appendix awards and decorations - The George C. Marshall ...

196 THE 398TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
HEADQUARTERS 398TH INFANTRY
APO 447, U. S. ARMY
May 8,1945
SUBJECT: Recommendation for Award of Meritorious Service Unit
Plaque.
TO Commanding General, 100th Infantry Division
APO 447, U. S. Army
1. In accordance with the provisions of Section 1, War Department
Circular 345, dated August 23, 1944 it is recommended that the Headquarters
Company, 398th Infantry Regiment, be awarded the Meritorious
Service Plaque.
2. During the period of combat operations of this regiment (from
November 6, 1944 to April 30, 1945), all platoons of Regimental
Headquarters Company performed their various missions in a superior
manner. The communication platoon has consistently maintained a
telephone wire network far larger than that specified in training literature,
and has laid more than 1200 miles of wire, often under hostile
artillery and mortar fire. The I & R Platoon has made countless reconnaissances
over dangerous and difficult terrain, very frequently under
enemy fire of all kinds. The enemy information that the platoon has
obtained has been of great value to the planning of successful operations
of this regiment.
During the fight for the area in the vicinity of Bertrachamps, France,
from November 8, 1944 to November 10, 1944, the I & R Platoon
spent two days and one night on a high plateau in the vicinity of Bru,
France, observing the enemy. They were under heavy hostile sniper
and 88 fire. The weather was bitterly cold and snowy, the night extremely
dark. There were Germans on the plateau, and no supporting
trOOps were within easy calling distance. Nevertheless, the I & R Platoon
courageously and determinedly stayed at their posts and obtained
the desired information.
While the I & R Platoon was on the above mentioned plateau, the
communication platoon wire teams laid wire up to the I & R Platoon
positions by hand in the bitter cold and repeatedly repaired breaks in
the long line in the dead of night.
When the Regimental Command Post was located in the town of
Enchenberg, France, from December 20, 1944 to January 5, 1945, it
was in grave danger of being CUt off from the rest of the friendly forces