, Jr. Pvt Daniel Hoell Tec 4 William J. Ewing S/Sgt. Velmar R. Alexander Tec 4 John L. Cornell, Jr. Tec 4 John A, Timko Tec 4 Joseph Homza (1 Cluster) T/Sgt. Alfred R. McCue Sgt. George T. Sassc 2nd Lt. Paul A. Broome (1 Cluster) C|:i!. George E. Kenney (1 Cluster) 1st Lt. Paul A. Broome Cpl. William P. Kannei Tec 5 Morris D. Hardin (1 Cluster) Cpl. Marion Kuehna Sgt. Edward G. Masi S/Sgt. Albert Markunas Cpl. Derald Zipf (1 Cluster) Tec 5 Albert Miller Pvt. Sam E. Gilbert Tec 4 Robert E. Palmer Sgt. Charles H. Cooper Pfc, Chow W. Quong Sgt. Joseph S. Bubel Sgt. William Brewster Tec 5 John L. Cornell Pfe. Thomas J. Stelma Major John j. Lavin Pfc. Charles E. Ritenour 1st Lt Robert H. Wolken Sgt. Jess W. Ullery Capt. William P. Hunter Sgt, Robert B. Florer Tec 4 Clarence j. Beck S/Sgt. Joe Dasovich 2nd Lt. William E. Copley Tec 5 Lanta H. Boylcs Pfc. Robert O. Adams Tec 5 Paul S. Paulson Capt. Sidney C. Cole Sgt. Levin Adkins Pfc. William (I Cottingham Sgt. Nicholas J, Dinninni Tec 4 Clarence J. Beck Cpl. Neil J. Hallinan Tec 4 Frank E. Bnrock Pfc. Eron F. Steward Cpl. WiUiam G. Cottingham . Sgt. Floyd E. Phelps Sgt William D. Roberts Pfc. Wilson O. Hamilton Pfc. Phillip H. Margules 2nd Lt. George G. Griffith Pfe. Thaddeus A. Aleshire Tec 4 Arthur P. Radwanski •S/Sgt. Elwood M. Kristianson Sgt. James C. Smith I^t. Ziggie Barczak Pvt. Albert C. Burns Sgt. William F. Shaffer Sgt, William D. Roberts S/Sgt Mike Bla/evieh Sgt. Joseph G. Dragan Tec 4 Dominick D. Gregory Cpl. Rufus Hudson Sgt William E. Bristow Sgt Ray C. Faulx T/Sgt. Albert E. Joern Cpl. Gerald G. Johnson Sgt Junior R, Christie (1 Cluster) Pfe. Richard C. Kesner Sgt. John D. Haas Sgt Jacob C. Huffman Pfc. John I), (iaines (1 Cluster) Tec 5 George Barker Pfc. James N, Collins, Jr. T/Sgt. August W. Zudar Pvt. Everett N,. Jones Sgt. John F. Snow (Cluster) Cpl, George E. Sylvester Cpl. William H. Davis Tec 4 Arthur L. Klein Pvt William D. O'Neill Tec 4 George H. Warfel Sgt. Homer E. Kelley Pvt. Delbert E. Medford (1 Cluster) S/Sgt. Meh'in R. Austin S/Sgt. Hammet E. Murphy Tec 5 Joseph W. Wodzak Tec 5 George Merichko Tec 5 Claude W. Pinckney (1 Cluster) Cpl. Nicholas Lemnic T/Sgt Sanuiel Nathenson
13 12 Pvt. Luther F. Kramer Tec 4 Stewart Jacobs Major John J. La\'in Pfc. Charles W. Burgess Tec 5 Porter M. Rodgers, Jr. Pfc. Bruno H. Aglietti 2nd Lt. Leonard R. Burgess Sgt. John H. Cooper (1 Cluster) Pfc. Joseph R. Rappoccio (1 Chister) 1st Lt. Curtis M. Edmund Cpl. William F. Shaffer S/Sgt Omer FI. Dinsmore Pfc. Kenneth Gillis Pfc' Arnold Strelitz Tec 5 Herman C. Rogers T/Sgt. Meh'in E, Storm Tec 5 Gene E. Copeland Lst Lt. Donald E. Ellison Tec 5 Joseph Rcilly rVt Alfred L. Willis Sgt. Fred J. Schiffbaiier Pfc. Otto T. Albrecht Cpl. David R. Bow-ser Pvt Aubrey J. Blackwell Tec 5 Paul A. Hatcher Pfc. Peter Rusnok Pfc. James A. Blackburn (2 Cluster) Pvt John E. Bogan (I Cluster) Sgt. Ralph D. Deli'Erba (1 Cluster) Cpl. Ben E. Whalen Pvt. James C. Stevenson Sgt. William L. Brown Cpl. James C. Stewart Pfe. Elba E. Savage 1st Lt. Edward A. Rupple Pvt. William W. Carter Pfc. William O. Pierce 2nd Lt. Horace L. Smith Pvt. Bob Askins Pfc. Jesus E. Contreras 1st Lt. Donald F. Cameron Pfc. Francis Sutton Cpl. John A. Suchanek Cpl. Wendelin Dreher Pfc. James R. Lee Cpl. Homer F. Kelley Pfc. Delmar Hall Sgt John L. Filko Sgt. Levin E. Adkins P\'t. Adam E. (iregory Sgt John O. Haas Pvt. Lloyd F. Hancock Pvt. iV^ichael Oliveri S/Sgf. Louie M. Adams Pvt John Sable Cpl. Mike Hasehak (1 Cluster) . Pfc, Ernest Riker 2nd Lt. Alex C. Ka/mierski Cpl. Alike Hasehak P\t. Raymond L. Inman Capt, Eugene Perry S/Sgt. Garland B. Cook (2 Cluster) Tec 5 Walt/.ia A. (ireen P\t. Lewis J. Krebs Pfc. Richartl J. Bvu-eh Pvt. joe F. Henard (1 Cluster) Pvt Roy A. Gnthrie Tec 5 Andrew C. Loffelholz Pvt. Salomon Cohn Pfc. Arvel Goclby Tec 4 Robert J. Batts Pvt. Phillip H. Margules Pvt. Denvil B. Johnson Sgt. Jacob Huffman Sgt. Joscjih Snhy Pfc. Vernon B. Meyers 2nd Lt. Lawrence H. Kalin Cpl. William I). O'Conner Pvt Harold M. 'itnyre Tec 5 Stanley E. Pav\lak Tec -I V. J. Lybrand Tec 5 Raymoiul H. Worts Sgt. Joseph S. Bubel Pvt Stanley E. Sawyer (1 Cluster) Cpl. Michael Melnick Pvt. Otha L. Messer, Jr. Tec 5 Cieorge R. Metzger Tec 5 Richard Steinmetz Cpl. Julius Merker (I Cluster) Sgt. Edward G. Masi (1 Cluster) Tec 5 Joseph M. Bando Sgt. Alex Vargo Pvt. Julius F. Mione Pfc. Jesse D. Silcott (I Cluster) Sgt. John R. Vitchock Pvt. Bruce E. Wright Pfc. Cermello Orrichio Pvt John H. Remick P\t. Maurice W. Ciuinn Cpl. Rex E. Corsbie Cpl. Morris Redler Sgt Charles Protenic (1 Cluster) Cpl. Mort M. Estep Tec 4 Laurence Hector Tec I James R. Sellers (Cluster) Pfc. Earl F. Kessler Sgt James C. Smith Tec 4 Charles W, Hirst Pvt. William E. Stockton Pfc. Willard F. Kohler (I Cluster) Pfc. Alvin E. Kincaid Pvt. Vincent J. Kratovich Pvt. Lawrence J. Yalta 1st Lt. Turney W. Leonard 1st Lt. John S. Jarvis I*fc. Arthur S. Malone 2nd Lt. Warren E. Clark Cpl. Henry J. Jagoda S/Sgt. Roy FI. (junter Sgt. Antone Rose Pfc. George E. Davis Sgt Leo H. Grill Tec I Cieorge E, Miller Pvt. Derald Whitlenberger Pfc. Delmar Hall (1 Chister) Pvt Joseph M. Bellini P\t. Nicholas Lemme Pvt. Harold Bariinger Cpl. Donald L. Keehn 1st Lt. Jack W. Fuller (I Cluster) Tec 4 Donald H, Davies Pfc. Bernard G. Burris Pvt. Stanley C. Konopka Tec 5 Robert I )awson Pfe. Cecil C, Wagner Pvt. Homer C. Dillon Pfc. Trask R. Lyons Sgt Carl J. Smith (I Cluster) Sgt, Carl J. Smith •pfc. James N. Honeycutt Cpl. Milliard A. Paulison Pvt. Woodrow A. Biddinger 2nd Lt. Inu-ich M. Sarabok r^fc. Edward 0. Power •Sgt. Flarry M, Sibrel Cpl. George C. Cummins Pfc. Harvey A, Mills Sgt. Tony Tassone Sgt, SylvesterSy/,nikowiak(l Cluster) Pvt. Pietro P. Favato Sgt. Melvin S. Atinter Pvt. Arthur C. Bell' 2nd Lt. Arlie W. Wilson Sgt. James W. Rinehart Pvt, Raiford L. Langford Sgt. Harry M. BIy Pvt, Sam E. Gilbert Cpl. Gerald J. Miller S/Sgt. Danforth H. Webster Pfc. Robert J. Brichacek Pfc. Herman Scull Pvt. Robert G. Brown Tee 4 Robert F. Palmer 1st Lt. Christopher P. Caputo Pvt. James W. Stewart S/Sgt Lloyd Stakes Pfc. Henry C. Amend Pvt. Elzie Centers Tec 5 Robert T.Osborne (1 Cluster) Lt. Col. Samuel E, Mays Pvt. Bryon E. Blakely Pvt. Curtis Coyle
14 15 l\ Harry R. Dowddl P\'t. Vincent J. Loscoe BATTALION STAFF Pfc. Paul E. Ciard Pfc, Burton N. Merklinger, Pfc. Edward H.Qreeinvood (1 Cluster) Tec 5 MeKinley R, Moore Sgt. Alton J. Harrell Pvt. Harold d' Prescott Commanding Officer Pvt. Guy T. Hodge Tec 5 Charles H. Reitz Lt. Col. Henry C. Kerlin Cpl. Alfred C. Ingagliato Pvt. James H. Williams Sgt. Michael Kekalos Pvt. Avalo R, Grimm I>te. Bernard I. Kcyscr Pvt. John Joyce Cpl. Nicholas Lemnie (2 Clusters) Tec 5 Robert C. Lunn Executive Officer Major John J. Lavin
(J|ierations Officer Major William E. Nash
Adjutant
Capt. Eniil J. Bernard
*
Intelligence Officer Capt. Sidney C. Cole
»
Snjijily Officer Capt. William P. Hunter
Medical Officer Capt Samuel W. Shibler
16 17 HISTORY OF THE 893 d TANK DESTROYER BATTALION
I. EARLY HISTORY
