Posting for our newest Member, Jeannie N

[Wendy]

Larry: "Jeannie, if you wish, Marion or i can post your info in the forum for you. Just add it here in your profile & we`ll post it."

 

Jeannie: "Yes, I would really like for you to do that. I haven't had time to even read how to do that. I have eight gradchildren and they are here alot. The oldest is only 9, so they keep me busy. Thank you"

 

 

Im am the oldest child in my family and I remember my father wearing his fatigues at home after he was out of the service. I had no idea ever, just what my dad went through because as most veterans, he didn't talk about it. He was injured with schrapnel in his leg, pretty severely because it left a big whole, during the Battle of the Bulge.

I am married to a man that literally knows every second of WWII. His family had five boys and all were in the service at some time. Four of them were during WWII and my husband, being the youngest, was in Germany after the war in 1953. I have listened to his family (they also had four girls) talk living and being in WWII

 

My dad would never say much. He had a ring from a dead German soldier and a switchblade from one, but that was about it. He wouldn't even tell Mom. Ten years before he died he had a very bad heart attack and it resulted in heart bypass surgery. He did his rehab at the VA hostial in St. Cloud, MN and, to make a long story short, joined a veteran's group for talking about the war. He went to that group religiously for 10 years until he died. I don't think I ever really understood just what a sacrifice veterans make, until, at his wake when he died. The WWII American Legion members came to honor him. They were lined up by him and I don't even remember what they said, but when they saluted him, I lost it. It really hit me just what a veteran does for his country.Since that time, I would talk to my uncle Donnie, Dad's brother, and try to find out things because Dad talked to him

Donnie had some almost unreal stories and I thought that he is just old and telling stories. Well, my mom gave me Dad's flag from the funeral and this week I mentioned to my sister that I wanted to have the flag put into a display box and that I sure wish I knew what ribbons or medals he got. I wanted to display them too but we never found them.

 

My sister said that Dad gave her an envelope about five years before he die and she had never opened it. So three days ago she opened it and we were literally blown away. All of his military papers were in it with his discharge papers and some more details of his service. All of the stories that Uncle Donnie told me were true!!! We couldn't believe our eyes as to what we were reading. My kind and quiet father that wouldn't hurt anyone had been through hell along with many , many people.

 

We were left with the thirst to learn everything we could. Today I talked to my Uncle Donnie, who is in a assisted living facility and he was so glad to find out about all this. He told us what Combat Engineer Company (9th) and we will never doubt Donnie again.

 

Please excuse me if my typing is not good, I see double occasionally and it shows when I keyboard.

 

We are getting his medals and ribbons through the VA and we will display them too.

 

My husband has read every book on WWII and we watched the Ken Burns documentary and I've was hooked. Thanks for this site. I am really excited.

Jeannie

[SonofaMP]

Jeannie N: Dad was in the 9th Combat Engineers. I don't really know much about this stuff. Still learning. Maybe someone can enlighten me. I really need it

[Walt's Daughter]

Sorry I didn't even see this till just now. Larry thanks for posting her information here, or I may have missed this all together. I went into her profile and noticed all the posts there. Most people would have never read it.

 

Anyhow... Welcome to the forum Jeannie. Glad to have you here, and always thrilled to meet another "daughter". Our clan is growing by leaps and bounds.

 

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

I promise to chat more with you later in the week. Christmas is just "around-the-corner", and I'm sure we are all a bit busy with preparations. We are having an Open House Christmas Eve, beginning at 2:00 PM, and man, it's getting close. With several huge snowfalls, I've been unable to get to the supermarket. It's not supposed to snow tomorrow, so it's my last chance.

 

Warmly,

M1

[SonofaMP]

AH yes Christmas, who isnt busy this time of year? So much to do & too dern cold & snowy out there there to do it.

I`ll post some basic info to get Jeannie started in her quest.

 

The 9th Engineer Battalion was activated as the 9th Armored Engineer Battalion, a part of the 9th Armored Division.

 

There is an association contact for the 9th Armored Engineer Battalion:

 

9th Armored Engineers Association

Ms. Marie K. O'Donnell

53 Melrose Avenue

Lynbrook, NY 11563

(Newsletter)

(516) 593-1276

 

a brief history taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9th_Engineer_Battalion_(United_States)

Following the outbreak of World War II, the battalion was activated as the 9th Armored Engineer Battalion, part of the newly 9th Armored Division. Landing in France in September from their staging base in England, the 9th Armored Engineers supported the division's movement across France, making first contact with the enemy in the Schoenfels-Wilwerdange-Bissen area. The battalion fought in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, with C Company figuring prominently in the holding of Bastogne, for which the company was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation.

