In Memory of Pvt. Joseph R. Shapley, KIA, 406th Inf. Reg., 102nd Infantry Division

http://www.dvrbs.com/ccwd-WW2/WW2-JosephRShapley.htm Joseph R. Shapley

Private, U.S. Army 32959148 406th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division

Entered the Service from: New Jersey Died: November 21, 1944 Buried at: Plot H Row 6 Grave 23 Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, Netherlands

Awards: Purple Heart

PRIVATE JOSEPH R. SHAPLEY was born in New Jersey in 1925 to Joseph and Miriam Shapley. By the time of the April 1930 census, the Shapley family lived at 2125 Lexington Avenue in Pennsauken NJ. The elder Shapley worked as a railroad postal clerk for the United States Postal Service. Joseph R. Shapley was an honor graduate of Moorestown (NJ) High School, and was attending the Drexel Institute in Philadelphia PA.

Drafted at Camden on October 13, 1943, Joseph R. Shapley was inducted into the United States Army in November of 1943. He was sent overseas in September of 1944 serving with the 406^thInfantry Regiment, 102^nd Infantry Division.

The division itself was constituted as a Missouri/Arkansas Army Reserve unit on June 21, 1921, with it's headquarters in St. Louis. The division existed on paper only until September 15, 1942. Major General John Anderson, from the 2nd Infantry Division assembled 15,000 men from throughout the United States at Camp Maxey in Northern Texas. 

In June 1943, 1475 men were transferred to the 42nd Infantry Division at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma. In October 1943 the 102nd moved to Western Louisiana for advanced training. In December 1943 the 102nd moved to Camp Swift, Texas. 

On January 20, 1944 Brigadier General Frank Keating assumed command of the Ozarks. In March 3,250 men from the Army's Specialized Training Program (ASTP) joined the division. It is likely, given his educational background, that Private Shapley was one of these men. The division now at full strength began their long journey to Germany. On June 24, 1944 they arrived at Fort Dix, NJ.

While staged at Fort Dix the 405th and 406th Regiments were deployed to guard the property of the Philadelphia Transit Authority during a union strike. The strike, if allowed to go unchecked, could have had a devastating effect on General Patton's troops in France. The entire city of Philadelphia had shut down; the Philadelphia Quartermaster Depot included. The Quartermaster Depot was the main source of supplies for Patton's Army. 

The soldiers rode shotgun on buses and trains and guarded the rail yards, highways and bridges against attacks from both strikers and German sympathizers. The City of Philadelphia must have thought they were under siege. There were sandbagged machine gun emplacements at major intersections, automatic weapons at water towers, municipal sites, transportation centers, and shipyards.

The strike was the result of a labor shortage. A number of maintenance workers, largely minorities, were retrained as drivers and operators. By union rules, their many years as maintenance workers gave them seniority as drivers and operators over many of the white drivers and operators.

On September 3,1944 the Ozarks deployed to Camp Kilmer, NJ. Finally, on Sept 12th, they were trucked to the Staten Island base of the N.Y.P.O.E., where they boarded six transports (John Ericcson, Marine Wolf, Santa Paula, Sea Tiger, Bienville, and the Marina) and rendezvoused with a convoy south of New York Harbor for the long, cramped trip to Cherbourg, France.

PUSH TO THE ROER

The 102nd arrived in Cherbourg thirteen days later, Sept 23rd. They headed northeast by truck and rail through France and the Netherlands into Northern Germany. On October 23, 1944 the 405th Regiment, temporarily attached to the 2nd Armored Division, relieved the 41st Armored Infantry and became the first unit of the 102nd to engage the enemy. 

On October 27th First Sergeant Cecil Reynolds became the first Ozark wounded in action. The next day PFC Clayton Richards became the first Ozark to die fighting for his country. Both men were members of I Company, 405th Regiment. On October 30th the 407th Regiment saw their first action near Waurichen, Germany when they relieved the 115th and 117th Infantry Regiments. By November 2, 1944 the 406th Regiment had their baptismal by fire, under control of the 30th Infantry Division they relieved the 117th Regiment near Geilenkirchen, Germany. 

Plans were afoot for the 9th Army to spearhead an attack on Hitler's Siegfried line at Geilenkirchen. The Ozarks, already in place, were permanently reassigned to the 9th.  These zones of fortification facing France's "Maginot Line" fortifications were constructed near the French and German borders in the years preceding the invasion of France, 1940. Some of the fortifications were built to resemble houses, barns and outhouses. Others were naturally camouflaged by years of natural vegetation growth.

Meanwhile, the German Army decided to dig in for the winter of 1944 and reinforce their Siegfried line. Additional cement fortifications with ten feet thick walls were built. Heavy artillery was brought in and extensive mine fields laid. Winter fog and rain enabled Hitler to do this without air observation; thus it went largely undetected. Unknown to the American Army at the time the Germans were also assembling for their ill-fated winter of 44 Ardennes Forest plunge.

On November 3rd the 102nd flanked by the 113th Cavalry Group and the 2nd Armored Division began its push through the Siegfried line. Weeks of regrouping and defensive measures forced the Division sector to move southeast. They advanced onto a battlefield honeycombed with pillboxes, concrete fortifications, minefields, and heavy enemy artillery. Heavy resistance ensued, but by November 24th the 406th Regiment and the 2nd Armored Division had captured Apweiler and Gereonsweiler. Hitler's elite 10th Panzer Division and SS troops had been pushed back to the banks of the Roer River. Over 1000 German soldiers were taken prisoner. Private Shapley was killed in action during this operation, on November 21, 1944.

Joseph R. Shapley was originally listed as missing in action. His body was recovered, and his death was reported in the October 8, 1945 edition of the Camden Courier-Post. He was survived by his parents and younger sister Dorothy, of the Pennsauken address.

In Memory of Carl Milton Bean, KIA 1944, Inducted Into Service At Camp Maxey 1942

Carl Milton Bean was born in Moorefield, Hardy County, West Virginia on October 28, 1918. Carl was the second child of Mr. Marcellus M. Bean and Mrs. Ethel Susan Bean. The Bean family was long established in Moorefield and Hardy County. When Carl was born, he joined an older brother, Marcellus, and the Bean house was soon populated with three younger siblings: Raymond, Mary Susan, and Ellis.

Carl spent his youthful days being educated in the public schools of Hardy County. He graduated in 1939 from Moorefield High School, and then attended nearby Shepherd College.

Carl was inducted into the United States Army as a private on December 28, 1942. Upon induction he was sent for training at Camp Maxey, Texas. It was while he was at Camp Maxey that Carl began another new chapter of his life, that of a husband.

In March of 1943, Miss June Dolan decided to pay a visit to Carl during his basic training. While June was at Camp Maxey the couple decided to wed and they were married in Texas on March 17, 1943.

In December, 1943 Carl was sent overseas to the European Theater with the 625th Ordinance Ammunition Company. Carl was killed in action while participating in Exercise Tiger on April 28, 1944.

Exercise Tiger, or Operation Tiger, was the code name for one in a series of large-scale rehearsals for the D-Day invasion of Normandy, which took place in April 1944 on Slapton Sands in Devon. Coordination and communication problems resulted in friendly fire deaths during the exercise, and an Allied convoy positioning itself for the landing was attacked by E-boats of Nazi Germany's Kriegsmarine, resulting in the deaths of at least 749 American servicemen.^[1][2] Because of the impending invasion of Normandy, the incident was under the strictest secrecy at the time and was only nominally reported afterwards.

Carl's body was buried at sea, and he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart.

In recognition of his honorable service in World War II, and for his ultimate sacrifice, Carl Milton Bean's name is inscribed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery in Cambridge, England, and Carl's was one of the original names inscribed on the West Virginia Veteran's Memorial. Carl is also honored on the World War II memorial online registry by Jacqueline B. Coffroth.

Pendleton Woods, 99th Infantry Division, recalls nearly starving to death as German POW,

The following interview of Pendleton Woods was conducted on Nov. 14, 1984, on the campus of Oklahoma Christian College in Edmond by Joe L. Todd for the Oklahoma Historical Society.

Todd: Sir, where were you born?

Woods: Fort Smith, Ark.

T: When were you born?

W: Dec. 18, 1923.

T: Who was your father?

W: John Powell Woods. He was born in Northeast Arkansas. My mother was Mable Fairfax Hon and she was born in Waldron, Ark. I have ancestors from both sides of my family who were in the Civil War. My great-grandfather Gaines was a prisoner of war. He was on the south. He was on a prison ship on the Mississippi and didn’t know how to swim. He and some other prisoner jumped overboard and swam to shore. That was the first time he swam.

T: What type of work did your father do?

W: My father and both grandfathers were lawyers.

T: Describe Fort Smith.

W: The main building in Fort Smith when I was growing up was the Goldman Hotel, which was near the old Fort Smith and the troops paraded in this area.

T: Is this old Fort Smith?

W: This is the 1870 fort that lasted. I’m not talking about the 1817 fort. The Old Commissary Building is still there and is the only building in its original condition. It is a rock building. The building that housed Judge Parker’s Courtroom was built later and was not part of the original fort. My grandmother and her sisters were responsible for saving that building from being torn down. When I was a Boy Scout I was a guide in the Old Commissary Building. I remember the antique fire wagon that was there and old musical instruments from the Fort Smith Band.

T: What year did you graduate from high school?

W: 1941 just before Pearl Harbor. I was a freshman in the dormitory at the University of Arkansas when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

T: What was your reaction?

W: It was Sunday afternoon and someone yelled about the news and we all rushed to the radio to listen, and it really affected all our lives. Instead of enlisting, we were asked to enlist in the Enlisted Reserve Corps and be ready when they needed us. I enlisted in 1942 and was called out with a group of about 100 from the University of Arkansas in May of 1943.
T: Where did you take Basic Training?

W: I went to Camp Maxey, in Paris, Texas, to what was called an AFRFC, Army Services Forces Training Center. We were studying engineering. In the spring of 1944, almost all of the AFRFC centers were closed and I went back to infantry basic. I was put in the infantry at Camp Maxey.

T: Would you describe Camp Maxey?

W: We were in 2-story wooden barracks, built very fast for World War II. We had a food shortage. We had a lot of pork and I gained a great dislike for pork. I had Basic two times. The second time was with the 99th Division. I went overseas with the 99th.

T: What was your average day in Basic?

W: We got up around 5:30 to a recorded bugle. I was a slow dresser and because of that, I would sleep in an old uniform, get up, fall in for reveille, then go back and change into a clean uniform.

T: What type of uniform did you wear?

W: We had the old World War I leggings, but they were longer, and we had them until I went overseas in 1944. I finally got the buckle-top combat boots in 1944 and got rid of my leggings.

T: What happened after first formation?

W: We had first formation, then we got ready for breakfast. After breakfast, we had training periods. We had physical workout, training with the bayonet and the rifle.

T: Tell me about shipping overseas.

W: They never tell you anything about moving, but you can tell when you are going because they cut down on training and we began to make boxes.

T: What was your point of embarkation?

W: Boston, Mass.

T: Tell me about the trip?

W: Well I was a Private First Class (PFC) and was in the bottom of the ship. We had two meals a day and I was expecting to get seasick, but I never did. I volunteered for KP all the way across just to have something to do, and it got me out of the bottom of the ship, and I could eat whenever I wanted to.

T: Tell me about arriving in Europe.

W: When we left, we still didn’t know where we were going, and we first landed at Bridgeport, England, and I had it pretty good there because I helped an officer take his bags off the ship. We were going to be in England for about two weeks and each officer could have an orderly, so that officer requested that I be his orderly. For those two weeks we stayed in a castle in Bridgeport. The Battalion officers were in the castle, and the orderlies stayed in the servants quartets. I always regretted that I never learned the history of that castle because it was beautiful. After those two weeks we were sent to the continent.

T: From England, where did you go?

W: We went to France in October 1944. We went to Le Havre on LSTs. This was after D-Day. My first sight of the war was when we landed in Le Havre and there is nothing as shocking as the first time you see war for real. Le Havre was completely leveled.

T: And from Le Havre, where did you go?

W: We loaded on trucks and were taken directly into Belgium and replaced the 2nd Division on the front line. They got out of their foxholes and we got into them. This was in the Ardennes Forest, which was heavily wooded with evergreens that had been very carefully planted. There has been a tree planting program in Europe for many years because they realized long before we did in the States that the trees had to be replaced. I remember the forest had a Christmas atmosphere. The trees were tall evergreen and there was tinsel hanging from them, which had been dropped to deflect radar, but it reminded you of Christmas. It looked like icicles hanging from the trees.

T: Was this the first time you saw action?

