Company K at the 346th Regiment Inactivation
VE Day
[From 346th Infantry: At 0945 May 7 the following message was received from the Division Commander: “Representatives of the German High Command signed the unconditional surrender of all German land, sea, and air forces to the Allied Expeditionary Forces and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command at 0700, 7 May 1945 under which all forces will cease active operations at 0900, 7 May 1945. Effective immediately all offensive operations cease. Troops will remain in present positions. Moves involved in occupational duty will continue. Due to difficulty in communications, there may be some delay in similar orders reaching the enemy troops, so full defensive precautions will be taken.”]
May 8, 1945
Germany
Dear Folks,
Yesterday sure was a great day for me. We attacked on the sixth and were supposed to shove off again yesterday morning. But instead of receiving an attack order, we were ordered just to stay where we were. Then a little after ten o’clock we got the news that the Germans had signed unconditional surrender. Even though it doesn’t take effect officially till tomorrow, it meant that we were though fighting. Boy oh Boy! What a feeling. The Lord has certainly been good to me. I’ve got lots to thank Him for.
The “Stars and Stripes” also brought us some pretty good news yesterday. It said that over half of the combat troops would get a furlough back in the States before they are shipped to the CBI (The China, Burma, India Theater). Don’t plan too much on it because there’s just about as much chance against it as there is for it. But wouldn’t that be great!
Yesterday also I received a box from you and my name was turned in for a pass to Paris. It was the package containing pop corn and it really hit the spot. The corn was still as crisp as it was when you packed it. It would have done your heart good to have seen the fellows (and me) go after it. I wish I could send the box home and let you fill it up again.
If my pass had come a little bit sooner it might have kept me out of a little fighting but I’m glad to get it now. I’ll be going in a day or so. Considering everything that happened, wasn’t yesterday a pretty eventful day for me?
Well it looks like Spring again today. Maybe the weather is doing a little celebrating. We’ve really had some pretty rough weather for this late in the season during the past week. There has even been a little snow. I hope it stays nice now.
It’s been almost a week now since I got any letters but no doubt there will be two or three when they do come.
Hope everything is ship-shape back there. Be good and God bless you.
Love.
Donald
Categories
Germany: May 1945
The following is the official “After Action Report” for the 346th Regiment, May 1945, from the 87th Infantry Archives
Categories
Germany: April 1945
The following is the official “After Action Report” for the 346th Regiment, March 1945, from the 87th Infantry Archives
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March 3, 1945 – Goldbrick Hill
On March 3, 1945 K Company participated in the assault on “Goldbrick Hill” – Hill 649B on the Siegfried Line.
From the Regimental History:
At 1330 on 3 March 1945, the Battalion launched
its attack from Hill 648 debouching from its heavy
woods, passing across the open draw between the
two hills and up the bald slopes of Gold “B” Hill,
after a 20 minute artillery preparation. Under in-
tense enemy artillery, neblewerfer, and small arms
fire, the Third Battalion pressed its attack using
marching fire and knocked out seven enemy ma-
chine guns, capturing the hill, which yielded 150
enemy prisoners of war and inflicting 100 enemy
casualties. At this point, the enemy increased his
artillery and mortar fire on the hill, and the Bat-
talion dug in for the night in a perimeter defense.
The capture of the hill denied the enemy its ob-
servation and the artillery fire on our rear areas
ceased, permitting freedom of movement for our
troops and supply to the front. It also broke the
back of the enemy defenses in that sector of the
Siegfried Line.
A description of the attack by Ed Jans and Mitch Kaidy
A memoir of the assault by Lt Glenn Doman, commanding officer for Company K.
Categories
Germany: March 1945
The following is the official “After Action Report” for the 346th Regiment, March 1945, from the 87th Infantry Archives
Categories
Belgium-Germany: February 1945
The following is the official “After Action Report” for the 346th Regiment, February 1945, from the 87th Infantry Archives
From: An Historical and Pictorial Record of the 87 Infantry Division in WWII:
On the afternoon of January 6 the attack on Tillet by the Third Battalion, 346th Regiment, started. As the fighting men of L and I companies came over the crest of the Gerimont Station Hill all hell broke loose. Company K coming out of the trees on the ridge to the south met the same resistance. The attack was held up and the battalion was pinned down.
From 346th Infantry:
(On 4 January) the new mission was to attack, capture and hold the town of Tillet. The Third Battalion moved to the high ground east of Tillet, and later in the day Tillet was reported burning. The Third Battalion attacked the town but were unable to capture it.
