December 1944 World War II Combat Interviews of the 7th Armored Division: The Battle of the Bulge -- Defense of St. Vith, Belgium

December 1944 World War II Combat Interviews
of the 7^th Armored Division:
The St. Vith Salient and Defense of Krombach, Manhay, and Grandmenil, Belgium Bookmark this page as http://www.7thArmdDiv.org/7adcid44.htm
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The following records and interviews were created in December 1944 - February 1945, covering the Battle of the Bulge (the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign) actions of the 7th Armored Division in

the defense of St. Vith, Belgium (17-21 December)
the defense of Krombach, Belgium (22-23 December)
the defense of Manhay, Malempré, and Grandmenil, Belgium (23-30 December)
the defense of Baraque du Fraiture (known as “Parker’s Crossroads”) (18-19 December)

The actions in the St. Vith Salient include Vielsalm, Poteau, Rodt, Recht, and other towns within the “fortified goose egg” defense. Some of the records also relate to Stavelot and to towns to the west of the Salm River.

Additional books on 7AD in the Defense of St. Vith are included in the links at the bottom of this page.

7th Armored Division Headquarters, plus 4 other interviews (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.
NOTE: While some of the interviews in this book cover both St. Vith and Manhay, the interviews related exclusively to Manhay and/or Grandmenil are in a separate book, immediately following this one.

7th Armored Division - Ardennes Breakthrough: List of Interviews (2 pages)
Division Headquarters
- Brig. Gen. Robert W. Hasbrouck, Commanding General (9 pages)
- Col. John L. Ryan, Chief of Staff (3 pages)
- Col. John L. Ryan, Chief of Staff (second interview, 3 pages)
- Statistics from G-1 Section (1 page)
- Lt. Col. Everett W. Murray, G-2 (2 pages)
- Maj. Charles New, Assistant G-2 (2 pages)
- Lt. I. Kornbloom, G-2 Section (1 page)
- Maj. Werner J. Moeller, Assistant G-3 (2 pages)
- Capt. Walter A. Maxwell, G-3 Section Air Liaison Officer (1 page)
Additional interviews
- Division Trains: Capt. Sam Plyler, former Cl III, now Cl. II officer, Division Trains (4 pages)
- Division Artillery, HQ & HQ Battery: Pfc. Edwin Charney; Pvt. Edmund J. Winiewicz (2 pages)
- 14th Cavalry Group: Capt. Henry H. Williamson, Assistant S-2 Officer (3 pages)
- 147th Armored Signal Corps: Sgt. James W. Duncan (2 pages, 1 map)

Manhay and Grandmenil, Belgium, December 24-30, 1944: Combat Interviews of 7th Armored Division and Some Attached Units (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

Division Headquarters
- Capt. John E. Kennedy, Assistant G-3 (2 pages)
- Major Charles New, Assistant G-2 (1 page)
Other 7th Armored Division (Organic or long-term attached)
- Lt. Gerald Reeves, Company "A", 40th Tank Battalion (1 page, 1 map)
- Sgt. Paul Abbott, 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion (1 page)
Other
- Manhay Timeline (compiled by T/3 Linnell Jones, 4th Information & Historical Section) (6 pages)
- Capt. Franklin P. Lindsey, Jr., CO of Troop "B", 32nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, 14th Cavalry Group (3 pages, 1 map)

Combat Interviews of 7th Armored Division Artillery: St. Vith and Poteau, Belgium, December 1944 (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.
Supporting 31st Tank Battalion and 48th Armored Infantry Battalion

Division Artillery, HQ & HQ Battery, Pfc. Edwin Charney; Pvt. Edmund J. Winiewicz (2 pages)
434th Armored Field Artillery Battalion Forward Observers at St. Vith (supporting Company "B" of 31st Tank Battalion)-Lt. Joseph M. Klein; Cpl Robert F. Campbell (WIA); T/5 W. R. Huss; Pvt (now Pfc) Walter Banninger; Pvt William Hair; Lt. Robert M. Davis; Sgt. Jack Ealer; T/4 Albert D'Andrea; T/4 John Gaber; Cpl Ross Hunnell; The above FO's were with B/31 (5 pages)
489th Armored Field Artillery Battalion Forward Observers at Poteau, Belgium (supporting Companies "A", "B", and C of 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)-1st Lt. Robert H. Deadrich, B/48; 1st Lt. Herbert F. Meyer, A/48; [2d Lt. Donald R. Bauer, C/48 KIA] (7 pages)

7th Armored Division Combat Commands (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

CCA - Colonel Dwight A. Rosebaum, Commanding Officer
CCB
- Brig. Gen. Bruce C. Clarke, Commanding General (6 pages)
- S-2 and S-3 Officers (9 pages)
  - Capt. George L. Treece, S-2 Officer
  - Capt. Owen E. Woodruff, S-3 Officer
  - Capt. Henry G. Ellett, Assistant S-3 Officer
- CCR - Major Fred Sweat, S-3 Officer (7 pages, 3 maps)

