Occupation, Rumors and Home - A Memorial Day Tribute - Eugene H Kessler, Pvt. Co.C,377th Infantry Regiment, 95th "Victory" Infantry Division

Occupation

In April of 1945 with the war in Europe winding down, the 377th headquarters moves into the town of Werl.  Early in April, as the 95th is moving across Germany, element of the division come across a German forced labor camp in the city of Werl.  In the camp they find some 4,500 undernourished French officers and 800 enlisted men.  Due to the lack of available resources, the 95th provided food and supplies out of their own supplies.

As part of the occupation, the regiment would become the civilian government.  They would have to deal not only with the civilian population, also the displaced persons of war, which would prove to be a greater challenge.

Reassignment

Once Eugene returned to Europe, according to his family, he was reassigned to help clean up a concentration camp.  Now, which camp is unknown.  Logic would have, as the headquarters of the 377th was now in Werl, that this would be the camp that he would be assigned to.  One can only imagine what atrocities he would be exposed to while in that camp.  Again, images that I'm sure would haunt him throughout his life.

During the period of Occupation and into the 1960's, Werl Prison would be used to house German war criminals.

Returning home

As April turned to May, word spread of redeployment back to the States.  There were also rumors of redeployment to the Pacific Theatre.  On June 11th, Eugene and the 377th would be transported by train across the continent.  Well the journey home for the men would be pleasant, it would also be eventful.  Shortly after crossing the Rhine, the engine of the train transporting the 1st bn would derail and everyone would be thrown to the floor.  Fortunately, no one would be injured.

The men would detrain near Le Havre.  Col. Gaillard got word that a transport to the United States in 2 - 3 days and informed the men that if they could get their gear, supplies and paperwork completed, SOP was for these to be done in "several days", they could  embark on their trip home. In the next 3 days, the men of the 377th were packed, equipment inspected and checked off and money was converted to US currency.  On June 19th, the men boarded the USS William H Gordon, a Coast Guard transport, for the return trip across the pond and back to their families.  The trip would take 7 days.  In route, and as if Eugene and the men hadn't been through enough, the Gordon began to pitch and roll violently, they would pass through the edge of a hurricane.

On the 27th of June, the USS William H Gordon would be approach the Virginia coastline and make for port at Newport News. By 8:30 am on the 28th, Eugene and the troops of the 377th disembark the Gordon and travel to Camp Patrick Henry.  Here Eugene and the men would have steak dinner, cow's milk and ice cream.  They would enjoy a good night’s sleep and then board trains to their respective separation centers (Eugene's would be Fort Dix, NJ) and a 30 day furlough at home.

July 31st would find the men preparing to return to duty.  This time they would begin to muster at Camp Shelby, MS for further training and drilling in preparation for deployment in the Pacific.  Here they would begin to qualify on the firing range for their 2nd movement, watch training movies and be given lectures. At the end of August, the men began to petition the War Department. They felt that they had done their time and should be allowed to muster out rather than be redeployed.  The orders were unchanged.  At Gen. MacArthur's request, the men of the 95th, would see action in the Pacific.  After August 9th, those orders would change.

Going Home.

With the use of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a decision that would save 100's of thousands of lives, including Eugene's. No longer being redeployed, the men of the 377th would still continue their service. Men were needed for separation centers and special unit camps.  Personnel with less than 45 point and privates with 45-60 points would be transferred to these areas.  Eugene would be transferred to Fort Dix.  On October 15th, the 95th Infantry Division would be inactivated, 3 years and 3 months after it birth.

Eugene would end his service with the US Army on March 2nd 1946 and muster out with an honorable discharge at Fort Dix on April 21st, 1946.  So ends his military service.

In 1967, the US Army officially recognized the name that the 95th Infantry Division was given by the German Soldiers after the Battle of Metz, "The Iron Men of Metz" and this became their official title and moniker.  They would always and forever be known as The Iron Men of Metz.

Eugene would return home to his loving wife, Adelaide in Bethlehem PA.  He would return to work at Bethlehem Steel and spend his career there, working his way up the ladder.  He and Adelaide would start their family, having 2 beautiful daughters, Charmayne and Deb and live the "American Dream", but Eugene was a changed man.
As his nephew and the youngest of the nieces and nephew, my remembrances of Eugene are few.  I, like my brothers, knew Eugene to be a quiet and gentle man.  After reconnecting with his daughters and grandchildren I learned that Eugene, while quiet and gentle, a good father and fiercely loyal to his family, was haunted by his service. There was another side though, one that plagues soldiers and veterans to this day, PTSD.  According to this family, Eugene wouldn't speak of his service and there were times that he would cry, maybe for no apparent reason.  It wouldn't be until later in life that he would speak of his experiences and even then, it would be somewhat vague and it wasn't until his children and grandchildren married, and even then, the tales weren't general shared with his children, but to those whom they married.  Being every vigilant to protect his children from the horror he experienced.  He struggled with his experience, especially being the only member of his squad or platoon to survive, never full comprehending why, but God's plan is never fully known.  Maybe it was to bring his 2 daughters into the world.  Maybe it was the love and kindness he showed others.  Maybe it was because if we don't remember the past, we are doomed to repeat it and by sharing his experiences during the war, we can better appreciate what we have. 

