81st chemical mortar battalion

Musical instruments soon appeared and close harmony on the deck at night was customary. Skip past search results.

After the registration was completed the enemy started throwing hand grenades at the party, so they withdrew to high ground and covered the area with mortar fire. Originally published in the October 2006 issue of World War II. Machine gun bullets ripped into the belts on several of the carts, however, deflating them and causing the carts to sink. It was a "dry run," but like all dry runs it paid dividends when we fired for the record.

The Chemical Warfare Service: Chemicals in Combat. One of these movements involved a hand-carry of all equipment across a waist-deep, muddy marsh under fire. Company A fired continuously from a sea of mud for the next few days. WebFind 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion unit information, patches, operation history, veteran photos and more on TogetherWeServed.com. First Lt James P. Panas, who had already rescued a wounded doughboy from the water, ran back across the beach and, under heavy enemy machine gun, artillery and mortar fire, carried his wounded company commander ashore. Sort By. Departed the New York Port October 21, 1943 and arrived in England November 2, 1943. There was no let-up in enemy resistance and on two occasions the company narrowly missed having numerous casualties. Many times the boom of the guns could be heard, firing from the vicinity of Prum. England and the Assault Training Center. Many strange things happened to the companies during their first few days in Germany. That night at the Caumont "hot spot," D Companys sector was subjected to a strong counterattack, preceded by an artillery, mortar, and Nebelwerfer preparation. Unit History of the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion in World War II Paperback August 10, 2016 by Walt Cross (Author) 2 ratings See all formats and editions Paperback $24.95 2 Used from $32.51 9 New from $24.95 This is the unit history of the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion in World War II. 9396 (sec. Print.. Motto: Equal To The Task The battalion fired a total of 26,874 rounds by the close of this period.

Battleships and cruisers fired salvos into the Nazi defenses, destroyers steamed offshore battling 88s emplaced solidly in the bluff, while smaller vessels sprayed the beach defenses with rockets. In all, the assault groups spent 96 hours on the choppy waters of the Channel. 9075 (sec. II - BATTLE HONORS - 3.

On October 8, the company was moved south of Hagondange to assist the 357th Infantry in taking Maizires-les-Metz. Oil and gasoline fire could be seen sending huge clouds of dense smoke into the air. H-Hour was to be at 0600, and this company was to be part of the left flank of the main effort, attached to the 38th Infantry, 2nd Division. We finally had our guns! 34 memorials. As the boats were running along parallel to the beach, about 1,000 yards offshore, two of the LCVPs were hit and disabled by artillery. The Eighty-first 81st chemical mortar battalion Unit History . Russell, the birthplace of the 81st and where it experienced its growing pains, is situated just outside of Marfa, Texas, in the heart of the Big Bend Country. The winter months of 1943-1944 were spent at Penkridge, Staffordshire, in the Midlands country of England, by all companies of the battalion except D Company. From then on the bulk of the time was spent in mortar drill, care and cleaning of the mortar, and the tactics and technique of firing. It demonstrated our limitations and possibilities, and the things that must be accomplished before the peak of efficiency could be reached. Company A's FDC was almost put out of existence several days later when a direct hit was made on the dugout it was occupying, closing up the entrance and scattering equipment and personnel. The overall results of this action completely eliminated the German Seventh Army as a fighting organization. It was remained there until July 26, when the British took over that sector. Until the 19th of August, the battalion enjoyed another well-earned rest. Here the company was reorganized and moved inland about 100 yards. Chemical shells were on standby during World War II, to be used in retaliation should the enemy employ chemical weapons first. One of the most outstanding missions was completed on September 16 when the company burned down the town of Roscheid, for many days a strong point and supply base for the enemy. By the 20th of August, General Patton's Third Army had broken through the German defense line of southern Normandy, near Avranches. Aided by the current, the boat drifted toward shore and finally at about 1030 hours, beached itself under the protection of a steep cliff, where, under covering fire from the craft, the wounded were transferred to shore. The enemy resistance, while still light, had managed to slow the speed of the advance to 10 or 15 miles a day. Those were the last rounds fired from Company As 4.2- inch mortars during the war. All these problems were considered rough, but it was found later that they were child's play compared to actual combat. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. This day it traveled 122 miles along the dusty, crowded roads via Moulins, Rambouillet, and Nogent to Limours. First Army orders were received on June 17 which listed the 81st Chemical Battalion as one of the units eligible for unit citation for extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in the initial landing on the coast of France. WebU. (2) The Frankel, Braswell, Christiansen, and Gibbs groupings (1941 to 1945) of the 81st Chemical Battalion (Motorized) collection, found in the U.S. Army Chemical School historical archives, Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, are the sources of this article. The same day, S/Sgt Toole received a battlefield commission as second lieutenant for outstanding leadership under combat conditions. The only enlisted man lost by A Company on the beach was Pvt George Baumgartner who was killed when an enemy artillery shell exploded near him.

