22 January 1945
Attack from Deidenberg, Belgium
7th Armored Division
Bookmark this page as http://www.7thArmdDiv.org/1945-01-22-attack.htm
Last updated: October 2, 2023 - What's New?
7th Armd Div Patch

Overview

In the last days of the Battle of the Bulge in January 1945, 7th Armored Division attacked south to retake St. Vith, Belgium. The weather, including deep snow, made the effort difficult and costly, both in combat casualties and frostbite.

This web page deals with one force in one part of one day in the attack. I do not yet have all the details so that this is very much a work in progress. I know for certain of the casualties, including 4 men killed, of Company A of 17th Tank Battalion. It appears that the associated infantry was a unit of 23rd Armored Infantry Battalion.

For now, this is a bucket in which I am gathering all the information that I find.

-- Wesley Johnston, Historian, 7th Armored Division Association --
The Casualties
KIA
Numbers are MOS (Military Occupational Specialty, aka Service Specialty Number)
That there were two 604 means at least two tank crews represented.
  • 17th Tank Battalion, Company A
    • GRANT, Carroll W., Cpl., 616 (Gunner)
    • NORGREN, Vernon P., Pvt., 616 604 (Light Machine Gunner)
    • TIESLING, Louis E., Pfc., 531 (Cannoneer)
    • WILLS, Clifton A., Pfc., 604 (Light Machine Gunner)
...
The Location
...

No image yet - Here is link to Google Maps.
Click on image for full size.

...
Documents of the Event

17th Tank Battalion After Action Report (22 Jan 1945)
"At 0830, Task Force Wemple moved out of the Deidenberg area ... When the head of our force reached a point in the vicinity of 860931 they received several heavy enemy artillery concentrations from the vicinity of Medell to the East. One 'A' Co tank received a direct hit killing four of the tank crew and seriously wounding the other member, several infantry were critically wounded at this time."
WJ NOTE: I have not yet looked up the location 860931 on a map.

A/17 Morning Report "Record of Events" (22 Jan 1945):
"Co moves out of Deidenberg, Belgium at 0915 for an attack on Hunnage [sic = Hunnange/Hunningen], Belgium. Attack at 1700 and gain objective. Two tanks knocked out by AT guns and two tanks knocked out by artillery fire."

...
Click here for information about contacting me.
Copyright © 2023 by Wesley Johnston
All rights reserved

7th Armored Division Association Home Page

Active overview of all pages at the 7th Armored Division web site