W: Yes. It was a quiet period. We knew the Germans were close, but we didn’t expect anything.

T: What were your duties on the line?

W: I was a gunner on a BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) and had a crew of two people, assistant gunner and ammunition bearer. The three of us shared the bunker with the BAR. The bunker was built for two, but all three of us were in it. One person had to be awake and on guard at all times, so one person was outside and ready to fire the gun. The other two could be sleeping. It was winter and cold with snow on the ground. As long as the ground was frozen, the bunker wasn’t too bad, but on one or two occasions, the temperature got above freezing and that was miserable. The ground would thaw and ice cold water would seep into the bunker and we would by lying in that water. We had to stay in the bunker so the Germans wouldn’t spot us.

T: Did you have sleeping bags?

W: Yes, but they were soaked with the ice water then they would freeze, and it was better to sleep on top of it than inside of it.

T: What did your winter clothing consist of?

W: We had the field jacket with a hood, long underwear, and we got the buckle-top combat boots in Belgium. The most difficult thing was to keep your feet warm. It was almost impossible to keep your feet from freezing. We would take our boots and socks off and wash our feet every day and exercise them to prevent trench-foot. Almost everybody was frostbitten. We were in snow and ice which was almost a foot deep. I had frostbite on my feet and it took almost a year after I got back to the States before I recovered. During that year, layer after layer of skin peeled off my feet. That whole year I had a numbness in my feet and I thought it would be permanent. Some people still have problems with their feet, but I recovered completely.

T: How effective was the BAR?

W: It was very effective except in freezing weather. It could be disastrous when it froze up on you, because it would not fire. The pin moved forward too slow in the freezing and would not strike the round hard enough to fire. That was the problem we had when we were attacked, the BAR wouldn’t fire.

T: Were you captured in the Ardennes?

W: Yes, we were just inside Belgium.

T: What was the date of your capture?

W: Dec. 10, 1944, six days before the Bulge broke out. We were in a holding position in the Ardennes. The Germans were building up and we were not conscious of what they were doing. I want to mention the buzz bombs. You could time them, every 15 minutes another would be fired and would go over us. They were firing into our rear area. They were the V-2 rockets and we called them the buzz bombs. They had an engine that ran on denatured alcohol. They became commonplace, just a whistling sound as they went over.

T: You say you were captured near the Siegfried Line?

W: Yes, that’s the defensive line with the dragon’s teeth. It was amazing how it was built up. We were on reconnaissance into the German area. We were near the border and may have crossed into Germany and 12 or 13 of us were cut off. Two members in the rear escaped and another one was killed. It happened very sudden. I tried to fire, but the BAR was frozen up. I had fallen into a snow covered ravine and snow got inside of the weapon.

T: What was your reaction to being captured?

W: It was bewilderment. I didn’t know what was going to happen. You feel helpless and there is nothing you can do. I remember the ground opening up when we were being taken to the German area. We were marching and these big doors just opened up out of the ground and we walked underground. They were very well camouflaged and also well fortified.

T: Where did they take you?

W: We were taken to the Siegfried Line and left on German trucks. There was snow everywhere and the truck overturned. Germans guards jumped out and covered us, so we couldn’t escape. We were locked in a prison compound. The next day we were taken to a city jail in a nearby town. The Germans had picked up a British flyer, so 10 people were in this cell which was on the second floor. There were windows with bars over them, but no glass to keep out the cold. We only had one blanket to keep us warm. We all took off our shoes and sat in a circle with our feet in the middle like a wagon wheel and put the blanket over our feet. We shared each other’s heat and kept our feet warm even though the rest of our bodies were freezing. We sat in that position for about 2 days. To pass the time, we began telling stories. We even played games. We were moved by train to Frankfurt, where we learned about the Battle of the Bulge. Prisoners were being brought to Frankfurt by the thousands. The 99th Division was hit hard in the Bulge and the 106th Division was completely annihilated.

T: Tell me about Frankfurt.

W: I had my 21st birthday in the compound in Frankfurt. We went through a lot of interrogation in the early part of our captivity. The Germans were experts at psychological warfare. They would separate us and interview each one of us and try to tempt us in giving information. They already knew a lot of information and they let us know they knew a lot. They tried to turn us against each other. They never used physical force, but it was threatened. Interrogation was day in and day out until the Bulge broke out and then it all stopped.

T: What happened after Frankfurt?

W: We were living in a boxcar in Frankfurt. The boxcar was called a forty and eight. The term came from World War I. They were designed to hold 40 men or 8 horses. There were about 100 of us in that one car and we were so cramped we couldn’t move. We had no food and no toilet facility. We had to relieve ourselves where we were standing because no one could move. In order to keep warm we buddied up. My friend was Clarence Deal from Oklahoma City. We stayed together all the way through prison camp. When we had room, we would take off our shoes, I would put my legs under his field jacket and my feet in his armpits and he would do the same to me and that’s how we stayed warm. The prison train cars had the lowest priority on the railroad, so we would be on a siding for several days while other trains passed. It was a long trip.

Stalag 12A was in Limburg. We were starving, cold and we all had diarrhea. We were put into a building and were so crowded we all couldn’t lay down at one time; we had to lay crisscross over each other. There was one toilet in a small room that didn’t work and we all had diarrhea. When we had to go to the latrine, we simply crawled over bodies to the toilet and relieve ourselves. With everyone having diarrhea, it ran back into the room where we were. You cannot imagine the misery. I was suffering along with everyone else and I waited as long as I could before going to the toilet and I waited too long, and the strain of crawling over the people and the movement of my muscles triggered me and I literally filled up my long underwear. All I could do was crawl over the people, remove my long underwear, clean myself as best I could and throw my underwear away. I lost my long underwear there and it was still cold.

On the night of Dec. 23 we were bombed by the British. The Americans bombed in the daytime and the British bombed at night. The target was the airport at Limburg which was next to the buildings in which we were staying. Flares were always dropped to mark the target and we could see the flares coming down on all sides of the buildings. Instead of marking the airport, they had marked the buildings we were in. It was a strange feeling to know that in a few seconds bombs are going to be dropped on top of you and there is nothing you can do. There was no place we could go, we had to lay there and wait. I’m not sure how long it was before the bombs began exploding. The building I was in was lucky because we didn’t take a direct hit. The building next to us did and over 40 prisoners were killed. Although our building didn’t take a direct hit, the concussion of the bombs was so close that all the windows were blown out. So our misery was increased because we had the cold to contend with.

T: What were you thinking, knowing you were going to be bombed?

W: It’s a mixture of emotion, fear on top of misery. We had no place to go; we had to stay exactly where we were because we were so crowded. Some people were affected. One man was affected by the bombing so much that he would never take his shoes off again because he was always afraid he was going to be bombed again and he wanted to be ready to run to shelter. He wore rubber boots and the next spring when we were liberated, we had to carry him because he couldn’t walk. The rubber boots did not allow any air to get to his feet. It affected all of us while the bombs were dropping, but some were affected for a long time.

T: How long were you at Stalag 12A?

W: We left there just before New Year’s. There was an American sergeant at 12A who was collaborating with the Germans and was flaunting the fact. I don’t remember his name but he was getting special treatment from the Germans. No one liked him. At the end of the war he was court-martialed.

T: What was he doing?

W: I don’t really remember, telling on his fellow prisoners, giving information to the Germans. We all despised him.

T: What did you do on Christmas Day?

W: Christmas was just like any other day. I remember someone had found some colored paper and made decorations and put on a weed. That was our Christmas Tree. We put a few green sprigs on it. But Christmas was a miserable day just like all the rest.

T: When did you leave Stalag 12A?

W: We left right before New Year’s Day and were sent to Stalag 3A at Luckenwalde. 3A was bad in its own right, but it was so much less miserable than 12A that it almost seemed good. We were still crowded at 3A and two people had to share a bunk. Clarence Deal and I shared. The bunks were stacked three high and two to a bunk. Everyone had lice. We would scratch and wake each other up. We had a pot-bellied stove and when it was hot, we would wrap our clothes around the stove pipe coming out of the stove, and the heat would drive the lice out. As they came out we would kill them. We were not able to wash our clothes, but at least we could de-louse them, but we got them right back because the straw in the beds was full of lice.

The hunger at Luckenwalde was bad. The basic urge in life is food. All other urges disappear except for food. We would sit around all day and talk about food. I didn’t enjoy that talk because I was so hungry and did not want to think about food. We had a few paperback books and I read them, trying not to think of food. It was interesting that everyone talked about fancy food, not the basic steak and potatoes, but fancy deserts and exotic dishes. One man kept a notebook and wrote down every type of food the men talked about and he said when he returned to the States he was going to try every one of them. Another man added peanut butter to all of his dishes. He would describe how to prepare a dish, then add peanut butter to it. Hunger is not in the stomach. Hunger is all over the body. It is in the blood. You are hungry in your fingertips, your ears, your nose, even in the tips of your toes. You are hungry everywhere. When we were released from prison, it took a long time to get over that hungry feeling because it fills the body. Hunger from missing a meal is nothing compared to complete and thorough hunger.

T: What did your meals consist of?

W: In the morning for breakfast we had a cup of coffee. It wasn’t coffee, it was something boiled in water. It had a good flavor. At noon we have 1/3 of a canteen cup of soup, Kohlrabi soup, it is kind of like a turnip. The soup was just the Kohlrabi boiled in water with no seasoning. For the evening meal we had a loaf of German bread that 8 men had to share. Those were our three meals and that was every day. It was a meager diet and it kept us just above malnutrition. Once a week we were given sugar-honey for the bread. And also once a week we had a small portion of sausage. One day Russ Miller from Washington was dividing the honey. Every time he would cut the honey he would lick the spoon until we told him to stop, not because he may be spreading germs, but because he was getting more sugar honey than the rest of us. Another fellow prisoner was Jim McKown from Mount Pleasant, Texas.

We were in Luckenwalde for about one month. A French soldier had made a radio and it was hidden in the latrine. They had several large compounds at Luckenwalde, and we were separated, officers from enlisted and privates from sergeants and even different nationalities. I’m not sure why the Frenchman was in our compound, because the rest of us were Americans. He was able to pick up some news about the war on that radio.

I also remember the difference in treatment the Germans gave the Americans, British and Russians. The Germans were harder on the Russians than the British or Americans. The Germans tried to get the different prisoner groups to fight, the Russians to fight the British, the British to fight the Americans and so forth. We didn’t have too much contact with the Russian prisoners.

We were sent from Luckenwalde to Jüterborg, which is about 5 kilometers from Berlin. Jüterborg was also a quartermaster depot for the Germans. There was a small prison compound in Jüterborg that held about 100 prisoners. The compound was divided in two sections with 50 prisoners in each section with a wash area between the two. There was cold running water in the wash area. No shower, just a facet, but there was running water. The latrine was also outside at Jüterborg. I was in the 100 selected to work in the depot at Jüterborg. When we started to work we were under armed guard. The work area and schedule was organized before we got there.

We had always had a huge number of prisoners so we were not used to such a small group. We elected leaders. I think in any situation such as this, there is always someone who comes to the front. Our leader was Red Martin and he joined the army from the Philadelphia Penitentiary. He was elected because he was the man for the time. He knew what we needed and how to steal. That was the reason we elected him our leader and he was a little older than the rest of us. He was a rough-hewn type of young man in his 30s and the rest of us were anywhere from 19 to the middle 20s. I don’t even know his first name, we just called him Red. He began teaching us various tricks. The Germans assigned us to different work crews. If a person came from a farm, he was assigned to pitching hay. One crew was in the warehouse and that was where the “sensitive” material was kept. Red Martin and I both were selected for the warehouse crew because we both had honest faces. Red even told me I had potential to be a good thief. He began to teach us how to steal different items. He taught how he would fool the policemen back in Philadelphia, and we would use the same techniques to fool the German guards.

The warehouse crew would be searched more than the other crews. The building we worked in was a 3-story building. The first floor was dry items for the army. The second floor was a large area almost like a gymnasium and was full of rye. 8 or 10 men would have shovels and they would move this large pile of rye from one side to the other to keep the weevils out. When they got the pile moved, they would turn around and begin moving the pile back, it was just constant, moving this pile of rye back and forth for 8 to 10 hours a day. On the 3rd floor was the good stuff, different types of food, nice food.

In the warehouse, the best way to smuggle something out was in the blouse of your pants. Just drop it down your pants and it would fit into the blouse just above your boots and you could walk out with it. That worked for a while. We were smuggling pretty good that way until one day a guy snagged his pants and it wouldn’t have been so bad, but we were smuggling oatmeal that day. We went through the normal search they gave us and everything was fine until we started walking off, and there was a trail of oatmeal. The guard said, “Kommen zie hier!” They searched us again and we were just loaded with oatmeal, and that ended the blousing method, but we found other ways to steal.