The history of the 8Q3d T. 1). Bn. actually began in IQlf), with the activation of the 34th Inf. Regt. on the Mexican border. From there it went to France and participated actively in World War 1. Upon return to the States it was stationed at Ft. Eustis, Virginia. After a short stay at this post it was transferred to Ft. George G. Meade, Maryland, where it remained for seventeen years. On June 5, 1940, the 34th Inf. Regt. of the Sth Division was inactivated at EL Benuing, Georgia. From the 2nd Battalion of the 34th Inf. Regt. the Q3rd Inf. Antitank Battalion was formed. In July 1941, under the command of Lt. Col. Richard (i. Tindall (now Brigadier-General), the 93rd Inf. Antitank Battalion was assigned the duty of devek)ping Tank Destroyer doctrine, tactics, techniques and weapons, becoming, in effect, the first Tank Destroyer Battalion. It was a provisional T. D. Bn. and for this purpose, used "C" (^o. of the 70th Tank Battalion for the Recon• naissance Company. In this form it participated in the 1941 (Car• olina Maneuvers as a means of proving the doctrine, tactics and technique developed up to this time. The maneuver was a suc• cess and on December 15, 1941, at Ft. George G. Meade, Mary• land, the 93rd Inf. Antitank Battalion was redesignated the 893d Tank Destroyer Battalion. Due to diligent and brilliant thinking and performance of officers and enlisted persoiuiel of this bat• talion, Tank Destri)yers had now become a recognized part of the Army. This new type of unit was later to prove itself the most versatile and aggressive striking force on the battle fields of the world. The 893d T. 1). Bn. was the first unit to arrive at (Camp Hood, Texas, the new Tank Destroyer Outer. There it became the
19 first Tank Destroyer Sch(M»l Troops and contributed se\cral detonations in the fields next to us. Almost everyone ran for hundreds of experienced officers and enhsted men to the newly his hole until someone called attention to what it really was — organized T. D. training organizati()ns. Three of these officers outgoing shells. The 893 T. D. Bn., commanded by Lt. Col. became generals. Samuel E. Mays, had embarked on its supreme lest — actual Early in 1943 the Battalion moved to (Camp Shelby, Mississippi. combat It participated brilliantly in the 1943 Louisiana Maneuvers anti The 893d was assigned to 1st U.S. Army, attached to V Corps departed in December 1943 for England. and attached to the 2nd Infantry Division for operations. II. ENGLAND Company "B" was in reserve near the huge Foret de Orisy, while (CCompany "C" was in direct fire positions near the Bat• On January 18, 1944, the 893d T. D. Bn. arrived at Liverpool, talion C. P. at Cerisy la Foret. Meanwhile, (Company "A"' be• in a drizzling rant. The men, for the first time, saw bomb d.unagc. came busy on an indirect fire mission in positions near Littcau. The unit moved, on peculiar little English trains, to the village On July 11 at ()54(» in the morning, the attack of the 2nd of (Chudleigh in Devon. There the men were intn)duced to Infantry Division against the German 3rd Paratn)op Division livmg in billets, mild and bitter beer, a miserable cold climate which was dug in on Hill 192, began. This hill dominated the and many other innovations. In late March the Battalion moved entire battle area in the Division sector and was the *'kcy" to to Bridport in Dorset, a south coast town. Here it went into St. Lo. For three hours steadily the ground shook as American hard training for the final test; entry into combat with the 2nd artillery laid down their terrific barrage. The barrels of C(HH- Infantry Division on July 3, 1944. pany *'A" guns became discolored with the heat of continuous firing. Company "C" displaced forward to take positions in III. NORMANDY direct fire near Clovillc, in support of the 38th InL Before night. It was the night of July 1, 1944 - I) plus 25. Troopships Hill 192 was ours. heavily laden with vehicles and men wallowed at anchor off During this time the High (Command was developing plans for Omaha Beach. Many other ships were moored to the long jet• Operation (Cobra which resulted in the great Break-thnnigh. ties which broke the surf • tugs, freighters and specialized In accordance with the big plan, the 2nd Division planned a landing craft. Still other ships, like the sunken LST with its double envelopement. The 9th Regiment and the 38th were to bow still abo\ the water, old worthless hulks that had been drive to objectives about 2500 yards to the south and join there. mighty \essels, then lay aground, shattered by shells and stoini. The 23rd was to clean out the resulting pocket (Company "A" Some of the smaller ones lay high and dry amidst the mass of remained with the 9th Regiment, C 20 21 Exact routes through the hedges to be followed by the armor up to the side of the road to knock out the lead tank, when they were worked out on 1:10,000 scale Assault Maps. suddenly heard a British voice say, "They should be at Vire!" Finnaly, on July 25th, everything was ready. A vast armada That was the first contact with the British. The tanks were three of 3000 planes roared over all morning. One could feel the earth Cromwells of the British 11th Armored Division. tremble with the bomb-blasts. Dive, medium and heavy bombard• The British were reported to have cleared Vire. Lt. Corsalini, ment aviation all played a part. of the 1st Recon Platoon with Company "A" took a patrol in On the morning of the 26th, V Corps jumped off, the 2nd to check on this and found a British Captain who was doing the Division advancing. Tanks, then TD's plunged forward, paving same thing. German small arms fire chased them out. This the way for the infantry. Company "A" with the 9th Regiment unreliability of second hand reports was one of the first things moved forward rapidly to the South, but the other pincer, where that reconnaissance personnel reall}' learned in combat. Company "C" was working with the 38th, made slow headway. On August 3rd, w^e entered the pile of rubble that was Vire. The c 22 23 attack, providing depth. "C" Co., guided intt) positron by General to the little town of Corbeil, Southeast of Paris, where they fired Oerow himself, was assigned to support the QOth Division. Lt. across the Seine to cover the crossing of the Regiment. Mean• Col. Herold, CO of the OlOth and formerly CO of Company "B", while, Company "B", with the 12th Regiment, moved into Paris 893d, was killed by shellfire during this operaticm. AVhile the through the Porte d'Orleans, Capt. (-ook setting up his company gun companies were generally in position along a high ridge CP in front of Notre Dame Cathedral; the first U.S. troops in where they could observe the efforts of the German Seventh Paris. The destroyers were over-run by joyous crowds hailing Army to escape through Chambois, this Army was practically the liberators. There were many songs and plenty of "Vive destroyed by direct and indirect fire weapons. I'Amerique! — Vive la France!" There was also sniper fire, but On August 21st, the 1st Recon Platoon with Company "A", the FFI took care of most of that. The Battalion C. P. was locat• sent two \'ehicles out to find a route to move destroyers into ed in Bois-de-Vincennes, a city park. Argentan, which the infantry had reported clear. One jeep went On August 27th, Company "(7* moved on across the river into Argentan and found the report was not correct. Only by and liberated East Paris with the 22nd Infantry, and on into (|uick thinking and fast shooting did the crew (Kessler, Centers, the suburbs of Aulnaysous-Bois. Sgt. Silcott and Branham) escape with only minor injuries. They were obliged to leave the T4 ton with radio intact in enemy IV. NORTH FRANCE BELGIUM hands. Lt. Corsalini with Sgt. Sarabok and Corporal Tillotson The war became a pursuit operation, with contact generally in a 1/4 ton went forward,, dismounted and tried to recover the being lost during the day, a brief fight coming up at dusk with 1/4 ton. Sgt. Rhinchardt, W'odzak antl Shanahan in an M-8 enemy rear guard SP guns, mortars and automatic weapons which covered the advance of the 1 4 ton. Rhinehardt saw Germans usually permitted the main German forces to pull out. With the abandon the vehicle, warned the 1 4 ton crew, then fired on the highly motorized task force Regnier and Task Force Taylor, enemy, hitting one (ierman with a rimnd of 37 mm HE. He Companies "B" and "C" traveled along the main roads. In like went to pieces! Shanahan noticed a (jerman machine gun crew manner. Company "A" supported the Sth Infantry. All along trying to outflank them. He stopped them with .50 caliber the highways, wrecked or