Eugene may not have won many honors and medals during the war.  He may only be a footnote, but like soon many others who had served died and served and survived and those who have now passed, he is part of the Greatest Generation. He is a hero to those who love him and to those who know him and hopefully, though the blog series, I have been able to honor the man with whom I have to honor to share a name.

To Eugene, "May the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious unto you.  The Lord lift his countenance upon you and give you peace."

Eugene Hubert Kessler, 9 August 1920 - 24 February 2007

To All who have served and are serving Thank You and have a Blessed Memorial Day.

Winding Down and a little R & R - A Memorial Day Tribute - Eugene H Kessler, Pvt. Co.C,377th Infantry Regiment, 95th "Victory" Infantry Division

As mentioned earlier, at some point Eugene gets a furlough.  Generally this are 30 day for rest, relaxation and recuperation and to spend time with family.  After the fighting in St. Barbara and the attrition within the 377th it would seem that this would be the time period for a furlough.

Much of what happens to the 95th and the 377th after January of 1945 is clean-up.  While only a few miles from the Siegfried line, the 377th would not cross it, instead the 95th is moved to Belgium and reassigned to the Ninth Army.

2nd Armored Div.

Germany
By the end of January, their new regimental reserve area would be not far from Bastogne in the town of Herdern. Here the 1st bn would reorganize, care and clean weapons, receive additional training and rest and clean up. The men would be housed in homes of the civilian population, enjoying heat and electricity, warm water and the kindness of the people. On February 13th, the 377th would be placed under the command of the British 2nd army in relief of British troops.  In March, they would be moved into the area of Mersch Germany.  Here they would hold positions along the Rhine. The 1st bn would move from Spiel Glindholz, where they would prepare for an attack that would carry them to the banks of the Rhine.  Here they would meet little resistance and only light artillery fire, however the Anti-tank and Cannon Companies would rain heavy fire on the enemy positions in Duisburg. On the 10th, the regiment was relieved and move to Kaster, Germany. Here they drilled and trained until the 27th when it moved across the Rhine.

At this point, the 377th's mission would shift to the Ruhr manufacturing district.  The 377th would coordinate it efforts with the 2nd Armored Division and move north of the Ruhr Valley. To do this, they would move in 2 columns, Combat Command unit.  Eugene's company C would become part of the CCR (reserve).  With the Armored Tanks and vehicles and the battle hardened veterans of Metz and Saarlautern, the push into the heart of Germany would dash into Germany and isolate the Ruhr Valley and Hitler's industrial war machine.

Ruhr Valley

The CCR unit, following the rapidly advancing elements, would meet their first action in Olfen. Thanks in part to the support of the USAAF strafing of the area, the enemy fighting quickly ceased and were flushed out. By April 1st, the 1st bn would move further into Germany and find themselves in Wiedenbruck, having only been met with minor skirmishes.

Eugene's Company would be deployed with the 66th Armored Regiment and as the moved into Wiedenbruck were met with a small, determined force of Germans entrenched along a railroad track.  Demolitions team crawled to within 200 yards of the entrenched troops. When a troop train tried to cross, the team detonated the explosive and destroyed the tracks.  This resulted in 250 German prisoners and the capitulation of Wiedenbruck.

With all the coordinated attacks from element of the 377th, by April 2nd, the Ruhr Valley was isolated and the Germans' ability to make war was several diminished.

Furlough

Earlier, I stated the Eugene received a furlough.  If my speculation was correct, during this time Eugene would have been stateside, resting and relaxing with family and friend back home.  His granddaughter Brandy conveyed to me a story I will share here.   

After Eugene returned stateside, on his first day back home, Grandmother Kessler told him that she would make him anything he wanted for dinner.  Eugene decided that he would like ham and mashed potatoes.  Eugene's older brother Donald, either just being a sibling or just being argumentative, expressed his desire NOT to have Ham and mashed potatoes, to which Eugene promptly head to his gear, pulled out a package of K-rations, set them on the table in front of Don and say, "Here, you can have this!". I believe this ended any further discussion on the matter of what would be for dinner. (Next, Occupation, Training, Camp Shelby)  

St. Barbara and the Saar River. A Memorial Day Tribute - Eugene H Kessler, Pvt. Co.C,377th Infantry Regiment, 95th "Victory" Infantry Division

Ni ga da e sa sdi (Onward)-Moving East

Having captured their objective, Metz, the 377th would find themselves a mere 25 miles from the German border, they had fought hard for the past 2 weeks, the 1st battalion would be recognized for they efforts with battle honors.