One method was under your armpit. We wore field jackets, and we could carry items under the arms of the jacket. The best way to get away with that method was to flaunt it. We would walk up to be searched and throw open the field jacket, but had the item we were stealing snuggled in the armpit. When you throw your jacket open they wouldn’t suspect we were stealing anything. When we were working with salami and wurst, we would tie two together and put them in our pants, one down each leg and they would be hooked in your crotch. You could feel them moving as you walked. They hardly ever checked the inside of the legs.

Since we were searched more than the other crews, we would try to get the items to a less sensitive crew that wasn’t searched as much as we were. If we could get them to the other crews, we had a better chance of stealing it and getting away with it. The less sensitive crews normally were shoveling the rye or hay. The central point became the latrine. People in the other warehouses could see the latrine and it was constantly watched by the other prisoners. Anytime anyone from the warehouse crew where the food was handled went to the latrine, somebody from another crew would go also and they would swap the item, and it would be transferred from person to person and from crew to crew. If a person from another crew couldn’t get to the latrine, you buried it in the dirt and waited for an air raid. The Americans were bombing at night, so we had an air raid almost every night and we had to walk right past the latrine on the way to the shelter. One person would peel off and wait in the latrine until the raid was over. While the others were in the shelter, he would dig up whatever was buried. When the prisoners returned to the barracks, he would leave the latrine and walk back with them. Prisoners were never searched after an air raid.

Another method we used was to pass items from the third floor to the second floor by the dumb waiter. The men on the second floor were always watching. Whenever they saw the dumb waiter move, they would check it out when the guards weren’t watching. If something was there, they would bury it in the rye when they had the chance. Eventually it was dug up, because the crew on the second floor was not very sensitive and weren’t searched that thorough.

The Germans were very good with inventory. I think you could steal a whole boxcar from the Americans and they wouldn’t miss it, but you steal anything from the Germans and they missed it. One time we got a hold of a box of candy and it was sent down to the second floor and it was buried in the rye. The Germans found the box missing on the inventory and they figured we stole it. They knew anytime we could steal something, we were going to steal it, and they pretty well knew our methods. They figured it was buried in the rye. They had the guards sit down and reversed the shoveling of the rye. So the crew began moving the rye and they finally got to a point where the box was buried, and they tried to build a little peninsula around it and pass it, but the German said the dig in the peninsula. Of course they found the box and we lost it.

T: Did the Germans punish you?

W: Of course, but we figured it wasn’t undue punishment. We would get hit with a rifle butt or something like that. We always figured it was worth the chance of getting caught. The punishment was not of such an extent that it was not worth trying. Sometimes they would put a man into solitary confinement, but we never built any animosity toward the guards. It was like a cat and mouse game. Most of the guards were good people and were just doing their job. Some of the guards were sympathetic towards us. A lot of them were World War I veterans and were older men. One of the guards had a son who was a prisoner in the United States at that time. I remember once when we were carrying cheeses, we were moving them like a bucket brigade from a wagon into the warehouse. We were singing “Come down, wherever you are” to the tune of “Goodnight, wherever you are.” We would sing a lot and that was our main method of communicating with the other crews. A man from the second floor who was shoveling rye came down and saw what we were doing. He was hiding in the stairwell, and when the guard wasn’t looking, instead of throwing the cheese to the next man in line, he threw it over his shoulder to the man in the stairway and he took it up and buried it in the rye. We later cut it up and smuggled it back into the barracks.

The closest I ever came to getting caught was when our crew was moving from one building to another. Red Martin was in our group and he had a bottle of German Schnapps. They had been moving boxes of the bottles and he managed to get one out. I was walking one direction and Red was walking the other and he said to me, “Penn, quick, take this,” and he handed me that bottle. It was a quart of schnapps, and there I was standing out in the open with that bottle. I couldn’t put in the normal hiding places, so I put it down the seat of my pants. We went into the building and I was desperate to get down to that latrine and bury it and get it out of the way. Before long I told the guard I had to go, and I was really nervous with that bottle in my pants, not knowing if the Germans were going to find it or not. We were searched each time we went to the latrine, but that was a chance I was going to have to take, and he gave me a quick search and let me go. I started down and I guess I was walking too fast or looked nervous because the officer in charge of that compound, a German major was nearby and he called me back. So here I was, standing in front of this German major with a bottle of schnapps in my pants. I was scared. He started talking in a mixture of German and English. He made me empty my pockets, and he searched me because he knew I had something. He searched me everywhere except in the seat of my pants. He checked under my armpits, in my pockets, in the blouse of my boots, even in the crotch. He knew all the usual hiding places. I guess the seat of the pants is such an obvious place that he didn’t search there. He let me go, and I walked in the latrine and fell on my face because I was in shock. I knew someone up there liked me, but I felt a little guilty because of what I was smuggling. That night we had an air raid, and I went to the latrine and dug up the bottle and took it to the barracks. There were about 50 of us in the barracks and because of our condition was so poor, that all of us were singing and each one only had a cap full of that schnapps. In the center of the barracks was another latrine, and after we emptied the bottle, we dropped it in the latrine to hide the evidence. I’m sure the Germans knew, because they could hear us singing.

After that episode Red Martin told me, “Penn, if you get the chance to steal something, steal it, it doesn’t matter if you need it or not, take it.” He said if you don’t you will lose your nerve and you will get caught.

There was another man in the compound named Donahoe. His mother was German and he could speak German as well as the guards and he was our interpreter and became our eyes and ears, because he could listen and tell us what the Germans were talking about. Donahoe was about 18 or 19 years old and was about 6 feet 4 inches tall. He was tall and clumsy. The Germans thought that Donahoe would never steal because he spoke German, and he was so clumsy no one thought he could, but it was just the opposite. He was the best thief we had. He told us one time when we first arrived we were replacing French prisoners in the compound. The reason we were replacing the French was because they stole too much. After we had been there about one month the Germans said the “Americans aren’t worth a damn. They don’t any work and steal twice as much as the French ever did.”

Red Martin told me never to forget that philosophy and we were on the bottom floor working with the dry material. We were working with camp stoves, and they worked with chemicals, and it would be enough to heat a can of soup or something. It is like a little metal box that folds up both ways and you set your can on top of it. You light the tablets with a match and they burn. The stoves were sent to the front for the German soldiers. I suddenly noticed that there were no guards in the room. There was no value in the stoves; we couldn’t use them in the compound, but I remember what Red had said, so I picked up the carton and took it and buried it in the latrine and came back in. That night during the air raid, I went to the latrine and dug them up and took them to the barracks. I had the carton under my field jacket because we were not searched after the air raids. I walked into the barracks and walked up to Red and said, “Remember what you told me about stealing something whether you needed it or not?” and I opened my jacket and showed him the carton of stoves. His eyes got big and said, “My, God, how in the world did you get that thing in here.” I told him and asked what we were going to do with it. We divided them up among the men, knowing we would never be allowed to use them. In about 30 minutes Donahoe came in and said the Germans have taken inventory and are missing a case of stoves and know it’s been stolen. Well, Red said let us get them dumped into the latrine, that’s the one that was inside the compound. The Germans searched but didn’t find anything, and not long after that Red gave me the name “steal-em-blind Woods.”

It is kind of funny now to be called a good thief from a professional thief. Well, I got a good reputation for being a thief among the other prisoners because I had stolen the bottle then the stoves that we couldn’t use. We decided we would “go for broke.” There was a building that had canned meat in it and we had never worked in that building before, but there was a window that was broken out and we could get inside. We were going to get inside the building during the next air raid, bury the meat in the latrine, then dig it up during the next air raid. It took a while to work out all the details. On April 19 we had everything figured out, but there wasn’t an air raid that night. We had the cans buried in the latrine and were going to dig it up during the air raid. We waited several nights and there was no air raid. About 5:00 one morning the Germans came in and said the Russians were shelling the area. They brought tools for us to dig trenches. By 10:00 in the morning the shelling had reached us. The Russians were going into Berlin through Jüterborg.

We were in the trenches, trying to protect ourselves from the shelling. We were in trenches all that day and into the night. It was before midnight that we realized that the inner fence had been hit. It was probably about 8:00 at night and we decided to take off because we didn’t want to be liberated by the Russians. We didn’t see any of the German guards and we headed for the American lines. We were all running and every fence was down except the outer chain link fence. We all hit it and every one of us went right over it. The adrenalin was flowing fast. We climbed the chain link fence and went over the barbed wire fence and we were on our way. We could look back and see the fires in Jüterborg and in Berlin. We were heading west but didn’t know how long it would take us. I remember looking back and also seeing the fires in Luckenwalde. It took us five days to get back and I had one regret. We had left about 12 cans of the meat buried in the latrine and we never did get to dig them up. It took us five days to get to the American lines.

T: What did you eat on the way?

W: We foraged, mainly potatoes. The Germans would bury the potatoes and put straw over them to keep them from freezing. We arrived at the Elbe River. We did hit Russian artillery one more time at Torgau. I remember there was a farmer near Torgau and he was out in his field plowing and the Russians were shelling just a few kilometers away. I guess he just accepted what was happening.

When we reached the Elbe River, the Americans said they would not cross the Elbe, which I think was a mistake. Between Berlin and the Elbe River, we saw no German soldiers. We were approaching the Elbe and inquired about the location of the Americans. We were told they were just across the Elbe River. The German civilians asked to bring the Americans across the river; they said there were no German soldiers there. They wanted to surrender to the Americans, not the Russians. I say it was a big mistake to have stopped at the Elbe.

T: When did you first see the Americans?

W: When we reached the Elbe River.

T: What was your reaction?

W: Tremendous happiness. We had all anticipated getting back.

T: Did you still have your uniform on?

W: We had Belgian uniforms on. We didn’t have American uniforms. We may have had our American field jackets. But I think the uniforms were Belgian.

T: Did the Americans know who you were?

W: Yes, they recognized us.

T: Tell me about coming back to the States.

W: Let me tell you a story that is interesting. We had met a forward unit and we needed to get back to an unit area. They gave us a German fire engine they had picked up. The Americans said, “You can drive the fire engine back to the unit,” and they told which way to go. We had one rifle among us, and there must have been 50 of us on the fire engine. The driver took a wrong turn and we drove into a town that hadn’t surrendered yet. So here we were, 50 former POW’s on a captured fire engine driving into this German town. All of a sudden we heard a local say “American! American!” and pretty soon white flags began appearing. We had the one M-l rifle and there was one German soldier in the town. We didn’t know what to do with him and someone said, “Let’s search him.” So we searched the soldier and put him on the fire engine with us and took him back with us. The soldier must have been on leave or something. But it is funny now that the town thought the American army was coming in, and they had been waiting with the white flags and we were the first Americans to come into the town. We went to Halle with our one prisoner. Halle was a collecting point for former prisoners.

We were put on a very strict diet because we had been malnourished for so long. We could only have a combination of eggs, milk and sugar and this was given to us several times a day. We were still hungry, and we were not supposed to eat because of the shock to the system. The urge to eat is so strong that we had the same instincts as in the prison camp and we had to have more food. Of course we were experts in stealing and after stealing from the Germans, the Americans were easy targets. We sent out patrols to steal food, and we found a candy factory nearby. There was an American guard at the German candy factory, but one man talked to him and several of us sneaked inside and brought out cartons of the candy. We had chocolate to supplement our regular meal of milk and sugar and honey. We were informed we would be sent to Rheims, but we couldn’t take anything with us. I had never flown in my life. We all smuggled chocolate on the airplane with us and I knew I was going to be sick and it was eating the chocolate. I told the crew that I needed something because I was going to be sick, and they gave me a bucket and we had just taken off and I was throwing up and by the time we landed I was just spitting in the bucket.
From Rheims we were sent to Le Havre. The American camps at Le Havre were named after cigarettes, Lucky Strike and Phillip Morris. We were kept on our strict diet. We were in a tent camp for 2 or 3 weeks until we were able to travel back home. I went on a small ship back to the States. We hit a storm on the trip back.

T: Where did you land in the States?

W: In New York City.

T: What was your reaction when you passed the Statue of Liberty?

W: It was tremendous, very moving. We were all looking for the Statue of Liberty. We were taken to Camp Buckner for processing to be sent home on leave.

T: What did you do when the war ended?

W: I was home on leave when Japan surrendered and there was a group of us that drove up and down Garrison street in Fort Smith honking the horn and yelling. I went to Hot Springs and took the baths to help us recover from the prison camp. After that I was sent to Camp Patrick Henry, Virginia. I was there until December when I received my discharge. Then I returned to Fort Smith to work for the newspaper.