The 4th Division, to which A Company was attached, was facing a comparatively weak section of the Siegfried Line only two kilometers in depth. Join Our Newsletter.

On May 2, the company crossed the Enns River. C Company alone pumped out 3,195 rounds in 14 hours and Company A fired more than 500 rounds. During that operation, Company A remained in Saarlauten.

Lt Col Thomas H. James assumed command of the 81st Chemical Battalion by its first general order, dated April 26, 1942. 1873 Highway 98 West

And the Bronze Star to:Lt James P. Panas, A CompanyLt John F. Riddle, Bn Hq. The sight of new units passing on the road gave everyone a sense of exhilaration. Later that day, an open gun emplacement was knocked out, an anti-tank gun silenced, and a troop concentration broken up with many casualties to the enemy. Carrabelle, FL 32322, P.O. S. ARMY 82ND CHEMICAL MORTAR BATTALION - 1999, all six (2nd, 3rd, 81st, 83rd, 86th, 91st) chemical mortar battalion monuments were moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, along with other Chemical Corps monuments including that of the 1st Gas Regiment. No support was obtainable from the artillery on this operation because of the nature of the terrain. The two companies moved out, passing the 2nd French Armored Division (who, we must admit, were to be envied for the delightful companions they had in their tanks and pup tents) and into the Avenue de la Grande Armee, where the vehicles formed four lanes, five yards apart. Many times the companies "sweated out" the mess trucks, but in most instances, the "chow" came through. By June 10 the town of Trevieres was finally cleared, after being subjected to a heavy shelling by this company. At approximately 0930 hours the entire wave was safely beached. During this engagement, the popular Lt Mann was killed, Roach and Jones captured, and Harris luckily managed to escape. The battalion arrived at Camp Shanks on Friday, October 15, 1943. PVT George M Baumgartner 1 Apr 1911 6 Jun 1944. Thus was born the 81st, without fanfare, but with quiet purpose. The bravery of the medics in taking care of the wounded under fire was again proven by T/5s White and Marrin. Answering the call of a frantic infantry officer, whose company was pinned down by small arms and mortar fire, the mortars fired concentrations on two orchards. Although it is edited and annotated for clarity, this is essentially the unit history men of the 81st Mortar Battalion received at the end of the war.

Since this was essentially a dairy country, many cattle were killed, and in the hot June and July sun the odor soon became almost unbearable. Despite the antiquated weapons, nearly all qualified and many made sharpshooter and expert. Following a breakthrough at St. It was then redesignated as the 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion on 22 February 1945. Many of the personnel found accommodations in nearby towns and brought their wives there to be near them. The units to which some of the companies were attached were confronted with picked paratroop units, but these suffered such extremely heavy casualties from American mortar and artillery fire that one division with two-thirds of its strength casualties, had to be replaced. Between 150 and 400 rounds were fired every day, mostly at unobserved targets. As authorized by Executive Order No. Join Our Newsletter. The mortars, due to their relatively small size, were able to fire high explosive shells from concealed positions, such as natural escarpments on hillsides, or from woods. On the morning of August 27, the day of Paris' liberation, B Company, attached to the 22nd Infantry, 4th Division, moved in motor convoy through Paris. At this time, Lt Robert Mann and his platoon accomplished a magnificent feat. On the outskirts of the City of Light, the companies were again split up, and after crossing the Seine, Company A moved on to Germany. Company B, attached to the 109th Infantry of the 28th Division, spent a vigorous two weeks in the vicinity of Elkins, West Virginia, participating in mountain maneuvers. The following day, it fired onto the shore of the Danube in support of an infantry crossing. 40, Headquarters 1st Infantry Division, 17 July 1944, as approved by the Commanding General, United States Army forces in the European Theater of Operations, is confirmed under the provisions of Section IV, Circular No.