17th Tank Battalion, 7th Armored Division, December 1944: Combat Interviews, Morning Reports, After Action Reports, Germany and Belgium - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

Bn HQ-Lt. Col. John P. Wemple, CO; Major thomas W. Dailey, Executive Officer (11 pages, 7 maps)
A-Lt. Wilson; Lt. Nizinski; Assembled company men (8 pages, 3 maps)
B-Lt. Richard A. Hardin (4 pages, 1 map)
C-1st Lt. Charles D. Cagle, CO; Material also from; 2d Lt. Irving Goodman, 3d Plat (7 pages)
D-Lt. Vernon Files, CO (7 pages, 4 maps)
Also Includes
- 17th Tank Battalion After Action Report for December 1944
- 17th Tank Battalion Morning Reports for December 1944
- Painting and Map of AT/B/38 Positions in front of B/17 at Krombach, Belgium

23rd Armored Infantry Battalion (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

Bn HQ-Capt. Cleo S. Freed (3 pages)

HQ Company-Capt. Burton Pierce, 2nd Lt. Edward T. Drabin (A/23) (5 pages, 1 map)

HQ Company, Machine Gun Platoon-1st Lt. Philip S. Miller (4 pages, 1 map)

A-S/Sgt. Luis L. Holland (4 pages, 1 map)

A-1st Lt. Roger W. Creswell, Executive Officer (7 pages, 2 maps)

A-1st Lt. Roger W. Creswell, Executive Officer; Sgt. James Menendez (2/A/23) (5 pages)

B-Capt. Dudley J. Britton, CO; 1st Lt. Kenneth P. Jones; S/Sgt. John Marcu (3rd Platoon); S/Sgt. Ronald N. Fraser (3rd Plat); S/Sgt. Van H. Lewis (2nd Platoon); S/Sgt. Arthur B. Levinson (AT); T/5 Joseph Stengel (cook) (10 pages)

B-Capt. Dudley J. Britton, Commanding Officer (7 pages)

C-1st Lt. James A. Stonecipher, Commanding Officer (7 pages)

C/2-S/Sgt. Samuel C. Borreca (3 pages)

C/3-S/Sgt. James E. Sledge (4 pages, 1 map)

Task Force Navajo-1st Lt. Joe V. Whiteman (B/23) (5 pages)

Task Force Navajo-1st Sgt. Frederick J. Mabb, A/23; 1st Sgt. Andrew J. Ellmer, A/23 (2 pages)

31st Tank Battalion (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.
See also 7th Armored Division Artillery, for interviews of Forward Observers supporting 31st Tank Battalion and 33rd Armored Engineer Battalion (next book below) for Engineers attached to B/31 and C/31.

Lt. Col. Robert C. Erlenbusch, Commanding Officer of 31st Tank Battalion (13 pages, 5 maps)

A/31: Lt. John J. Dunn (Acting CO) (7 pages, 2 maps)

A/31: Lt. John J. Dunn (Acting CO) (second interview 1 page)

B/31: 1st Sgt Clifford Keck, Lt Melvyn Wischmeier (3 pages)

B/31: 1st Lt Harold H. Clark (3d Platoon Leader), 1st Lt Manuel Cepeda (1st Platoon Leader), with confirmation from Sgt Oreste F. Ciccone (2nd Platoon) (4 pages, 1 map)

C/31: Lt Floyd O. Swanger [Swonger], Lt Truman R. Bowman (5 pages, 1 map)

C/31: M/Sgt Rowland Tracier (1 page)

D/31: Capt. Clayton Kunze (3 pages, 1 map)

D/3: 1st Lt. William L. Wessel (1 page

33rd Armored Engineer Battalion (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

B & B/2-Capt. Morris H. Hochberg, Commanding Officer (5 pages, 2 maps)
B/1-Sgt. William A Miele; Sgt. Joseph A Howaniec; Sgt. Joseph Kozina; (CO, Lt. Darrell W. Grabb, WIA) (5 pages, 1 maps)
B/3-2d Lt. Ira F. Peak, Jr., 3d Plat (4 pages

38th Armored Infantry Battalion (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

Lt. Col. William H. G. Fuller, Commanding Officer (4 pages)

Major Alva McDaniel, 38 AIB Executive Officer (5 pages)

A/38: Capt. Walter H. Austey, Commanding Officer [Anstey] (8 pages, 3 maps)

B/38: Sgt. Knight; Capt. Maddox, Commanding Officer [Capt. Carl K. Mattocks] (4 pages)

B/38: Lt. M. A. Jamiel, 1st Platoon Leader [Morphis A. Jamiel] (8 pages, 2 maps)

