99th Infantry Division (United States)

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99th Infantry Division

Badge of the 99th US Infantry Division

Badge of the 99th US Infantry Division
active 1942 to 1945
Country United States 48United States United States
Armed forces United States Armed Forces
Armed forces United States Army
Branch of service infantry
Type Infantry division
Insinuation V. US Corps
Nickname "Battle Babies", "Checkerboard Division"
Colours Blue, black, white
Butcher Second World War
Battle of the Bulge
Ruhrkessel

The 99th Infantry Division ( German  99th US Infantry Division ) was a major unit of the United States Army in World War II .

It played a strategic role during the Battle of the Bulge , when the inexperienced troops succeeded in stopping the northern area of ​​the German attack section and thus preventing an advance into Belgium. Since it was decommissioned in 1945 it has belonged to the "United States Army Reserve" (inactive).

The 99th Regional Support Command as the (traditional) successor unit is responsible for the main base and administrative support of all units of the United States Army Reserve in the area of ​​the mid-Atlantic and the northeast region of the USA. The "99th Regional Support Command" headquarters is located on the Joint Base Maguire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey .

Second World War

  • Erected: November 15, 1942
  • Arrival in Europe: September 30, 1944
  • Campaigns: Ardennes , Alsace , Rhineland , Central Germany
  • Fight days: 151
  • Return to the USA: September 17, 1945
  • Decommissioned: October 15, 1945

Battle calendar

Division commander General Walter E. Lauer

Arrival in Europe

The 99th Infantry Division, consisting of the 393rd Infantry Regiment, 394nd Infantry Regiment and 395th Infantry Regiment, arrived in England on October 10, 1944 under the command of General Lauer . Operationally assigned to the V US Corps ( First Army ), she moved to Le Havre on November 3, 1944 , in order to begin the march to Aubel in Belgium from here . Here the bandages should be prepared for insertion into the front.

Battle of the Bulge

The first use of the Division on 9 November 1944, when they the nearly 30-kilometer-wide section north of the Rur between Schmidt and Monschau was assigned.

After initially remaining defensive, the 99th Infantry Division carried out an attack on the Siegfried Line on December 13th, but this was unsuccessful against the massive defense. Since the "Checkerboard Division" (checkerboard division after its sleeve badge) had not been involved in any major combat operations that year, it was nicknamed Battle Babies .

Map of the northern sector of the front during the Battle of the Bulge

The division's inexperienced regiments were attacked in their front section by forces of the German 6th Panzer Army on December 16, but were able to hold out and upset the German plan of attack. At the same time, the Allies managed to get reinforcements in time. Although cut off and encircled in parts, the units did not give in until relief arrived. Thereafter, the associations were taken back to a defensive bar east of Elsenborn, which was then defended against heavy German attacks. From December 21, 1944 to January 30, 1945, the regiments of the division constantly undertook violent patrol operations and also attacked in the direction of the Monschau forest . From February 1, purges and patrol operations continued until the division was withdrawn from the front for recovery and training on February 13.

Reconnaissance platoon of the 394th Infantry Regiment

The Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon (ISTAR) of the 394th Infantry Regiment of this division was the platoon with the most awards in the US Army during World War II.

On the first morning of the Battle of the Bulge, the men of the train defended a key position near the Losheimer Graben . Under the command of Lieutenant Lyle Bouck Jr., who was only 20 years old , they managed to delay the advance of the 1st SS Panzer Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler , the head of the 6th Panzer Army, for almost 20 hours. In a long and hard fight, the 18 men of the train, plus four artillery observers, withstood the attacks of about 500 soldiers of the 1st Battalion of Paratrooper Regiment 9 (3rd Paratrooper Division). The attackers suffered losses of between 60 and 100 men. This platoon seriously interrupted the advance of the 6th Panzer Army on the northern flank of the offensive. At dusk on the morning of December 16, after a sleepless night and the hard fighting of the previous day, the men were exhausted and the ammunition supplies were running low. Thereupon the train was bypassed by about 50 German paratroopers and the 19 men still present were taken prisoner. Two men had been sent out to fetch reinforcements but were later caught as well. Of the 18 men on the platoon, 14 were wounded and one of the artillery watchers had fallen.

