Overview
F Company was an infantry company in the United States Army's 78th "Lightning" Division's second battalion of the 310th Infantry Regiment. The company was called Fox, which was the sixth letter in the phonetic alphabet used during World War II. The Company participated in three major campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. "Combat Diary for Company F, 310th Infantry, 78th Division," a 1947 book written by its members, recounts the wartime experiences of its members.
History
The first Fox Company soldiers arrived at Camp Butner in Butner, North Carolina, on March 9, 1944. On March 27, 1944, Fox Company departed for Camp Pickett in Nottoway County, Virginia. Pickett's land, water, and other resources were surveyed in late 1941; by the end of 1942, more than 1,400 buildings had been built and were in use, including approximately 1,000 enlisted barracks and 70 officer's quarters. Here at Camp Pickett, Fox Company was trained and prepared for combat by Captain John H. Sharp.
Composition
Fox Company was composed of a Company Headquarters, 3× Rifle Platoons, and a Weapons Platoon. Fox Company left the United States with 189 men; 454 men are listed as having belonged to the company by the war's end, due to transfers and replacements. 53 men were killed in action, and 164 wounded in action. With a 47% casualty rate throughout their 125 days of combat.
Battle of Kesternich
According to the overall Allied plan, the 9th Army was to break through the Cologne Plain, where the flat terrain was ideal for armored divisions to dash the Rhine. The north-flowing Roer River and the three big dams on the upper Roer near Schmidt were a barrier that had to be seized and held. The attack was on December 13 in the region of Lammersdorf. The first town that the Fox Company entered was Pastenbach; when they left on January 13, it was freezing, and the snow that had fallen three days earlier was frosted over and was deceptively thick. They settled in for the night after entering Simmerath further to the west. The Company was awakened by rifle fire early on December 14; patrols were organized and sent out to find the snipers, but to no avail. Captain John H. Sharp called his Platoon leaders, Lieutenants William J. Barton, Burrel B. Budden, Donald Horsch, and T-Sgt John D.
Loos, and gave them the plan for the next move. With the first Platoon in reserve, the second Platoon was selected as the base platoon and launched. It was followed by the third—Company Headquarters—and fourth Platoon. The Company moved through a field to the west of Kesternich and took up position along a road that was submerged, providing protection from enemy fire. Fox reorganized rapidly and secured their position. All four Platoon leaders had become casualties. Sgts. Frank A. Leonard, Claude E. Blackwell, George A. Roman, and Horst took over the Platoons. As morning came on December 15, a much-depleted Fox Company of around seventy men moved towards Kesternich again. Fox advanced to an old sunken road bordered by more hedge-rows. They came upon the crest of a hill, and before Fox lay Kesternich. They continued into the town's outskirts after climbing a short slope.
When they entered the village, they were surprised to be met with little to no small arms or artillery fire. Fox seized the target with minimal resistance. Around 1300, Company "E" reached the eastern edge of Kesternich with less than half of its initial troop strength and made every effort to set up defenses. Company "G," also with significantly reduced strength, reorganized and managed to hold the town's center. At midnight on December 15, Lt. Col. Creighton E. Likes took over the 2nd Battalions, 309th and 310th Infantry. These battalions were to attack and take control of the town of Kesternich with a platoon of tanks and a platoon of tank destroyers attached. The attack started at 0700 hours in the early morning hours of December 15. Company F moved east and encountered a minefield near a pillbox that was neutralized earlier in the day.
After avoiding the minefield, it moved south and into the town, where it encountered the same grueling house-to-house combat as Company G. Around 1400 hours, it had cleared the southern sector. At least 500 Volksgrenadiers participated in the German counter-attack on the 2nd Battalion, 310th Infantry, which started around 1615 and lasted until early December 16. In Fox's area of town, the counterattack lasted for about an hour and a half. After the Germans stopped firing, the men got back to work digging the foxholes. By the time Fox Company realized how serious the situation was, they were cut off from allied forces and surrounded by an enemy who had vowed to seize and hold this town at all costs. With only two officers left, the NCOs took over many jobs besides their own.
A meeting of all Platoon Sgts was called, and each Platoon was given a house to use as a perimeter defense and shelter from artillery and snipers. Fox quickly conducted a reconnaissance and discovered they were completely surrounded. The injured soldiers were cared for by Pfc. Joseph Saba, a mortar gunner, and former medic, as there was no conventional medical personnel available to help. Third Platoon, under the command of S-Sgt. Frank A. Leonard could not secure a house, so they decided to spend the night in their foxholes and assist in the defense from their positions. All the aid packs were used, as were old sheets and clothing discovered in nearby houses. After a fierce engagement, the First Platoon's troops were forced to retreat through the same route they had taken to approach the town after running into a dug-in machine gun nest.