Thanksgiving day, 1944 would find Eugene and Company C in the town of Pange for much needed rest and reinforcements.  To booster morale, the 377th would receive turkey and reinforcements. The 1st bn would make contact with the 2nd bn to the left, 377th and the 2nd bn, 378th on it's right. This would become the formation that would push to the Saar.

The 1st bn would move out on the 24th.  Eugene and the 1st bn would cross the Nied River on a hastily constructed foot bridge. After the crossing, the 1st would move north to Vaudecourt and Conde for the drive east.  Co C would spend the night in Vandecourt. What supplies the battalion did receive would be slowed even further by the makeshift bridges crossing the Nied, but fortunately, very little opposition would be encountered as the Germans had pulled back to reassemble for a defense further east.  By late afternoon, word within the battalion was that a "big plan" was coming. Indeed there was a "big plan".  In a coordinated effort, the 377th and 378th would take the city of Boulay, a major highway and railroad to Saarlautern.  The objectives for the 1st bn were to capture the towns of Volmerange, Brecklange and Roupeldange and move north into the Ottonville Woods. 

Eugene and the 1st bn would meet little resistance and easily take Volmerange and Brecklange. The flooded Nied River would prove a hindrance for the 1st bn, bogging down the movement of equipment and supplies and by 11:30, the battalion would reach Roupelange.  Here they would come under artillery fire, but most of the fire landed south of their position.  The river and marsh would prove to be their greatest obstacle.

 Eugene and Co C would move out of Roupelange on the 26th and join up with Companies A and B for an assault on Ottonville. Companies A and B of the 1st bn would move on Ottonville from the southeast, were they would come under fire from the German defensive within the Maginot Line, Co. C would move to the northeast tip of the Ottonville Woods and set up the Command Post for the battalion in a pillbox on the Maginot Line.  A and B companies were able to take Ottonville and Co. C would move into in the morning.  From here, Eugene and the 1st bn would start the push forward to the north and to the towns of Brettnach and Tromborn.

With a section of heavy machine guns, Eugene and Co C. moved out of Ottonville toward Valmuster and took the town unopposed. From here they would rejoin the rest of the battalion and again move north through the town of Teterchen to Brettnach and Tromborn.  Eugene would move into Tromborn.  Here the 1st bn would be placed in regimental reserve. Further movement by the 1st bn would place Eugene in Villing on the 28th, where he and the men would come under artillery fire. The next day would be gloomy, overcast, cold and foreboding, a precursor to what was to come. The 1st bn would again be on the move, this time to the east and the Saar River.  Here they would be tasked with taking the German towns of Guisingen, Niederlimber, Wallerfangen and St. Barbara.

The 1st battalion would enter Germany, late morning, on the 29th and rejoin with the 2nd bn on the edge of Guisingen. Eugene and the 1st bn would enter the town and be met by artillery and sniper fire, suffering some casualties. By 2:45 pm the 1st bn would clear the town of enemy combatants and push on to St. Barbara.  

St. Barbara

St Barbara looking toward Saarlautern

St. Barbara sits on a high ridge above the Saar River and overlooks the Siegfried Line. It has a single street which stretches for 1,000 yards on the eastern edge of town and drops 300 ft to Niederlimberg in 2 hairpin turns.  St. Barbara is key to controlling the Saar River crossing.  It is defended by Mark IV Panther tanks of the 21st Panzer Division and the 21st Panzer knows the importance of St. Barbara and are prepared the defend it the last.

Eugene and Co C would approach the town along with Co. B as artillery and mortar fire fell around them.

Company C would move into the town about 100 yards.  The 3rd Platoon of Co C moved further into town and was meet with tank and Machine gun fire. Men scattered for cover as the Mark IV continued to fire until it had spent it ammunition and then pulled back into town. Two anti-tank guns were brought up and one positioned on the edge of town.  The men barely got the gun into position when 3 rounds were fired and 2 of the men were injured. Now the 21 Panzer Div had their target and moved forward with supporting infantry and concentrated on the 2 guns.  Enemy infantry took to the streets and houses and a pitched back and forth battle ensued.  Most of the 3rd platoon and part of the 1st platoon would be captured or killed.

AS the tank withdraw back into town, men began to survey the damage, they had one remaining jeep, the gun was wrecked by the tank fire.

21st Panzer Div. Mark IV Panther

The men re-positioned the remaining gun in a garage and waited for the tank to return, which it did, every hour on the hour.  At this point the Eugene and the men of Co C would take cover in a house on the edge of town.  Because the tank could not elevate high enough or depress low enough to hit the second floor or basement, this is where the men would concentrate.

Throughout the night, the German commander would call for their surrender, telling them that he had 200 infantry troops and 8 tanks in defense of the town.  This would last the entire night until about 4:00 am when the troops would pull out of their foxholes and withdraw to the woods outside Guisingen.  At dawn, Co A and B would out from the woods when Co. A brought up it's tanks.