T: Sir, this is a fascinating interview and I want to thank you.

Obituary

December 18, 1923 - December 1, 2014 OKLAHOMA CITY A Memorial Service celebrating the life of Pendleton Woods is planned for Saturday, January 17 at 3 p.m. at Oklahoma Christian University, 2501 E. Memorial Road, Edmond. The service will be in Scott Chapel, which is located in Williams-Branch Center for Biblical Studies. Mr. Woods, 90, of Oklahoma City, passed away at 8:30 a.m. Monday, December 1, 2014, at Norman Regional Hospital. 

He had been living at the Oklahoma Veterans Center in Norman since February. A lifelong writer, he continued working until the end of his life, using a computer and printer in his room at the Veterans Center. After hitting his head in a fall in October, his health declined rapidly. 

Born December 18, 1923, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Pendleton was the second son of John Powell Woods, Sr. and Mabel Fairfax Hon. He graduated from Fort Smith High School (now Northside) in May 1941; earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the University of Arkansas in 1948; and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Oklahoma Christian University in 2005. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame in 1999; and into the University of Arkansas Alumni Journalism Hall of Honor in 2001. 

Pendleton was married April 3, 1948, to Robin Freeman, daughter of Omar Dillard Freeman, Sr. and Lois Robin Braidwood. After marriage, the couple moved to Oklahoma City, where Pendleton had accepted a job with Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. He served as editor of the company magazine "The Meter" until 1969, when he left to accept a position with Oklahoma Christian University. There, he organized the "Living Legends" oral history program as a joint project with the Oklahoma Historical Society. Later, he was instrumental in creating Enterprise Square USA and worked for many years with the American Citizenship Center, organizing youth leadership conferences, an effort that he continued until the end of his life.

Pendleton served with the 99th Infantry Division during World War II. He was captured on a reconnaissance patrol December 10, 1944, during the German build up to the Battle of the Bulge. He remained a Prisoner of War until he and others escaped after Russian artillery shelled the compound on April 20, 1945. After the war, he earned his commission at the University of Arkansas, then joined the Oklahoma National Guard. He served as Public Information Officer for the 45th Infantry Division during the Korean War and continued in various positions until he retired as a colonel in 1983, with a total of 41 years of military service. 

After retirement, he continued volunteer service with many veterans organizations, including the Military Order of the World Wars, American Ex-Prisoners of War, the 45th Division Association and the 99th Division Association. He helped found the 45th Infantry Division Museum. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame in 2002. He was a lifelong member of the Christian Church, having been baptized at First Christian Church of Fort Smith. After moving to Oklahoma City, he was at various times a member of First Christian Church, Forest Hill Christian Church, Southwest Christian Church, 12th and Drexel Church of Christ, and Mayfair Church of Christ. However, from 1983-2012, he spent every Sunday morning as a volunteer at the VA Hospital, assisting with the chapel service. 

He was a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity at the University of Arkansas and continued in leadership roles as an alumnus. He served for many years as the Commissioner of Chapter Publications and was editor of the national magazine "The Caduceus" from 1979 to 1985. Pendleton was involved with the Boy Scout movement since childhood. He received his Eagle Scout award at the First National Jamboree in Washington, DC in 1937. After moving to Oklahoma City, he served as a Scoutmaster, Explorer Post Leader, and in many other leadership capacities. He received the Silver Beaver Award and the National Eagle Scout Association Outstanding Eagle Award. He was also a leader in many other youth programs, including Camp Fire Girls, Junior Achievement, and DECA. He was involved in many patriotic organizations, including Sons of the American Revolution and Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. For many years, he helped to organize the 4th of July parade in Oklahoma City. 

From 1974-1976, he served as Executive Director of the Oklahoma City Bicentennial Commission. He was also involved with the Oklahoma Semi-Centennial Celebration in 1957, as well as the Centennial Celebration in 2007. He was well-known as an expert in Oklahoma History, and was a member of the Oklahoma Historical Society and editor of its newsletter "Mistletoe Leaves." He was a founding member of the Oklahoma Heritage Association and the Oklahoma County Historical Society. He was very involved with bringing the National Cowboy Hall of Fame to Oklahoma City. 

He was the author or co-author of about 15 books, including a history of Oklahoma City "Born Grown," which won the Western Heritage Award for Best Local History of 1975. His latest book, a history of Boy Scouts in Oklahoma, is scheduled to be published this year. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Historians Hall of Fame in 2007. He was involved in many health-related organizations. He was a founder and president of the Oklahoma Epilepsy Association, and was on the board of many other organizations, including Variety Health Center, Senior Nutrition Program, OKC Mental Health Association and Oklahoma Lung Association.He was an early supporter of beautification efforts and recycling. He was a founder of Oklahoma City Beautiful; president of Keep Oklahoma Beautiful; and board member of the Tree Bank Foundation. 

He was a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) and was named the Outstanding Young Man of 1953. In 1959, he received the first ever life membership awarded by the Oklahoma City Jaycees. Pendleton was a member, officer, or board member of many other organizations, too numerous to mention. Throughout his lifetime he received awards from many local, state and national organizations. A few of the major awards were: KOCO-TV "Five Who Care" award in 1994; Jefferson Award for Public Service in 1994; Points of Light Foundation Daily Award for September 14, 2006; Older Worker of the Year for Oklahoma in 2007; Community Champion Award from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging in 2012. 

Pendleton is survived by a son, Paul Pendleton Woods, of Stillwater; two daughters, Margaret Robin Woods, of Oklahoma City, and Nancy Lois (Woods) Cox and her husband, Danny Lee Cox, of Pearland, Texas; two brothers, John "Powell" Woods, Jr., of Broken Arrow, and Daniel Hon Woods, of Little Rock, Arkansas; two brothers-in-law, Omar Dillard Freeman, Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth "Betty" Jane (Wood) Freeman, of Siloam Springs, Arkansas, and Samuel Donald "Don" Tressler, Jr., of North Little Rock, Arkansas; two granddaughters, Robin "Danielle" Cox, a third-year Master of Divinity student at the University of Chicago, and Hannah Nicole Cox, a freshman engineering student at Oklahoma State University. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Robin Freeman Woods; his parents, John Powell Woods, Sr. and Mabel Fairfax (Hon) Woods; a brother, Gaines William Woods, Sr.; and a sister-in-law, Carolyn (Freeman) Tressler. Pendleton willed his body to The University of Oklahoma Medical School for educational purposes. Eventually, the cremated remains will be interred at Fairlawn Cemetery, 2700 North Shartel Avenue.

324th Medical Battalion, 99th Infantry Division, Transferred To Camp Maxey November 20 1943

324th Medical BattalionUnit Historyhttps://www.med-dept.com/unit-histories/324th-medical-battalion/

Litter party evacuating ‘casualty’ over rough terrain. Picture taken during training at Cp. Maxey, Texas. It should be remarked that Litter Bearers do not
wear the (medical) Suspender.

Activation & Training:

The 99th Infantry Division (parent unit) was activated 15 November 1942 at Camp Van Dorn, Centreville, Mississippi. Its first Commander was Brigadier General Thompson Lawrence assisted by Colonel Harry J. Collins (XO).
General and special Staff Officer Cadres began arriving for duty as early as 28 September, followed by Regimental and Battalion Officer Cadres after 10 October 1942. The Enlisted Cadre from the 7th Infantry Division (Cp. San Luis Obispo, California, Infantry Division Camp) consisting of approximately 1,285 EM arrived on and immediately subsequent to 20 October 1942.

The Division was organized under T/O 7, dated 15 August 1942, authorizing 748 Officers, 45 WOs, and 14,758 EM (amended 15 July 1943, to reflect 737 Offs, 44 WOs, 14,248 EM). The QMC Battalion had just been eliminated for Infantry Divisions (substituted in the “Checkerboard” Division by the 99th Quartermaster Company + 799th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company) also cancelling the QMC Battalion Medical Section. The Medical Officers Cadre had from 6 months to 2 ½ years duty (except for 2 Officers who had from 5 to 10 years service experience). The Medical Officers joined the Division from Second and Third United States Army units from Missouri – Mississippi – Texas – Arizona. 10 Dental Officers were received from Cp. Barkeley, Abilene, Texas (MRTC), 15 Medical Corps Officers from Cp. Joseph T. Robinson, Little Rock, Arkansas (IRTC), and 8 Medical Administrative Corps Officers from Cp. Barkeley, Texas. The 324th Medical Battalion was stationed at Cp. Maxey, Paris, Texas (Division Camp) where it reported on 20 November 1943, after having completed Third Army Maneuvers in Louisiana.

Lieutenant Colonel Philip R. Beckjord, MC, was appointed Battalion Commander (he would remain with the unit until the end of the war).
On 31 December 1943, total Officers’ strength consisted of 27 (MC), 14 (DC), and 14 (MAC) Officers. No Nurses were obtained. Enlisted strength was 867. Authorized allowance for Ambulances was 30 vehicles. The initial 17 field radios were deleted. Medical organization equipment was only gradually built up, increasing from 35% (Jan 43) to 93% (Jan 44).

1/4-Ton Truck “Litter Jeep” of A Company (Collecting Company), 324th Medical Battalion, during field exercises at Cp. Maxey, Texas (1943).

An adequate number of Training Manuals and training aids were available, improvised, and amended during 1943-1944. Mobilization Training Program 8-1 (MTP 8-1) was used as the basis for Medical Department personnel. Many courses in operating room technique, surgical assistance, laboratory methods, medical and surgical nursing training, were given at the Station Hospital, Cp. Van Dorn (Miss.), and at the Station Hospital, Cp. Maxey (Tex). This individual training took place from 4 January to 5 April 1943, while unit training followed from 6 April to 3 June 1943. The Division successfully completed combined training at Cp. Van Dorn from 27 June to 11 September 1943. Additional training took place in the frame of the Louisiana Maneuvers which lasted from 16 September to 20 November 1943. After this period the Division moved to Cp. Maxey, Texas…

During the period 15 January to 11 March 1944, the 99th Infantry Division completed a series of Post-Maneuver Training programs.

Lt. Elmo Miller of Company C, 324th Medical Battalion simulates the administration of a blood transfusion in the field to a wounded GI. Picture taken at Cp. Maxey, Texas in 1943.

Between 16 January and 26 February 1944, 18 Enlisted Men were trained at the Station Hospital (Cp. Maxey) in continuation of the Army Specialized Training Program. Minimum Standards of Proficiency for MD Enlisted personnel were prescribed for use as a guide for training all medical personnel.
Between 20 March and 19 May 1944, another phase of Post-Maneuver Training was conducted. Extensive training tests were carried out to determine the status of training in 19 basic subjects. Physical fitness tests were completed and Division field tests conducted, including such phases as reconnaissance, attack, battle, offense, and defense.
From 6 June to 21 June 1944, Company C (one of the Collecting Companies) was engaged in field exercises (Cp. Barkeley) opposing units of the 99th Infantry Division to the 12th Armored Division.
In July 1944, a full 3 weeks of field training was conducted in the Oklahoma Training Area. Company D (Clearing Company) for the first time had the opportunity to construct and actually use many semi-permanent field sanitary devices.
In August 1944, increased emphasis was placed on Preparation for Overseas Movement (POM), for which the completion date was set for 15 September 1944.

Exterior view of B Company, 324th Medical Battalion Barracks at Camp Maxey, Paris, Texas.

Before moving overseas, and during the year 1944, the number of Medical Officers assigned varied considerably.

Overseas Movement and Arrival in the ETO:

On 7 September 1944, an Advance Detachment, including the XO, S-1 (Personnel), S-3 (Operations & Training), S-4 (Supply & Evacuation), and 5 EM departed for Ft. Hamilton, New York (Embarkation & Separation Center). After spending 10 days there it boarded RMS “Queen Mary”, which docked at Greenock, Scotland, on 26 September 1944. Preparations for receiving the 99th Infantry in the Normandy Staging Area were halted by the announcement that the Division would disembark in England instead, due to temporarily inadequate supply facilities at Cherbourg (France). The Advance Detachment, already in France, thus left Cherbourg 9 October, docking at Southampton, and reaching Blandford, Dorset (England) on 10 October 1944, to prepare for reception of the troops.