When German forces overcame the Second Platoon as it cleared out a house to its left, practically every member was killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. All the men who were not crippled searched every house for food because none was available. The Weapons Platoon chose to use the company C. P. as a shelter for some warmth and sleep, pausing to rub their feet to help prevent trench foot, which was increasingly common. In the C. P. cellar, an old well existed, and halazone tablets were used to make the water drinkable. Water like this kept Fox's soldiers alive throughout the struggle. The pears were rotten and full of shrapnel when they fell from the pear trees, which were located about 50 yards from the C. P. (then) Pfcs Dennis H. Keown and John W. Sansone crept out, picked up a few, put them in a burlap bag, and went back.
The fruit was rotten, filthy, and partially frozen, yet to the famished soldiers, it tasted amazing. Later on in the day, Pfc. Saba discovered some dried veggies and cereals in an old barn. Each man was given a teaspoon of the stew that had been prepared. The division had this to say about the heroic action of Fox's men: "The courage with which these men continued to fight for six days without food, water, or communications until rescued is a tribute to the tenacity of 78th doughs."
Casualties
In 8 days of fighting, the 310th Infantry Regiment lost 542 soldiers, 63 enlisted personnel, and 6 officers Killed In Action. Five officers and 96 enlisted men suffered wounds. 13 officers and 284 enlisted men were Missing In Action. Trench-foot incapacitated 61 enlisted men and 1 officer, and 13 enlisted men were non-combat casualties (including Combat Fatigue). Fox Company suffered a staggering 149 casualties: 32 killed in action, 44 wounded in action, 18 captured, and 55 non-combat casualties. The 32 men Killed In Action were as follows, 2nd Lt. Burrell B. Budden, S/Sgt. Joseph Branck, S/Sgt. Claude G. Blackwell, S/Sgt Morris Blitzer, T/Sgt William P. Jenkins, Sgt. Robert Y. Lewis Jr., Sgt. Isidor Tarnofsky, Sgt. Robert L. Bunnels, Cpl. Harold H. Diller, Pfc. Nevin C. Altfather, Pfc. Gideon Bencohen, Pfc. William C. Berry, Pfc. Wilford M. Black, Pfc. Ovelo T.
Blanchard, Pfc. Hubert W. Chapple, Pfc. Robert H. Edelstein, Pfc. Robert C. Jacoby, Pfc. John M. Letsos, Pfc. Earl R. Lockerby, Pfc. James P. Parsons, Pfc. Russell F. Skorik, Pfc. Julius G. Zeblo, Pfc. Walter S. Taylor, Pfc. Joseph P. Schlosser, Pfc. James T. Kirby, Pfc. Arthur J. Richardson, Pfc. Arthur J. Bean, Pvt. Walter Massicotte, Pvt. Daniel J. Roeder, Pvt. Samuel W. Richardson Jr., Pvt. Edward Kloosterman Jr., Pvt. Alphonse Farris. Of the Company men who had gone through the brutal 8-day battle of Kesternich, only eight men, 1st Sgt Rosenblatt, T-Sgt Horst, Sgts DiMarco, Clayton, Farnworth, and Pfcs Sharkey, Eikenberry, and Roberts, were able to go on. With a few Fox men who had not been through Kesternich, these eight men withdrew to Raeren Belgium, where S-Sgt Dallas E. Dimmer, the machine-gun section sergeant, received a Battlefield Commission.
Fox Company departed for a bivouac site in Lammersdorf, Germany, on December 25. The Christmas spirit found its way to everyone in every foxhole. The division's commander, General Parker, delivered the following message to the soldiers: "On this particular day, our thoughts go homeward, just as our people at home are thinking of us. By our very presence here, amid the misfortunes that are war, we have made and are making possible a peaceful Christmas in a free land for our families back in America. We know that this cannot be a Merry Christmas, in the true sense of the word, for us. Yet the same world ills which brought the Star of Bethlehem into giving us inspiration for successfully completing the duty before us. I join this day in what Christmas means to each of us. Best wishes and good luck."