During the early morning, the single anti-tank platoon was able to stop a Mark IV with bazooka fire and although the tank could no longer move, it did continue to fire on their positions.  Once Co A was in position, the tanks would be able to knock-out the Mark IV.  With the tank no longer an immediate threat, a new push was made to take St Barbara.  The enemy would continue their defense, using their tanks and artillery effectively to keep the troops and tanks from massing on the main street and out of range.

On November 30th, Eugene and Co C. would be sent to the high ridges south of town to allow the anti-tank guns to do their job and take out the enemy tanks.  AS December first came, the situation looked bleak, the 1st bn loss many men.  With this evaluation, the new plan would be to evacuate all friendly troops and by the 2nd all friendlies were out of St Barbara.

Once the troop had withdrawn, five battalions of artillery would open fire in a time on target mission which would put all shelled on target at the same time. Fighter support would strafe the town in conjunction with the artillery barrage. At 11:00, mop-up operations began.  The barrage was so effective it took let than 2 hours to clean up the town.

The attack would continue at 9:00 am on the 3rd.  The 1st Bn was in Niederlimberg by 10:30 and on its way to Wallerfangen and on the banks of the Saar River by 11:00.  The Defense Platoon HQ Co. was assigned to the 1st bn because they were very under-strength.

Saar River Bridge - Saarlautern 

After a day of rest and clean up, Eugene's Company is sent to protect a vital bridge over the Saar, while the rest of the battalion moved into Saarlautern.  Here they would break into assault team and train with satchel charges and flamethrowers.  This was to prepare for an attack on the Siegfried Line.

Company C was relieved at the bridge on the 10th and would rejoin the battalion at Fraulautern by 8:00 pm.  While the German's shelled their position in Fraulautern, the 1st battalion would continue to clean-up pockets of resistance throughout the city. By this time, many of the enemy soldiers could be talked into surrendering.

The fighting of the past few days had taken heavy toll in the 95th Division, particularly in the ranks of the 377th and 378th. The effective combat strength in four of the infantry battalions was reduced to 55 percent or less. Very few replacements were available. At the close of 2 December the 95th Division G-3 Periodic Report called the division "tired," and for the first time in its record failed to carry the notation of "Excellent" or "Superior" under the Combat Efficiency heading. When more complete reports arrived in the division headquarters the efficiency rating of some battalions was changed to read "very weak." Such was the condition of the division which had yet to force a river crossing in the face of a fortified line. The fortunes of war, however, were about to favor the 95th.

At this time I would like to interject another story.  This one comes from Eugene's daughter and grandchildren. At some point in the 10 months that Eugene spent in the ETO, he was involved in a battle where he was the only member of either his squad or platoon to survive.  Again, because Eugene didn't share much of his experience with anyone, we do not know the particulars, but in researching the 377th and reading many accounts of the fighting in St. Barbara, this would seem a logical battle for this to occur.  The tale goes, they entered into the fight and as mention everyone but Eugene was killed (or captured, I assume) and that Eugene survived by "playing dead" and wedging himself under the wheels of a vehicle (as we learned, there are tanks, jeeps and self-propelled armor units all over the town of St Barbara.  We also know that the 21st Panzer Division is defending St Barbara with tanks, machine gun and infantry.  Eugene would tell that the Germans came out and walked up to the soldiers lying on the ground and would shoot them to make sure they were dead. Amazingly, Eugene survives this slaughter, however not without breaking down.  He said that he was so hysterical that when Allied troop can into the town, they had to carry him out (either in or on a duffle bag).  Eugene would struggle with this for the rest of his life, never understanding why he was the one to survive.  At some point Eugene also comes home on a furlough.  Again, this would seem to be a logical time for this to occur.

On a side note, my brothers and I just learned of this event and we were completely taken back as we had never heard this before.  Again, I don't think this was something Eugene shared until later in life and then only with certain family member and not with his daughters or grandchildren.  I'm not even sure if he ever spoke about it with his wife after the war.

Action to the North

Bastogne

On December 9th, General Patton meets with his G-2 intelligence officer Col Koch.  In analyzing maps and other information, Koch is convinced that the Germans are planning something and he believes it will be a withering Christmas offensive, but no one will listen to him.  He reviews his information with Patton.  Patton's planned route into Germany and to the Rhine is defended by small and vulnerable forces and he points out that to the north there is a tremendous German troop build-up.  Koch has discovered that, during the night hours, the German have so far moved 13 infantry division into the area around the Ardennes, 200,000 more enemy troop than anticipated in the area by the SHAEF, a quiet zone, full of new, inexperienced Allied troop and where the Allied defense is at its thinnest and weakest.  He has also confirmed 5 Panzer divisions (500 tanks) are being moved toward the Ardennes.  With this information and the lack of strong resistance in the fighting in the Saar, Patton begins to formulate an Emergency plan to rapidly sent troops into the Ardennes to rescue the First Army if needed.  Patton is ready.  He meets with Eisenhower in France on December 19th and when asked when he can begin a counter-offensive, his reply surprise everyone and no one.  Because he is audacious it probably doesn't surprise anyone when he reply "As soon as you're through with me", but no one at the meeting, including Eisenhower believe he can get 3 divisions, mobilized by the the 4th Armored Division, the U.S. 80th Infantry Division, and the U.S. 26th Infantry Division north toward Bastogne. In all, Patton would reposition six full divisions, U.S. III Corps and U.S. XII Corps, from their positions on the Saar River front along a line stretching from Bastogne to Diekirch and to Echternach.  He plan works and he is in Bastogne by the 26th and relieves and resupplies the forces in Bastogne.  As soon as he leave the meeting he issues the code phrase to initiate the operational order that start moving the