abandoned (icrman equipment cimld MQ fire. be seen. The closing of the gap was strictly an international affair. Going up a long trail of wrecked (ierman equipment, the British, Poles, colorful French colonial troops, and the French destroyers of the 893d climbed the mountainous terrain near 2nd Armored, all took part. On the 19th, the 3rd Platoon of Fumay, crossed over into Libin, Belgium, where we were again Company "A" entered Argentan. Sgt. Austin knocked out a greeted as liberators by the Belgians. Many black, yellow and German SP that day. red flags decorated the houses while signs proclaimed — "Vive After going into company and battalion assembly areas for les Liberateurs!" a few hours, the battalion was attached to the 4th Infantry Company "A" ran into a heavy rear guard action near Re- Division on a mission, with the 2nd French Armored, of taking cogne, knocking out several large trucks, one 75 mm AT gun Paris. The movement was completely motorized, infantry being and two 20 mm AA guns. loaded on tanks, destroyers, trucks, jeeps, armored cars, — in On September 10, (Company "C" with the 22nd Infantry fact, anything that could roll. riding their destroyers left St. Hubert, Belgium, without the Company "(C" rolled forward with the 22nd Infantry Regiment usual support of tanks. Later in the day the destroyers pulled 24 25 into the outskirts of Houffahze. German rear guard elements, Meanwhile, Company "B" was in position East of Schlauscn- including armor, were holding the town. The destroyers opened bach in the Schnee-Eifel Forest with the r2th Regiment. fire, driving the enemy out of the town. Gunners used their Two destrovers of the 1st Platoon commanded by Sgt. Cooper gunner's quadrants at extreme ranges. They silenced a haystack and Sgt. Sasse pulled the old box play on an enemy tank which which turned out to be a well camouflaged SP gun. was firing at our infantry from beside a pillbox. One of the On the next night, September Uth, Lt. Izzo with two destroyers, destroyers approached the tank frontally while the other one Sgt. Oinini, and Sgt. Graham, went on a patrol with about 25 fired on it from the flank and jammed the turret; when the iiifantrvmen from the 22nd Regiment The mission was to go tank tried to change position to return fire, the other destroyer into (iermany. They crossed the border near Elchcrath, Ger• knocked it out. many, took the town and returned with two bags of German soil One night about 20 men from another division on a front-line for the Division (Commander. They were the first U.S. troops security mission were foolish enough to go to sleep without set• to enter Germany. ting up any security at all. During the night five German tanks, Encountering only light opposition, elements of Company **A" with full headlights, moved into the area. The men all surrender- entered Mutzenich, on September 13th, with Company "B" going without a fight, and the Germans lined them up, shot them all into Honsfekl the next day. They set up direct fire positions and pulled out. The 2nd Platoon of (Company *'C" was sent there with guns covering the main tank approaches to the (owns. there for the next week to patrol the area in ease any more tank The entire Battalion was in (iermany. patrols came around. On September 30fh, Company "A" was attached to the 102nd V. THE RHINELAND (Part I) Cavalry Group. They patrolled with the cavalry the area of Hofen On September 14th, Company "C" was pulled back for a to Rocherath, a screening operation intended to hide the move• bi'ief period of maintenance, (Company "A" mtwing into the ments of other bodies of troops to the North. This was largely vicinity of Buchet with the 22nd Infantry. The pillboxes which uneventful patrolling. Sgt Lassiter became Lt Lassiter at this tlu' patrols had found largely empty were filled \h (iermans time, the first enlisted man to receixe a battlefield commisskin while this shift was taking place. in the 893d. On the 14th, four tanks and all 12 destroyers of Company "A" Early in October the Battalion with the 4th Division moved stormed into the Siegfried Line against stiff resistance, in support North and West into Belgium on a holding mission. Com• of the 22nd Regiment In a two-day running battle during which pany "C" mo\'ed into Murringen and set up for indirect fire for they attempted to penetrate the stronghold of Brandscheidt three the first time. The gun crews lived in amiuunition box houses, times, these two platoons of Company "A" neutralized 20 pill• built more for protection from the weather than from shelling. boxes and several direct fire weapons. Nazi troops frequently The security was luckier. They continued the newly acquired slipped back into neutralized pillboxes. The infantry lost heavily habit of sleeping in houses. Special Service supplied frequent during the period. movies and shows. One of the destroyers was blown up by a mine. The driver, Byers, jumped out of the disabled M-IO, landed on another mine On October 28th, the 893d was attached to the 28th Division blowing him to pieces. In the process of grouping around the and moved into the Hurtgen Forest near Zweifall. (Companies destroyer in order to inspect the damage, 11 more of the men "B" and "C" went into indirect fire positions while (Company from other units were killed. "A" remained with the 102nd Cav. Op. 26 27 At the same time two men who had remained with Rose's On November 2nd the 28tli intered Vossenack and the next destroyer, Tawyea and Malone, made a break for it and escaped. day took Kommerscheidt and Schmidt. The first effort to take Destroyers of Company *'B" pulled into Vossenack. Relief for the Roer River dams had begun. the now surrounded troops at Kommerscheidt was organized. On the 4th the Germans counterattacked, pushed the infantry This was Task Force Rifiple, led by Lt. Col. Ripple, com• out of Schmidt back to Kommerscheidt Hill where they dug in. manding the 707th Tank Battalion. The armor couldn't make The 3rd Recon Platoon, attached to (Company *'(?*, checked it because of the mines and shells, hut one battalion of the 110th the narrow Vossenack-Konmicrscheidt road o\er which Coni- Infantry did get through to the hill, along with (Capt. Pugh, [lany had been ordered to mo\ to support tlie n2th In• through the woods. fantry Regiment at Kfuumerscheiilt. Tanks of the 707th Tank While the fight continued on the hill and more armor on b;)th Battalion, which tried the road, slipped off the side going around sides was knocked out, (Capt. (Cook and (CCapt. Cole brought in• one curve. Tankers worked all afternoon trying to get the tanks direct fire of Lt. Davis' 1st Plato 28 29 yelled back — "Come in and get me!" Finally, wounded, he formed a 4th Platoon, mainly from the crew of Sgt. Petock, who crawled to a hole, patched up his own wounds, and stayed there had lost his gun, and from Company (CP personnel. The new- until later captured. That same afternoon, about 1500, there was platoon was heavily stocked with (mly battle items, and turned another attempt to break thru to "C" Company. This time Lt. over to LL Izzo, who later moved the platoon up to the vicinity Smith and Lt. Fuller with 4 destroyers of the 2nd platoon, "B" of Vossenack with "B" Company. It was intended to move the (Company, were to try to get thru in daylight on orders of higher platoon to the Hill originally. authority, in spite of the fact that the road was mined, blocked, On the 8th most of the 1340bh Engineers who were still try• and in enemy hands. Lt. (^ol. Mays, then battalion commander ing to hold the bridge were killed by shell fire. "B" Company of the 893d, asked for 4 volunteers to man 30 caliber machine firing from Vossenack knocked out 5 (ierman tanks moving across guns to be mounted on the front of each destroyer (tripod Kommerscheidt