Roer river campaign
Most of January 1945 was spent resting and participating in tank-Infantry training. On January 7, they departed Lammersdorf for Roetgen by truck, bouncing around the Monschau district until entering the Division reserve. Roetgen was the first German town under American control; Americans arrived in the village in September 1944. In Roetgen, the men got much-enjoyed visits by the Red Cross Club mobile, with donuts and coffee for everyone. It is here, too; the men got a chance to listen to some tunes by the Andrews Sisters; more importantly, though, the men could ease up, knowing they were safe from German shells. The 1st Platoon was assigned four flame-throwing British Churchill tanks; however, mines destroyed these tanks at the first troop shelter. Tanks were also sent to the other Platoons, but they, too, were limited in action.
At around 1000 hours, a blizzard arrived, freezing up practically every rifle and BAR in the Company, rendering them worthless. Despite the overwhelming odds, the Company managed to secure seven pillboxes, one troop shelter, an abandoned factory, and roughly 150 prisoners. Early on February 9, the fox men were prepared to leave the positions, but they were instructed to return to their shelters and wait for further orders. After dinner, they quickly set out for a sugar beet farm from which they could view the devastated town of Schmidt. The German shells started thundering again as soon as the men began digging in the beet field. The Germans had heavily mined this region, and "Achtung, Minen!" signs were widespread. They remained in the field of beets until the next day when they left for Schmidt.
As soon as the soldiers began to move, a battery of 81-Mm mortars unleashed a continuous stream of shells over their heads. After a bloody battle, other battalions of the Regiment broke through the highly defended northern end of the town, cleaned it out, and proceeded past. 500 German soldiers had been killed or captured or dispersed. The Company was stationed in the town's cellars and devastated homes. Lt. Richard M. Jones led the First Platoon, Lt. Dallas E. Dimmer led the Fourth, Lt. Richard Neuman led the Third, and Lt. Roger T. Duncan joined Fox Company. Maj. Gen. C. R. Huebner, Commander of the V Corps, offered the Division kind praise after the capture of the Dam.
"Although the 78th Infantry Division is relatively new in combat, you have given ample proof that in future operations, you will add new honors to those you have already achieved in this." In one of his programs, the well-known radio commentator Gabriel Heattor spent considerable time complimenting the Division for "its wonderful successes." The Division's actions were featured in newspapers across the nation. The soldiers preparing to assault in the north would not be in danger if the Dam remained in Allied hands; and Fox Company was tasked with ensuring that the recently captured prize would remain in Allied hands. Therefore, they departed Schmidt on February 23 to establish themselves at the north end of the Dam.
A portion of the Company functioned out of a once-beautiful restaurant; Fox men could undoubtedly imagine the public gatherings that must have occurred there during the peak of Nazism. Squads would swap turns watching over the tunnel house. The men examined the reservoir's water level every half-hour to provide crucial information to those preparing the major assault to their north. On February 23, the First and Ninth Armies launched a quick and effective advance across the Roer River and onto the Cologne Plains.
Roer to Rhine
American tanks and infantry could stream into the Cologne plain thanks to American wins and advance in the Monschau region, near the Roer River, giving them a clear shot across the Rhine River, and into the heart of Germany. This thrust into German territory would include the 78th "Lightning" Division. On March 3, they left Mariawald Abbey and traveled toward Heimbach, which had been heavily bombarded. The Company established itself on the outskirts of the town. Because of broken water lines, the streets were overrun entirely with water. The next day, while still a part of Combat Command "A" of the 9th Armored Division, they left Vlatten. They started an arduous day-long forced march to the unopposed cities of Wollersheim, Embken, Fussenich, and Geich. The Company spent the entire night in Geich before departing again in the early hours of March 5.
Euskirchen, a sizable city, had been captured by the Third Battalion. Without a struggle, Zulpich and Elsig were captured. Fox received an unexpected reward when many boxes of cookies were taken from a store. The beloved C. O. James K. Bowman, who was promoted to Captain that morning, was killed by a sniper's bullet from the town's right side.
Remagen Bridgehead
Fox Company departed with a platoon of light tanks on March 8, 1945, with the assistance of a platoon of machine guns from How Company. Their objective was Lohndorf. The tanks caused significant damage to the German garrison, and allowed the town to be taken with little resistance. At this point, the men had no idea the Ludendorff bridge at Remagen, just 4 Miles north-west, was intact and captured just a day before by the 9th Armored Division. The 1st Battalion, 310th, started to cross at midnight on the 7th and continued into the morning of the 8th. On March 9, the Company returned to Heimersheim and awaited further instruction The Ludendorff Bridge, which for the next few days became the most famous structure on earth, loomed above. A shell struck the bridge's steel girders as the men approached the heavily bombed structure, sending countless sparks into the night sky.