Since the unit was unable to report because of their capture, the radio equipment that had already been destroyed and the rapid advance of the Germans, the US commanders knew nothing about the events at Losheimer Graben. It was not until 34 years after these events that the members of the procession were recognized for their bravery. The entire train received the Presidential Unit Citation , and every member of the train received an award with a total of four Distinguished Service Crosses , five Silver Stars , and ten Bronze Stars with the V for “Valor” (special daring).

Fight in Germany

On March 2, 1945, the division went on the offensive in the direction of Cologne . At Glesch , the Erft was exceeded. After the clearing of towns west of the Rhine , the river was crossed on March 11 at Remagen on the Ludendorff Bridge and reached the Wied via Linz . This was passed on March 23, the Cologne-Frankfurt motorway was crossed and finally the Dill was reached. Against little resistance, Krofdorf-Gleiberg was taken first, and then on March 29th, Giessen . The division then advanced on Schwarzenau and on April 5 intervened in the fighting on the southeastern part of the Ruhr basin . Despite fierce resistance, the Ruhr basin collapsed with the capitulation on April 15 and the surrender of Iserlohn on April 16.

The division's last operation during the war began on April 23, 1945. It moved to southern Germany, crossed the Ludwig-Danube-Main Canal against fierce resistance and on April 25 set up a bridgehead on the other bank of the Altmühl . The Danube was then passed on April 27th at Eining and the Isar against stubborn resistance on May 1st near Landshut .

The advance then continued without resistance to Geisenhausen, southeast of Landshut, where on May 8 the war was over for the division as well.

Allegations on the European theater of war

  • November 4, 1944: “V. Corps "-" First United States Army "-" 12th Army Group "
  • December 18, 1944: Subordinated to the "2nd Infantry Division" of the V. Corps - First Army - 12th Army Group
  • December 20, 1944: Subordinated to the British “ 21st Army Group ” with the entire “First Army”
  • January 7, 1944: Commanded back to the V Corps by the 2nd Infantry Division
  • January 18, 1945: “V. Corps "-" First Army "-" 12th Army Group "
  • February 20, 1945: “VII. Corps"
  • March 9, 1945: “III. Corps"
  • April 19, 1945: “III. Corps "-" US Third Army "-" 12th Army Group "

Number of awards given

Memorial stone in Kinkelt
  • Distinguished Unit Citations: 2
  • Distinguished Service Cross (United States): 16
  • Distinguished Service Medal (Army): 1
  • Silver Star: 252
  • Legion of Merit : 6
  • Distinguished Flying Cross (United States): 7
  • Soldier's Medal : 8
  • Bronze Star: 2,127
  • Air Medal : 48
  • Medal of Honor : 1

The Medal of Honor was awarded to T / Sgt Vernon McGarity of Company L, 393rd Infantry Regiment. He received it for his service with Krinkelt during the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge on December 16, 1944.

After the end of the Battle of the Bulge, the Division Commander Major-General Lauer of his division received verbal praise from Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery , Commander of the 21st Army Group, and Lieutenant-General Courtney Hodges , Commander of the 1st US Army. A written commendation was then given by Major-General Leonard T. Gerow , Commander of the V Corps:

  • "I wish to express to you and the members of your command my appreciation and commendation for the fine job you did in preventing the enemy from carrying out his plans to break through the V Corps sector and push on to the Meuse River. Not only did your command assist in effectively frustrating that particular part of the plan, but it also inflicted such heavy losses on the enemy that he was unable to carry out other contemplated missions in other sectors of the Allied front. "

(It is my wish to express appreciation and praise to you and the men in your command for the good work they have done to keep the enemy from carrying out his plan, to break through the V Corps area and advance to the Meuse. Your command has not only helped to prevent this part of the plan, but also inflicted such heavy losses on the enemy that he was unable to carry out further planned plans in other areas of the Allies.)

General der Panzertruppe von Manteuffel , commander of the 5th Panzer Army , spoke to his troops about the offensive in a daily order that "... our main task must be to keep moving. Otherwise we will not be successful." The 99th Infantry Division had prevented progress and so prevented his success.