On 7 January the Third Battalion again attacked Tillet with no success. The enemy apparently were determined to hold the town at any cost. During the night German patrols were very active around our positions, and the outfit’s casualty toll was extremely high.
Second Lt. Glenn Doman, Company K, earned the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic actions in the attack of Tillet. He voluntarily led three patrols into the town, taking prisoners and gathering much valuable information. While in the town he also personally observed and directed effective artillery fire on the town. Because of the shortage of ammunition and increasing fire from the enemy, Lt. Doman was given permission to withdraw after successfully accomplishing his mission.
Attack after attack was repulsed by the stubborn enemy garrison.
From an email note received in August 2012, just before a visit to Belgium – from 93 year old Retired Lt. Col. Glenn Doman, who was Donald’s CO:
“Your father Donald was one of my boys in K (King) company, 346th INF Regiment, 87 Infantry Division (Golden Acorn) and it was a high honor to serve with a great hero like your dad. On January 7, 1945 around Tillet Belgium, one of our boys was seriously wounded in an open field. Your dad ran into the field under enemy fire and helped recover our wounded boy, most certainly saving his life. I was honored to recommend him for the Silver Star.”
Clipping from Alexandria(?) Indiana Times-Tribune, April 1945
Fields near Tillet, Belgium photographed in 2012:
Categories
January 4, 1945
[From: An Historical and Pictorial Record of the 87 Infantry Division in WWII: It was cold, bitterly cold, that morning of December 29 when the infantrymen, the artillerymen, the recons, the tankers, the tank destroyers, the triple-A’s and all the rest of the units of the 87th Division climbed aboard the open 6×6’s for the 100-mile motor march to Seviscourt and Bertrix, Belgium. The roads were frozen and the wind was icy as it whipped across the snow covered hills to torture the men who were moving up to meet the rampaging Germans who were on the loose again.
There was no bivouac nor rest period awaiting them. The 346th Infantry was detached, during the night of 29-30 December, and attacked at 0730 the next morning, advancing nine kilometers that day to positions where they could control the roads leading to Vesqueville and St. Hubert.
The enemy was fighting for the lifeline of his offensive. It was the Houffalize-St. Hubert highway, the loss of which would make him shuttle his men and supplies over secondary, unimproved mountain roads that were practically impassable due to the snow. Jenneville, Pironpre, Bonnerue and Tillet were all key towns on that road. And they were all objectives of the 87th Division.]
[From 346th Infantry: THE ARDENNES FIRST PHASE -The next few days were spent in reorganizing the outfit, bringing the rifle companies up to strength, and inspection and repair of equipment, all in preparation for the next move, which came on December 29, to the vicinity of Glaumont, Belgium, to help stem Von Runstadt’s Ardennes breakthrough.
Once again the attack was on, as at 0730 hours the next morning the Second and Third Battalions moved out on a mission to capture and hold the objective, blow all bridges, and to establish road blocks in vicinity of St. Hubert and Vesqueville, Belgium. Things went well and the casualty rate was low, but snow was falling again, slowing things up. In the meantime the Regimental CP had set up at Recogne, Belgium.
New Year’s Day brought no hilarious celebrations or big “morning-after” heads but only snow and continued. cold. Patrols were sent into St. Hubert and VesquevilIe, Frozen feet were no novelty, and the enemy flushed with the immediate success of its salient, was more difficult than ever.]
January 4, 1945
Dear Family and all,
Not that this isn’t meant for you at home but I, as usual, would like for it to let as many hear from me as possible. This is the first cance I’ve had to write for about a week now so don’t be worried about letters being missing if you hear once in a while. I was blessed with the first mail yesterday evening that I have received since Christmas day. It sure was good to hear from you. Your letters were dated Dec 7 and 20. I also got he first Tribune to reach me since the few in England. It was of Oct. 31 but even at that I enjoyed it. I guess this letter will have to contain my New Year’s greetings and good wishes. With God’s help 1945 will see us together agin. May it be His will.
I believe it only fair now to tell you that I have been in combat for a few weeks now. I have always told you not to worry and it it even more so now. If you can put as much faith in God as I do you will have no trouble meeting the situation. I am not ashamed of the fact that all of my trust is in Him. Psalm 27;1. You may be pleased to know that I am finding a lot of real use for the work I spent in learning radio. Keep praying.
Love, Donald