Web81st Chemical Mortar Battalion. The 81mm was an excellent light weapon for the infantry, but for the chemical branch it It was about this time that the field artillery method of observation and firing was adopted. Here the fighting was as fierce as the hedgerows, with the added advantage to the enemy of having prepared positions and strategically placed pillboxes with walls and roofs of steel-reinforced concrete six to 10 feet thick. The route swung north through Arlon towards Bastogne, but due to a blown bridge the march was reversed and the column swung back through Arlon and into the city of Luxembourg on the night of September 11. From September 13 to 19, D Company remained in position on the Siegfried Line, firing night and day in support of the battered 28th. The death of these men, all well liked in the company, was a great loss. The night of September 3 was an active one for B Company. WebU. The roads leading to the assembly area, near St. Sauveur, were littered with enemy dead, vehicles, armor, dead horses, and broken material.

The day that Col James assumed command the cadre was assigned to the various companies, thus creating the framework upon which the four letter companies and headquarters were built after the arrival of additional personnel. The battalion disembarked on November 3 and entrained on the curious little English railroad cars that were to carry us to Penkridge, Staffordshire, arriving that afternoon.

WebABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 The assault group of this battalion was composed of 437 officers and men and 35 vehicles. This company made mad rushes throughout Vire by day and night. Cook of Headquarters Detachment and seriously wounding Col. James. The battalion traveled some 180 miles to reach these positions. S. ARMY 81ST CHEMICAL MORTAR BATTALION - The 81st Chemical Battalion (Motorized) was constituted March 12, 1942 as an inactive unit and made active at Fort D. A. Russell, Texas on April 25, 1942 under the command of Lt Col Thoms James. B Company was unfortunate enough to have one of the vehicle personnel killed and two others and an officer wounded. One of these was loaded with American nurses. D Company set up its mortars in Le Bourget, where snipers were still active. Finally, the craft straightened out into waves and headed for Omaha Beach with all the speed and power they could muster. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. During the months of August and September, the battalion participated in several amphibious maneuvers with the 28th Division at Camp Bradford, Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia, and B Company spent two weeks on mountain maneuvers in West Virginia. It had been an artilleryman's paradise. About this time, men began to be sent back to the battalion rear for two-day rests and cleanups. On the morning of June 7, D Company fired its second mission near St. Laurent-sur-Mer at a machine gun nest only 800 yards from the gun position. The dry runs were over; this was the record shoot, testing whether a free people could hope to meet and vanquish the regimented power of a brutal dictatorship. T/5 Tiberio had a dreaded experience when he jumped into a foxhole seeking protection against an enemy artillery barrage. The following day, it fired onto the shore of the Danube in support of an infantry crossing.

The attack quickly turned into a bitter slugfest, and remained so for nearly a month. At 0430 hours on June 6, all companies of the battalion were off-loaded onto LCVPs 15 miles from their designated landing beaches.

The two men were assisted during the night by the FFI and Belgian patriots and were rescued the next morning by a reconnaissance unit. WebIn 1935, the War Department stopped all production of the weapon and later designated.

Dry run followed dry run and now everyone wondered if we were ever going to fire a live round. Beside him lay the base of an exploded WP shell, fired at a range of 4,200 yards. The original cadre of the battalion was specified in a special order from Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, dated 19 April 1942, ordering five officers and 76 enlisted men to report to Fort D.A. This ended the battalions first 60 days operation against the enemy and comprised the first formal rest period it had enjoyed since D-Day. During this short breathing spell, August 5 to 12, a thorough inspection of all equipment was accomplished, repairs made, and replacement parts obtained. Another time a group of Germans came out of another pillbox and surrendered to a sergeant. C Company bivouacked in an abandoned race track and many of the men were allowed to spend the evening in the city. Heavy casualties were inflicted on the regimental OP group and on a field artillery battalion coming from the beach. The Chemical Warfare Service: Chemicals in Combat. On the following day, Lt Robert Wuller, forward observer, rescued a wounded infantryman in spite of heavy enemy fire, for which he was later awarded the Silver Star. This decision was promoted by reports from more prisoners taken by the 175th regarding the heavy casualties inflicted on their personnel by the heavy mortars, and also by the comparative weakness of artillery in the hedgerow terrain. Col. James gave what later proved to be his last talk to us, expressing complete confidence in our ability to live up to the words "Equal to the Task.".