Hill. mount!). Four men from Recon (Company volunteered — Pfc. Finally, on the night of the 8th of November, the men of "C" Rusnock, Tec 5 Reitz, Pfc. Blazier, and Tec 5 Zukowski. The Company who were still left on the Hill and waited expectantly men (m the Hill could see them start down, and watched the for another attack, hopelessly for reinforcements, got the order elimination of the column with sinking hearts. The (ierman artil• to withdraw. The group came back in 3 different parties — one lery fire came in right on the nose. Moving down the hill the with Capt. Pugh and Sgt. Wilson, another with Sgt. Pritts, and entire coknnn was knocked out of action by direct and indirect a third with Sgt. McMahon. They all cut thru the woods, in• fire. A little later the same day, German armor smashed thru filtrating hack thru the enemy lines into Vosse:nack, which was and into Kommerscheidt, the infantry, (there weren't manv left half in German ihands. On the night of the 8th and the morning alive), pulling back into a little patch of woods on the Hill. The of the 9t'h, it turned bitter cold and snowed. TD's and tanks covered their withdrawal, and then those that "C" Company had knocked out 17 (ierman tanks and 150 or were still able to move, withdrew. The constant shelling all more (ierman infantry were killed. But the cost was high, all night long meant many casualties. Perhaps the worst part of 11 destroyers lost, and many casualties. Of the men to go up it was that there was no way of evacuating the wounded; there on the hill, only 1 officer and 27 men had come back. were no supplies, little food; there was nothing but enemy and About this time, "A" (Company, still with the cavalry, shifted shells. The (ierman write-up of the battle tells of "3000 shells operations to the north, working between Lammersdorf and thrown into the Kettle from all sides." Monschau. At 1900 on the 7th, (^apt. Pugh radioed in, "1 have no platoon "B" (Company c;)ntinued to hold in Vossenack. During tlie leaders." In response to a tjuestion about the tanks and infantry time "C" was on the iiill "B" had k)st b destroyers. Worse with him — "Very, very little of both." There were only three than the loss of guns, was the loss in men — over 40 '\'o casualties, guns left — Sgt. Sicenavage, Sgt. Vitchock, and Sgt. Grill. because of the heavy fire the enemy poured into the rubble All the men whose vehicles were out were in fox-lioles, some which was Vossenack -— 3000 -3500 rounds per day. After help• of them manning machine guns, or assisting the aid men in trying ing repel the counterattack of the bth, the company had pulled to make the wounded as comfortable as possible. back to the west end of town. Meanwhile, "C" C 30 31 cd, 1 AT gun out, 1 macliine gun out, 2 bunkers destroyed, and combat mission. Company "C" replaced Company "A" with the 1 road block wrecked as a result of this fire. A patrol of the l()2nd Cav. Group, and Companies "A" and "B" "got set" in 2nd Ranger Bn counted the dead. l.ammersdort During the Kommerscheidt and Vossenack operations both the At 0600 hours on the 13th of December, Company "A" in 2nd and 3rd Recon PlatiK)ns had taken heavy punishment. support of the 309th Infantry Regiment pus'hed off for Simnierath. On the 15th of November, battered "C" Company, which had Mines were everywhere. Lt. Lassiter's 3rd Platoon drove South 5 days to reorganize with new replacements, was moved into through Simnierath, while the 1st and 2nd Platoons drove East Vossenack, where they replaced "B" Co. for 5 days. "C" Com• to Witzerath and Kesternich. pany then went into indirect fire. On November 18th the 28th It was in this area that the large German forces, probably Div. was withdrawn and the Sth Div. replaced it, bringing two assembled for the German campaign in the Ardennes, were divert• e 32 33 3 Corporal Foote, in spite of the shelling, jninped out of the destroyer, killed three of them with his M-1 and got the others by ME-109's). 2nd Platoon men picked up a German paratrooper to come along peacefully. who obligingly sang — Silent Night, Holy Night, for Meanwhile, farther to the south, Company "C" had taken over Ihe benefit of the platoon. There was even a Christmas tree, Company "A" 's old positions in Monschau, Mutzenich, and complete with German decorations. Hofen. Shortly after they had first pulled in, the 1st Platoon, While Company "A" was fighting in Kesternich and Com• which was strung out from Mutzenich to Hofen, lost one destroyer pany "C" was holding in Monschau, Company "B" was also to a shell, which blew in the end of a house, killing Sgt. Sicen• busy. It was early on the morning of December 13th that Com• avage and his gunner Corpora! Keitzman, as well as wounding pany "B" with the 310th Infantry Regiment pushed off from, others in the crew. All three platoons were in direct fire positions, Lammersdorf on Rollesbroich. The road was heavily mined with attached to the 102nd Cav. Group. The 2nd Platoon under Lt. Riegel mines'. The destroyers went across country to the left Rupple had guns on Mutzenich Hill behind the 1st Platoon's, of the road, that night going through a mine field on into town and also above Monschau itself. The 3rd Platoon was in position where the infantry was still clearing the place and sniper and on the outskirts of Konzen, where both patrols and shelling were machine gun fire was rattling around. The 2nd Platoon took up frequent Monschau was fairly quiet, not a bad place for Com• positions guarding to the north of town, and the 1st Platoon pany "C" 's "rest area", until about 0530 on the morning O'f was in position covering to the East. The infantry dug in at December 17th. Screaming mimi's, shells, mortars — and finally Rollesbnoich and stayed there. small arms — crashed into Mutzenich, into the narrow streets About this time, Sgt McMahon of Reconnaissance Company of Monschau, into Konzen, and into Hofen. It was the Ardennes and 1st Sgt. Copely of Company "B" won battlefield com• Drive of the Germans. Mutzenich was torn up, gas trucks were missions. burning up, jeeps stood abandoned, knocked out by shell fire, German planes came over Rotgen on New Year's Day. Com• in the middle of the road. Mortars knocked out the wire lines. pany "C" 's Sgt. Ullery happened to be cleaning the .50 cat MG Enemy paratroops landed all over. Confusion reigned. on his destroyer when he saw a German, ME-109 coming \)ver. German infantry attacked the 1st Platoon positions in Mutzen• He shot it down and received official credit for it. ich, and Sgt. Pritts had a field day with a .50 cat MG. About During most of January each gun company kept one or more 30 dead Germans piled up in front of the gun. platoons on the line. The platoons not on the line did a lot of Lt. Wilson, Faulx, Berry and Boxell were on pass in Eupen, indirect firing. Lt. Cohen supervised the company fire direction when they heard German bombs hitting the outskirts of the town. centers. The men lived in small wood huts built with ammunition They were awakened in the middle of the night to go out on boxes. A great deal of HE was fired. They also fired star shell patrol to help round up German paratroops. at night, which frequently illuminated enemy patrols before they could get in ck)se enough to do damage. During this period On the hills above Monschau, every available man was used Reconnaissance Company had OP's in Lammersdorf. All those on some kind of a gun; cooks, KP's, mechanics. Field Artillery• OP's wcire subject from time to time to shelling, which frequently man, Engineers, and even forward observers were used to re• made moving one of the OP's necessary. Meantime, the 3rd gister in captured artillery pieces against the Germans. All ve• Recon Platoon was busy reconnoitering roads along the Division hicular machine guns were used to build up local security. Christ• front Reconnaissance Compnay had the mission of determining mas dinner was a quiet affair eaten in a bomb-proof shelter in the habits of the enemy in connection with the large operations Monschau, or by a nice restful gun position (interrupted only then being planned by the 78tli Division. 