Because of the Battle of the Bulge, the 95th ID received a bit of a rest from advancing.  Had the SHAEF listened to the concerns and prepared for the offensive, Patton would have continued his advance and initiated Operation Tink, his plan to drive to the Rhine.

The 377th would again be placed at the Saar bridgehead as to relieve the Fifth Division so that they could start heading to Bastogne and on the 21st, the 1st and 3rd bn relieved 5th div. troops.

New Years Day

While Christmas remained relatively quiet for the 377th, on New Year’s Day the Germans counter attacked the 1st bn in Fraulautern, but withering fire from bazooka's Rifle grenades and small arms fire would end the attack and the 1st would be relieved and move back to Saarlautern.  After a period of rest, the 1st bn would move back into Fraulautern and Co. C would be assigned as defense for the Saar River Bridge.

By the 27th, the drive to the Saar was concluded; the next objective would be the high ground and the Siegfried Line. (Next East and Germany)

Siegfried Line

South to Metz; A Memorial Day Tribute - Eugene H Kessler, Pvt. Co.C,377th Infantry Regiment, 95th "Victory" Infantry Division

Task Force Bacon

Col R.L. Bacon

Eugene and the men of the 377th who survived their initial encounter with the Wehrmacht had no time to rest. Their last action occurred in the towns of Bertrange and Imeldange ended on the 15th of November.  On the next day, as a part of the newly formed Task Force Bacon, they headed south.  

Task Force Bacon would be led by Col Robert L Bacon and would be comprised of the 1st bn of the 377th (Eugene's battalion); 1bt of the 379th and the 2bt.of the 378th.  They would advance in 2 columns with tanks and tank destroyers leading each column, travelling down parallel roads.  The men would march or ride in trucks. The next objective was Metz. 

Metz

Metz is 16 mile south of their current position and is a centuries old city surrounded by a series of interconnected forts. Located at the confluences of the Moselle and Seille, it is also near the borders of France, Luxembourg and Germany.  Over 3,000 years old, Metz is a gateway east and west and whoever controls Metz controls access to Germany and occupied Europe.

Metz has long been sought territory. It was first a Celtic fortress city.  In 52 BCE, the Romans took possession and Metz would be part of the Roman Empire. By the end of the 5th century, the Germanic Franks gained control and in the 15th century, by virtue of the treaties, came under control of the French Kings and was officially ceded to the French in 1648. 

After France's loss in the Franco-Prussian Wars, Metz would transfer back into the hands of the German Empire, where it would remain until the end of the First World War through the Treaty of Versailles; Metz would revert back to French control and with the end of the Great War came the Maginot Line.  The Maginot Line was built by the French to protect its borders from further invasions.  After the Battle of France in 1940, the German again took possession of Metz and the Maginot Line and further fortified both positions. This city is key to the invasion of Germany and Patton's objective of Darmstadt-Frankfurt and Berlin.

The 16 miles to Metz would not be a cake walk. This was still a German frontline, there were occupied towns, skirmishers, mines and machine gun nest. TF Bacon would move fast on November 16th, roaring through the towns of Tremery, Ay sur Moselle, Guenange, Bousse, Rurange and Montrequienne. Next day, six additional towns would fall to TF Bacon. Eugene and the 1st battalion would race past the halfway point to Metz.  

At Guenange, the 1st battalion, with Eugene and Co C in the lead, attacked and took the town in a coordinated effort with the 2bn. of the 378th. Eugene, Co. C and the 1st bn would then move to take Bousse and then turn east to Rurange to assist the 2nd bn /378, who had met strong resistance.  The advance began at 8:00 am and was completed by 3:00 pm.  TF Bacon's next stop would be Montrequienne.

Montrequienne

The road approaching the town of Montrequienne were mined in a fashion as to funnel troops into a channel, where machine gun positions would make waste of them, however, with tanks in the lead, TF Bacon would surprise the soldiers of the 19th VG Division, 1216 regiment.  The enemy was chased into the surrounding woods and machine gun nests destroyed. At 4:00 pm the town of Montrequienne was in the possession of TF Bacon.  This would be the overnight stop for Eugene and Co. C.