 

On 7 March 1945, during the allied offensive to the Rhine River, Combat Command B of the 9th Armored Division arrived at the town of Remagen, discovering that the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine river was intact. A detachment from B Company braved enemy fire to cut wires and dismantle explosive charges set to destroy the bridge. Although several charges were detonated, the Wehrmacht failed to destroy the Ludendorff Bridge; B Company secured the far side of the bridgehead. The next day, C Company kept the bridge open despite a continuous, intense artillery and aircraft attack that struck the bridge twenty-four times. When the smoke cleared, the 9th Armored Engineers had been instrumental in establishing the first bridgehead across the Rhine River since the Napoleonic Campaigns. The unit was awarded the oak leaf for their Distinguished Unit Citation for the combat at Remagen.

 

A few links:

CHAPTER 1 THE SITUATION

 

Combat Chronicle 9TH ARMORED DIVISION

 

The 9th: The Story of the 9th Armored Division

[roque_riojas]

M1 I would love to be there at your open house gathering but

alas, The distance does not let me. Our church is having a

program and then food and chocolate afterwards. So I will

be OK. Our church is,"The First Baptist Church Westside."

Lotsa senoritas and old maids too. hmm

Reading the above,on combat engineers. WISHT I CUD

say somthin bout mah outfit. We didn't do much. rocky

[SonofaMP]

Note from JeannieN. : I talked to my uncle for a minute and he thinks Dad was in Company C (Engineers) of the 9th armored Division.

 

Doing the research on the actions of the 9th AD during the BOB, trying to determine which battalions, companies, etc were which Combat Command and where they fought provides a good illustration of why just looking at the usual Order of Battle lists will not show which higher command a unit was actualy under during the battle. Most Order of Battles i have seen place the 9th AD in VIII Corps under Patton`s Third Army.

During most of their part in the battle the 9th AD fought under command of Gen Middleton`s VIII Corps under Hodge`s First Amy. The 9th was assigned to the Third Army on 20 Dec which seems to be for administrative purposes only to begin the reconstruction & refitting of the division, CCR was still fighting in Bastogne with the 101st AB, remnants of CCB were scattered on the Northern shoulder hooked up with units fighting there and CCA was on the Southern Shoulder fighting with the 4th Infantry Div & the 4th Armored Div.

 

The 9th Armored Div. didnt have an official nickname, but the germans called them the "Phantom Division" because the seemed to be everywhere on the battlefield. In actuality, they were! Widely spaced along the front, the 9th's three combat commands were forced to fight separately.

 

At begining of the battle, CCB was assigned to V Corps as reserve for the 2nd ID attack toward the Roer dams. On 16 Dec they were assigned to Middleton`s VIII Corps. CC B was at Faymonville, Belgium, 20 miles north of St. Vith, CCB then was attached to the 106th ID fighting from the Shnee Eifel back to St Vith, units of CCB were intermingled with the 7th Armored at St Vith. On 23 Dec, the 14th Tank Bat. fought with the 82nd AB.

 

CC A, commanded by Brig. Gen. (then Col.) Thomas L. Harrold, Troy, N.Y., defended a front line sector near Beaufort, Luxembourg for time under command of 19th Armord Div. and in support of the 4th ID. Later CCA joined the 4th Armored Div in the drive to relieve Bastogne.

 

The third combat command, CC R, commanded by Col. Joseph Gilbreth, Columbus, Ga., perhaps had the roughest assignment of any outfit in the Ardennes. It was CC R that stood and slugged it out against the overwhelming might of the German panzers smashing toward Bastogne. Had it not been for CC R, Nazis would have taken the town before the 101st Airborne Div. arrived there to make its historic stand.

 

Small CC R task forces of tanks from the 2nd Tank Bn. and doughs of the 52nd Armd. Inf. Bn. took up positions along the roads around Longvilly leading to Bastogne from the east. Their mission was to block the roads at all costs. They clung to their positions even when surrounded. Masses of German tanks rolled around them; enemy infantry infiltrated in the darkness.

 

There were no front lines in this melee. Artillerymen, tankers and engineers fought as doughs. The 2nd Tank Bn, encountered elements of nine German divisions. The 73rd Armd. FA Bn. fought its way out of a trap, kept its guns in action.

 

Although casualties were heavy and all three of its battalion commanders lost, CC R was officially credited with delaying the enemy for 36 to 48 hours east of Bastogne. When its surviving forces fell back into Bastogne, CC R , intermingled with CCB of the !0th Armored & remnents of the 28th ID, was assigned to maintain a mobile reserve known as Task Force Snafu.

 

TF Snafu became a potent force in the ensuing battles. Organized chiefly as a trouble-shooter for the 101st, this unit operated on a 10-minute alert and sped to threatened areas as needed. Bolstered by armor, it proved to be an ace in the hole.

 

CC R received the Presidential Unit Citation for its action at Bastogne.

Company C 9th Armored Engineers received a Distinguished Unit Citation for 18-27 Dec action in Belgium.

[SonofaMP]

The Order of Battle of the 9th Armored Division that i have assembled for the period of the Battle of the

Bulge. It is as accurate as i can determine at this time. One must keep in mind that all platoons of a company

may or may not have been with a Combat Command at all times.

