General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

educe six 88-mm guns and capture 1,262 prisoners during the day's action. Al.
though ~URering severe casualtie, both in the air and on the ground, the courageous
and heroic action demonstrated by the members of this unit amisted materially
fn gaining the successful exploitation of the airborne invasion of Germany. De
spite having lost an estimated 27 percent of their transport airplanes to hostile
antiaircraft fire, the eiTorts of this ad Battalion, 518th Parachute Infantr~ Reyiment,
made the over-all success of the mission possible. (General Orders 352,
HPadqnarters United States Army Forces, Buropcan Theater, 28 December 1DlZ.)
4. The 3d Battalion, S18tl~ Parachu.te Infantry Regimmt, is cited for outstanding
performance of duty in action against the enemy between 24 and 26
Mnreh 1845, during tbe airborne operation across tile Rhine River, near Wesel,
Germany. The battalion landed by parachute bchind enemy lines in the Issel
River area, northwest of Rrnnen, Germany. Intense antiaircraft and smallarms
fire was encountered by the approaching airplanes and during the parachutist
drops. Dcspite the fact Ihe hattalion n.ns dropped 3,500 yards north of
the ~rerletermirled drop zone and was eugagcd immediately by hostile fire from
numerous, weil-fortified and eonee:iled positions, the battalion was quicitiy assemblcd
and, after violcnt fighting, the lauding zone was Secured. The unit,
fighting bitterly all the way and after takiu; 779 prisoners in tire first day of
action, moved to its predesignwted landing zone to the south. On 26 Narch 1945,
at 0800, the battalion, supported by 1 platoon of American tanks, nssnulted the
German positions on a 1,500-yard front across flat terrnin afEording no cover or
concealment and ncainst an cnelnv concentrdtcd in farmhouses. barns, and dux-in
yosition8. By l6OO the same day, the battalion objectire, a strategic hill nppraximntely
200 feet bigh with a %drmee sior~e, had been taken. During this attack,
the battalion destroyed 3 lnrge ammunition dumps, inflicted serere casualties
upun the enemy, and ouirtured more that 280 prisoners, wirh a total loss to the
battalion of 4 men liiiled and 14 woundcd for the day. This gallant and heroic
Performance by officers and men of ail ranks wxs rm invaluable contribution to
the success of the airborne operation. The canrxg, devotion to duty, and fighting
s~drit displayed by members of the Sd Battalion, 513th Parac7wte Infantru Regiment,
are worthy of emulation and reflect the flnest trnrlitions on the armed
forces of the Unitcd States. (General Orders 552, Heady~urters United States
Arms Forces, European Theater, 28 December 1M5.)
5. The 126th Pield Artillery Battalion is cited for extraordinary heroism and
outstanding perfnrmance of duty in action against the encmy on Luzon, Philip
Dine Idanda, from 30 January to 3 June 1945. For the entire 125 dam necrs-
Snry lo complete this operation, the 1BGth Field Artilln'v Dottelion was in eontinuous
direct snpwrt successively of the 127th, 12fith, and, finally, of the 1'28th
Infantry Regiments of the 32d Infantry Division. To do so, it was forced to
Position itself and its guns amidst treacherous terrain and nreciuitaus - - cliffs,
carving its fillal position by hand and by bulldozer from a hillside 4,000 yards
west of Mt. Imugau, in order that it might support decisive infantry operations
toward Mt. Imugan and Snnta Fe in the ensuing 10 weeks. Only from this p
Sition and no other could fire support be effectively maintained against n fauntical
and well-dug-in enemy, who subjected the unit to all kinds of harassment, registering
continually upon its position with small-arms and artillery fire of all
calibers and ceaselessly practicing well-developed infiltration tactics. Regardie~s
of the exlreme hazard and danger of necessity placed upon it and with a grim
tenacity of purpose and wen greater heroism, the 126th Field Artillerff Ratiolim,
with a magnificent esprit de corps, maintained both its position and its fires until