34 35 VII. THE RHINELAND (Part II) On January 30th, these operations started. Our infantry, TD, The two platoons of Company "C" returned to Kommerscheidt Tank team took Konzen with few losses. Sgt. Hardin was killed Hill — the Hill, where three months before Company "C" had by a sniper in Konzen. Meanwhile the 1st Platoon of C(nTi- all but been wiped out, and where even now they were sur• pany "C", under Lt. Kahn, went South from Simmerath to take rounded by the dead bodies of fallen comrades, the piles of imgenbroich with the 2nd Battalion of the 310th. Both the 2nd countless dead, American and German, and all kinds of abandoned and 3rd Platoons were kept busy reducing a number of pillboxes equipment. near the much shelled cross-roads at Am Qericht. On the second day, the 1st Platoon of Company "B" joined Farther north, where the 311th with Sgt Harrel's 1st Platoon the battle for the rest of the town. The 2nd Platoon of Com• and Lt. Lassiter's 3rd Platoon of our Company '*A" were driving pany "C" then moved through Schmidt and into Harscheidt with on Huppenbroich and Kesternich, the character of resistance the 3rd Battalicm of the 311th. Lt. Clarke moved in there at was far from bitter. The company k)st Bogan and Jennings, dusk, saw a flash but ccmldn't see the gun. He fired at the killed in action, by shellfire, and one man seriously wounded. flash. Next day he found they had knocked out a 75 mm AT The first day they captured about half the town, met heavy direct gun and it's crew. SgL Rhinehardt ran thrtmgh various and fire, as well as occaskonal mortar fire. The second day, tanks, sundry forms of fire to deliver chow to the 2nd Platoon every artillery and TD's practically leveled what was left of the town, day. Rhinehardt, the man who wouldn't duck shells, and mira• battering it to pieces house by house, until the ground was black culously didn't get hurt anyway. in spite of the snow on, the ground. By sunset on February 2nd, The second and following da\s, Schmidt was cleaned out, it was all over. Kesternich' was taken. and the course of batde shifted South in the direction of the On the 4th, the 1st Platoon of Company "A" with the 311th important SchwammenaucI Dam; if the Germans could blow the Infantry took Ruhrberg. dam, they could sk)vv up Allied operations for weeks, by flood• CCR of the 7th Armored took Strauch and Steckenborn. On ing Duren and the towns near there. In the original phase of the same morning, Pfc. Greenwood of Reconnaissance Company cleaning out Schmidt, Company **B" took a heavy beating. was killed when his jeep hit a mine on the main road to Schmidt. The attack on the dam was a hard fight in which the infantry In the second drive to take Schmidt, hub of the German de• was nu)\'ing through woods and suffering heav\ casualties from tree bursts. Initially, the 311th, and, finally, a battalion of the fenses west of the Roer Ri\, Company "B" 's guns were 300th fought their way down to the dam. All this while Com• scheduled to play a major role. With LL Davis's 1st Platoon pany "B" gave indirect fire support from their artillery positions, giving supporting fire from Vossenack, the 2nd Platotm with along with a mass of artillery. At the same time, the 1st Platoon LL Cross, and LL Copely's 3rd Platoon attacked down the road of Company "C", working with the 300th driving on Hasenfeld, into Schmidt, in support of the 310th Regiment. At the same pulled into a spot where it could deliver direct fire on the other time Company "C" sent the 1st Platoon and 3rd Platoon through side of the dam. The 1st Platoon shot up many targets on the the woods and into Kommerscheidt with the 30Qth Infantry. other side. By the end of the first day the 774th Tank Battalion going Finally, the engineers of the Qth Divisitm and elements of the into Schmidt was badly mauled by direct fire from AT guns. 309th reached the Schwammenauel Dam. They found it damaged The TD's were more fortunate that day, Company "C" knocked but not so much that the rise in the level of the Roer River out two pillboxes, one AT gun and killed many of the enemy. would hinder our operations, so, the next job, after consolidating our gains, was to cross the Roer. 36 37 Company "B" was taken out of indirect fire to join the 14th bridge, spanning the Rhine from Remagen to Erpel. This infantry, Cavalry Group at Gey, while Company "A" took over the inr with initial support from CCB of the 9th Armored and 1 company of direct fire positions of Company "B". the 656th TD Bn was immediately thrown into the breach to build The crossing of the Roer was supported with much artillery up a bridgehead. On the 9th of March when "A" and "C" and screened with smoke pots, near Niddegen. companies and on the 10th when "B" crossed, long range heavy From the Roer to the Sieg: artillery fire crashed interminably into the bridge, while engineers Company "B" had crossed before the other companies with worked under fire to build other ponton bridges to relieve the the cavalry, attacked into Boich, on into Drove and then enemy strain on the weakened Ludendorff Bridge. From high ground armor at Thum. About this time the 3-inch guns went to work on the far side of the Rhine German OP's directed fire of guns and accounted for one Mk V and one Mk IV tank. in caliber all the way up to 380 mm, while on both sides Amer• After this operation the company was detached from the ican AAA gunners with multiple mount 50's on half-tracks took cavalry and attached to the 903rd Field Artillery Battalion, oper• heavy punishment from shelling, strafing, and bombing, — but ating with two six-gun platoons. Movement was so fast that at the same hme kept the Luftwaffe too high for accurate bomb• most of the time was spent in displacing forward. The advance of Companies "A" and "C" with the 30Qth and ing. With the gun companies, keeping a close tab on things, 311th Infantry Regiments was characterized by speed, so that were Capt. Perry and Capt. Cole. Pvt. Wallrauch, CapL Perry's frequently the advance was so rapid that the radio reports of diiver, was killed on this mission, by shellfire. our TD Platoons proved to be the first and only information that While "A" Company went into the line at Bruchausen, "C" the Division Headquarters had of their own advancing infantry Company was fighting near Rheinbreitbach, and "B" Company units. near Kasbach. This company saw action within 5 minutes after The character of the fighting is well illustrated by a play-by• the crossing, Lt. Copely's 3rd Platoon knocking out 1 Mk V, play description of Company "A" 's operations at that time. neutralizing 2 pillboxes, as well as killing and capturing a number After crossing the Roer, Sgt. Harrel's 1st Platoon attacked of enemy. The battle to hold, enlarge, and break out of the Abenden and then Vlatten, where they destroyed one Mk IV, Remagen bridgehead was won in hard fought battles in the week one SP gun, one towed AT gun, 20 houses and killed about 80 after the first crossing. Working generally north through par• enemy and took 50 PWs. Lt. Cameron's 2nd Platoon helped take Berg and Wallersheim. At this time Sgt. Brewster hit a allel strings of towns, the gun companies and their recon platoons, German motorcycle messenger with a rfjund of HE at 2800 yartis. together with the tankers, served as the battering rams for the The 2nd Platoon then moved into Burvenich early in the morn• hard fighting, advancing infantry columns. ing of March 3rd, set up a road block on the East end of town, Working