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Looking for info 2nd Infantry Division

Discussion in 'Military Service Records & Genealogical Research' started by VET76, Feb 4, 2011.

  1. theRaider5150!!

    theRaider5150!! New Member

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    VET,
    About your grandfather's Ranger Skull patch, here is an article which talks about the 2nd ID ranger program: http://www.insigne.org/2DR.htm Your grandpa was in the top 1/3 best of the Division! The 2ID Ranger training doesn't sound too different from the actual Army Rangers and you can bet, being the 1940's Army, that the training was TOUGH! Pretty cool.
     
  2. TD-Tommy776

    TD-Tommy776 Man of Constant Sorrow

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    Just FYI, Vet76 last signed on to the Forum almost exactly 6 years ago. Hopefully he will get an email notification of this new info.
     
  3. theRaider5150!!

    theRaider5150!! New Member

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    Just found some new information. PFC William A. Soderman K company, 9th IR (the same unit as Vet's grandfather and of interest to others on this thread) was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions on Dec 17, 1944. Armed with a Bazooka he defended a key road junction near Rocherath, Belgium. He was killed after defending it all night and knocking out several Mark V Panzers and killing at least 3 enemy infantry with his rockets. The 2nd ID received 3 Medals of Honor for actions on Dec 17, 44, while defending the Elsenborn Ridge. One more MOH was given for an action two days later on Dec 19.
     
  4. Proud Grandson

    Proud Grandson New Member

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    Actually William Soderman was NOT killed in action, he was wounded by MG fire on the morning of Dec. 18th 1944 and was taken off/left the battlefield. He was awarded the MOH by President Truman in person after the war. There are pics of this if you look around a little. He was awarded the MOH for actions on Dec. 17/18 while defending the Lausdell Crossroads armed with a Bazooka and did indeed knock out a number of Mark V Panthers and possibly Mark IV Panzers. He was a member of Co. K and was attached to 9 IR 1st Battalion under the command of Lt. Col. William D. McKinley, who was given the task of holding the road network "at all costs". The battle at Lausdell raged for about 20 hours, during this time "Mckinley's Battalion" held their ground against repeated attacks from the 12th Waffen SS "Hitlerjugend" Division. The battered Battalion consisted of about 350 men and officers, 600 men and officers with attachments. Attached to 1st Battalion was 9th Regimental Ammo and Pioneer Platoon, a section of heavy mg's from Co. M, and Co. K. They had the full fire support of the 15th F.A.B. They faced a entire SS Infantry Regiment, SS Panzer Battalion, and a SS tank Destroyer Battalion. To me it is one of the most epic(and heart breaking) stories of valor and sacrifice in all of WW2. :)
     
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  5. theRaider5150!!

    theRaider5150!! New Member

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    Proud Grandson
    Thanks for the info! Sounds like you know quite a bit about the 2nd ID. Is your research primarily on the 9th IR or have you also researched the 23rd and 38th?
     
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  6. Proud Grandson

    Proud Grandson New Member

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    I have researched the 2ID as a whole but my interest does lean towards the 9IR. As you may guess my maternal Grandpa served with the 9th, 1st battalion and was a rifleman in Co. A. From September 44 to January 45 he was lead scout for 1st Platoon, after that he was promoted to Sergeant and became a Squad Leader. Memories of the bitter fighting at Lausdell haunted him for the rest of his life.
     
  7. Buten42

    Buten42 Member

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    Proud Grandson, just out of pure curiosity, you mentioned in another post that your grandfather
    Hated the EAB. Did he ever mention why? Was he in Alaska or Korea?


    " As a side note, my Grandpa hated the EAB assignment, absolutely despised it. He told me that he "would have taken combat in Europe all over again rather than serve with the EAB"
     
  8. Proud Grandson

    Proud Grandson New Member

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  9. Kris8010

    Kris8010 New Member

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  10. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    You may be aware of this already, but this is a good start for Lausdell. Lausdell - Hold At All Costs! - MIA Project

    The section I wrote on Lausdell in Hitler's Last Gamble is pretty telegraphic, but my friend Jay Karamales wrote a pretty detailed study on Lausdell in one chapter of Against the Panzers, I would highly recommend finding a copy, they are usually easy to find on Amazon second hand at a decent price. Also, the original as found in the DOD A2D2 report is in DTIC at www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a232842.pdf

    Jean Pallud also wrote up the German side of the battle in the Battle of the Bulge Then and Now volume. It is expensive, but is invaluable to understanding the action.

