78th Infantry Mega Grouping

[MAP]

Missed this. Great pick up. Couldn't have gone to a better guy!

[Rich Moran]

Always wonderful to be able to find the information about the particular individual that the items are attributed to. While he may of passed away in body, his spirit lives on with your pursuing as much information about the man that you can find. In a gentle was, perhaps asking about photographs in uniform and even those of him not in uniform would aid in making the ensemble come alive more vividly. If he was in the Hurtgen, he definitely saw some nasty stuff. To survive that is another story that is waiting to be discovered some how.

78th Infantry Division — US Army Divisions

Taken from web link above:

Division Chronicle

The 78th Infantry Division arrived in England, 26 October 1944, and received further training. It landed in France, 22 November, and moved to Tongres, Belgium, and to Rotgen, Germany, to prepare for combat. The 311th Infantry Regiment was attached to the 8th Division in the Hurtgen Forest, 10 December. The 309th and 310th Infantry Regiments relieved elements of the 1st Division in the line in the vicinity of Entenpfuhl, 1-12 December. On the 13th these regiments smashed into Simmerath, Witzerath, and Bickerath and were fighting for Kesternich when Von Rundstedt launched his counteroffensive in the Monschau area, 18 December. The 78th held the area it had taken from the Siegfried Line against the violent German attacks throughout the winter. The Division attacked, 30 January 1945, and took Kesternich, 2 February, the town of Schmidt on the 8th, and captured intact the vital Schwammanauel Dam the next day. In the advance, the Roer River was crossed, 28 February, and the Division joined the offensive of the First and Ninth Armies toward the Rhine. That river was crossed over the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, 8 March, by the 310th Regiment, the first troops to cross in the wake of the 9th Armored Division. That unit, attached to the 9th Armored and acting as a motorized unit had driven across Germany capturing Euskirchen, Rheinbach, and Bad Neuenahr. The 78th expanded the bridgehead, taking Honnef and cutting part of the superhighway, the Autobahn, 16 March. From 2 April to 8 May, the Division was active in the reduction of the Ruhr Pocket and at VE-day was stationed near Marburg.

Map imaged available for purchase at link below. Would make an excellent map to display with his items if he indeed went through the Hurtgen Forest "Green Hell".

78th Infantry Division Campaign Map – HistoryShots InfoArt

[BlackCat1982]

Would be interesting to know which regiment he was in as you can then place him at locations during his time in the Hürtgenwald.

[Anderson]

That's a very special grouping. Well done.

[08SMLE48]

Very nice! That’s like hitting the lottery now days. I found an outstanding grouping from an officer in the 28th division under almost the exact circumstances you found this!

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Would be interesting to know which regiment he was in as you can then place him at locations during his time in the Hürtgenwald.

He was HQ Battery, Division Artillery. The division received three battle honors in WWII and since he has three campaign stars on his EAME ribbon he was most likely with the division for their entire time in Europe.

[Carfin LEWYS]

Hello gentlemen,

Excellent find. Félicitations.

Best regards from Alsace , France.
Carfin.

[TWS]

Fantastic grouping, but the provenance and additional research by Willmore puts it over the top!