mostly north and eastward through the most hazard• and caught two truck loads of enemy reinforcements being rushed ous terrain yet enccmntered, "A" Company supported the attack to the town. of the 309th Infantry. The 2nd Platoon helped take Rotlbitz. Meanwhile, the 3rd Platoon, by direct fire, knocked out a The platoon knocked out 2 jadpanthers, 1 AA gun, 1 Mk IV locomotive and 15 houses in a movement outflanking the walled tank, and 1 truck, then mo\'ed into town to help secure the right city of Ahrweiler. flank of the division. VIIL CENTRAL GERMANY Then the 1st Platoon started down the main road to Agidien- berg, but the direct fire from German tanks and artillery knocked Next came the Rhine crossing. On the 7th of March- infantry of the 9th Armored Division captured intact the Ludendorff railway out several tanks, and the number 2 destroyer was hit near Siefen- 38 39 lioven. It was necessary either to stop the fire or find another with infantry, killing 64 Germans, on the 16th. Lt. Wilson's 3rd route into town. Our TD's handled this with their noted tactical Platoon, with elements of the 9th Armored Division, including flexibility. the 33rd Armored Infantry, were given the mission of taking Lt. Sarabok's recon element contacted an artillery liaison of• Ittenbach and cutting the superhighway at that point. They entered the town that night and shared it with German tanks. ficer and brought fire to bear on the enemy guns, putting them Next morning they knocked out 3 enemy tanks. The town was out of action, while the destroyer platoon leader discovered an• taken, and the Platoon joined the rest of the company at Konigs- other and defiladed route to new firing positions overlooking the w inter. On March 17th, the 1st Platoon lost its platoon leader, town, from w hich they destroyed 2 German tanks. The 3rd Lt. Kahn, in Konigswinter, where he was hit by a shell fragment. Platoon then moved out of Himberg by a back route, took Hovel Company "A" now pulled out of Honnef; the 2nd Platoon with the infantry, and then cut the Cokigne — Frankfurt Autobahn, pulled out to assault Holtorf, Holzlar, and several other towns, being the 1st TD's to cross it In the process Company "A" while the 3rd Platoon went through Vinxel, but were held up destroyed 5 enemy bunkers, 1 truck, 1 88 mm SP gun, and captur• at Stieldorf by SP and AT guns. Firing from positions over• ed 36 PWs. looking the town, they destroyed 2 SP guns, and 2 tanks. This Meanwhile, *'B" Company, with the 31()th Infantry, which had neutralized the town and allowed the infantry to move in, follow• so quickly been involved in battle after the Rhine crossing, had ed by the TD's. Suddenly an American 3 4 ton appeared. Think• also seen much action. With tanks and infantry, they stormed ing it a friendly vehicle, nobody fired. When the truck was about into Kalcnborn, where they met fire from numerous enemy tanks. 50 yards away, it was seen to be loaded with the mail, chow, The tanks were in a sunken railway bed, frequently changed and Germans. A brief exchange of small arms, with LL Lassiter position, and were always in hull defilade. The 1st section of firing his pistol at them, resulted in a quick surrender. the 1st Platoon was ambushed to the right of Kalenborn, but was able to shoot-its way out. That night Lt. Copely's 3rd The 1st platoon went through Burhnghoven and Danibroicli, Platotm relieved the 1st in Kalenborn. One Panther in a good crossing the Aut 40 41 the Q03 Field Artillery, was in direct fire positions in Hangelar, all this without firing a shot. On the same day, the 2nd and Burlinghoven, and Niederpleis; and "C", after a brief rest period, 3rd Platoons went into Berghausen, where American Troops was in position at Eitorf, then Obernau, along the S,ieg River. overran an Allied PW inclosure, freeing 174 American prisoners, We helped the 78th Division defend a 44,000 yard front, a hold• including SgL Dasovitch who had been captured when "B" com• ing operation intended to protect the other troops which were pany moved into Hangelar. Dasovitch indicated that the German plunging far eastward into the heart of Central Europe. We held intcUigence officer who questioned him knew a great deal about the South side of the Ruhr Pocket. the record of the 893d. On April 6th, North of Katzwinkel, LL Ellis, 2nd Platoon leader, was killed, when a German Mk IV IX. THE RUHR POCKET tank caught LL Ellis' destroyer with AP fire. Just before the Ruhr Pocket operation got under way, the On the night of April 13th, the 3rd Platoon caught the enemy 97th Division reHeved the 78th on the Sieg River line. off guard, captured a whole CP group, including several high- The earhest attempt to break out of the pocket came shortly ranking officers. During this time the 2nd Platoon, under LL before the gun companies crossed the Sieg, when about 12 tanks Cross, was attached to the 78th Cavalry. The 2nd Platoon caught and 600 men forded the River, with the objective of seiz• horse-drawn artillery on the road and destroyed several guns. ing Honnef. The 2nd Battalion of the 309th called for its TD They continued to move northwest in pursuit of a more and more support, which together with the infantry, broke up the counter• disorganized enemy. attack. On April 15th, Lt. Copely, with tanks and 3rd battalion of the On April 7th, Company "A" crossed the Sieg River Southeast 310th Infantry, went into Wipperfurth. They received the sur• of Dattenfeld. Lt. Cameron's 2nd Platoon rolled into Waldhrol, render of the town from the local burgermeister, and then the liberating 700 American PW's. column was fired on from a road-block which was built about On April 10, the 3rd Platoon of "A" Company went into half-way through the town, with 1 tank, 2 AT guns and a bazooka Drabenderhohe, home of a huge ordnance plant. Here one Ger• team. The leading tank was hit by a bazooka, disabling the tank. man rear guard put up a terrific battle. Field pieces and AA LL Copely, who saw that the tank platoon leader was wounded, guns, all of them that could be manned opened fire, pinning down crawled onto the tank and tried to lift him out of one of the our infantry. The 3rd Platoon knocked out one gun after an• front hatches, when another round hit the front of the tank, other, but where the gun itself was not hit, replacements would killing the tank platoon leader and seriously wounding Lt. Copeiy. rush out from the dugouts and replace the battered gun crews. The "one man army" was finall)^-evacuated. Our artillery pounded them mercilessly, also, but the enemy kept In the closing days of the Ruhr operation, the company moved firing in a three-hour battle until all the guns were destroyed. into Wuppertal, and, finally, on April 19th, into a company The 50 men who finally surrendered were reported to have killed assembly area in Mandersbach. "B" was out of the war. their own officers in order to quit. During the same operation, Company "C" was busy also. Continuing to the north, the 1st Platoon on the 13th moved into On the 6th the company crossed the Sieg, went through Wald• Lindlar, with orders not to fire unless fired upon, and the Ger• hrol, Denklingen, Wiehl to Gummersbach, to Wermelskirchen. mans were in such a state of confusion that the platoon took a From Obernau to Wermelskirchen, through various towns we hospital intact, with two American officers, as well as about had taken, it was a pleasure most of. the time. 1500 PW's, and a German Major General with all his staff — In the early days of the operation, LL Wilson of the 3rd 42 43 Platoon was wounded when on reconnaissance for gun positions COMPANY ROSTERS OF PERSONNEL with Sgt. Zukowski of the 3rd Reconnaissance Platoon. AS OF 30 APRIL 1945 North of Morsbach the company ran into much armor. After HEADQUARTERS COMPANY the leading tank of