Order of battle (1944–1945)

Establishment of the 99th Infantry Division:

  • Headquarters & Headquarters Company 99th Infantry Division (Staff & Staff Company 99th InfDiv)
  • Headquarters & Headquarters Battery Division Artillery (staff & staff battery of the division artillery)
  • Headquarters, Special troops (staff of special forces)
  • Military Police Platoon (1 platoon military police)
  • 99th Quartermaster Company (supply company)
  • 99th Signal Corps Company (telecommunications company)
  • 99th Counter Intelligence Corps Detachment (counterintelligence division)
  • 99th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized) (Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop)
  • 324th Engineer Combat Battalion (Engineer Battalion)
  • 324th Medical Company (medical company)
  • 370th Field Artillery Battalion (105 MM) (field artillery battalion with 105 mm howitzer)
  • 371st Field Artillery Battalion (105 MM) (field artillery battalion with howitzer 105 mm)
  • 372nd Field Artillery Battalion (155 MM) (field artillery battalion with 155 mm howitzer)
  • 394th Infantry Regiment (Infantry Regiment)
  • 395th Infantry Regiment (Infantry Regiment)
  • 799th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
  • 924th Field Artillery Battalion (105 MM) (field artillery battalion with 155 mm howitzer)
  • 535th AAA A-Weapons Battalion: (Air Defense Battalion) December 11, 1944 - May 9, 1945
  • 629th Tank Destroyer Battalion: (Panzerjägerbataillon) February 22, 1945 - May 9, 1945
  • 644th Tank Destroyer Battalion: (Panzerjägerbataillon) January 28, 1945 - February 8, 1945
  • 750th Tank Battalion: (Panzer Battalion) January 28, 1945 - February 5, 1945
  • 786th Tank Battalion: (Panzer Battalion) February 23, 1945 - May 9, 1945
  • 801st Tank Destroyer Battalion: (Panzerjägerbataillon) November 9, 1944 - February 3, 1945
  • 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion: (Panzerjägerbataillon) February 8, 1945 - February 13, 1945
  • 817th Tank Destroyer Battalion: (Panzerjägerbataillon) February 13, 1945 - February 22, 1945

Division commanders

  • Major General Thompson Lawrence (November 1942 - July 1943)
  • Major General Walter E. Lauer (July 1943 - August 18, 1945)
  • Major General Frederick H. Black (August 1945 - retired)

Association badge

The unit's sleeve badge shows a black shield with five points in which a band of blue and white squares is inserted. Black represents the steel mills of Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania where the vast majority of the soldiers of the Division herstammte. The blue and white checks are borrowed from the coat of arms of William Pitt , after which the city of Pittsburgh takes its name.

tradition

The division's tradition is continued today by the United States Army Reserve's 99th Regional Support Command, headquartered in Fort Dix , New Jersey. The regional support commands (RSCs) only have the number and sleeve crest of a respective infantry division but are not entitled to the honors and awards awarded to this division.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Ralph E. Hersko, Jr .: Battle of the Bulge: US Troops Fight at Elsenburn Ridge . HistoryNet.com. November 1998. Retrieved July 14, 2010.
  2. ^ The Battle for Lanzerath Hill — The True Story — December 16, 1944 . Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  3. ↑ Marcel Vaessen: US Memorial à Lanzerath . Portal Oberes-Ourtal. May 12, 2005. Archived from the original on February 24, 2012. Retrieved on August 13, 2010.
  4. ^ Brian Todd: A hero remembers the Battle of the Bulge . CNN. December 17, 2004. Retrieved December 28, 2011.
  5. ↑ Captain John Della-Giustina: The Heroic status of an Intelligence Platoon: . In: Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin . January – March 1996. Retrieved March 17, 2009.
  6. ↑ General Orders No. 26 (Unit Commendations) (PDF; 627 kB) Headquarters, Department of the Army. October 29, 1981. Retrieved March 19, 2009.
  7. ^ Technical Sergeant
  8. Jump up ↑ Battle Babies: The Story of the 99th Infantry Division . US Army Orientation Branch, Information and Education Division, ETOUSA. Retrieved March 7, 2009.

literature

Web links