At 7:00 am on the 17th, Eugene and TF Bacon would resume their drive south through Flevy, Ennery, Charilly, Antilly and were in Rupigny by 2:00 that afternoon. Next, Co C would make a quick strike on the town of Chieulles, where 4 German 105s were raining artillery on the 378th in Malroy.  Eugene and Co C, riding on tanks, would make a frontal assault on the German position while Co B entered from the east.  The enemy was caught completely by surprise and the 1st bn would take 110 prisoners, the 4 105s, an 88, 5 AA guns and a cache of ammo, signal equipment and 10,000 blankets.  The 1st would hold up here for the night and be reinforced, for tomorrow they would continue on to St Julien and assault Fort Bellecroix.

St Julien

St Julien and Fort Bellecroix

November 18, the 1st bn is moving onto their next mission, to capture the town of St Julien and Fort Bellecroix.  Eugene and the 1st bn, begin the assault on the town of St Julien.  Mortar shells and a platoon of tanks attached to Co. A did their job so well that no other elements were need to take the town. Several hundred prisoners were taken and passed back through Co C. as Eugene and the men marched forward to the north end of Fort Bellecroix.  As both companies A and C were regrouping in the area, at about 3:00 pm, two terrific explosions tore through the fort, sending portions of the heavy masonry walls raining down on the area where Eugene and Co. C were gathered. Chunks of wall, breastworks and trees fell onto the men of Company C.  Descriptions indicate that the rear wall of the fort appeared to be blown over the front wall and onto the street.  Eight men were killed instantly and 49 injured, but the final tally would be higher with a total of 17 men from the 1st battalion dying from injuries and 59 total wounded in the blast. No doubt this would change Eugene, while he may not have received any lasting physical injuries; the injuries to his psyche would become deeper.  There is little doubt that many of the men killed and wounded would have been his friends and acquaintances, maybe played cards together or shared stories of home, either way, the war wouldn't wait and Eugene would have to push any feels down and move on.

With many of the men who survived, including Eugene, I'm sure, stunned or unconscious from the concussion of the explosion, reorganization was slow.  Tank destroyers were moved into position for an expected counterattack that never happened.  The battalion would evacuate the wounded and rest here for the night.

Fort Bellecroix

After the explosions, a priest came forward and informed some of the support staff from Co C. that the Germans had wired the entire city to be blown up.  The Germans had used different groups to wire the city so that no one group would know the whole project, however one person had worked on the entire project and knew there was a master switch.  He had conveyed this to the priest.  Down in the bowels of the city, following cables and looking for booby traps in the pillboxes, a switch box was located and the cable cut to render it useless.

House to House

The 1st Battalion was to enter the city of Metz by crossing the Seille River on the south end of Fort Bellecroix.  Assuming that the bridges were blown up by the German, assault boats were moved forward, but they wouldn't be needed as the German fail to destroy the bridge.  Co B would be the first of the battalion to enter Metz and by 1:00 on the 19th, the 1st Battalion was in the City of Metz. Now the mopping up and interviewing of the citizens would lead the battalion to Gestapo headquarters and much needed gasoline dumps.

The fighting for Metz would end on the 20th.  Eugene and the 1st battalion would encounter only slight opposition. By 2:25 on the 22nd the battle officially ended. The 1st battalion would now assemble east of Metz and prepare to move to the Saar River...(next St Barbara and Saar River)

Saarlautern Bridge.

Crossing the Moselle, A Memorial Day Tribute - Eugene H Kessler, Pvt. Co.C,377th Infantry Regiment, 95th "Victory" Infantry Division

Char, Eugene's daughter, reminded me yesterday, that Eugene celebrated his 24th birthday with a trip to England.  The USS West Point set sail for Liverpool on August 9th, Eugene's birthday.  What a gift! Lifeboat drills and seasickness (not that Eugene suffered from that).

Prelude to the Dance

General George S. Patton, arrogant, pretentious, determined and a warrior.  Much has been written about the man, both good and bad, but the one truth that stands out, among his peers, he was an outstanding tactician.  He could look at a battle map and know what the moves were, on both sides.  He showed his tenacity and tactical prowess during the Italian campaign, moving his troops with unbelievable speed across the country and achieving what he set out to achieve. Patton felt that he was always a warrior, even in past lives and that in those lives; he had been on these same battlefields.

Arrogance was his downfall. After accusing 2 G.I.s of cowardice, striking them and publicly humiliating them, he was passed over for his fourth star. He now answered to his former subordinate, Gen. Omar Bradley. He was charged with the First US Army Group, the "Ghost Army", prior to D-Day and sat out the invasion in England, in command of balloon and lies. The Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) understood the liability brought on by Patton, but also understood the respect he commanded from the Axis and used it to their advantage in preparing for D-Day. 

After the invasion and with Patton keeping a low public profile, he was given command of the 3rd Army. The 95th would come under the command of the XX Corps under Patton's 3rd Army.

