US 157th infantry

Thank you

 

No problem there whs0828. Glad to help out. Keep us informed on your attempt to retrace you uncle's trek. It would make a good story.

 

What is your uncle's name? I have the lists from the NARA of all 157th Men who died or were MIA.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/45thinfantry/




Dave

 

I'm trying to find information on my uncle Jack McGee. He was a PFC in the 157th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. He died on 19 May 1945 and is buried in Lorraine American Cemetery in France. I believe he was in "M" Company. His military record was destroyed in the 1973 fire at the National Records Center in St. Louis. I've sent a request for the Morning Reports for the period before and after his death. Any other sources you could suggest I look? Thanks.

 

My father was in Company M, 157th Infantry, and was captured in France by the Germans in January 1945. He was sent to Stalag XIB until he was liberated by the British in May. I would like to hear more details about how his unit was captured, etc etc.

 

Thanks, I"ll check into it.

 

PFC Rona P. Heiller, ASN 37116512, of M Company, 3rd Battalion, is listed as MIA on 21 January 1945
but may have been captured on 20 January at Reipertswiller (Image 0012, 14 March 2009).

The Battle of Reipertswiller

45thinfantry : Messages : 3879-3908 of 3908

3rd Bn was cut off, surrounded and essentially destroyed at Reipertswiller.
The 157th Infantry Regiment had not sustained such losses since Anzio in February 1944.

An I Company GI, one of only two men to safely reach American lines, said
"the enemy artillery and mortar fire up there was the worst I've ever seen.
At least 75 per cent of the men on the hill had a wound of some kind and some
had two or three wounds."


Dave

 

Attached is my photo of the pertinent page of the 157th POW/MIA list,
resized for this forum.


Dave

 

I think the 157th may have been the regiment for one of Patton's amphibious jumps during August 1943 on the way to Messina (the third one sticks out in my mind). I noted a reference to the 157th history and will check. Also, at USAMHI, I believe the 45th Division AAR is available - I'll check.
Jon

 

That is correct. About a dozen of so men of C Company drowned during a landing craft mishap on
16 August 1943. Their deaths were needless. The 1st Bn landed on friendly ground. The Germans had left.

Dave

 

From the 157th After Action Report for the Sicilian Campaign:

"At midnight August 14, the Regiment was alerted for an Amphibious attack
behind enemy lines, and the next morning, troops embarked at Termini Imerese.
The landing was effected on LCTs and LCIs early August 16, approximately two miles
northwest of Termini Bagni. But the Regiment struck friendly shores because the
3rd Division that night had advanced through and beyond the landing point. An
accident at sea, when a pulley wire snapped as a landing craft which had been
rail loaded with men was being lowered into the water, brought about the deaths
of eleven men from 1st Bn, the only casualties of the landing."


Dave

 

Was at Lorraine American cemetery friday (Veterans Day) and stoped, by hazard, on Jack McGee's grave. I saw this post only after.

 

I am trying to do some research about my grandfather during WWII. The only information I have is from his draft card, certificate of completion at replacement training and his discharge papers. He got to his unit early January 1945 during the battle of Reipertswiller and was with the unit through the end of the war. He was a heavy machine gunner.
Martin J. Stillwaggon.
I have no idea which company he was in. All I have for his unit is the 157th Regiment, 45th division. Any and all help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hi Scott,

I think Pfc Martin J. Stillwaggon was in Co H (heavy weapons). According the 45th ID roster :



Eric

 

Thank you so much Eric! It's humbling to actually see his name on the roster.

 

I will reach out to Dave and see if there is anything he can help me with. Thank you

 

Scott,

How do you know that he joined the regiment prior to Reipertswiller?

I found his CIB award, as expected, in G.O. 9, HQ,157th, dated 5 March 1945.
His CIB was effective, as it was for most post-Reipertswiller replacements, 1 March.

As Eric noted, he was assigned to H Company.


Dave