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The history of the 71st Infantry Division
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V-E Day found combat elements of the 71st Infantry Division poised along the Enns River in the vicinity of Steyr, Austria. The Red Circlers were ready, if necessary, to start out again on the long and arduous drive which had originated 800 miles back in France 59 days earlier.
Although the officers and men were happy the bloody European conflict had ended, there were no riotous V-E celebrations. War still was raging in the Pacific and the men of the 71st figured they had a good fighting outfit which would be needed in the bitter final struggle.
The reaction to V-J Day was a little more joyous, but still restrained. Final victory found the 71st with an important security mission in Bavaria, and immediately concentrated many minds on the big question: When will I go home?
It was in this confused post-war period of rapid redeployment and turnovers in personnel that this volume was prepared and published, in Augsburg, Germany, where the Division CP was located.
Prepared by members of the Division\u27s public relations staff, with assistance from lower units and other staff sections, this book covers the history of the 71st from activation to final occupation days in Europe. The aim was to make it an interesting book, not only to Red Circlers and their families, but to almost anyone who might happen to pick it up and read it.
We hope you like this account of one American infantry division\u27s role in World War II.
Author Unknownhttps://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1190/thumbnail.jp
U.S.S. Westmoreland (APA 104)
Get PDFThe U.S.S. Westmoreland (APA 104) was commissioned a Navy vessel by Captain H. V. McKittrick, USN, representing the Commandant Third Naval District, at Hoboken, New Jersey, on 18 January 1945. Captain James M Hicks, USN, assumed command.
The Westmoreland was named for the counties of that name in the States of Pennsylvania and Virginia. The latter county is the birthplace of George Washington and Robert E. Lee.
The keel of the Westmoreland was laid on 7 December 1943 at Pascagoula, Mississippi, where she was built by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. for the U. S. Maritime Commission. After construction was completed, she was sent to Todd Shipyards, Hoboken, New Jersey, where she was converted to an APA (Auxiliary Transport-Attack) .https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1206/thumbnail.jp
Maine the Land of Remembered Vacations 1946
Get PDFCenturies ago intrepid voyagers sailed uncharted seas to visit the coast of Maine in search of Norumbega, a fabulous city of gold.
Although they cruised along the ruggedly beautiful seashore and sailed up the picturesque rivers as far as their craft would permit, they were unrewarded for, as we know now, there is little of the precious metal in this State.
Sailing away, these colorful explorers little realized that many years later other visitors would find in Maine something infinitely finer and more valuable than mere gold.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/books_pubs/1315/thumbnail.jp
What\u27s the story? [49th Armored Infantry Battalion]
Get PDF6-7 January 1945:
We made the most of our opportunity to get acquainted with the French. Phrase book in hand we went determinedly after the population, and soon large clusters of Gls were seen around tolerantly amused little kids, asking any sort of question they could think of.
For the most part the kids waited until the boys were just about talked out, and then asked for \u27\u27Chocolate, chewing gum, or cigarette pour papa. Others didn\u27t wait for them to talk themselves out. No matter how the conversation started, it always ended with the request for cigarettes and chocolate. In an alley down the street a still was found that transformed apple juice into a product for which many uses were found, including lighter fluid .
And the Vive Ia France! sentiment gained in intensity. Our vocabulary was soon increased by such valuable terms as Cognac, Calvados, No compree, Couchez avec moi, etc.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1062/thumbnail.jp
The 391st Infantry Regimental History
Get PDF... A regiment, which, while it may have no proud record of battles won and honors gained, yet has a spirit and a soul, which, if occasion should ever arise, would show itself true to those high ideals of service for which our executive has always stood.
Thus was the 391st Infantry of the organized reserves described by Colonel Thomas H. Remington of Rochester, New York, at a farewell dinner in honor of Major Lester Baker, then War Department executive for the regiment, on 31 July 1926. And the occasion appears to be not far off, for the 391st Infantry was activated for combat duty at Camp Breckenridge, Kentucky, 15 September 1942, as a part of the 98th Infantry Division, commanded by Major General Paul L. Ransom.
And, as General Ransom presented the regiment\u27s colors to the 391st Infantry\u27s Commanding Officer, Colonel Head, on that brisk September morning, indications were that the best reserve infantry regiment in the United States Army would now become one of the best regular units.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1076/thumbnail.jp
28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division
Get PDFFrom History of the 28th Regiment, page 22:
On July I, 1944, a convoy of four troop ships and twelve motor transports steamed out of Belfast Harbor carrying the 8th Division to the continent of Europe. On July 4, twenty-eight days after D-Day of the Allied invasion of Normandy, the Regiment began debarking at Utah Beach on the Cherbourg peninsula.