The men struggled through the rain while carrying spools of wire and ammo. They kept moving towards the assembly area in a wooded area where each company prepared for the assault on Dustemich Hill and Kretzhaus Junction. The company started to advance, and the enemy launched round after round of heavy artillery at Fox to push them back across the river, and casualties were immediate. T-5 Gherkins (Med Det) and Pfc Watson from the Second Platoon were hit, and a few minutes later, Pfc's William D. Rose, Hewitt J. Saucier, Onnie D. Cooley, Benito H. Benavidez, and Albert H. Kitchen also suffered injuries. Dustemich Hill finally collapsed, and E Company dug in on its peaks; this was a substantial advantage because it permitted excellent observation of Kretzhaus and the surrounding area. The assault was scheduled for March 12, early in the morning.
As Fox Company prepared to attack Kretzhaus, G Company was supposed to seize 500 yards of strategically important ground to the north-west of the target. Fox then moved forward along the road for about 300 yards before what first appeared to be a bank of dirt revealed itself as a Tiger tank, which began spewing shells. The Germans rained down "88's" to push back the armor. The attack stopped in a sizable wooded area in front of the target, primarily made up of a sawmill and several houses. The company encountered heavy artillery bombardments, cross-fire from machine guns, and direct tank fire. Shells were bursting all around Lts. Richard M. Jones and Richard E. Neuman, Sgts. Whiteside, Donald G. Warner, Otties L. Zigler, and Pfc. Leonard Blitz as they were pinned down behind a pile of lumber. Surprisingly, nobody was hurt.
A shell from an enemy tank was fired through a sawmill as some of the Fourth Platoon advanced toward it. They held out for about three hours before the enemy artillery worsened. The enemy attack, which consisted of 4 tanks and a Company, was driven off, but Fox withdrew to more favorable positions. The Company withdrew to the railroad spur and dug in; only about 50 men were left. The price was high: in the fierce fighting, Pfcs Federico Gurterrez, Gilbert A. Sandoval, Julious C. Pack, Harold I Hope, Clifford B. Kruse, Albert J. Harvin, Carl J. Katscha, Herbert W. Shwenk, Scott, Cecil O. Grabe, Gerald F. Gardner, Cook, T-4 Vincent J. Manganaro, and T-5 Herbert Ferdman (Med Det) were all wounded. Pfc John Maskell Jr. was killed while giving medical attention to T-5 Herbert Ferdman and Everett Roberts was killed by Artillery fire.
End of WWII
The following day, March 13, the Company stayed put and awaited new orders. S-Sgt. Alma R. Farnworth's return and the arrival of fresh troops strengthened the Company. The bridgehead had grown to cover 100 square miles by March 17. The main crossing points could no longer be effectively fired upon by enemy artillery. The majority of the men attended church on Easter Sunday. A round shrieked down on the church as the men emerged, indicating that the Germans must have heard from the population that they were inside. The missions were completed following an intense firefight. The enemy resisted vigorously, and much of the fighting occurred through densely forested terrain, making the going challenging. The men dug in, prepping defenses despite the heavy rain. Sgt. Harry Gales was hurt while attending to a wounded friend.
The First Platoon front was the target of a significant enemy counterattack the following morning at 7:20. The friendly medic "Mike" Murphy, and Pfcs John N. Hill, Lynn C. Hancock, and Cpl. Fred B. Bigbee were killed. "Mike" had earned the respect of the men at Fox Company. On many occasions, the glum foot soldiers were cheered up by his heavy Irish accent. His tireless efforts in caring for the injured men were respected and admired. The men anticipated staying for a short while, but the following day, as usual, they were once more on the move, this time to Wieferstine. A platoon of light tanks from the 774th Tank Battalion, led by Lt. Bowen, joined the Company at Wieferstine. They then continued through a wooded area, where they managed to capture Unt, Obr Nadrigen, and Woldsberg. On April 16, Fox Company took part in the Ruhr pocket's closure and seized Wuppertal.
In the remainder of April through May 8, when the war in Europe came to an end, Fox Company took part in the occupation of the newly captured regions.
Company newspaper
During the occupation of Germany, Fox Company became the first company in the 310th Infantry regiment to publish regiment-wide newspapers, named the "Tally-Ho newspaper." The first paper was published on June 21, 1945. Captain Richard M. Jones had this message to tell the men. FROM THE C. O. The beginning of this message should go something like this: "Men of Fighting Fox, etc. But that type of opening appears far too often in "pep talks", and to me it carries little or no sentiment or sincerity. What I really want to say is this Fellows, this is the first opportunity that I have had to tell you really how I feel toward you my boys We have come through a lot in the past, and during that time I have become more attached to you and Fox Company. Most of you already know that I enjoy nothing more than having the feeling that I "am just one of the boys".
