(Trident) DIVISION on Redeployment Furloughs June-July 1945 ENROUTE to TOKYO
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CONNECTICUT MEN OF THE 97th (Trident) DIVISION On Redeployment Furloughs June-July 1945 ENROUTE TO TOKYO The 97th (Trident) Infantry Division, ing the 387th Infantry Regiment did not the second of the combat units enroute reach the port of New York until the night from the European Theater of Operations of June 28. to the Pacific, arrived in the United States The men on the Brazil and the for redeployment furloughs late in June, Angel received the standard welcome pre• 1945. pared by the New York Port of Embar• Preceded by a small group of division kation Army Service Forces. They were headquarters personnel, the three major serenaded by WAC bands aboard small contingents of the Division, with 14,184 boats which cruised along side of the trans• officers and men on their rosters, crossed ports as they steamed up the bay, harbor the ocean on the transports Marine Angel, and river at New York, and escorted by Brazil, and Marine Panther. harbor craft carrying the press and pho• The Marine Angel, with 1,463 members tographers. Other ships in the harbor of the division aboard arrived at New York and harbor craft sounded their whistles on June 23, 1945, and proceeded up the as men crowded the decks and lined the Hudson River to Piermont, New York. rails to get the first good look of their Men were debarked from the Angel to homeland. At the Pier 86, Red Cross per• small craft, went ashore, and proceeded sonnel were on hand to distribute coffee, by truck to Camp Shanks, for processing lemonade and crullers. Similar welcome preparatory to entraining for the Fort home ceremonies occurred at Boston Devens, Massachusetts, reception center, Harbor for the Panther. in the case of New England men, with High spots at Camps Shanks and Myles others going to twenty-one like centers Standish was the "homecoming meal", throughout the United States. featured by steaks, ice cream and all the The second contingent arrived in New fresh milk the men wanted, all of which York on Sunday, June 24, and included was greatly appreciated after five months 6,520 men and officers, aboard the Brazil. of overseas rations — and the oppor• Docking at Pier 84, North River, the men tunity to phone the good news to the home went by ferry and rail to Camp Shanks for folks. processing and the trip to Devens. Then the long, and frquently tedious, The third group, comprising the 386th processing there and at Devens, and Infantry, came into the Port of Boston, finally two or three days after debarka• aboard the Panther, on June 24. The regi• tion, leave orders,, the last long miles from ment with 3,199 men on its rosters, pro• Devens to Connecticut, and — home. ceeded by truck to Camp Myles Standish, At the conclusion of the furlough periods near Taunton, Massachusetts, and ar• the division is to be reassembled at Fort rived at Devens, Tuesday morning. Bragg, N. C, for retraining and eventual Delayed by hurricane winds for several embarkation from a West Coast Port for days, the transport Marine Raven carry• the Pacific Theater of Operations. ing 3,002 men of the 97th Division includ• The original World War I 97th Division 2 was in the process of organization at Camp It was assigned to the 15th Army and Cody, New Mexico, at the time of the subsequently to the First Army. It saw 1918 Armistice. In this war it was activ• major action in the Battle of the Ruhr ated at Camp Swift, Texas, and trained Pocket and at the time of the surrender of there and at Fort Leonard Wood, Mis• the German Armies was in Czechoslo• souri. It participated in the Louisiana vakia. In the course of its European Maneuvers in 1943. experience most units of the Division saw The Division sailed for Europe in Feb• parts of five countries: France, Belgium, ruary. 1945, commanded by Brig. General Holland, Germany and Czechoslovakia. Milton B. Halsey, an Alabaman and a The component units of the Division in West Pointer, who succeeded, on Jan• Europe were 303rd, 386th, 387th Infantry uary 1, Brig. General Louis A. Craig, Regiments, and the 389th, 303rd, 365th, who had organized and trained the outfit. and 922nd Field Artillery Battalions. 