Next day it had assembled in the vicinity of Montbourg where final preparations for battle were completed. Allied invasion armies at this time held only a few square miles of the territory of France. The city of Cherbourg had recently been taken, and the Germans had been driven from the northern tip of the peninsula to a point just north of La Haye du Puits. From there the enemy line extended through Carentan and St. Lo eastward to Caen and Orne River estuary. German resistance in most sectors was heavy even against already achieved air superiority.
On July 6 the Regiment moved to an assembly area near the town of St. Sauveur Le Vicomte, the following morning orders were received to take over a section of the line, one kilometer south of La Haye du Puits. The plan for the Division, was to attack to the south, passing through the 82nd Airborne Division, taking over the center of the Corps front. The main effort of the drive was to be made in this sector.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1121/thumbnail.jp
U.S.S. Benson DD-421 : 1940-1946
Get PDFFrom The Log of the U.S.S. Benson DD-421
The U.S.S. Benson (DD-421), is one a class of thirty-two destroyers, known as Benson Class of 1937-1940. The Benson is one of thirty destroyers built to Bethlehem-prepared plans.
The Benson is named for Admiral William S. Benson, U.S.N., and was built at the Bethlehem Steel Company Plant, Quincy, Massachusetts -- authorized March 27, 1934; keel laid May 16, 1938; launched November 15, 1939 and first commissioned July 25, 1940.
Some of the characteristics of the Benson class are: square funnel caps and bases; uneven height of stacks. Destroyers of this class are ten tons lighter and eight inches narrower than destroyers of a later class, known as the Livermore type; otherwise they are similar. Both classes have four high-pressure boilers, geared turbines and twin screws. Cruising range exceeds 9,000 miles at 15 knots. The Benson class, DD-421 to DD-428 were originally armed with five 5-inch-38\u27s, and ten tubes. A few still carry ten tubes. Light armor protects bridges and controls in all newer destroyers.
Little has been written of the part that destroyers played in World War II, where they were called on to fulfill such a variety of missions that they were multi-purpose ships, engaging in any form of combat. Because we lacked suitable escort ships, destroyers were used to protect convoys, as well as to guard our combatant Task Forces. Destroyers were used to bombard enemy shore positions, and to carry bombs and aviation gasoline, and stores to Guadalcanal during the lean weeks, early in the campaign in those far-distant seas.
By nature as well as by name, the purpose of the destroyer is wholly offensive Bantamweights in comparison with the great battlewagons, they pack a punch out of proportion to their size. They are triple-threat weapons, built to strike at the enemy on or over or under the sea. They are the fightingest things afloat.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1157/thumbnail.jp
U.S.S. Makassar Strait
Get PDFOn April 27, 1944, the escort carrier Makassar Strait (CVE 91), joined the United States fleet. The Navy had only recently started on the long road of island-hopping to Tokyo.
On January 14, 1946, the same carrier sailed her last mile to a Tacoma pier, to be placed in commission in reserve. The war had ended five months before; most of America\u27s fighting men had been returned to their homeland. The Mighty Mak had completed her mission in World War II. The job was done -- well done.
In the twenty-and-a-half months between those two dates, the baby flattop had been called upon to serve in a great variety of assignments. She had fought in direct support of landings and invasions; given aerial protection to the vital life-lines of supply to a fleet operating far from land bases; ferried many loads of planes to vital outposts; given training to hundreds of pilots enroute to front-line carrier duty; served as an experimental station afloat; and, when the fighting was over, scurried back and forth between Pacific islands and the West Coast bringing veterans home on the magic carpet.
During this period, the Mak churned up a wake through more than 115,000 miles of Pacific ocean --a bout half way to the moon. Over fifteen thousand times Navy pilots had brought their Avengers, Wildcats, and Corsairs down on her sturdy flight deck.
This was the record of the 10,000-ton box-shaped floating airfield ... This is the story of the Mighty Mak.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1160/thumbnail.jp
The Bapstonian: 1946
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The first issue of the Bapstonian comes off the press with two main contentions: namely, that a year book should contain a factual record of the year and its activities, and that such a record should be arranged in as pleasing a manner as possible. Concerning these points, the book must be its own witness.
We have deliberately been sparing in our words. We did not want a volume that was a victim of verbosity; but, rather, one that would be concise, compact, and worthy of congratulation.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/jbhs_yearbooks/1001/thumbnail.jp