the armor which was with us was knocked out, the 2nd Platoon pulled into a small farming district. Sgt. OFFICERS IJllcry's destroyer opened fire on a German tank. The tank im• Capt. Jolin W. Blotzer 1st Lt. Donald E. Ellison mediately picked up the muzzle flash of the TD and sent a round 1st Lt. John R. Geilkcr 2nd Lt. Albert E. Joern of AP through the driving compartment. The M-10 caught fire. 1st Lt. Edward A. Rupple CWO ?larry Sinclair Rather than get out, the men stuck to their posts, knocked out 1st Lt. Daniel Cohen two towed guns and a probable tank before more enemy tanks ENLISTED MEN returned the fire, striking the destroyer repeatedly. Ammunition M/Sg;t. Clayton C. Brown Tec 4 John H. Waiter on the M-10 expk)ded, blowing Tec 5 Carlson, the driver, and 1st Sirt. Russell M. Reedy Cpl. Salvatore Marchesano Sgt. Ullery out of the vehicle. Both men suffered severe burns. T/Sg-f. Wasyl C. Homa Cpl. Robert E. Maxey The other members of the crew were Corporal Canizzo, the T/Sgt. Harry O. Macht Cpl. Frank J. Merk gunner, Pfc. Blatnick and Pvt. Clark. T/Strt. Kenneth AlcKenna Cpl. Lawrence R, Voeltz Tec 5 Willard L. Adkins On April 13th, Company "C" knocked out two 380mm SP T/Sgt. Lester II Michaels Tec 5 Michael P. Amitrano rocket guns, one 88 and three 75 mm AT guns. On the 15th, T/Sgt. Samuel Nathenson S/Sgt. Albert Hall Tec 5 Walter A. Bahl Company "B" of the 311th Infantry was sent with two tanks S/Sgt. Wallace I. Reid Tec 5 Charles A. Beam and two TD's to take Remscheid. just on the outskirts of the S/Sgt. Thomas E. Stone Tec 5 Earl L. Blose town we observed coming down the road a high ranking German S/Sgf, Charles P. Gernand Tec 5 Lanta H. Boyles officer with an aide carrying a white flag and another carrying a S/Sgt. John J. Reilley Tec 5 Joseph A, Catullo red cross flag. He asked us not to "fire those great big guns Sgt. Delbert A. Amig Tec 5 Edward IX Cogar at our city"; so Remscheiid was declared an open city. We were Sgt. Herbert D. Ingram Tec 5 Brooks W. Cowgill guided through town by a red cross vehicle. In this area to the Sgt. William R. McCracken Tec 5 Michael Drozdick north, Sgt. Petock forced an enemy tank to surrender, first box• Tec 4 CIcueth Z. Yonkin Tec 5 Robert R. Gebhart Tec 5 Burless L. George ing it in by moving up on it with a gun in such a way that it Tec 4 Arnold E. Blews Tec 4 Albert B. Cipollone Tec 5 James E. Hager couldn't move without backing up, then when it did back up, he Tec 4 David S. Dries Tec 5 Michael J. Kelly used his pistol and three hand grenades. Tec 4 John R. Finn Tec 5 EKvyn W. Lunday The company then moved into Wuppertal against light re• Tec 4 Frank O. Germuga ' Tec 5 John H. McCord sistance, afterwards withdrawing to a company assembly area in Tec 4 Joseph M. Glass Tec 5 James A. Miller Ronsdorf, where it ceased tactical operations. Tec 4 Thomas W. Griffith Tec 5 Daniel T. Mover Tec 5 Ebcn Neal The end of the tactical operatk)n in the Ruhr Pocket brought Tec 4 Andrew J. Lcilner Tec 4 Johnny M. Mallory Tec 5 Andy G. Ohrin an end to our operations in the ETO — operations which car• Tec 4 Michael Ninno, Jr. Tec 5 r^ona E. Pepin ried the 893d Tank Destroyer Battalion through five hard fought Tec 4 Paul P. Pagano Tec 5 Edwin J. Phillips campaigns. During this time the Battalion, or it's companies, Tec 4 Kenneth A. Perry Tec 5 Pierce O. Pickens worked with 8 different infantry divisions, several armored divis• Tec 4 Steve P. Poproeky, Jr. Tec 5 Joseph B. Reilly ions, two cavalry groups, several field artillery battalions and one Tec 4 Carl J. Robinson Tec 5 Paul E. Rickard ranger battalion. What it had accomplished and learned in the Tec 4 Robert T. Smith Tec 5 Donald L, Roberts European campaigns now bek)ngs to histor}'. 45 44 RECONNAISSANCE COMPANY Tec 5 William G. Skutches Pfc. James A. Lee II! OFFICERS , Tec 5 Richard Steinmetz I^fc. Tony I. Maggio Tec 5 Arthur J. Strehlau Pfc. Joseph D. McCarthy Capt. August D. Corsalini 1st Lt. Leonard R. Burgess Tec 5 Edward M. Szmania Pfc. Herbert L. Meece 1st Lt. Louis J. Izzo 1st Lt. Harry A. Karch Tec 5 Harold H. Voigt Pfc. Thomas E. Morrison 1st Lt. imrich R. Sarabok 2nd Lt. Patrick R. McMahon Pfc. James O. Baker Pfc. Edgar J. Richard Pfc. Wilson P. Baker Pfc. Louis J. Sara ED MEN Pfc. Joseph M. Bellini Pfc. John J. Stevens 1st Sgt. Charles W. Dean Tec 5 Raymond C. Scheppman Pfc. Ezra W. Brown Pfc. Harry Szopelia S/Sgt. Albert L. Gentili Tec 5 John H. Shively Pfc. Milton C. Brown Pvt. Sidney L. Brownell S/Sgt, Anthony J. Barzdinos Tec 5 Paul Wills Pfc. Erank Cangclosi Pvt. Anthony Cabibbo S/Sgt. Pete P. Bottali Tec 5 Joseph W. Wodzak Pfc. Alphonse A. Castello Pvt. Harry W. Fisher S/Sgt. Stewart J. Jacobs Tec 5 William C. Cooper Pfc. Thomas W. Christlieb Pvt. Troy L. Gray S/Sgt. Edward S. Manning Tec 5 Raymond H. Worts Pfc. Vernon Forney Pvt. William I), Havens S/Sgt. Ralph Piccolo, Jr. Pfc. Otto T. Albrecht Pfc. James J. Gavin Pvt. Thomas E. Morris S/Sgt. Raymond L, Sherwood Pfc. Charles N. Aposhian Pfc. Wilbur Hart Pvt. William O'Connor Sgt. Walter E. Clifford, Jr. Pfc. John Bandol Pfc. Lester F. Higginbotham Pvt. Joseph B. Rogers Sgt Stephen M. Comarnitsky Pfc. Ballard Bishop Pfc. Richard J. Kenney Pvt. George E. Rudzik Sgt. William Cunningham Pfc. Charles R. Bland Sgt, Frank W. Kohler Pfc. William H. Blazier Sgt. William P. Shaffer Pfc. Herbert C. Branham Sgt. Sidney Smith Pfc. Thomas E. Bright Sgt. Joseph Yencha Pfc, David J. Burshnic Sgt. Bernard J. Zukowski Pfc. Andrew A. Byarlcy Tec 4 Robert Cece Pfc. Michael J. Carroll Tec 4 Bernard J. Ditchey Pfc. Harley G. Carter Toe 4 Harold Omundsen Pfc. Elzie Centers Tec 4 Nicholas Pascalli Pfc. Carl H. Chcak Cpi. Bernard I. Kcyscr Pfc. jesus G. Contreras Cpl. Gerald J. Miller Pfc. Robert R. Doorr Cpl. Edwarti J. Rugis Pfe. Jonah Gold Tec 5 Harold E. Farrell Pfc. Robert W. Groth Tec 5 George P. Garret, Jr. Pfc. George L. Guidotti Tec 5 Vincent R. Graziano Pfc. Wilham K. Guthrie Tec 5 Clarence L. Marsh Pfc. Robert F. Hayes Tec 5 John B. Ma\er Pfc. John Ci. Hernandez Tec 5 John A. McAliece Pfc. Isidore Kass Tec 5 Russell J. Nocero Pfc. James W. Kuno Tec 5 Lawrence H. Powell Pfc. James R. Lee Tec 5 Samuel F. Pugliano Pfc. Wilburn Martin Tec 5 John J. Recs Pfc. George M. McKinncy Tec 5 Charles Reitz Pfc. Otha L. Messer, Jr. Tee 5 Porter M. Rogers, Jr. Pfc. Burton N. Merkhnger, Jr. 46 47 A" COMPANY pfc. Vtrnon B, Meyers Pvt. Bob Askins Pfc. Harvey A. Mills Pvt. Nerman E. Black OFFICERS Pfc. Julius J. Nemcek Pvt. Earl L. Brakefiekt Capt. Eugene H. Perry lst Lt. Benjamin F. Lassiter Pic. Elmer C. Petersou Pvt. Albert C. Burns 1st Lt. Robert W. Wolken lst Lt. John S. Jarvis Pfc. William O. Pierce, Jr. P\t. Rupert S. Dawson 1st Lt. Donald F. Cameron 2nd Lt. Alton J. Harrell Pfc. Ambrose N. Racaniello Pvt. Harry R. Dowell 1st Lt. Lawercnce C. Kahn Pfc. Joseph R. Rappoccio Pvt. Joseph T. Fagin Pfc. Leonard E. Rudmau P\t. Adam E. Gregory ENLISTED MEN Pfc. Peter Rusnok Pvt. Clinton E. Johnson Pfc. Dale H. Shepherd Pvt. Earl E. Kessler 1st Sgt. Steve Pyrch Tec 4 Joseph A. Polock Pfc. Robert C. Smith Pvt. Kenneth L. Lee T/Sgt. Alfred R. McCue Tec 4 Arthur P. Radwanski Pfc. James W. Stewart Pvt. Orville P. Mc Cool S/Sgt. Melvin R. Austin Tec 4 Grant T. Schneider Pfc. Edward N. Taylor Pvt. Richard H. Maloney S/Sgt. Harold M. Eshleman Cpl. Samuel P. Bailey Pfc. John E. Taylor, Jr. I'vt. Ernest Myers S/Sgt. Roy H. Gunter Cpl. William 0. Cottingham Pfc. Dennis J. Tiugman Pvt. Stanley J. Myjak, Jr. S/Sgt. Alton J. Harrell Cpl. Willard H. Davis Pfc. Hanford M. Tompkins Pvt. Milford M. Patterson S/SgL Elwood M. Kristiansen Cpl. Audray A. Deetz Pfc. Eugene R. Waple Pvt. John J. Walters S/Sgt. Joseph Suhy Cpl. Manrice Feld Pfc. James H. WilUams Pvt. Gene A. Copeland Sgt. Levin E. Adkins Cpl. Robert B. Florer Pfc. Edwin G. Wright Pvt. John L. Marcus Sgt. Harry M. BIy Cpl. Charles