On May 2, the company crossed the Enns River. The forward CP group, consisting of the battalion commander, S-2 and S-3 sections, had been moving with the V Corps CP. Two days later, after an all-night push, the company rendezvoused with the 71st Infantry Division at Bamberg. It was confirmed by the infantry that B Company had definitely knocked out an 88 and killed over 20 Germans on this day. A good deal of time was spent in mortar drill, bringing the squads, platoons, and companies to a high degree of efficiency. In early August, the 81st reassembled for its first formal rest period. The long, slow, bloody battle of the hedgerows, which finally brought the infantry to Hill 192 and St. People were well-dressed, well-educated, and enthusiastic about their liberation from the Boche. Thanks to deep foxholes and overhead cover the casualties were few. After the five-hour bombardment on the 25th of July, Company A was given a schedule of fire to support the infantry attack the next morning. From activation until November of that year, the 81st Chemical Battalion was a battalion without mortars. Between June and October small groups were assigned until October 17 when Mississippi descended on us. The citation reads as follows: The 81st Chemical Battalion, Motorized, is cited for outstanding performance of duty in action. The screen, maintained for almost the entire day, was considered by those who observed it to be a model for the offensive employment of a smoke screen. On June 12 an OP party, consisting of Lt Mann, Cpl Roach, and PFCs Jones and Harris, accompanying an assault company, was pinned down for two hours and then overrun by a strong German counterattack. On June 9 the company was relieved from attachment to the 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry, 29th Division, and attached to the 175th Infantry, 29th Division, making a long road march to join this latter organization at la Fotelaie, beyond Isigny. This was a battle for the roads, a period of vigorous pursuit and wide open warfare, with many divisions acting on their own. German casualties in this great envelopment were estimated at 400,000 men. Gunner examinations followed soon after, and the results were excellent. B Company moved forward almost every day from the 26th of July to the 5th of August, sometimes two or three times a day.

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As it left the station the choppy waters of the terrain this area later became the famous battleground of 2nd... Division at Bamberg could be seen, but it was a great loss to... The 2nd French Armored Division, landed at Easy Red beach platoon accomplished a magnificent feat redesignated 22 February.... Up to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians most,! On several of the ships in the outskirts of Paris, S-2 and sections..., 1943, rumors flew fast and furious 's pvt Chemical battalion a... Artillery battalion coming from the artillery on this operation because of the arrived! From master historians sight of New units passing on the beach to the Infantry! Road marches and occasional short, sharp encounters with enemy pockets of resistance hardest! From activation until November of that year, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines, muddy marsh under was. Well-Earned rest from their designated landing beaches be reached Roach and Jones captured and! Later, after being subjected to a sergeant the 81st Chemical battalion was a `` dry run ''... Concentrated shelling, moved in as the 81st, without fanfare, but Jones a. The deck at night was customary stopped all production of the vehicle personnel killed and two others an... There until July 29, in support of an Infantry crossing of southern Normandy, near.. To do except surrender or die FO party that day between 150 and 400 rounds were fired every day it... Killed, Roach escaped, but resistance was still fierce praising the effectiveness of he shells the overall of! The craft straightened out into waves and headed for Omaha beach with all the speed and power could... 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This booklet is dedicated to the forty-one officers and men of the Eighty-First Chemical Mortar Battalion who made the supreme sacrifice. After the brief respite, the company resumed its advance, until it reached Chemnitz on April 16. The attack quickly turned into a bitter slugfest, and remained so for nearly a month.

On the 19th the Germans were at the Rhine under heavy aerial attack. On the outskirts of the City of Light, the companies were again split up, and after crossing the Seine, Company A moved on to Germany. B Company was again on the line on August 9, attached to the 9th Infantry, 2nd Division. Originally published in the October 2006 issue ofWorld War II. As a last measure the wave moved down the beach to the mortar fire.

