21 December 1944
Company A, 31st Tank Battalion
Combat East of St. Vith, Belgium
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Last updated: March 20, 2023 - What's New?
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Overview

On 21 December, in at least two different combat actions on the Prüa;merberg ridgeline east of St. Vith, Belgium, Company A of 31st Tank Battalion lost their commanding officer and other men, killed in action. There of those men remain unaccounted (not recovered or recovered but not identified). This web page brings together what I have found about this action -- with the hope that the still unaccounted men can be found and identified.

-- Wesley Johnston, Historian, 7th Armored Division Association --
The Casualties

The Location
21 Dec 1944 Map
Click on image for full size.
Context Map: St. Vith to Samrée

Context Map
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The map illustrates my initial conjecture. 7th Armored Division Headquarters was at Vielsalm, along the Salm River north of Salmchateau where the main east-west road crossed the river. The road junction just north of Joubiéval was crucial for any movement west out of Vielsalm or east to bring supplies from what originally was the rear up to Vielsalm and further east to the 7AD units on the front lines at and near St. Vith -- about 20 miles east of Joubiéval.

On 17 Dec 1944, as 7th Armored 7AD moved from north of Aachen, Germany, 60 miles south to Vielsalm-St. Vith, D Troop of 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, along with D Battery of the 203rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion were near the end of 7AD's column. When German Kampfgruppe (Battle Group) Peiper broke through the column just south of Malmédy, Belgium, and then attacked Stavelot, D/87 and D/203 were cut off and had to detour west and then south and then back east to re-connect with 7AD. D/87 and D/203 both wound up at the crossroads called Baraque de Fraiture. On 21 Dec 1944, D/87 attempted to move east -- probably to re-connect with 7AD Headquarters at Vielsalm -- starting that day from Regné. The Headquarters Company of 87 Recon also moved to Joubiéval with D/87.

Meanwhile two reports had come in to 7AD HQ of German forces at and approaching Joubiéval. Both the Germans and the Americans could see the extreme strategic significance of controlling the road junction at Joubiéval. One report said there were two German tanks at Joubiéval, and the other said that a force of 30 German vehicles was heading for Joubiéval. (At this point in the research, I do not know the timing of these two reports.)

Also, while the combat elements of Company A of 31st Tank Battalion suffered major casualties this day east of St. Vith (20 miles to the east), the A/31 headquarters moved to Joubiéval (again unsure of the timing).

Thus, the map shows three arrows all converging on Joubiéval. At least 9 7AD men in D/87, HQ Co/87 and A/31 were killed 21 Dec 1944. I have done enough of the research to conclude that all of the A/31 deaths were on the ridgeline east of St. Vith, but the other deaths were at Joubiéval.

The combat led to the D/87 survivors apparently turning around and going back west to defend the Baraque de Fraiture crossroads that the Germans did overrun two days later.

A major issue to be figured out is the timeline of just which US and German units were where and when. The map shows everything as if it was all in the same time. But at this point, this is really unclear. Everything on the map is valid for some point in time and was mentioned in a document. But the timing is uncertain.

This is my initial conjecture, now updated with some research. As I learn more, I will alter my conjecture as new information indicates it is needed. There is a LOT of work left to do.

-- Wesley Johnston, Historian, 7th Armored Division Association --
Contemporary Records
Click on low-res images for full sized hgh-res images.

For now, I am just doing a rapid gathering of the fragments of information. Formatting and analyzing will come later.

Intelligence and After Action Reports
  • Presidential Unit Citation
    • Page 61 (22 Dec 1944 7AD Division Headquarters After Action Report)
      "Pressure continued to increase along the entire front, and as the 7th Armored Division shortened its lines and again regrouped, German infantry and tanks pressed strongly on all positions. Practically the entire Division area was now being engaged by long-range artillery fire, while to the North the enemy was along the East bank of the SALM River from East of TROIS PONTS to GRAND-HALLEUX, and in the South, along the high ground South of the highway running West from SALMCHATEAU. This meant that CC-B of the 9th Armored Division, the 112th RCT, the 424th RCT, three units of Corps troops (including the 275th AFA with the battered remnants of the 168th Combat Engineers), and the entire 7th Armored Division (less Trains) -- low on supplies and completely worn out after 5 days or more of continuous fighting -- were left East of the SALM with only one certain exit route (a secondary road leading West from VIELSALM) and one probable route (road: SALMACHATEAU--JOUBIEVAL--LIERNEUX)."