Patton's European objective would be Berlin.  The quickest route, through Darmstadt-Frankfurt.  To do this he would have to cross the Moselle and capture the French fortress city of Metz, push to the Saar River and control the bridgehead at Saarburg.  Besides the fortress Metz, the 3rd Army would also have to overcoming the battlements of the Maginot and Siegfried Lines.

Eugene and the 377th would be leading the 95th into what would be their "baptism".

The Baptism...

The 377th was chosen to be the leading element of the 95th to cross the Moselle. With the weather not cooperating with the battle plan, the Moselle had swelled to the worse flood stage in 29 years. The 377th jump off points for the crossing would be at Uckange, the Hannibois Woods and the Maizieres-les-Metz. Eugene and the boys of the 1st battalion would be crossing at Uckange.

Operation Casanova

Part of the crossing was to fool the Wehrmacht into believing that the main crossing would take place at Uckange. Removing all identifiers that the 95th was the division making the crossing and allowing the Germans to believe that the 90th ID was the leading division making the main thrust at Uckange and rehearsing the crossing to the last detail, the 95th prepared for D-Day, November 8th. 

After several days of back and forth artillery barrages, Eugene and the men of Co. C; 377th IR marched up from St Hubert Woods to the city of Uckange and assembled for the crossing.  At 9:00 pm, Eugene and Co. C was on it's way to the east side of the Moselle and to the bridgehead.  Their baptism had begun.

Moselle River

Using assault boats and paddles, each boat loaded with a dozen men, Co. C paddled its way across the 200 yards, Co. C completes the crossing at 9:40 pm and pushes inland 300 yards, just south of Bertrange.  Eugene is now on the east side of the river. He and the other members of Co. C would take a defensive posture to protect a supply route to the Moselle. The fighting was light for C Company at this point.  German artillery had targeted the bridgehead behind them. This near perfect shelling would put an end to the 377th's attempts to bridge the Moselle.  Without a bridge, supplies and reinforcement for Co. C would be hindered.

While the 377th's first offensive was tough, the battle was only beginning.  Over the next week, the battle would push back and forth. Rain would hamper movements and the 1st battalion was completely isolated from the rest of the 377th.  Taking cover in a German communication trench, Co. C prepares for further enemy action.  German squads would probe their position, but Eugene and the riflemen of Co C would hold strong, repelling the German attacks. Co C was in need of supplies, and without a bridge across the Moselle, it looked bleak for them.

Piper L-4 "Grasshopper"

Air dropping supplies

Determined to get supplies to the isolated stronghold, the 377th used the last route open, the air.  On November 10th, the skies filled with the noise of small aircraft over head.  Eugene and the men of Co. C were now being supplied by air as L-4 aircraft, flying at 25 ft above the ground, hand dropped ammunition, K and D-rations, medical supplies and toilet paper right into their foxholes.  They also supplied creature comforts such as cigarette, matches, candy and gum.

Before going on, I would like to again share a family tale about Eugene.  This came from my mother to me and I assume that Eugene had shared this with his parents and siblings.   While Eugene was a rifleman in the 377th IR, he was also a messenger or "Runner" for his platoon.  Each rifle company (his being rifle Co. C) is comprised of approximately 190 men from 3 platoons of 41 men and a weapons platoon (containing 2 machine gun squads, and 3 mortar men squads). The platoon is comprised the 41 men of 3 rifle squad of about 12 men each.  Each platoon has 2 runners.
The story going like this, and again I can only speculate as to where and when this happened, but the Moselle / Bertrange area seem as fitting a place for this to occur as any, Eugene, as platoon runner, was on a communications mission, walking  along a path in a wooded area.  While walking, he felt a tug on his pants, but thought nothing of it, he went for his cigarettes and reached into his cargo pocket for his lighter and found that both the lighter, a gift from his wife Adelaaide, and pocket were gone.  Evidently, at some point during this mission, a sniper took a shot at Eugene and hit his pocket.  Mom said because he was deaf in one ear, he never heard the shot. Now to the best of my knowledge, mom only shared this story with me.  During the crossing of the Moselle, there were wooding areas, radio communications were basically non-existent and many accounts of enemy sniper activity, so again, this is speculative, but this could be one of the areas that this happen.

Bertrange

Resupplied, new orders were handed down, Eugene and Co C were to move on Bertrange. Beginning on the 13th, Co C would move on and secure Bertrange. By evening, Eugene and Co. C, with 80 men at this point, moved into and secured Bertrange, but a determined Wehrmacht was just beginning. Well supplied and armed with heavy armor and well reconnoitered, the Germans knew that the 1st battalion was isolated and limited on their supplies. The enemy would take the roads and street of Imeldange and split the two towns.  The German would focus their attentions on Imeldange, systematically destroying all Allied occupied buildings.  This focus by the Germans would mean that Eugene and the boys would not be facing strong opposition, as the Germans hadn't penetrated as thoroughly in Bertrange.
Reorganized into a defensive posture with the support of the machine gun squad from D Company, C Company prepared for the German attack. As the German column of the 19th VG Division came into town, the machine guns opened fire. The German took heavy casualties, quickly broke and scattered to encircle Bertrange. The fighting would continue into the night, German tanks and half-tracks in support of the 19th VG would moving to the town and the men of Co C would make short order of them.
The 1st battalion of the 377th stood firm in their position and on the 15th, additional men and armor of the 95th entered Bertrange to relieve Eugene and Co. C.  Together with their reinforcements, Eugene and Co. C moved on to Imeldange and flushed out the remaining enemy, capturing 50 prisoners. After Imeldange was secured, and the remainder of the 1st battalion was reorganized and was informed of its new mission as soon as the battalion was back in shape. Task Force Bacon would move south along the Moselle and to the next objective, Metz.