During the period from 9 – 19 September, the Division was engaged in rail movements to Cp. Myles Standish, Boston, Massachusetts (Staging Area for Boston P/E) where it would stay till 29 September.
By 14 September 1944, the 324th Medical Battalion had in the meantime crated and shipped T/E equipment to Boston P/E. The Battalion (minus Advance Detachment) departed from Cp. Maxey by train on 14 September 1944, with a strength of 32 Officers and 400 Enlisted Men, and arrived at Cp. Myles Standish, on 16 September 1944.
After two weeks of POM processing, the Battalion boarded a number of transports bound for England, the date was 30 September. Radio callsigns used by elements of the 324th Medical Battalion:

Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment  – “Excelsior”
Company D – “Excelsior”
Company A – “Exchequer”
Company B – “Explorer”
Company C – “Explorer”

Arrival in England, United Kingdom. Companies A and B docked at Greenock, Scotland, on 10 October, Company C disembarked at Plymouth, England on 10 October, Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, including Company D docked at Liverpool. All units were instructed to assemble in the vicinity of Dorchester, England. Co A went to Broadmayne, Cos B, C, D, and Hq & Hq Det were to settle at Litton Cheney, spreading the Division throughout Dorset County.
The Division sector was divided into three ports, in order to spread evacuation most expeditiously among the following Hospitals: 315th Station Hospital (Axminister), 121st General Hospital (Yeowil), and 131st General Hospital (Blandford). Training was initiated after set up as outlined in Training Directive #1, Headquarters, 99th Infantry Division, 18 October 1944, ETO Initial Training Period. In order to provide adequate space for the Battalion, Companies A and C moved on to Long Brody. During this period, the Division received its complete transportation allowance of motor vehicles and the equipment was combat loaded.

The very first weeks in England proved a nightmare for supply personnel. Equipment unloaded from the ships and sent by rail to the different unit camp sites were in many cases misdirected or lost in transit. English roads were narrow and dangerous, but the major problem was that American motor vehicles were equipped with left-hand drive for operation on roads where traffic kept to the right – in England traffic kept to the left!

Location of 324th Medical Battalion Command Posts:
Long Brody, Dorset, England	Co A + Co C (1 Nov 44)
Litton Cheney, Dorset, England	Hq & Hq Det + Co B + Co D (1 Nov 44)

Transfer to the Continent (France & Belgium):

On 1 November 1944, transportation and subsequent movement of unit CPs to the continent started, with respective medical subunits arriving and departing (by motor convoy and/or by rail) according to the following sequence:

Departure, Long Brody, England	Co C (1 Nov 44)
Departure, Long Brody, England	Co A (2 Nov 44)
Departure, Litton Cheney, England	Hq & Hq Det + Co B + Co D (3 Nov 44)
Arrival, Camp C-13, Southampton, England	Co A + Co C (2 Nov 44)
Arrival, Camp C-13, Southampton, England	Hq & Hq Det + Co B + Co D (3 Nov 44)
Departure, Camp C-13, Southampton, England	Co C (2 Nov 44)
Departure, Camp C-13, Southampton, England	Co A + Co D (3 Nov 44)
Departure, Camp C-13, Southampton, England	Hq & Hq Det + Co B (4 Nov 44)

All units boarded LSTs and troop ships at Southampton, England for the journey across the English Channel, and arrived at the shattered port of Le Havre, France. Despite hurried organization and inadequate supply facilities, the medical units moved further by motor convoy, and after processing through several control points reached  St. Lucien:

Arrival, St. Lucien, France	Co A + Co C (4 Nov 44)
Arrival, St. Lucien, France	Hq & Hq Det + Co B + Co D (8 Nov 44)

After assembly at St. Lucien, the route continued through France toward Belgium:

Departure, St. Lucien, France	Co A (4 Nov 44)
Departure, St. Lucien, France	Co C (5 Nov 44)
Departure, St. Lucien, France	Hq & Hq Det + Co B + Co D (9 Nov 44)

The columns moved from St. Lucien, via Gournay, Montdidier, Roye, Péronne, Cambrai, Valenciennes, then crossed into Belgium, reaching Mons, and continuing onto Charleroi, Namur, Huy, Liège, Battice, finally arriving at the 99th Infantry Division Concentration Area near Aubel, Belgium. Company CPs were established as follows:

Arrival, Aubel, Belgium	Co C (9 Nov 44)
Arrival, Aubel, Belgium	Co A (10 Nov 44)
Arrival, Aubel, Belgium	Co B (11 Nov 44)
Arrival, Aubel, Belgium	Hq & Hq Det + Co D (12 Nov 44)

Collecting Companies moved into support of their respective Regimental Combat Teams and prepared to move into the Division defensive sector, formerly occupied by the 9th Infantry Division.

Company A moved in support of Combat Team 3 (RCT 393) with CP at Krinkelt, Belgium on 10 Nov 44
Company C moved in support of Combat Team 5 (RCT 395) with CP at Kalterherberg, Belgium on 9 Nov 44
Company B moved in support of Combat Team 4 (RCT 394) in reserve, with CP at Wirtzfeld, Belgium on 11 Nov 44

The Clearing Company + Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment remained in the Aubel area at Mortroux until 12 November. On 14 November, Battalion CP and Clearing Station opened at Nidrum. The Collecting Companies had meanwhile evacuated their casualties directly to First US Army medical units located at Malmédy, Belgium (44th and67th Evacuation Hospitals).

On 12 November Co C moved back from Kalterherberg to Elsenborrn to offer more adequate support to a wider front, and on 14 November Co B moved to Mürringen in support of CT 4 (which recently relieved CT 60, 9th Infantry Division). The 99th had now completed occupation of the defensive sector extending from Monschau to Losheim, as part of V Corps, First US Army, 12th Army Group, with VII Corps to the north, and VIII Corps to the south. The 102d Cavalry Group together with the 28th Infantry Division now occupied the Division northern flank, while the 18th Cavalry Group and the 2d Infantry Division defended the southern flank.

Bringing in patients at the Aid Station (after evacuation by 3/4-Ton Ambulance).

Around the middle of November, the Division received overshoes in limited quantities (they had not been distributed upon arrival at the front), and by 12 December, approximately 95% of the personnel had received them. With the coming winter operations, all MD ¼-ton trucks were equipped with metal racks (welded or bolted to the frame) in order to carry litter patients. Two-man litter sleds and several types of toboggans would be used as well for evacuation of casualties. When available, M-29 Weasels (full-track vehicles) were equally deployed. Extra wires were strung lengthwise in Ambulances along each side and in the middle for the purpose of carrying extra woolen blankets and holding plasma bottles during transfusion. Medical and rest dugouts were constructed immediately behind front line positions. Walls were lined with shell cases and containers filled with dirt, and fire places foreseen with chimneys were constructed in the dugouts. These dugouts helped prevent and control combat exhaustion, trench foot, and frostbite, and provided a certain degree of protection. Any discarded or salvageable material was collected and returned for use. Housing became a problem in winter, and in the forward areas, only foxholes, dugouts, and other improvised shelter was the norm. Because of the flexible tactical situation, front line troops were forced to exist on Class C, D, K and 10-in-1 Rations (prior to 16 Dec 44, launch of the German offensive, all personnel received 2 hot meals a day).

Evacuation had been by Collecting Company Ambulances from the Battalion Aid Station to Collecting Companies, to the Clearing Station. Evacuation from the Clearing Station was performed by 3d Platoon, 575th Motor Ambulance Company, 134th Medical Group, which attached 1 Officer, 23 EM, and 10 Ambulances as from 14 November. Supporting First United States Army medical units at the time were: 44th Evacuation Hospital (Malmédy), 67th Evacuation Hospital (Malmédy), 47th Field Hospital (Waimes), 4th Convalescent Hospital (Spa), 91st Medical Gas Treatment Battalion (Eupen), and 618th Medical Clearing Company (Malmédy). The 684th Medical Clearing Company, 53d Medical Battalion stationed at Hepscheid, received the Division’s patient overflow via the Clearing Company. All Collecting Companies reverted to full Battalion control by 27 November 1944.

Division status during this period (Nov 44) permitted rotation and complete orientation of personnel (medics and drivers), as well as efficient and close liaison with medical units forward and to the rear (1/4-ton trucks and field telephones). Battle casualties were light, except for those caused by enemy antipersonnel mines and booby traps. Trench foot cases were relatively heavy.

Clearing Company Statistics for the period 13 – 30 November 1944
Admissions	940
Battle Casualties	134
Trench Foot Cases	423
Combat Exhaustion	15

95% of items lost in shipment and transfer of the Division were replaced during November 1944. A rolling reserve of expendable medical supplies was established by the Division Medical Supply Officer, based on daily requisitions from medical units. Adequate numbers for 4 days normal supply were available.

Belgium & the Battle of the Bulge:

Respective Command Post Locations
Hq & Hq Det	Mortroux, Belgium (12 Nov 44) Nidrum, Belgium (12 Nov 44)
Coll Co A	Aubel, Belgium (10 Nov 44) Krinkelt, Belgium (10 Nov 44)
Coll Co B	Aubel, Belgium (11 Nov 44) Wirtzfeld, Belgium (11 – 14 Nov 44)
Coll Co C	Aubel, Belgium (9 Nov 44) Kalterherberg, Belgium (9 – 12 Nov 44) Elsenborn, Belgium (12 Nov 44) Mürringen, Belgium (14 Nov 44)
Clr Co D	Mortroux, Belgium (12 Nov 44) Nidrum, Belgium (12 Nov 44)

On 1 December 1944, the Division occupied its defensive sector extending from Monschau to Losheim as part of V Corps. Medical Collecting Stations C, A, and B were established in the Belgian towns of Elsenborn, Krinkelt, and Mürringen under Battalion control. Collecting Companies initiated a policy of partial employment of Collecting Company Litter Bearers forward of Battalion Aid Stations to provide relief for Infantry Battalion medical personnel and experience for Collecting Company personnel.

9 December 1944, advance warning was given that the 99th Infantry Division would be involved in combined offensive operations with the 2d Infantry Division, commencing on 13 December.
Evacuation during the initial phases of the operation was extremely difficult because of the long litter hauls over rough and wooded terrain. Company C was therefore reinforced by 8 Litter Squads from other Collecting Companies (B) and from Clearing Company (D). A coordinated plan was discussed with the 2d Infantry Division for evacuation over a common Main Supply Route. On the eve of the operation, i.e. 12 December 1944, provisional medical units were established in the vicinity of Höfen and Kalterherberg; they consisted of 1 Medical Technician, a number of Litter Bearers and drivers, medical equipment and Ambulances, under command of a single Medical Officer.

During the period from 13 to 20 December, evacuation problems increased due to snow, rugged and heavily wooded terrain, and the lack of adequate road nets in the Battalion’s forward positions. Long hand-litter parties were necessary and Litter-equipped Jeeps proved of exceptional value whenever they could be utilized. Sleds, improvised from civilian skis, proved of value in deep snow, and additional Litter Bearers were obtained from line troops when necessary.

Evacuation by 1/4-Ton Truck in deep snow. This picture was taken in the vicinity of Monschau and illustrates Medical Detachment personnel of the 393d Infantry Regiment, during the Battle of the Bulge.

On 16 December 1944, heavy artillery barrages hit the vicinity of Krinkelt, and enemy activity along the front defended by 1st and 3d Battalions, 393d Infantry Regiment resulted in increased casualties. Artillery and small arms fire hindered evacuation. By 17 December, enemy armored elements reached Hünningen, closed the Main Supply Route (MSR) through Büllingen, and infiltrated throughout the areas of CT 393 and 394. A German offensive of strength was reported!
The medical situation became critical with the realization that a withdrawal was probably imminent through an area lacking adequate evacuation possibilities. Moreover, not only were the evacuation routes blocked, but contact between Battalion Headquarters and the Collecting Companies was lost. Few Ambulances reached the Clearing Company. A route through Berg-Wirtzfeld was reconnoitered by the Battalion S-2 who led a convoy of QMC trucks loaded with casualties through heavy artillery fire from Krinkelt to Nidrum, followed in its wake by Company B which had just left Mürringen.

On 18 December, Company C moved from Rocherath to Krinkelt, and the CO of Company C ordered a move to Wirtzfeld, when enemy artillery and small arms fire increased dramatically (they had infiltrated into Krinkelt). In view of this situation, Companies A and C decided to withdraw to Nidrum to organize support for CT 3 and 5. The CP of the 393d Infantry Regiment was meanwhile reported moving to Wirtzfeld. At the Clearing Company’s position in Nidrum, it was decided to organize a provisional Collecting Unit under command of the CO of Company A, and move to Berg, but the unit had to return to Nidrum with the further Divisional withdrawal. Evacuation between the Clearing Company and the Hospitals in Malmédy was cut off. The 575th Motor Ambulance Company evacuated to Eupen, while the second Clearing Platoon set up at “Domaine Ruhrhof”, Sourbrodt, together with the entire 324th Medical Battalion to reorganize. V Corps was requested to support evacuation of the Clearing Company (which was done with help of the 575th Mtr Amb Co).