 

Headquarters Company

9th Armored Division Trains

Band

 

Command Posts

18 Oct 44 Mersch Luxembourg

20 Dec 44 Walferdange Luxembourg

23 Dec 44 Etalle Luxembourg Belgium

30 Dec 44 Guignicourt-sur-Vence Ardennes France

12 Jan 45 Bockange Moselle France

14 Jan 45 Ennery Moselle France

 

Combat Command A (CCA)

 

19th Tank Battalion

60th Armored Infantry Battalion

Co A 9th Armored Engineer BN

3rd Armd. FA Bn.

 

Combat Command B (CCB)

 

14th Tank Battalion

27thArmored Infantry Battalion

Co B 9th Armored Engineer BN

16th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

 

Reserve Command (CCR)

 

2nd Tank Battalion

52d Armored Infantry Battalion

Co C 9th Armored Engineer BN

73rd Armd. FA Bn

--------------------------------------------------------------

Other Units of the 9th AD whose troops, companies & platoons were scattered throughout the combat

commands making it difficult to determine exact assignments & locations.

 

89th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized)

149th Armored Signal Company

131st Ordnance Maintenance Battalion

2d Armored Medical Battalion

Military Police Platoon

Band

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

Antiaircraft Artillery

 

482d AAA AW Bn (SP) 2 Nov 44-8 Jan 45

482d AAA AW Bn (SP) 22 Feb 45-9 May 45

 

Armored

 

Hq & Hq Co, 12th Armd Gp 4 Dec 44-8 Jan 45

CC R (10th Armd Div) 22 Dec 45-26 Dec 44

 

Infantry

 

109th Inf (28th Div) 20 Dec 44-22 Dec 44

 

Tank Destroyer

 

811th TD Bn (SP) 14 Nov 44-8 Jan 45

656th TD Bn (SP) 22 Feb 45-still attached 9 May 45

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DETACHMENTS (Attached to)

 

Armored

 

CC B V Corps 12 Dec 44-16 Dec 44

Co A,19th Tk Bn 4th Div 16 Dec 44-19 Dec 44

CC B 106th Div 16 Dec 44-21 Dec 44

2d Tk Bn 101st Abn Div 19 Dec 44-30 Dec 44

CC R 101st Abn Div 19 Dec 44-31 Dec 44

CC A 10th Armd Div 20 Dec 44-26 Dec 44

CC B 7th Armd Div 22 Dec 44-7 Jan 45

14th Tk Bn 82d Abn Div 23 Dec 44-24 Dec 44

CC A 4th Armd Div 27 Dec 44-30 Dec 44

CC B 28th Div 9 Jan 45-10 Jan 45

 

 

Cavalry

 

89th Cav Rcn Sq (- Trs C & D) 8th Div 23 Oct 44-1 Nov 44

Tr D, 89th Cav Rcn Sq 2d Div 27 Oct 44-8 Nov 44

89th Cav Rcn Sq (- Trs A & D) 8th Div 1 Nov 44-10 Nov 44

Tr A, 89th Cav Rcn Sq 83d Div 22 Nov 44-28 Nov 44

Tr B, 89th Cav Rcn Sq 83d Div 22 Nov 44-5 Dec 44

Tr C, 89th Cav Rcn Sq 83d Div 28 Nov 44-7 Dec 44

Tr A, 89th Cav Rcn Sq 83d Div 5 Dec 44-7 Dec 44

Tr A, 89th Cav Rcn Sq 4th Div 7 Dec 44-13 Dec 44

Tr C, 89th Cav Rcn Sq 4th Div 7 Dec 44-13 Dec 44

 

Engineer

 

2 plats, Co B, 9th Armd Engr Bn 2d Div 29 Oct 44-4 Nov 44

 

Field Artillery

 

16th Armd FA Bn 2d Div 12 Dec 44-16 Dec 44

73d Armd FA Bn 7th TD Gp 20 Dec 44-23 Dec 44

73d Armd FA Bn 28th Div 24 Dec 44-29 Dec 44

 

Infantry

 

52d Armd Inf Bn 8th Div 23 Oct 44-30 Oct 44

27th Armd Inf Bn 2d Div 27 Oct 44-8 Nov 44

60th Armd Inf Bn 8th Div 2 Nov 44-9 Nov 44

Co B, 52d Armd Inf Bn 83d Div 22 Nov 44-29 Nov 44

Co C, 52d Armd Inf Bn 83d Div 28 Nov 44-6 Dec 44

Co C, 52d Armd Inf Bn 4th Div 7 Dec 44-13 Dec 44

[Jeeper704]

For many years, I was in touch with the CO of the 3rd Armored field Artillery Batalion; Lt. Col. (Maj. Gen. retired) George Ruhlen.

He was also the Historian of the 9th AD Association.

A very very good man from Texas.

I even had the honor of meeting him in the Ardennes area.

"Thanks" to my former girlfriend, I lost all contact with my American friends (don't ask) .... only to learn that many had passed away sine.

I don't know if Maj. Gen. Ruhlen is still alive today as my letter never got answered.

But he knew A LOT on the 9th AD.

 

Erwin