3 A 97th DIVISION DIARY There are official resumes of the 97th's USS Monticello, former Italian Luxury European itinerary, and there will be Liner, Conte Grande; received hot coffee official histories of the Division after the and doughnuts from Red Cross. Morale war, replete with technical military terms was very low. and names of then long forgotten villages in Europe and Asia; but here and now, In The Convoy what tells the story better than the FEBRUARY 19. Sailed from harbor while Doughfoot's Diary? Here is one com• we slept. Company A quartered on F piled by a group of men of the 303rd In• Deck, the bottom deck. Two meals a day, fantry, printed verbatim as it was drawn served at 6 A.M. and 4 P.M. Food was up in Europe after the firing ceased: awful and sea generally calm throughout JANUARY 30th. Left Camp Cooke by the trip. About 40 ships in convoy, largely troop train for somewhere on the East transports, protected by destroyers and Coast; went through Arizona, New sub chasers, about 15 in all. Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, MARCH 2. Disembarked at Le Havre, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Penna., Maryland, France; loaded on trucks and went to Washington, D. C, and New Jersey, ar• Camp Lucky Strike, France, near Vitte¬ riving at Camp Kilmer, N. J. fleur, Cany Barville, and Fecamp. Lived FEBRUARY 18th. Left Camp Kilmer in in tents; very little activity. a troop train to Jersey City, N. J. Crossed MARCH 30. Train trip on 40 and 8 cars the Hudson River and New York Harbor (40 men and 8 horses). Straw used as to Staten Island on ferry. 97th Division bedding. Went through the following Band played as we loaded on to the places in France: St. Valery, Dieppe, 4 Abbeville, Amiens, Mamn, Nestle, St. for the first time. Many a prayer was said. Quentin, Bohain, Le Ceateau. In Bel• We crossed the river under fire from enemy gium: Charleroi, Namur, Liege. In Hol• 88s, 20 mm ack-ack guns and machine gun land: Maastricht. We finally ended up in fire, since we were the assault company. the town of Bellinghoven, Germany. We were pinned down by machine gun fire. APRIL 3. We crossed the Rhine River It was here that we had our first casualties. at 3 P. M. in trucks over a pontoon bridge Lt. Woods was hit in the leg and others at Bonn, a few miles north of the Remagen were wounded including Ball, Brooks, Bridge. There were 25 barrage baloons Cummings, Wedeen, Prince, Lorusso and and plenty of AA batteries around. Bil- Jagielski. Continued to attack through letted in Bueul. the town despite mortar fire. Set up security in a house for the remainder of Relieving the 78th the night. All night long we were being fired on by the 88s. The 2nd Battalion APRIL 4. Moved to Hanngelar to act crossed the river after us and had heavy as a reserve battalion. casualties in the center of the town. APRIL 6. Moved to the outskirts of Neider Pleiss on the Seig River to take Attack Resumed up a defensive position. 97th Division APRIL 10. Resumed the attack at 6:30 relieved the 78th Division. A.M. with enemy apparently withdrawing APRIL 8. Shelling of Seigburg from us to next town. Reached objective at 8 A.M. day and night; no return fire. Famous Pontoon Bridge was built across the river Hitler Autobahn was our right flank. and the 13th Armored Division crossed. APRIL 9. Received the order to cross Slept all night in foxholes as 88s still the Seig River at 6 P.M. Sure did feel shelled Siegburg. Seventy-three prisoners strange for we were going under enemy fire were taken. 5 APRIL 11. Resumed attack at 6 A.M. three German 150 mm guns, with their Henry and Wyatt were run over by a crews of 28 men. We had quite a brisk tank during the night while sleeping in battle for a while that resulted in killing their foxholes. Both had to be evacuated. three Germans and two horses, the others Met no resistance. Crossed Agger River were all captured. Artillery was horse in water chest deep, wet all day. Biv• drawn and when first observed it was being ouacked in the woods. fired. Marched on into Hilton, where we APRIL 12. Lots of mail came today. spent the night, slept on mattresses and Many tanks came into our area and we beds for the first time. were sure glad to see them. Jumped off APRIL 17. Started out in reserve, passed in the attack, again at 4:30 P.M. It was through Unkerath and beyond that we really raining. No Germans sighted as we were held up by 20 mm flak guns. Flanked followed the armor. Continued through to the left and moved up to the western low, swampy land until 8:30 P.M. Slept outskirts of Dusseldorf, where the com• under raincoats and froze all night long. pany spent the night on straw mattresses in a Hitler Youth Camp. The 2nd and Attack With Armor 3rd Battalions went on into Dusseldorf APRIL 13. Attack at 9 and what a on tanks and met no resistance. drive! Led by Armor, we went about 12 APRIL 18.