On 19 December, contact was made with the 395th Infantry Regimental Aid station and 2 Ambulances evacuated the remaining patients of the Regiment, as it withdrew from Krinkelt. An Ambulance Regulating Point and a provisional Collecting Point were established at Elsenborn for evacuation of the Division front. On 20 December, the last Clearing Platoon and Collecting Company A moved to the vicinity of Jalhay, in reserve. The Elsenborn Collecting Point initially set up was now moved to Sourbrodt due to increased artillery fire. The provisional Collecting Company evacuating 3d Battalion, 395th Infantry Regiment and the 99th Reconnaissance Troop, with Ambulances, was consolidated at Kalterherberg, though it had to withdraw on 22 December on account of increased incoming artillery fire. Company C was relieved by Company A, supported by Company B, in evacuation from the Elsenborn-Kalterherberg area to the Clearing Company, and moved to Jalhay, where it was held in reserve as from 23 December.

Respective Command Post Locations
Hq & Hq Det	Nidrum, Belgium (18 Dec 44) Sourbrodt, Belgium (18 – 26 Dec 44)
Coll Co A	Krinkelt, Belgium (18 Dec 44) Nidrum, Belgium (18 Dec 44) Sourbrodt, Belgium (18 – 20 Dec 44)
Coll Co B	Mürringen, Belgium (17 Dec 44) Nidrum, Belgium (17 – 18 Dec 44) Sourbrodt, Belgium (18 – 24 Dec 44)
Coll Co C	Elsenborn, Belgium (12 – 18 Dec 44) Nidrum, Belgium (18 Dec 44) Sourbrodt, Belgium (18 – 23 Dec 44)
Clr Co D	Nidrum, Belgium (18 Dec 44) Sourbrodt, Belgium (18 – 26 Dec 44)

On 26 December, the “Checkerboard” Division Headquarters moved to Sourbrodt from Camp Elsenborn to improve communications, making it necessary to move the Clearing Station, Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, Company C and Company A. The Clearance Company and the Battalion CP then moved to Jalhay. Company B was now in charge of evacuation between the Collecting Station and the Clearing Station. Companies were rotated as much a possible (every 4 days) to permit reorganization and replacement of lost equipment.

Abandoned 3/4-Ton Ambulance riddled with bullets. Picture taken during the Battle of the Bulge, Dec 44 – Jan 45.

On 28 December, Company C moved again, having reported heavy artillery fire in the vicinity of their Collecting Station. Also Company A had to move. In the end both Company C and A ended up in Jalhay in reserve, while supporting Company B with their Ambulances.

On 29 December, 3d Battalion, 395th Infantry Regiment and the 99th Reconnaissance Troop continued the defense of the Höfen area (under 9th Infantry Division control), while any casualties were directly evacuated by 324th Medical Battalion Collecting Companies Ambulances to the Collecting Station. The 99th Infantry Division Regiments continued defending Elsenborn Ridge, flanked by the 9th and 2d Infantry Divisions. Evacuation took place by Medical Battalion and Infantry Regimental Litter Bearers and by ¼-ton trucks to Battalion and Regimental Aid Stations, by Ambulance to a single Collecting Station operated by one Collecting Company, reinforced by Ambulance vehicles from a second Collecting Company. The third Collecting Company evacuated the patients from the Collecting Station to the Clearing Station. Final evacuation from the Clearing Station was further handled by the 452d Medical Collecting Company, 134th Medical Group, which took the  casualties to the 128th Evacuation Hospital at Verviers, Belgium.

Clearing Company Statistics for the period 1 – 31 December 1944
Admissions	2524
Battle Casualties	850
Trench Foot Cases	681
Combat exhaustion	261

One complete Infantry Medical Section with 40 casualties in the Aid Station was overrun by the enemy on 17 December, and another group of 41 Enlisted personnel from a Regimental Headquarters Medical Section was captured. The entire Station equipment of Collecting Company C was abandoned during withdrawal from Krinkelt under heavy enemy fire. As a result of this enemy activity, 3 Ambulances, 1 2 ½-ton truck, 1 250-gallon water trailer, and 2 ¼-ton trailers were lost. Approximately 50% of individual clothing items and medical equipment of 3 Collecting Companies was either, lost, destroyed, or abandoned because of enemy action.
Total Enlisted strength had dropped from 867 to 725 as a result of combat losses. At the end of 1944, the Division was under strength 91 Officers and 142 EM. During the same period, the 324th Medical Battalion losses were 3 killed, 10 wounded, and 8 missing. After having been in combat 53 days, Medical Department personnel were awarded 34 Bronze Stars and 2 Silver Stars…

It was recorded that some of the Medical Department losses were the result of violations of the rules of land warfare and the Geneva Convention. Some medical personnel were deliberately shot upon and killed in spite of the Red Cross symbols worn on both arms (brassards) and painted on the steel helmets. It is further known that vehicles transporting wounded and plainly marked with Geneva Convention markings were sometimes deliberately riddled by enemy small arms fire and in one instance, a tank at close range fired an AP shell through an Ambulance operating in an adjacent Division sector.

Commanding Officers
Medical Battalion, CO	Lt. Colonel Philip R. Beckjord (MC)
Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment, CO	Captain Daniel L. Fane (MAC)
Company A, CO	Captain Anthony J. Lentine (MC)
Company B, CO	Captain Thomas E. Bivins (MC)
Company C, CO	Captain Thomas A. Egan (MC)
Company D, CO	Major Oscar G. Noland (MC)

1 and 2 January 1945 saw the consolidation of Ambulance disposition which enabled evacuation from the Battalion Aid Station through the Collecting Station to the Clearing Station by a single Collecting Company reinforced by Ambulances from one other Collecting Company. This allowed the third Collecting Company to hold its entire personnel, its equipment, and transportation, in reserve at Jalhay, thus permitting maximum rest and maintenance. Rotation continued on this basis every 4 days.
During the early days of January, Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment and Company D (Clr Co) remained stationed at Jalhay. By the end of the month, Hq & Hq Det established a forward CP at Ovifat (29 – 31 Jan 45),  supported by Co D’s second Clearing Platoon. Collecting Companies A, B, and C were mainly located at Jalhay, except for a few days, when they set up in the vicinity of Sourbrodt.

On 7 January 1945, work began on digging in Collecting Company A east of Sourbrodt, in order to provide closer support and to place the Collecting Company in position to support Divisional Artillery Battalions. Work continued during 11 January to complete 4 log-covered dugouts.

On 17 January, new plans were formulated and coordinated with the 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Infantry Division to provide medical support for the 1st Bn, 393d Inf and the 1st Bn, 395th Inf, placed on alert status to support the 1st Infantry Division. As the evacuation route between the Collecting Station and the Clearing Station on the Eupen-Malmédy road became blocked by heavy snow drifts, an alternate way leading through Jalhay, Sart, Cokaifagne, Longfaye, Ovifat, Sourbrodt, was reconnoitered. The previous route was opened and evacuation resumed. On 22 January, evacuation to the 128th Evacuation Hospital at Verviers was discontinued and casualties were now taken to the 2d Evacuation Hospital located at Eupen.

On 25 January, Lt. Colonel P. R. Beckjord (Bn CO), the S-3, and the Clr Co CO reconnoitered the area of Ovifat, looking for a new Clearing Station site. Division Engineers (324th Engr Bn) cleared a field of heavy snow for this site. Second Clearing Platoon established itself at Ovifat, and prepared to render close support for the contemplated offensive operations.

Mid-January 1945. Official Award Ceremony and presentation of Bronze Star Medals at Born, Belgium.

On 27 January, offensive operations were discussed with Division G-3. V Corps was to launch an attack on 29 January 1945, with the 9th Infantry Division in the north, the 99th Infantry Division in center, and the 2d Infantry Division in the south.The 99th was to clear the woods east of the Kalterherberg-Elsenborn road, extending to Wahlerscheid, while the 9th Infantry Division would attack through Rohren in the direction of Wahlerscheid, and the 2d Infantry Division was to advance through Krinkelt toward Wahlerscheid. The “Checkerboard” was then to assemble as Corps reserve, while V Corps would continue toward its objective, Schleiden, Germany. Meetings were held on 28 January with the Division Surgeon and the Regimental Surgeons to discuss the aspects of medical support during the attack. On 29 January, the offensive was postponed 24 hours. 324th Medical Battalion Forward CP and second Clearing Platoon nevertheless opened at Ovifat.

On 30 January 1945, the 393d Infantry launched its attack meeting heavy opposition, and consequently the Regiment failed to meet its first objective. This attack was followed by another move from the 394th Infantry. Casualties were moderate in both Regiments. Battalion Aid Stations supported the attack from Elsenborn, utilizing M-29 Weasels, sleds, litter jeeps, and Regimental and Medical Battalion Litter Bearers to evacuate casualties from the line. One Collecting Company (Co B), reinforced with all available Litter Bearers and 10 Ambulances, evacuated to the Clearing Station located at Ovifat. The 575th Motor Ambulance Company brought the transportable cases to the 2d Evacuation Hospital, Eupen, and the non-transportable ones to the 45th Field Hospital, Malmédy. The attack continued throughout 31 January, with moderately heavy casualties.

Respective Command Post Locations
Hq & Hq Det	Jalhay, Belgium (1 – 31 Jan 45)
Coll Co A	Sourbrodt, Belgium (1 – 3 Jan 45) Jalhay, Belgium (4 – 9 Jan 45) Sourbrodt, Belgium (10 – 12 Jan 45) Jalhay, Belgium (13 – 19 Jan 45) Sourbrodt, Belgium (20 – 22 Jan 45) Jalhay, Belgium (23 – 31 Jan 45)
Coll Co B	Jalhay, Belgium (1 – 6 Jan 45) Sourbrodt, Belgium (7 – 9 Jan 45) Jalhay, Belgium (10 – 15 Jan 45) Sourbrodt, Belgium (16 – 19 Jan 45) Jalhay, Belgium (20 – 25 Jan 45) Sourbrodt, Belgium (26 – 31 Jan 45)
Coll Co C	Jalhay, Belgium (1 – 3 Jan 45) Sourbrodt, Belgium (4 – 6 Jan 45) Jalhay, Belgium (7 – 12 Jan 45) Sourbrodt, Belgium (13 – 15 Jan 45) Jalhay, Belgium (16 – 22 Jan 45) Sourbrodt, Belgium (23 – 25 Jan 45) Jalhay, Belgium (26 – 31 Jan 45)
Clr Co D	Jalhay, Belgium (1 – 31 Jan 45) 2d Clr Plat Ovifat, Belgium (29 – 31 Jan 45)

Evacuation was difficult, because the road net in the forward areas was inadequate for motor evacuation. During heavy snows and wind, the roads became slippery, hence the use of tracked Weasels, toboggans, and sleds. Nevertheless evacuation remained difficult and dangerous.

Clearing Company Statistics for the period 1 – 31 January 1945
Admissions	1374
Battle Casualties	424
Trench Foot Cases	110
Combat exhaustion	100

On 1 February 1945, the 99th “Checkerboard” Division continued its attack to the northeast to clear the wooded area east of the Kalterherberg-Elsenborn road, with support of the 9th and 2d Infantry Divisions.
Collecting Company A was alerted to relieve Co B, which had, with reinforced Litter Bearer Platoons and Ambulance Platoons, evacuated the entire Division sector from Sourbrodt to the Clearing Station at Ovifat. The principal difficulty was evacuating from the line to the Battalion Aid Stations in Elsenborn, because of heavy snow and thick woods. The distance involved was as much as 7,000 yards. Tracked Weasels, toboggans, and litter jeeps were employed and all available Medical Battalion Litter Bearers were utilized forward of Battalion Aid Stations with Regimental Medical Detachments personnel. The Clearing Station was evacuated by the 575th Motor Ambulance Company, to the 97th Evacuation Hospital, at Malmédy, and the 45th and 96th Evacuation Hospitals, at Spa, Belgium. The 13th Field Hospital’s Third Platoon also supported the Division.

View of the same Ceremony, involving presentation of the BSM to several members of the 324th Medical Battalion.

Several units, while waiting for the next move, policed the area over which they had fought, collecting American and enemy dead and any equipment they could find. Troops who had fought over the same area in December-January, collected lost records, and recovered dead, previously reported missing, and brought them back for decent burial. The little Belgian towns lost during the German drive in December, now recaptured, were battered and destroyed, presenting a stark picture of destruction of war.