When day after day I see guys like you go out and risk your lives, obey commands without a whimper and spit in death's eye. I feel nothing but pride and humble gratefulness for having the honor of being your commanding officer. The older men will not soon forget names like Tarnofsky, Captain Bowman, Crates, Hussereau, York, Carlson and all the others: neither will you forget the heroism and courage that covers their name with glory. If and when we enter combat again let us do our job just as well as they did theirs, and we will assure our- selves that they did not die in vain. There is no doubt in my mind that this company possesses a degree of courage and plain "guts" that no other company can equal or surpass. To the new men this may seem like a repetition of many things you have heard since entering the division, but please do not be misled.
I am not giving any "rah rah" speech; my objective is to pay tribute to a grand company that has done a splendid job. I want to personally welcome you to the outfit and I am certain that you will catch the true spirit and enthusiasm that has always accompanied this unit.
Notable personnel
Captain James K. Bowman was born on 30 Nov 1911 in Evanston, Illinois. He went to Evanston Township High School and graduated from Lafayette University, where he was an intercollegiate swimming champion in 1943. He married Barbara Ann Spenser on 27 Mar 1943 in St Joseph, Michigan. James K. Bowman was killed by sniper fire on March 5, 1945, leading an attack on Kuchenheim in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. When tank support didn't appear for the attack, he said, "The hell with the tanks; we'll take this damn town without them!" 2nd Lt. Hubert J. "Jack" Arsenault was born on 20 Feb 1916 in Bath, Sagadahoc, Maine. Hubert Jerome Arsenault married Camille Simone St. Pierre in Maine on July 16, 1938, when he was 22 years old. Arsenault enlisted in the Army on February 24, 1944, in Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He served in the Korean war and he retired as a lieutenant colonel.
He died on September 11, 1998, in Seaside, California, when he was 82 years old. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. In Section:68 Grave:4681. He was only 1 of 2 soldiers to receive the British Military Cross in the 310th Infantry Regiment. His decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purpleheart, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. S/Sgt. Joseph A. Saba Sr. was born on 23 Jan 1922 in Oneida County, New York. Saba enlisted in the US Army on 10 Sep 1940. He served as a light mortar gunner; during the 1st Battle of Kesternich, he administered medical aid to wounded soldiers and used old sheets and clothing found in a house for bandages. He is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery, in Plot: B. Row: 9. Grave: 12. His decorations include the Bronze Star & Oak Leaf Cluster, Purpleheart & Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Sgt.
Isidor Tarnofsky was born on 16 September 1912 in Queens County, New York. Isidor was killed in action on 14 December whilst assaulting Kesternich; he was awarded the Silver Star for his actions.
Bibliography
* Brubeck, W. E. (1946). The story of the 310th infantry regiment, 78th infantry division in the war against Germany, 1942-1945. William E. Brubeck Lewis S. Hollins United States Army. * Nueman, R. E., 1st Lt. (1945). Combat Diary for Company F, 310th Infantry, 78th Division. U.S. Army. States, U. S., ARMY (1947). * United States Army, "Blue infantrymen: the combat history of the Third Battalion, 310th Infantry Regiment, Seventy-eighth "Lightning" Division" (1946). World War Regimental Histories. 24.
External links
* Brubeck, W. E. (1946). The story of the 310th infantry regiment, 78th infantry division in the war against Germany, 1942-1945. William E. Brubeck Lewis S. Hollins United States Army. * Stories, G. I. (1945). "Lightning: The Story of the 78th Infantry Division". Stars & Stripes. * Nueman, R. E., 1st Lt. (1945). Combat Diary for Company F, 310th Infantry, 78th Division. U.S. Army. States, U. S., ARMY (1947). * Lightning: The History Of The 78th Infantry Division (1st ed.). U.S. Army. * Kemman, Lawrence H.
LTC, "Operations of the 2nd Battalion, 309th Infantry, the 2nd Battalion, 310th Infantry, 78th Infantry Division, in the Attack on Kesternich, Germany, 14-15 December 1944" (Rhineland Campaign) * History of Army National Guard Maneuver Training Center Fort Pickett * Fort Pickett Historical Marker Blackstone in Nottoway County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic) * 310th REGIMENT, U.S. Army Center of Military History * 78th Infantry Division, U.S. Army Center of Military History