O. Foole Pvt. Cecil R. Appleby Pvt. Thomas E. Obrzud Sgt. William Brewster Cpl. Carl W. Hansen Sgt. Joseph S. Bubel Cpl. Mike Hasehak Sgt. Joseph F. Burns Cpl. Joseph Mancia Sgt. Ralph I). Deli'Erba Cpl. Pete Maneno ' Sgt. Joseph (i. Dragan Cpl. Robert S. Myers Sgt. John L. Filko Cpl. Steve L. Rito, Jr. Sgt. John O. Hass Cpl. Dewey Stevens Sgt. Jacob C. Huffman Cpl. John A. Suchanek Sgt. Homer E. Kelley Cpl. Frederick E. Swalby Sgt. Floyd E. Phelps Tec 5 Joseph M. Bando Sgt. Rix M. Richardson, Jr. Tec 5 Paul R. Bethe Sgt. John J. Scassellati Tec 5 William L. Brennan SgL Carl J. Smith Tec 5 Willard G. Cash Sgt. Steve P. Sytar Tec 5 Arthur L. Drury, Jr. Tec 4 Robert T. Batts Tec 5 Kenneth C. Qossett Tec 4 Clarence J. Beck Tec 5 Waltzia A. Green Tec 4 Frank A. Bentlcy Tec 5 Luther B. Gunter Tec 4 John L. Cornell, Jr. Tec 5 Paul A. Hatcher Tec 4 Donald FI. Davies Tec 5 William O. Martin Tec 4 Edwin W. DeBuhr Tec 5 George R. Metzgar Tec 4 Hosca Hopkins Tec 5 Waldo E. Miller Tec 4 John F. Kcrstan Tec 5 Stenley E. Pawlak Tec 4 Wilfred B. Kruse Tec 5 John J. Phillips Tec 4 George E. Miller Tec 5 Herman C. Rogers 48 49 Tec 5 Sam Shenk Pfc. Hall T. Robertson "B" COMPANY Pfc. Robert G. Adams Pfc. Stanley E. Sawyer OFFICERS Pfc. Daniel P. Bacakos Pfc. Daniel D. Sullivan Pfc. Arthur G. Bell Pfc. Earnest W. Tanksley Capt Jack W. Fuller 1st Lt. Haward C. Davis Pfc. Bobby L. Browning Pfc. Charles Virzi 1st Lt. Lawerence C. Cross 2nd LL George G. Griffith Pfc. William E. Cross Pvt. Woodrow A. Biddinger 1st LL Bryant E. Campbell 2nd Lt. WilHam E. Copely Pfc. Willie Combs Pvt. Robert W. Boni 1st Lt Christopher P. Caputo Pfc. George E. Davis Pvt. Francis Brennan Pfc. Alfred J. DeCastro Pvt. Ellsworth L. Childs ENLISTED MEN Pvt. Stanton J. Clarke Pfc. Hubert F. Dortland 1st Sgt. William L. Brown Tec 4 William N. Yates Pvt. Louis A. Cocuzzi Pfc. Harry W. Ekstrom T/SgL August W. Zidar Cpl. Anthony J. Allegrucci Pvt. Charles Coffmau Pfc. Woodrow Fugate S/Sgt. William B. Gardner Cpl. Thomas C. Bernard Pvt. Frank J. Curtis Pfc. Kenneth Gillis S/Sgt. George G. Griffith Cpl. James A. Blackburn Pvt. Raymond C. Dahn, Jr. Pfc. Harold R. Groves S/Sgt. Hammet E. Murphy Cpl. David R. Bowser Pvt. William F. Dibert Pfc. Roy A. Guthrie S/Sgt. John D. Shannahan . Cpl. Clarence D. Drsiling Pvt. George A. Edwards Pfc. Russell D. Hadley S/Sgt. Lloyd Stakes Cpl. Walter T. Duffy, Jr. Pvt. Harold Falk Pfc. I uther F. Kramer S/Sgt. John Sutton Cpl. Jackson F. Goettel Pvt. Pietro I^. Favato Pfc. Phillip H. Margules , Sgt. Michael Kekalos Cpl. Paul J. Jancovic Pvt. Michael C. Meola Pfc. Nevin L. McAllister Sgt. Robert M. Bowen Cpl. Nieliolas Lemme Pvt. Arnold W. Mohr Pfc. David T. McDaniel Sgt. Robert A. Burgess Cpl. Raymond L. Inman Pvt. John Nastio Pfc. Thomas W. McLemore Sgt. Annacleta J. Devivo Cpl. Donald McGrill Pvt. Michael Oliveri Pfc. H. E. McQueen Sgt. Lloyd P. Garner Cpl. Charles H. Remick Pvt Philip G. Ouellette Pfc. Anthony Murgia, Jr. Sgt Charles P. Miller Cpl. Phil E. Sigmon Pvt. George H. Peacher Pfc. Charles E. Ritenour Sgt. Melvin S. Minter Cpl. Forrest J. Stevens Pvt. James F. Underwood Pfc. Charles V. Roach Sgt. Walter S. Racutt Cpl. George E. Sylvester Sgt. George T. Sasse Cpl. Edward N. Williams Sgf. Frederick J. Schiffbauer, Jr. Cpl. Derald Zipf Sgt George M. Shaffer Tec 5 Aloysius J. Baehurek Sgt Harry M. Sibrel Tec 5 Sieve Basey Sgt. John F. Snow Tec 5 Jack Bassin Sgt. Aleck Vargo, Jr. Tec 5 Earl A. Brisley Tec 4 Tom E. Aly Tec 5 Glen Bullion j Tec 4 George Barker Tec 5 Carl W. Drab j Tec 4 Stanley L. Belanger Tec 5 Arvel Oodby \ Tec 4 Ignatius A. Caito Tec 5 Herbert C. Kiser Tec 4 Edward P. Czubek Tec 5 Elwood H. Hunter Tec 4 William J. Ewing Tec 5 Adam J. Kornacki Tec 4 Americo A. Cienrile Tec 5 Charles J. Leiugas Tec 4 John Goida Tec 5 Tony A. LiBretti Tec 4 Edward P. Olcyn Tec 5 Andrew C. Loeffelhol Tec 4 William L. Schaeffer Tec 5 MeKinley R. Moore Tec 4 George H. Warfel Tec 5 Ernest L. Pannell Tec 4 Max Wertheimer Tec 5 Lowell LJiiuEkei . 51 pfc. Oren M. Adams Pfc. Edwin C. Shannon "C" COMPANY Pfc. Stephen W. Brier Pfc. John Shaute OFFICERS Pfc. James M. Collins, Jr. Pfc. Lloyd J. Staley Pfc. Frank R. Comfort pfc. Eron F. Stewart Capt. Louis G. Thompson 2nd Lt. Alex C. Kazmierski Pfc. James L. Cloonan Pfc. Cecil E. Wagner 1st Lt. Thomas A. Cookingham 2nd Lt. Nicholas Petock Pfc. Walter L. Duggins Pfc. Robert O. Williamson 1st Lt. Warren E. Clark 2nd Lt. Arlic W. Wilson, Jr. Pfc. Harlev S. Ebey Pfc. Robert O. Wissler ENLISTED MEN Pfc. Daniel F. Ellison Pfc. John J. Zecca, Jr, Pfc. Paul E. Card Pfc. Frank Zimecki 1st Sgt. James J. Conroy Tec 4 Nicholas Wysochansky Pfc. Irvin L. Cast Pfc. John J. Zolna T/SgL Herbert C. Donnavant Cpl. James E. Bennett Pfc. Richard C. Kesner pfc. August A. Plitt S/Sgt. Leo V. Amilkavich Cpl. Jack T. Berry Pfc. John W. King Pvt. Albert I. Oilman S/Sgt Marshall F. Pritts Cpl. Marion C. Boxell Pfc Edward E. Kirby Pvt. Herbert B. Fisher S/Sgt. Joseph F. Smith ' Cpl. Joseph E. Butler Pfc. Vincent E. McFadden Pvt. David Golub S/Sgt. James A. Spencer Cpl. Charles R. Carlson Neil J. Hallinhan Pfc. Joseph Macaluse Pvt. Preston Jaucock, Jr. S/Sgt. Danforth H. Webster Cpl. Rufus Hudson Pfc. Francis B. McVicker Pvt. George M. Heald Sgt. Bruno H. Aglietti Cpl. Gerald G. Johnson Pfc. Floyd Mason Pvt. Stanley C. Konopka Sgt Harold E. Barnett Cpl. WilHam P. Kannei Pfc. Charles L. Porter Pvt. Frank A. Konstatine Sgt. William W. Carter Cpl. Alvin E. Kincaid Pfc. Billy Ratliff Pvt. George M. McOrath Sgt. Richard R. Chirdon Cpl. Ralph C. Mociun Pfc. Franklin O. ReindoUar, Jr. Pvt. Paul Mallon Sgt. Clifford D. Davis Cpl. Clarence H. Morris Pfc. Dallas L. Robbins Pvt. William D. O'Neill . Sgt Ray C. Faulx Cpl. John L. Sharp Pfc. Vernon G. Rothrock Pvt. Donald L. Osborn Sgt. Leo H. Grill Cpl. WilHam H. Smith, Jr. Pfc. Chester D. Rzeszutek Pvt. Stanley Rawza Sgt. Sheldou W. Harris Cpl. James Ci. Stewart Pfe. Norman J. Schuster Pvt. James G. Stevenson Sgt. Guy T. Hodge Cpl. Sgt. Henry J. Jagoda Cpl. Chester Winckowski Sgf. John F. Mueller Cpl. Charles L. Beaver Sgt. James W. Rinehart Tec 5 Aubrey J. Blackwell Sgt Wilham D. Roberts Tec 5 Luster C. Boggess Sgt. James C. Smith Tec 5 George J. Gerencir Sgt Wilbert H. Smith Tec 5 Joseph A. Johnson Sgt. Joss W. Ullery Tec 5 Robert L. Marchant Tec 4 Max W. Crawley Tec 5 Raymond V. O'Neill Tec 4 Dominick D. Gregory Tec 5 Anthony C. Picarello Tec 4 Donald L. Harris Tec 5 Harold D. Prescott Tec 4 George E. Harris Tec 3 Joseph P. Reese Tec 4 Ray E. Killmer Tec 5 Wayne C. Sheldon Tec 4 Robert E. Palmer Tec 5 Joseph C. Southers Tec 4 Elba E. Salvaga Tec 5 Francis Sutton Tec 4 Dewey Scott Tec 5 Ellsworth V. Wildoner Tec 4 Rocco R. Sorgi Tec 5 Clark L. West Tec 4 Robert E. Stone Tec 5 James W. Cassidy Tec 4 Bernard P. Thomas Pfc. Joseph D. Alderson Tec 4 Warren W. Voelker Pfc. William j. Aloia 53 Pfc. Claire G. Ankney Pfc. Herbert B. Newcomb Pfc. Anthony Blatnick Pfc. Earl T. Nolan Pfc. Robert J. Brichacek Pfc. John A. Peterson Pfc. Charles Cannizzo Pfc. William J. Preddy Pfc. Raymond R. Chestnut Pfc. John J. Pryzbojewski Pfc. Alonzo L. Clark Pfc. Aron D. Scott Pfc. Curtis Coyle, Jr. Pfc. Roderick E. Shadle Pfc. Walter E. Davidson Pfc. Ira Standridge Pfc. Leonard A. Gorman Pfc. Talmadge A. Southern Pfc. Maurice W. Guinn Pfe. Johnny E. Stephens Pfc. Robert M. Herrera Pfc. Arnold Strelitz Pfc. Charles E. HaysUp Pfc. Anthony P. Su&oljak Pfc. Rudolph E. Hoffek Pfc. Kenneth L. Tawyea Pfc. Elbert W. Huddleston Pfc. Howard G. Williams Pfc. William E. Hughes Pfc. Horace G. Wood Pfc. Darvin V. Hurst Pfc. Bruce E. Wright Pfc. William A. Knnak PvL Robert C. Brown Pfc. Lewis M. Krebs, Jr. Pvt. James S. Hadnagy Pfc. Christ J. Kristo Pvt Lyman S. Hall Pfc. Vincent J. Losco Pvt. Harvie L. Haynes Pfc. Raymond H. Marquard Pvt. Baiford L. Langford Pfc. August J. Mohr Pvt. Lawrence O. Zapata 54