    • Page 85 (15 Dec 1944 Captured German GHQ LXVI Corps Order regarding German "Operation GREIF" - part of 7AD G-2 Periodic Report for 162100-172400 Dec 44)
      "5. Employment of forces of Undertaking "GRIEF" is planned along the following roads:
      a. Trois Ponts (5 km SW Stavelot), Bass Bodeux, Villettes, Bra, La Fourche, Haars, Deux Ryn, Roche a Freus.
      b. [Recht] (8.5 km NW St. Vith), Et. Thier, Ville du Bois, Vielsalm, Salmchateau, Roadcrossing at Point 444 (0.5 km N Joubienal), Hebronval, Regne, Roadcrossing at Point 538 (2 km SW Malempre), Monhay, Road Fork at Point 430 (Ostrand Grandmenil), Roadcrossing Point 200 (1 km N Mormont), Roche a fronc.
      c. Roche a fronc, Aisne, Juzaine, Domal, Road Fork 2 km SW Bomal, Tchigne, Oneux, Amas, Ocquier, Vervox. "

    • Page 103 (212400-222400 Dec 1944 7AD G-2 Periodic Report "Withdrawal West of Salm River Commences")
      "Two En Tks rptd in JOUBIEVAL 654862 at 1430. An Est Co Inf entered GOUVY from S at 1340. Trps at KROMBACH were receiving direct and S/A fire from flanks. GOUVY rptd clear of En at 1525. En Clm at 712765 at 1605 and an unconfirmed rpt of 30 Lt Armd Vehs moving on JOUBIEVAL 6586 from S was recd at 1600. "

  • 7th Armored Division Headquarters After Action Report
    • Page 14 (22 Dec 1944)
      "During the late afternoon and night of the 22 December 1944 the enemy was pressing strongly on all positions. It was also definitely confirmed that the enemy was in strength along the Salm River from TROIS PONTS (P6798) to GRAND HALLEUX (P6993) and along the high ground from south of the highway running west from SALMCHATEAU (P6987). This meant that the 106th Infantry Division, Combat Command B of the 9th Armored Division, the ll2th Regimental Combat Team, what remained of the 14th Cavalry Group, some corps troops including some corps artillery which had been attached to the 7th Armored Division, and the entire 7th Armored Division with attachments less Trains, were left east of the Salm River, low on supplies, and completely fatigued by five or more days and nights of continuous fighting, with only one sure exit route, a secondary road running west from Vielsalm (P7089), and one probable route, the road SALMCHATEAU (P6987)-JOUBIVAL (P6586)-LIERNEUX (P6289). The outnumbered troops were not holding well. As the position was obviously untenable a withdrawal was planned. See attached order Annex No. 3. All unessential vehicles were withdrawn at once, followed by part of the artillery (medium), which began displacing rearward at about midnight."

  • Signal Corps Photos
    • In 2005, on a visit to the Military History Institute at Carlisle, PA, I made a "Signal Corps - Geographical" spreadsheet of boxes. There were 2 boxes for Belgium, and folder 71 in box 1 was "Joubieval".

  • 31st Tank Battalion, Unit History, 1944 (created March 1945)
    • Page 7's list of "Losses in Action, Officers and Men" shows Capt. Robert C. Foster KIA in the engagement at St. Vith with the location as Joubieval, Belgium. This is incorrect. While the A/31 Morning Report showed the company moving to Joubiéval on 21 Dec, Capt. Foster was killed on the ridgeline east of St. Vith. I am not sure how these two locations 20 miles apart fit into that day. Two possibile situations that MIGHT be right are (1) he was killed early in the day while the move to Joubiéval took place later in the day. (But how did they travel 20 miles in that time?) or (2) The CO and the CP were 20 miles apart.

  • December 1944 Journal of Headquarters, 7th Armored Division Trains
    • 20 Dec 1944 (Order received 1342 hours from 7AD G-3 to CO of Division Trains
      "TO: CO Tns: Instruct Sv Co Wrapper [17th Tank Battalion] move to Joubleval 654866 by way of Hotton, Erzee, Manhay. G-3 1342"

  • 21 December 1944 - in 7th Armored Division General Orders #78 (10 May 1945), para IV, p 4
    • "IV. AWARDS OF PURPLE HEART: By direction of the President, and under the provisions of AR 600-45, as amended, the Purple Heart is awarded to:"
      "Private Vincent V. Pepe (Army Serial Number 32257051), Cavalry, 87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, Mechanized, United States Army, for wounds received as a result of enemy action on 21 December 1944, in the Joubieval Area, Belgium. Entered the military service from New Jersey."

  • December 1944 7th Armored Division G-4 [Supply] Journal
    • 20 December 1944
      "At 1315, msg was sent to Tns Comdr to move all Cl I, III & V supplies and set up Div Serv Prk at TOHOGNE. He was instructed to dump any trks necessary to move C1 I and III and then, after the supplies had been moved, to move the trains installations. Choice of route was left to the Tns Comdr. He was instructed not to disengage his holding force at ORTHO and to give no ground to the en. He was further told that the CG directed that he personally remain in command of the LA ROCHE situation. Tns Comdr was further instructed to have the Serv Co of the l7th Tk Bn move to JOUBIEVAL by way of HOTTON - EREZEE - MANHAY."

