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Robert Claude Spiker 30th Infantry Division

Discussion in 'Western Europe 1943 - 1945' started by keith A, Feb 23, 2016.

  1. keith A

    keith A Member

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    This officer was with 30th Division in WW2, as a platoon commander and company commander in B-I/117. Can anyone tell me which platoon he commanded in the 117th and anything of his Korean War service? His obituary indicates he was in the USAF but this may be a mistake.

    regards

    Keith
     
  2. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    Info from "Curlew" the 1st Battalion, 117th history.

    Lt. Robert C. Spiker commanded 2nd Platoon, B Company in Normandy. He become Company Commander twice temporarily due to casualties and finally was made permanent commander at Mortain when the latest CO, a Captain Hendrickson, was badly wounded leading a squad armed with bazookas forward against some Panzers on 8 August. Spiker remained CO of Baker Company for the rest of the war.

    By the end of the war, Baker Company had suffered 386 casualties - a 200% casualty rate - so one might say they were definitely in the middle of it. Curlew describes B Company as the "aggressive company of the 1st Battalion."

    Spiker, Robert C.
    Assigned 30th ID; 8 April
    WIA 10 August, RTD (returned to duty)
    CIB
    PH
    DUB (Mortain) w/ Oak Leaf cluster for second award, Siegfried Line.
    Belgian Fourragere
    Silver Star
    Croix de Guerre w/ Palm
    5 campaign stars N, NF, R, A, CE
     
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  3. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Regarding the CO wounded at Mortain. Was that south of the town, on the road to Barenton?
     
  4. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    No. The 1st Battalion, 117th, was at St. Barthelemy tangling mostly with the Leibstandarte, well north of Mortain where Das Reich was attacking. The action described above happened at a place called Bois de Parc, south or just southwest of St. Barthelemy. B Company was in the reserve, with A and C on the line when the initial attack struck on the 7th. A and C were pretty much annihilated, but held the their line until 09:00 when order to withdraw with 13 and 33 men left, respectively. They folded back to the B Company line and held it, until all all of them attacked on the 8th, when Hendrickson was wounded and evaced out to England. Leibstandstarte took such a beating that they changed their axis of advance and move further south towards Mortain with what they had left, trying to link with Das Reich and the other troops who were still militarily effective.
     
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  5. Slipdigit

    Slipdigit Good Ol' Boy Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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    Thanks. Too lazy to look it up.
     
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  6. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    As far as I'm concerned, Mortain/St. B., was the most courageous action in the ETO. Every unit held against at least 4:1 odds and then attacked and drove the German 7th army back to set up the disaster at Falaise.

    Spiker was not from the original NG unit, but was a West Virginian assigned in England who fit into that tough unit like a hand into a glove. Those tough Appalachian hillbillies were the best unit in the ETO.
     
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  7. keith A

    keith A Member

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    Many thanks. What is a DUB? I know that he was born on Morgantown, West Virginia. I know he was a Secpnd-Lieutenant (Reserves) in May 1942 (Army number 035972) possibly after graduating from the University of West Virginia ROTC? and completed basic training in October 1942 which would probably mean he passed through OCS and served in another unit prior to joining the 30th? Post-war I think he transferred into the reserves as a 1st Lt RA in either October 1945 or July 1946. He went back to University (in Chicago) but seems to have been called up for Korea although I do not know which unit he was with. He is promoted Captain (10563) in January 1949 and then Major in July 1951. He graduates from Advanced Armored Officers course in 1953. In his record there are various abbreviations such as D/R and PL can anyone help?

    best regards

    Keith
     
  8. keith A

    keith A Member

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    Just a thought but Alexander Haig attended the Advanced Armor Officer Course 1952-53, perhaps they were classmates?
     
  9. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    The DUB is the Presidential Unit Citation, or Distinguished Unit Badge (DUB). Relatively few units were awarded these. The book credits him with two, but in fact I know the 1st battalion had three and they are leaving off the one awarded to the Division itself post-war. That is quite remarkable. I'm not aware of any other units awarded 3 DUB's.

    He would also have three Croix de Guerre. If memory serves, the 1st CDG is plain, the second with a palm device and the third with a star as an individual award. The third award from the French Government (post-war) was awarded as an an individual award for every man in the 30th Division, instead of as a unit award. That means that Spiker could wear that medal in any other unit he transferred to, whereas the usual CDG stayed with the unit and was not worn when an individual transferred. That too is a rather special distinction.
     
  10. keith A

    keith A Member

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    That's excellent. I did wonder about the Croix de Guerre. I knew he had the Silver Star and Purple Heart. One of my sources states he was awarded the Bronze Star too but I am unsure if that is combat related.
     
  11. KodiakBeer

    KodiakBeer Member

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    Everyone with a CIB (basically) was awarded a Bronze Star without the "V" for valor device after the war. These unit histories were written immediately post-war and that's why you don't see things like that Bronze Star or the 3rd DUB and 3rd CDG.
     
  12. rapmaster

    rapmaster New Member

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    Hello, I've been out of pocket for quite a while. Catching up on interesting conversations. I have the verbiage to all five DUBs the 117th was awarded during WW2. Not many regiments in the Army can make that claim. 1st BN received two (St. Barthelmy and Scherpenseel), Regt. HQs received one (Mortain) , E company received one (Aachen) and 3rd BN received one (Ubach). The ones for Aachen, Scherpenseel, and Ubach were all around Aachen breaking the Siegfried Line.
     
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