On 3 February, Co C was ordered to move with RCT 395 under 1st Infantry Division control. It moved from Jalhay to Krinkelt in support of the 395th Infantry, attacking toward Hellenthal, Germany. The next day, the 99th was ordered to move to relieve the 1st Infantry Division and the 82d Airborne Division along the line Hellenthal-Losheim, and Co B moved to Hünningen in support of the RCT 394. On 5 February, it was time for the 393d to move to a new Assembly Area, and Co A now also moved to Hünningen in support. The Division completed relief of above two Divisions, and now occupied a sector extending from Hellenthal to Losheim, under operational control of XVIII A/B Corps, with the 2d Infantry Division on the north flank and the 87th Infantry Division on the south flank. The disposition of the Division units, was from left to right; RCT 395, RCT 393, RCT 394. The 424th Infantry Regiment, 106th Infantry Division, and supporting units, were attached to the 99th, and evacuated from its assembly in the vicinity of Honsfeld through Collecting Company C, 331st Medical Battalion, 106th Infantry Division, to the 324th Medical Battalion Clearing Station.

The Division was released from XVIII A/B Corps operational control and reverted to V Corps on 6 February. Activities were confined to improving defensive positions and active patrolling. Battle casualties were light, primarily resulting from mines. Two days later RCT 394 went into Division Reserve in the vicinity of Losheimergraben, having been relieved by the 424th Infantry Regiment. Co B continued support out of Hünningen, and Company C, 331st Medical Battalion, evacuated 424th Infantry casualties from Honsfeld, while First Clearing Platoon, 324th Medical Battalion moved from Jalhay to Bütgenbach, where the Forward Battalion CP opened. Second Clearing Platoon remained at Ovifat.

On 9 February, RCT 424 reverted to 106th Infantry Division control. Reconnaissance took place for movement of the Battalion to the Aubel Assembly Area, as directed by Division General Orders. Company B and RCT 394 moved to a new Assembly Point in the region of Waimes, which took place on 11 February, while RCT 395 was relieved by the 271st Infantry Regiment, 69th Infantry Division. On 12 February, the Second Clearing Platoon moved to the vicinity of Teuven, north of the Aubel Assembly Area, and RCT 395 moved to a Concentration Area near Heppenbach, supported by Company C. Former plans for Division movement to Aubel were postponed.

A list of 324th Medical Battalion personnel who distinguished themselves in action during the Battle of the Bulge is available to download in PDF format by clicking here.

Final Drive to the “Fatherland” – Germany:

On 13 February, Company C closed into the RCT 393 Concentration Area via Born, after the RCT was relieved by the 273d Infantry Regiment. The 69th Infantry Division had now completed relief of the 99th, which closed the Waimes-Heppenbach-Born area. A Control Point and Forward CP were established at Company B for evacuation of the Division. The following day, First Clearing Platoon moved to Waimes to support the Division. Casualties were very light but evacuation was difficult, since going over very bad roads, caused by heavy traffic during thawing weather. On 20 February, the Second Clearing Platoon moved from Teuven toward Biomont, to support evacuation of the Division, moving to Aubel. Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment moved to Bruyères, while the 99th Infantry Division (less RCT 394 + 324th Med Bn) returned to the Aubel area. Collecting Company A established itself in the vicinity of Gensterbloem, with Company C set up near Clermont. Only Co B and First Clr Plat remained in Waimes to support RCT 394 and the 324th Engineer Battalion. The latter would only move toward Aubel the next day, first to Veux, and then to Teuven. While in the Aubel Concentration Area, the Division conducted training, rehabilitation, and maintenance, under VII Corps control. Collecting Companies evacuated to the Clearing Station near Biomont by Ambulance from Battalion Aid Stations. Evacuation from the Clearing station took place with help of the 577th Motor Ambulance Company, 176th Medical Battalion, 68th Medical Group, to the 44th, 67thand 102d Evacuation Hospitals set up in the vicinity of Brand, Germany. Plans followed for movement forward, to engage in offensive operations, and the Division received instructions for a further move toward Stolberg, Germany, via Teuven, Belgium, and Büsbach, Germany.

Litter Bearers carry patients to the Danube River for evacuation by amphibious vehicles to an Aid Station at Heinheim, Germany. Picture taken between 27 – 28
April 1945, during the fighting for Eining and Staubling.

On 28 February 1945, RCT 395 moved from Aubel to the new Concentration Area in the vicinity of Stolberg, Germany, and closed into the final Assembly Area near Elsdorf, Germany, under operational control of the 3d Armored Division. RCT 393 and RCT 394 were to follow on 1 March. As no units were effectively committed casualties remained very light.

Respective Unit Command Post Locations
Hq & Hq Det	Jalhay, Belgium (1 – 7 Feb 45) Ovifat, Belgium (8 – 13 Feb 45) Fwd CP Bütgenbach, Belgium (8 Feb 45) Waimes, Belgium (14 -19 Feb 45) Bruyères, Belgium (2 – 28 Feb 45)
Coll Co A	Jalhay, Belgium (1 – 4 Feb 45) Hünningen, Belgium (5 – 12 Feb 45) Montenau, Belgium (13 – 19 Feb 45) Gensterbloem, Belgium (20 – 28 Feb 45)
Coll Co B	Sourbrodt, Belgium (1 Feb 45) Jalhay, Belgium (2 – 3 Feb 45) Hünningen, Belgium (4 – 10 Feb 45) Waimes, Belgium (11 – 22 Feb 45) Veurs, Belgium (23 – 28 Feb 45)
Coll Co C	Jalhay, Belgium (1 – 2 Feb 45) Krinkelt, Belgium (3 – 11 Feb 45) Heppenbach, Belgium (12 – 19 Feb 45) Clermont, Belgium (20 – 28 Feb 45)
Clr Co D	Jalhay, Belgium (1 – 8 Feb 45) 2d Clr Pl Ovifat, Belgium (1 – 8 Feb 45) Ovifat, Belgium (9 – 11 Feb 45) 1st Clr Plat Bütgenbach, Belgium (9 – 11 Feb 45) Teuven, Belgium (12 – 16 Feb 45) 1st Clr Plat Bütgenbach, Belgium (12 – 16 Feb 45) Waimes, Belgium (17 – 19 Feb 45) Biomont, Belgium (20 – 28 Feb 45)

On 2 March 1945, the First Clearing Platoon and Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment moved to Angelsdorf, Germany, in support of the Division, attacking across the Erft Canal. RCT 393 crossed the Erft in the vicinity of Bedburg, and secured Neurath. RCT 395 continued its offensive across the Erft toward Bergheim under control of the 3d Armored Division. RCT 394 moved to an Assembly Area near Elsdorf, where all Collecting Companies were located. On 3 March, RCT 393 and 394 advanced another 9,000 yards along the Erft Canal against light resistance. The 30th Infantry Division and the 4th Cavalry Group now occupied the Division left flank, and the 3d Armored Division the right flank. RCT 395 remained around Bergheim, under control of the 99th. Company C moved to Glesch in support of the 394th Infantry.
The following day the Division resumed its advance, and continued to attack further along the Erft Canal, advancing over 16,000 yards, with the 8th Infantry Division on its left and the 3d Armored Division still on its right. All Regimental Combat Teams were committed, and as a result of this advance, the supporting Collecting Companies followed the advance and established themselves at the following towns; Co A (Hulcrath), Co B (Anstel), and Co C (Ramrath).

Between 5 – 6 March, the Division occupied positions along the west bank of the Rhine River, extending for 5 miles, i.e. from Delrath to Grimlinghausen. Second Clearing Platoon and the Medical Battalion CP opened at Eckum at noon on 6 March. Evacuation was to the 44th and 96th Evacuation Hospitals at Eschweiler, non-transportable cases were taken to the 51st Field Hospital at Bergheim.

On 8 March, the Division G-3 alerted all units for a move to an Assembly Area prior to commitment with III Corps at the Remagen Bridgehead (Ludendorff Bridge). The 4th Cavalry Group therefore relieved Division units on the Rhine. On 9 March, the First Clearing Platoon moved to Fritzdorf, while Division closed into the Stadt-Meckenheim Assembly Area, and completed plans to cross the Rhine at the Remagen Bridgehead, held at this time by elements of the 78th Infantry, 9th Infantry, and 9th Armored Divisions. Collecting Companies B and C moved in to support RCT 393 and 395 and prepared for offensive operations. RCT 394 commenced river crossing, with Company B in support. Meanwhile the 584th Motor Ambulance Company, 64th Medical Group, relieved the 577th Motor Ambulance Company, 68th Medical Group, in evacuation of the Clearing station to the 128th Evacuation Hospital at Euskirchen, Germany. On 11 March, RCT 394, temporarily under 9th Infantry Division control, completed the Rhine crossing, followed by RCT 393 and 395. After crossing the 394th Infantry reverted to 99th control and gained another 3,000 yards, capturing Leubsdorf and Ariendorf. RCT 393 received several counter attacks while relieving element of the 9th Infantry Division in the center of the Bridgehead. RCT 395 was organized as Bridgehead Reserve. The Collecting Companies were now established at the following locations; Co A (Kasbach), Co B (Linz), Co C (Unkel). Initial evacuation was difficult because of hilly and wooded terrain in forward areas and because of heavy traffic over limited bridging sites, still under continuous enemy artillery fire and air attacks. Second Clearing Platoon and Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment set up south of Bodendorf to provide closer support, and received all casualties evacuated by the 9th Armored Division operating a ferry to a Collecting Point on the west bank of the River opposite Linz.

After mopping up isolated enemy during the advance on Wetzlar, Germany, C Co, 393d Inf Regt, discovered a trainload of abandoned American PWs. Nearly 300 of
them had been deserted by their retreating captors on a railroad siding after a desperate attempt to move them from their confinement in Limburg (Germany) as
the liberating American columns swept eastward. Med Det personnel immediately began evacuation of the most severe cases…

The Division continued the offensive to the east and south, and on 12 March, the First Clearing Platoon and Headquarters & Headquarters Detachment moved to Linz, in order to support and assist direct evacuation from Battalion Aid Stations to the Clearing Station. Army Ambulances were initially inadequate for evacuation across the congested crossing sites. Between 13 – 14 March, the 99th Infantry Division assumed responsibility for the southern half of the Remagen Bridgehead, repulsing enemy infantry and armor counter attacks, which resulted in moderately heavy casualties. 15 out of 16 Ambulances had to be engaged at one time, with 45 casualties remaining to be evacuated.

With a new offensive in the making, toward the Wied River, Coll Co C moved to Linz, where Co A also set up, and Co B moved to Leubsdorf. The 584th Motor Ambulance Company evacuated all casualties to the 102d Evacuation Hospital at Bad Neuenahr, and to the 51st Field Hospital at Unkel. Additional Ambulances were received to remedy the evacuation problems. When the Remagen bridge finally collapsed on 17 March, assistance was rendered to evacuate casualties. On 18 March, First Platoon, 13th Field Hospital opened at Linz.
Between 19 – 20 March 1945, Co B moved to Hönningen in support of RCT 394, continuing the offensive to the south. On 21 March, the 394th Infantry was relieved by elements of the 2d Infantry and 9th Armored Divisions, coming into the southern section of the Bridgehead, as part of V Corps. Co B moved to Leubsdorf into the RCT 394 Assembly Area, which was to be held in reserve. Co A further moved near Rothkreuz, and Co C established a Forward Station and Control Point at Hahnen in preparation of the Wied River crossing by RCT 393 and 395.

On 23 – 24 March, the “Checkerboard” Division attacked, with the 9th Infantry Division protecting its northern flank, and the 2d Infantry Division its southern flank. The attack was aimed at securing the high ground on the east bank of the Wied River. Coll Co A moved to Hausen, and Coll Co C to Rossbach. The following day, a coordinated Corps attack took place toward Limburg. Coll Co B advanced to Waldbreitbach. Because of continuous attacks it was necessary to leapfrog from one position to another and consequently medical units were constantly on the move the following days. Collecting Company A went to Bonefeld; Co B to Urbach; Co C to Verscheid; Second Clr Plat and Hq & Hq Det to Antoniushaus (German Hospital); First Clr Plat to Ober Honnefeld…

On 27 March, the 99th advanced up to another 19,000 yards, capturing over 40 towns and 620 PWs in the process. Collecting Companies moved with their respective Combat Teams and established their CPs at the following locations; Co A (Wilsenroth); Co B (Ewighausen); Co C (Mogendorf). Army evacuation was to the 102d Evacuation Hospital now at Bad Neuenahr, the 97th Evacuation Hospital at Ahrweiler, and the 13th Field Hospital at Selters. On 28 March, the Division continued its advance, crossing the Dill River, and advancing toward the Lahn River. As usual, the Collecting Companies supported the move, advancing to following locations; Co A (Oberbiel); Co B (Krofdorf-Gleiburg); Co C (Hintermeilingen), followed by 1st Clr Plat and Hq & Hq Det (Dillhausen). Contact with all Collecting Companies was re-established by radio through the Division Message Center. Company A evacuated through the Clearing Station 54 wounded American soldiers, recently liberated south of Oberbiel. Many of them had been captured by the Germans during the Ardennes counter offensive.