    • 21 December 1944
      "The only route from Div to MSR is SALMCHATEAU, W to JOUBIEVAL, N to LIERNEUX, N to RARMONT, N to RJ at K570985, left to WERBOMONT. Any direction N or W from that pt is O.K. Try to send me am and fuel to this loc. Clear all trks needed to accomplish mission. 20,000 rds 105 available Dep #129 ( K882337); 155 also needed there. Cl III - Trooz; Cl I - Olne. Am leaving for your CP now.""

    • 22 December 1944
      "It is of inerest that 15 minutes after the sup clm of the Exec O, Div Tns, had reached SALMCHATEAU, en tks were rptd in JOUBIEVAL, 3 mi to the W. This threat to our MSR was immediately taken care of by the 82d AB Div, who were guarding the southern posn of our MSR."

    • 22 December 1944
      "G-4 sent msg to CO, Div Tns, at 2022, to "stop all 7 AD ambs at your CP and hold them." Div retiring to the rear. 82d AB Div between JOUBIEVAL and WERBOMONT tonight.""

    • 23 December 1944
      "At 1230 the Maint O of the 31st Tk Bn rptd to the Asst G-4 that there were still five dead tks remaining at the VCP in VIELSALM, and no arrangements had beern made to evacuate them to the new area. When it was found that this O was planning to demolish the vehs and leave them there, the Asst G-4 summoned the PM and directed him to take five tks out of the 9th Armd Div CCB c1m, moving across the bridge at SALMCHATEAU and hook the five dead tks to these vehs, evacuating them NW on the road JOUBIEVAL - WERBOMONT. The PM rptd that this had been accomplished at 1415 and that the dead tks were now safely on the W side of the river, in the 82d AB Div area."

  • Individual Deceased Personnel File of Henri-Chapelle Unknown X-311
    • Recovered (PDF page 25) in the road at 663-857 (Vielsalm S. map). -- UPDATE 13 Mar 2023: There are three B/774th Tank Bn men who went missing 10 Jan 1945 in this area so that they are also candidates if they are still unaccounted.

  • Individual Deceased Personnel File of Sgt. William Powell (D/87)
    • Evacuated for treatment by 45th Armored Medical Battalion of 3rd Armored Division, where he died of his wounds

  • Wesley Johnston 2015 Report "St Vith Salient Unrecovered 7AD Men"
    • Concluded that A/31 unaccounted men Trandem and Warden were KIA east of St. Vith but could not find any information on the location of Osterlund's death whose IDPF I have since received and which indicates he was killed east of St. Vith and not at Joubiéval.

  • Hugh Cole "The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge"
    • Page 420
      Saturday 23 December 1944, 16:00 / Joubiéval, 50.259841,5.848071 / US Artillery / An attack to seize the village of Joubiéval --------------the main road, was launched late in the day but was repulsed by the American artillery.

Morning Reports
Day HqSv/87
20 Dec 1944 Joubieval, Belgium VP6686 / Departed area at Lamormenil, Belgium at 1530[?]. Arrived at Joubieval, Belgium at 1530. Weather unsettled.
21 Dec 1944 Joubieval, Belgium VP6686 / Remained in bivouac at Joubieval, Belgium. 1 EM LWA, 1 EM SWA. Weather rainy and unsettled.
[32 106 651[?] Meisner, Charles S/Sgt Dy to LWA, Div Clearing Sta. LD. Battle]
[34 192 327 Holt, Lloyd B. SSN 016 Tec 5 Dy to trfd to 56th Gen Hosp, SWA, LD, Battle]
22 Dec 1944 1 Mi S. Werbomont, Belgium VP5898[?] / Departed Joubieval, Belgium at 1400. Arrived 1 Mi S. Werbomont, Belgium at 1630. Weather snow.
Later-Retroactive 23 Dec [36 206 358 Ryerson, Donald J. SSN 668 S/Sgt AND 36 537 147 Owens, Elijah H. SSN 345 Pvt - Above 2 EM fr dy to MIA 20 Dec 44.]

24 Dec [CORRECTION 21 Dec 44. 32 106 651[?] Meisner, Charled SSN 821 S/Sgt Dy to LWA, Div Clearing Sta, LD, Battle SHOULD BE 32 106 651[?] Meisner, Charled SSN 821 S/Sgt Dy to trfd to Hosp unknown, Evacuated thru 106th Inf Div Clearing Sta, SWA, LD, Battle]
[34 138 802 Hart, Isah A. Jr. SSN521 Pvt Dy to MIA 21 Dec 44]

Were there other units?

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