Eugene survived his first offensive action and completed his baptism under fire. 70 brothers in arms in Co C. would not.  After action reports showed the 1st battalion, Company C would survive the action with 110 men and 2 officers. On November 16th at 8:00 am, Eugene would be on the move again.  This time they would be attacking the "impregnable" fortress city of Metz, a city that has withstood the test of time and defeated many attackers over the centuries... (Next, the Battle for Metz)

Metz 1944

Metz today

Shipping Out. A Memorial Day Tribute - Eugene H Kessler, Pvt. Co.C,377th Infantry Regiment, 95th "Victory" Infantry Division

Over There....

377th practices Boat Drills aboard the USS West Point

After 4 and a half months of training, Eugene and the rest of the 377th are activated for deployment overseas. On July 25th 1944, the 377th boards the train at Indiantown Gap and heads north on an overnight trip that will conclude at Camp Myles Standish, outside the city of Taunton MA.  Here they would continue to drill, learn, inspect equipment, receive their vaccines for overseas deployment and be issued any addition equipment.  This would include sports equipment, which gave rise that the 377th maybe an Occupation force rather than a fighting force.  Those rumors would be quickly put to rest in the months to come.  The 377th would board the USS West Point (formerly the SS America) on August 9th and travel across the "great pond" to England. By 8:00 pm that evening, the USS West Point weighed anchor and set sail.

USS West Point

Across the Pond

The afternoon of August 17th finds the USS West Point mooring to the pier at the Mersey Dock in Liverpool.  This would be the first taste of war for Eugene and the 377th.  Liverpool had been damaged by the Luftwaffe bombing campaign as part of the Battle of Britain. Rising from the destruction were steel girder, shattered windows and jagged foundations of what were once buildings and businesses.

Camp Barton Stacey

From the docks at Liverpool, the regiment was transported through the hills and countryside to Sutton Scotney and on to Camp Barton Stacey.  Here, in addition to the usual training routine, the men would also learn about German equipment and field tactics.

In late August, the men were exposed to another reality of their situation, the unforgettable drone of the Buzz Bomb. The drone of the flying destruction filled the air, then the drone began to putter, followed by silence and the panic that the silence held. Men grabbed whatever passed for clothing and hit the slit trenches.  With a tremendous explosion that shook the buildings and the men, the bomb landed in the countryside about 4 miles from the camp. 

At this point, I'm diverting from the historical travelogue.  Eugene seldom spoke of his experiences in Europe and being quite a bit younger than any members of the 2 families, the Kesslers and the Wehrles, I would not have been privy to much, if any of the stories.  Most of what I heard were family tales handed down from parent to child or through other family members.  

One of these tales, my older brothers knew this one, was at some point there was an explosion and Eugene dove to the first available cover, which happened to be a latrine.  The story has been somewhat validated by Eugene's daughters Char and Deb.  I can only speculate at this point, but this story seems to have found a potential place in this remembrance.  Certainly there would be latrines at Camp Barton Stacey and there were certainly explosions and while I cannot be absolutely certain, I have a visual in my head.

On to France

On September 9th, after moving to Southampton, the 377th have received their orders and they and their equipment are loaded onto Liberty cargo ships for France.  Once off the coast of France, where 100 days earlier, thousands of men from the 1st and 29th Infantry Division and 9 companies of US Rangers lost their lives, they remained on-board until the rough seas that had plagued their trip, calmed.  On September 13th, the 377th transferred to LCTs and onto the beaches of Normandy. As they approached Omaha beach, the remnants of the great battle on June 6th 1944 were still apparent. The obstacles, the machinery, scuttled ships and the remains of the dreaded and now scorched and pock-marked Atlantic Wall, a series of interconnected reinforced concrete casemates, pillboxes and anti-tank artillery, greet them.

Omaha Beach, D-Day +100

After landing, the 377th moved inland and set up camp in the hedgerows around the town of Trevieres, returning to training schedules and becoming familiar with the rains of the French coastal region.

In a month, they would receive their baptism. On October 9th, the men of the 377th were moved to forward positions.  On the 15th, after being attached to Patton's 3rd Army, they bivouacked outside of Norroy-le-Sec, 20 miles northwest of Metz and their first major test. 

(Next, Crossing the Moselle and Battle for Metz)