On 29 March, RCT 393 cleared the city of Wetzlar (site of the famous Leica camera factory) and moved to an Assembly Area in the vicinity of Waldgirmes, followed by its medical support, Coll Co A. RCT 394 then cleared Giessen, and upon relief by elements of V Corps, prepared to move to the Assembly Area of Krofdorf-Gleiburg, where Co B was already established. RCT 395 advanced toward Wissmar, supported by Co C.

The 44th and 5th Evacuation Hospitals opened at Eudenbach.

While evacuating a patient from Langscheid, this Medical Technician had a close call … just look at the vehicle.

Period 30 – 31 March 1945. The 99th Infantry Division remained in its Assembly Area (vic. Krofdorf-Gleiburg) to prepare for further offensive operations to the north, as part of III Corps. Casualties had been light since the Remagen Bridgehead breakthrough, and evacuation of all casualties was performed without too many difficulties in spite of torturous terrain and the long routes to the Evacuation Hospitals.

Clearing Company Statistics for the period 1 – 31 March 1945
Admissions	2749
Battle Casualties	1335
Trench Foot Cases	10
Combat exhaustion	151
Prisoners of War	212
Civilians	87
Recovered Allied PWs	306

During its further operations in Germany, in April and May of 1945, the Division was to process enormous numbers of enemy Prisoners of War, control and evacuate RAMPs, and help large numbers of Displaced Persons. This certainly added strain to existing resources, as the above people had to be regrouped, processed, fed, treated, and  evacuated…

Respective Unit Command Post Locations
Hq & Hq Det	Bruyères, Belgium (1 Mar 45) Angelsdorf, Germany (2 – 5 Mar 45) Eckum, Germany (6 – 9 Mar 45) Fritzdorf, Germany (10 Mar 45) Bodendorf, Germany (11 Mar 45) Linz, Germany (12 – 25 Mar 45) Antoniushaus, Germany  (26 Mar 45) Mogendorf, Germany (27 Mar 45) Dillhausen, Germany (28 Mar 45) Krofdorf-Gleiburg, Germany (29 – 31 Mar 45)
Coll Co A	Elsdorf, Germany (1 – 2 Mar 45) Neurath, Germany (3 Mar 45) Hulcrath, Germany (4 – 8 Mar 45) Rheinbach, Germany (9 Mar 45) Werthfofen, Germany (10 Mar 45) Kasbach, Germany (11 – 14 Mar 45) Linz, Germany (15 – 21 Mar 45) Rothkreuz, Germany (22 – 23 Mar 45) Hausen, Germany (24 – 25 Mar 45) Bonefeld, Germany (26 Mar 45) Wilsenroth, Germany (27 Mar 45) Oberbiel, Germany (28 Mar 45) Waldgirmes, Germany (29 – 31 Mar 45)
Coll Co B	Veurs, Belgium (1 Mar 45) Elsdorf, Germany (2 Mar 45) Glesch, Germany (3 Mar 45) Gill, Germany (4 Mar 45) Anstel, Germany (5 – 8 Mar 45) Leimlersdorf, Germany (9 Mar 45) Kasbach, Germany (10 Mar 45) Linz, Germany (11 – 14 Mar 45) Leubsdorf, Germany (15 – 18 Mar 45) Hönningen, Germany (19 – 20 Mar 45) Leubsdorf, Germany (21 – 24 Mar 45) Waldbreitbach, Germany (25 Mar 45) Urbach-Uberdorf, Germany (26 Mar 45) Ewighausen, Germany (27 – 28 Mar 45) Krofdorf-Gleiburg, Germany (29 – 31 Mar 45)
Coll Co C	Elsdorf, Germany (1 – 2 Mar 45) Bergheim, Germany (3 Mar 45) Ramrath, Germany (4 – 9 Mar 45) Bellar, Germany (10 Mar 45) Unkel, Germany (11 – 14 Mar 45) Linz, Germany (15 – 24 Mar 45) Rossbach, Germany (25 Mar 45) Verscheid, Germany (26 Mar 45) Mogendorf, Germany (27 Mar 45) Hintermeiligen, Germany (28 Mar 45) Wissmar, Germany (29 – 31 Mar 45)
Clr Co D	Biomont, Belgium (1 Mar 45) Angelsdorf, Germany (2 – 5 Mar 45) Eckum, Germany (6 – 9 Mar 45) Fritzdorf, Germany (10 Mar 45) Bodendorf, Germany (11 Mar 45) Linz, Germany (12 – 25 Mar 45) Antoniushaus, Germany (26 Mar 45) Mogendorf, Germany (27 mar 45) Dillhausen, Germany (28 Mar 45) Krofdorf-Gleiburg, Germany (29 – 31 Mar 45)

The End:

April 1945. The stage was set, the 99th Infantry Division, as part of III Corps, had assembled in the vicinity of Germunden, and was ready for the next blow against the enemy. With VII Corps on the left and V Corps on the right, the objective was the encirclement of the Ruhr Pocket.

Between 5 – 16 April, 1945, the “Checkerboards” drove relentlessly day and night over the Rothaar and Lenne mountains into the heart of the Ruhr Pocket. The first day of the attack, the 99th captured 7 towns and took 234 prisoners, notwithstanding the extremely difficult terrain which in some cases held up the speed of the advance.
After 4 days of operations, the number of secured towns increased to 18, and the number of PWs reached 2,046! The state of disorganization of the enemy forces was illustrated by the large bag of captured personnel. While the fight went on, 7th Armored Division elements and 3d Battalion, 395th Infantry overran a German Prisoner of War Camp in the town of Hemer. Here, compressed into a limited enclosure, were over 23,000 Allied PWs, consisting of Americans, Poles, but mostly Russians, they were a starving mass of people, having gone without food for over a week. At the arrival of the infantry, the German guards fled, and thousands of the inmates broke out flooding the countryside in search of food. They were rounded up, regrouped and given food and medication.
The 324th Med Bn immediately furnished the necessary support, sending in both personnel and medical supplies to help the freshly liberated prisoners.

On 16 April, the bubble constituted by the eastern part of the Ruhr Pocket burst suddenly and completely, yielding an astounding number of PWs and tremendous quantities of equipment. Mass surrenders took place, the 99th alone taking 23,884 prisoners during the day, including 8 General Officers and 1 Admiral! The Ruhr Pocket was history!

On 17 April, the Division came under control of Third United States Army for the final drive through Bavaria, and turned over its sector to the 5th Infantry Division…

Two different views of a captured German Military Hospital at Allendorf, Germany. Enemy patients and attendants watch the war go by, for them it is over!
Abandoned Medical vehicles are grouped around the installation. Note the large Geneva Convention symbol painted on top of the roof.

As the units withdrew from the front, working details were already on their way, marking routes, selecting halt points, gas refilling stations, and checkpoints, to help guide the “Checkerboard” columns to their destinations. The motor march started on 17 March, departing at 1000 hours, and covered a total of 284 miles. Sandwiched between the Infantry elements of the column (394th – 395th – 393d) were the other elements, such as the 99th Reconnaissance Troop, Division Headquarters, and closing the convoy, were the 786th Tank Battalion and  629th Tank Destroyer Battalions, the 99th Quartermaster Company, the 799th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company, and a provisional Detachment of the 324th Medical Battalion.
The column began arriving in its Assembly Area near Bamberg, Germany during the night of 18 April, closing during early morning hours of 19 April. Individual German planes continuously harassed the convoy and strafed it. The armor suffered the inevitable breakdowns and began arriving on their own power, a few days later. Two days had to be spent for maintenance of vehicles and equipment in order to get everything ready for the next combat operations.

On the morning of 21 April, the unit moved south another 50 more miles to the vicinity of Nürnberg. Operating once more under III Corps control (also withdrawn from the First US Army) and teaming with the 86th Infantry Division and the 14th Armored Division, resumed its advance on the 24 April, only being delayed by blown bridges and undefended roadblocks. Many crossings had to be overcome, including the Sulz River, the Ludwig Canal, the Altmuhl River, and finally the Danube River.

On 27 April the Danube River crossings took place, with attached Engineer Companies (291st Engr Bn) to handle the 136 assault boats, and operate the additional rafts and ferries. DUKWs were also used in the process, and crossing was carried out under misty weather conditions and a fast and treacherous current. On 29 April, all the Division transportation crossed the Danube on a Treadway Bridge. While the bridge was under construction, the 324th Med Bn brought back all casualties by ferry and DUKW.

On 28 April, the 14th Armored Division crossed the Danube River at Ingolstadt, with the mission of securing crossings over the Isar River at Moosburg and Landshut. After crossing the Amper River, elements of CCA attacked down the main road between Mauern and Moosburg, and after some fanatic but short-lived resistance reached the edge of Moosburg on 29 April, not only receiving the unconditional surrender of the German garrison, but at the same time liberating Stalag VII-A, one of the largest German PW Camps (holding over 130,000 Allied PWs).

The Danube Bridgehead was expanded after some short but severe combat, and the Division was now free to advance to the Isar River against little or no resistance. On 30 April – 1 May 1945, the Isar River was crossed by the 393d Inf Regt at Landshut, and the 395th Inf Regt in the Moosburg area. Movement then went on toward the Inn River and Giessenhausen.

At 1130, 2 May 1945, the Division was ordered to halt in place, assemble, and wait for orders. Something great was impending … then it came … UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER OF THE GERMAN ARMED FORCES!

A representative of the German High Command signed the unconditional surrender of all German land, sea, and air forces in Europe to the Allied Expeditionary Force and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command, at 0141 hours, Central European Time, on 7 May 1945 – Victory in Europe!

Statistics:

Casualties 324th Medical Battalion – November 1944
Number treated by Unit Surgeon	13
Number evacuated to Clearing Station	16
Number returned to duty	14
Casualties 324th Medical Battalion – December 1944
No numbers available
Casualties 324th Medical Battalion – January 1945
Number treated by Unit Surgeon	22
Number evacuated to Clearing Station	37
Number returned to duty	26
Casualties 324th Medical Battalion – February 1945
Number treated by Unit Surgeon	27
Number evacuated to Clearing station	27
Number returned to duty	10
Casualties 324th Medical Battalion – March 1945
Number treated by Unit Surgeon	51
Number evacuated to Clearing Station	51
Number returned to duty	32

Overview of the “Checkerboard’s” campaigns in the E.T.O., their first combat days at the outbreak of the Battle of the Bulge, and their final drive onto the enemy Fatherland… the “Battle Babies” did a fine job…

Roster (incomplete):

Company C
Officers:
Capt. Seidenstein	Capt. Criscillo
Lt. Cave	Lt. Gloricso
Lt. Miller
Enlisted Men:
1st Sgt. Lepczyk	S/Sgt. Hadfield
S/Sgt. Longobardi	S/Sgt. Priel
S/Sgt. White	Sgt. Clary
Sgt. Donahey	Sgt. Dunakin
Sgt. King	Sgt. Lesniak
Sgt. Vredenburg	Cpl. Buritsch
Cpl. Bush	Cpl. Common
Cpl. Connell	Cpl. Ewing
Cpl. Kowaki	Cpl. Manley
Cpl. Mitchell	Cpl. Perino
Cpl. Rayach	Pfc. Beckholt
Pfc. Bostram	Pfc. Brotage
Pfc. Chilia	Pfc. Cook
Pfc. Crusott	Pfc. Fabismak
Pfc. Fritchey	Pfc. Galloway
Pfc. Gialluca	Pfc. Hall
Pfc. Hammerle	Pfc. Holt
Pfc. Jenkins	Pfc. Jones
Pfc. Kern	Pfc. Koritko
Pfc. Lawson	Pfc. Miller
Pfc. Pleasants	Pfc. Plunk
Pfc. Riboczi	Pfc. Rood
Pfc. Schnellbach	Pfc. Shulte
Pfc. Spear	Pfc. Stainback
Pfc. Stallings	Pfc. Steward
Pfc. Tharp	Pfc. Tucker
Pfc. Twomey	Pfc. Wesley
Pfc. Zdunczyk	Pfc. Zeiders

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The Unit History vintage reports did unfortunately not include the last ‘fighting’ days of the 324th Medical Battalion while operating in the European Theater. We are still looking for additional data to complete the above The MRC Staff are indebted to Paul De Marteau, a genuine “Checkerboard” buff for providing them with a number of vintage pictures.