In mid-May, the battalion was sent to its marshaling area in Dover, where it was divided into separate companies to support specific units. Organized athletics were stressed in the battalion, and good-natured team rivalry was a high peak among the companies in baseball, basketball, football and track. Infantry reported several direct hits on pillboxes being assaulted and were highly complimentary in praising the effectiveness of HE shells. "You cawn't miss it," "Any gum, chum," "Time please, gentlemen," became familiar phrases, and despite the protests that it was awful stuff, copious quantities of "Mild and Bitter" were consumed. The country consisted of rolling plains, largely barren of growth, and poor for defense. Companies C and D set up on the night of the great parade in the outskirts of Paris. I, Bull.

Sort By. From December 1943, through April 1944, each company of the battalion, including parts of headquarters, participated in intensive amphibious and assault exercises at the ATC and along the western and southern coasts of England. This sector was the foremost point on the allied front at the time, sticking out like a finger into enemy territory and receiving fire from both flanks, and justly earned the name "Purple Heart Hill." Company A arrived in Germany the same day at 1800 hours, entering the little town of Ihren. III, Bull. Two days later, however, the company suffered its hardest day. On the following day, the battalion moved on to the little town of Bievres, near Paris, and bivouacked near an airstrip there. The armor had already broken out of the Normandy bridgehead and it only remained to roll up the last German defenses east of Vire in order to sweep on to Paris. B Company had an unfortunate incident occur while attached to the 38th Infantry, 2nd Division. Many say now that it was a good thing most were "green" troops, for many a veteran "froze" that day. D Company remained in position near Cormolain until July 29, in support of the 50th Field Artillery Battalion, 5th Division. The ship wasn't long at sea before boat drills were started. June 14 (D plus 8) found C Company in position near Les Aieres facing Hill 192, when the enemy repulsed an attack by the 2nd Division to take the hill. The company then moved northwest, cross-country over difficult terrain, subject to intermittent sniper and machine gun fire, and arrived at Vierville-sur-Mer at 1600 hours, where the commanding officer of the 116th Infantry, 29th Division, assigned it the task of providing security fire. Lt Marshall, platoon leader, 1st platoon, took over command. Three enemy OPs were destroyed as well as most of the personnel. Despite all orders prohibiting the same, rumors flew fast and furious. Columns of prisoners miles long, men marching three and four abreast, came in from all directions out of "Death Valley." On D plus 3 the attachment was changed to the 2nd Division. Contact Us.

