appendix awards and decorations - The George C. Marshall ...
appendix awards and decorations - The George C. Marshall ...
appendix awards and decorations - The George C. Marshall ...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS<br />
20. DIVISION COMMANDER'S RECOMMENDATION<br />
FOR CITATION OF 398TH COMBAT TEAM<br />
HEADQUARTERS 100TH INFANTRY DIVISION<br />
Office of the Comm<strong>and</strong>ing General<br />
APO 447, U. S. ARMY<br />
1 September 1945<br />
SUBJECT: French Award<br />
TO: Comm<strong>and</strong>ing General, USFET, APO 887, U.S. Army<br />
Through Channels<br />
1. It is recommended that the 398th Infantry Regimental Combat<br />
Team be cited in French General Orders for outst<strong>and</strong>ing accomplishment<br />
in combat during the period 3 April 1945 to 11 April 1945,<br />
near Heilbronn, Germany.<br />
2. On 3 April 1945 the 398th Infantry Regiment, after three weeks<br />
of rapid advances which had carried our forces over 150 miles, from<br />
the Maginot fortress city of Bitche to the banks of the Neckar River<br />
deep inside Germany, was ordered to establish a bridgehead across the<br />
river above the city of Heilbronn <strong>and</strong> then continue on toward the<br />
south. For several days the enemy had been retreating before an<br />
armored task force, leaving only undefended roadblocks, mines <strong>and</strong> a<br />
few snipers to delay us. This armored force had established a line on<br />
the west bank of the river <strong>and</strong> reported no enemy activity on the other<br />
side. Aerial reports were negative <strong>and</strong> from all indications the enemy<br />
had continued their withdrawal. Plans were quickly formulated for the<br />
crossing <strong>and</strong> all three rifle battalions moved into position along the<br />
stream. <strong>The</strong> 3d Battalion was to make the initial l<strong>and</strong>ing <strong>and</strong> the other<br />
two were to be prepared to exploit the breakthrough. At 0300 hours<br />
4 April Company K, under Capt. William E. Nelson, started across the<br />
broad stream in engineer assault boats <strong>and</strong> reached the far shore without<br />
meeting any opposition. <strong>The</strong> company quickly reorganized <strong>and</strong><br />
continued the attack, reaching the first objective at 0500. Lt. Col.<br />
Ernest L. James, the battalion comm<strong>and</strong>er, then ordered the company<br />
to send a strong combat patrol to Castle Hill, high ground directly<br />
ahead which offered a comm<strong>and</strong>ing view of the entire valley, to determine<br />
if it was occupied by the foe. One rifle platoon with a mortar<br />
observer <strong>and</strong> SCR-300 radio was sent to accomplish this mission. At<br />
0710 Lt. Alfred]. Rizzo, the platoon leader, reported that he was on<br />
top of the hill <strong>and</strong> he was ordered to hold the ground. In the mean-<br />
189
Change language