    The AAR for the 741st Tank Battalion is at After action report 741st Tank Battalion 21 May 1944 - Apr 1945. :: World War II Operational Documents

    An account of the 644th TD Battalion actions is in the postwar Armor School study at World War II Operational Documents

    Hope that helps!
     
  11. Squeaky808

    Squeaky808 New Member

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    Posting this to add to the forum regarding 2nd Div 9th Infantry K Co which my dad was a part of. He past away a couple years ago. Looking through his paperwork for my birth certificate, I found this (attached) a poster that he had saved. From the looks of it, he had folded it and kept it in his pocket. It must’ve meant a lot to him. From the size of the pin holes at the top, it had to be have taken off and re-pinned several times in order to see the other side. If anyone knows who S/Sgt Gull was, I’m sure his family would love to see this piece of artwork he created.
    We did not know he had this and he never told us. I did make copies and had the copies framed. The original is in a safe as I do not know how to else to preserve a double sided document and display it in a safe and protected environment. Attached is the poster and his picture. This poster encouraged me to know more about his service and the unit he served in. I’ll include other documents I found as it looks like he was part of a group that came out of Hawaii and served in the 2nd. Now that he’s gone, I wish I would’ve asked more questions, but it was hard to see him break down when talking about it remembering his brothers in arms. I know he would’ve loved the Indianhead shirts and caps that I found since I’ve started this journey.

    This is what is on the back of the poster.

    To: The NINTH INFANTRY.

    This is it ... the war is over.

    You have done your job well. You have cut a path through the heart of Germany, and you have shared in large part the responsibility for Victory. It is fitting and proper that we now find ourselves in Czechoslovakia —- the first of the Democracies crushed by Hitler.

    It is right that we join with the Czechs in celebrating together the end of the poisonous regime that enslaved them and has cost our country so much. It is right after all these months to celebrate this Day — and to remember it. But that celebration must be tempered with the thought of the hundreds of Ninth Infantrymen who have been killed and the thousands who have been wounded in battle.

    We honor and salute them!

    Our work here is finished. We do not know what the future has in store for us - but we do know that there will always be a Ninth Infantry.

    “KEEP UP THE FIRE”

    P.D. GINDER
    Colonel, 9th Infantry,
    Commanding,
     

    Attached Files:

  12. wooley12

    wooley12 Active Member

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    My wife's father served in the 2nd in WWII. Battle of the Bulge. He spoke of the time that Patton looked him in the eye. She just found this picture that confirms the story. Does anyone here know where this was taken and the circumstances? Thanks. Walt and Patton (1).png
     
  13. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    I suspect it is postwar. The 2d ID was attached to the Third Army from First Army 18 August to 5 September while at Brest, but I doubt Patton did any troop reviews there. It was then assigned to Third Army on 6 May 1945.
     
  14. RichTO90

    RichTO90 Well-Known Member

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    OTOH, George is wearing three stars, so the photo is prior to 14 April 1945 when he got his fourth star. So then, it could be an awards parade at Brest, since that fits best.
     
  15. wooley12

    wooley12 Active Member

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    Thank you very much. The blond blue eyed soldier at the far right is my FIL. He came the the US in 1928 at age 17 from the family home in Braunschseig. He was drafted and a heavy machine gunner at The Bulge. At 31, he was called "Old Man" by the guys in his unit. He went AWOL to visit his family at some point. His nieces had been making new Germans and he created quite a stir when he found out. He was the youngest of 5 brothers and one of his nephews was in the SS and MIA on the Eastern Front.
     
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  16. George Patton

    George Patton Canadian Refugee

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    For what its worth, a google reverse image search shows this as "General Patton reviewing US soldiers in Armagh, April 1944". I believe the dates match up, as the 2nd Infantry Division was training in Northern Ireland during this period.

    One of history’s greatest speeches was delivered here 75 years ago today
     
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  17. Arjan_Mess

    Arjan_Mess New Member

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    Hello members,
    I am working on a little project about the battle for Lausdell, i am looking for personal stories from veterans or relatives who participated in the battle.
    If you know or have a story from the dreadfull fighting please contact me by sending a private message.
    I have some interesting thing to show you.

    Greetings,

    Arjan
     

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