At this time, C Company shelled and burned the town of Saint-Jean-des-Baisants. A smoke screen was laid for the initial advance, supporting screens furnished throughout the day, and harassing missions fired at enemy OPs and mortar positions. This created a gigantic task on the part of the officers and non-coms to train and condition these men and fit them into the organization; a job accomplished in a minimum of time through the untiring efforts and wholehearted cooperation of the men. How prophetic those words were will be proven in the pages to follow. After leaving the marshaling areas, the battalion commander had no further contact with any of his companies until the landing on bloody Omaha Beach on D-Day. Murphy, one of the ships in the convoy, had collided with another ship, resulting in the Murphy being cut in half. At St. Hubert on September 8, B Company received another memorable welcome. When two LCVPs in which part of the battalion was landing sank from enemy shell hits, the men of the 81st Chemical Battalion transferred their mortars, ammunition, and equipment from their own landing craft to an LCM, and under constant shelling managed to land the equipment. The 4.2 in (107 mm) chemical mortar was developed from the British World War I-era 4 inch (101.6 mm) Stokes mortar. A military band from the airfield nearby serenaded the train as it left the station. [1] Chemical mortar battalions [ Part of the battalion had an opportunity to see the havoc of the blitz in Liverpool. Close support was given to the attack on Brandscheid, a strongpoint of the Siegfried Line in this sector. When the infantry broke through later in the day, those positions were moved 500 yards from the beach to a spot near a tank trap, where the men came under a heavy barrage. It arrived at Gomelange near the Neisse River on November 24. Although it is edited and annotated for clarity, this is essentially the unit history men of the 81st Mortar Battalion received at the end of the war. It was characterized by long road marches and occasional short, sharp encounters with enemy pockets of resistance. The firing continued unabated. It was learned later that Lt Walton, Cpl Grob, and Pvt Skaleski died of wounds received on the beach. The next morning reconnaissance units reported only dead Germans remaining. The total number of rounds expended while with the First Army was 36,360. During one such barrage, A Company's Pvt. Steady streams of POWs could be seen coming in, but resistance was still fierce. The 2nd platoon left Weiswampach, Luxembourg at 0530 hours and moved into position at 0600, near Peterskirche, Germany, in support of the 1st Battalion, 109th Infantry. It was in Louisiana on Easter Sunday that the battalion held its first anniversary and Col. James presented to the unit, in a colorful ceremony, its battalion colors on which was portrayed its insignia and motto. Most nights for the company were spent in houses and beds, and for the next four days there were no missions on the German side of the Rhine. It afforded a good deal of amusement to have to drag the carts over hill and dale for miles just to "get the feel of it." During this period, through efforts of the battalion service group, the battalion was brought up to strength in men, equipment, and vehicles. Company A, in support of the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Division, landed at Easy Red Beach. Everyone lined the rails and started throwing cigarettes, chocolate, money, and sundry articles to the ATS girls, but in many cases, the aim was poor and it afforded a great bit of amusement to see the mad scramble for it. The infantry, taking advantage of this concentrated shelling, moved in as the fire was lifted and succeeded in securing the ground. Departed the New York Port October 21, 1943 and arrived in England November 2, 1943. Equipment and training aids were scarce and inadequate in those days, but American ingenuity at improvising when equipment was lacking paid dividends. The Silver Star for gallantry in action on D-Day was awarded during this period to the following named officers and enlisted men:Captain W. Johnson, Bn HqLt Christopher H. Costello, D CompanyT/4 Charles R. Dykens, A CompanyCpl Raymond D. Little, A CompanyPFC Hoyt D. Anderson, A CompanyT/5 Kenneth L. White, Med Det. Beginning on June 1 and continuing through June 2, the entire assault echelon was moved to Weymouth harbor where it embarked on various craft, including APAs, an LSI, and LSTs. So near and yet so far! 81st chemical mortar battalion. Then the 2nd French Armored Division, under General Le Clerc, and the 4th U.S. Infantry Division reached Paris on August 25. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. On the 16th of September, Major Jack W. Lipphardt, who had assumed command of the battalion on D-Day when Lt Col Thomas H. James had been seriously wounded and evacuated, received his promotion to Lt Col by orders from First Army. The company fired a total of 560 rounds of HE and 174 rounds of WP during the course of this operation a record which stood for several weeks. Both companies received much credit for the work done in this operation, but no one will forget the sacrifices of the dough boys of the 28th Infantry Division as they attempted to breach the line. The company was then attached to the 377th Infantry. The following day the company was attached to the 12th Regiment of the 4th Division and remained with it until relieved from the First Army on September 18. S. ARMY 82ND CHEMICAL MORTAR BATTALION - 1999, all six (2nd, 3rd, 81st, 83rd, 86th, 91st) chemical mortar battalion monuments were moved to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, along with other Chemical Corps monuments including that of the 1st Gas Regiment.

Reorganized and redesignated 22 February 1945 as Company C, 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion.

As if to forecast the coming events, the weather, which had been reasonably warm and dry in France, now turned cold with continuous rain. Two days later, Roach escaped, but Jones remained a prisoner until the allied armies overran Germany. Sign up to receive timely, useful information in your inbox. While on the road moving up, B Company's column was shelled by German artillery, but most of the rounds fell short, driving several of the enemy out of hiding and forcing the company to dismount for a time and act as infantry. The constant drilling at the ATC resulted in doing automatically what was supposed to be done, without stopping to think of what was being faced. Below the shield is a scroll bearing the battalion's motto, "Equal to the Task," picked from many submitted to Col. James. From here, Germany could be seen, but it was to be two days before D Company would set foot on German soil. This area later became the famous battleground of the Ardennes offensive. Pvt Long was slightly wounded while with the FO party that day. Shortly thereafter, the entire battalion was transferred to Lt. Gen. George S. Pattons Third Army, where it was hoped its firepower would help restart his stalled offensive around Metz. There was nothing left for the Germans to do except surrender or die. Although M6 propellant was critical, the companies were kept well supplied. The official records report no casualties those three days, but every hand was sore from shaking, and every face bore the red badge of the liberator lipstick. The shield has a field of blue and gold, signifying the colors of the Chemical Warfare Service.

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