C/38: Capt. Wilbur J. East, Commanding Officer (10 pages, 1 map)

40th Tank Battalion (transcribed, annotated, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

A-Lt. Harold I. Fiedler, CO; Capt. Allen (5 pages, 3 maps)
A-Lt. Herbert J. Borchers (2 pages)
A-Lt. Gerald Reeves, Commanding Officer (1 page, 1 map)
B-Capt. Emerson Wolfe, Commanding Officer (1 page)
B-Capt. Emerson Wolfe, Commanding Officer (second interview 1 page, 1 map)
Bn HQ-Lt. Col. John C. Brown, Commanding Officer (2 pages)
C/1-Lt. Gerald E. Reeves (6 pages, 3 maps)
D-1st Sgt. Melvin Kruck & others (2 pages, 1 map)

48th Armored Infantry Battalion (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.
See also 7th Armored Division Artillery, for interviews of Forward Observers supporting 48th Armored Infantry Battalion.

Major Lynn Carlson, 48 AIB Executive Officer (1 page, 1 map)

A/48: Lt. Orville R. Ousdahl on Poteau (4 pages, 1 map)

A/48: Lt. Orville R. Ousdahl on Manhay (3 pages, 1 map)

A/48: 1st Lt William D. Arbuthnot (2 pages)

B/48: Capt. Edward C. Vogelsang (3 pages, 4 maps)

B/48: Lt. Ernest W Van Winkle (3 pages, 1 map)

B/48: Anti-tank Platoon: Cpl George C. Finke, Pvt Paul Mickus, Cpl Joseph L. Chudzicki, Pfc Thomas N. Everett, Pfc Juke J. Padian, Pfc Charles W. Raver, Pfc Anthony Perugini, Pfc Harold W. Kendzora, Cpl Lowell A. Cox, Pvt Paul H. Cagle, Cpl Bogdan Stycien, Pfc Calvin L. Hester, Pfc Alvah Thompkins, Pfc Stanley A. Dombrowski (4 pages, 1 map)

B/48: Lt. Lewis M. Millican, Jr. (9 pages, 2 maps)

C/48: 1st Lt Herbert I. Burson (1 page)

C/48: Lt Richard T. Johnson, Sgt Keith G. Brock on Poteau (5 pages, 3 maps)

C/48: Lt Johnson on Manhay (2 pages)

C/48: T/4 John S. Gittins (3 pages)

87th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (transcribed, annotated and fully indexed, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

Bn HQ-Lt. Col. Vincent Boylan (3 pages, 5 maps)
A-Lt. Lee A. Mestas (5 pages, 2 maps) [see also 31st Tank Battalion interviews]
A/2-1st Lt. Vincent L. Heintzelman, Commanding Officer (1 page)
B-Sgt. Joseph B. KcKeon; 1st Sgt. Leonard H. Ladd (4 pages, 1 map) [see also 38th Armored Infantry Battalion interviews]
B-1st Sgt. Ladd (2 pages)
C-Capt. Donald L. Johnson, Commanding Officer (4 pages, 1 map) [see also 31st Tank Battalion interviews]
D-Lt. Arthur A. Olson (4 pages, 1 map) [see also 203rd Anti-Aricraft Artillery Battalion interviews]
F-Capt. Harlan C. Stine (4 pages, 1 map) [see also 17th Tank Battalion interviews]

147th Signal Company
Click here or scroll up to the 7th Armored Division Headquarters interviews, which included the 147th Signal Company interview.

203rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (transcribed, annotated, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

B-Capt. Robert Reid, Commanding Officer (5 pages, 3 maps)
B-Sgt. Joseph Gosztyla (2 pages)
D-Sgt. Rhinold Mruzinsky; T/5 Bernard Connolly (5 pages, 3 maps) [see also D/87 Recon interview]
D-Capt. H. A. Eaton, Commanding Officer (1 page)

434th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
Click here or scroll up for all 7th Armored Division Artillery interviews.

440th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
There were no interviews conducted of 440th AFAB men. Click here or scroll up for all 7th Armored Division Artillery interviews.

489th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
Click here or scroll up for all 7th Armored Division Artillery interviews.

814th Tank Destroyer Battalion (transcribed, annotated, with introduction) - Only available on Amazon.com. Click here to order on Amazon.com.

Bn HQ-Major Charles New, Assistant G-2; Col. Jones, 814 (1 page)
Bn HQ - TF Jones-Lt. Col. Robert B. Jones, Commanding Officer (814 TD Bn) (3 pages)
Sgt. Paul Abbott (1 page)
C-Capt. Donald E. Reid, Commanding Officer (4 pages, 1 map)
C & 1/C-Capt. Donald E. Reid, Commanding Officer (Co. C); Pfc Buford L. Mallot (1st Plat); Sgt. Dale H Dykes (1st Plat) (8 pages, 1 map)
2/C-Lt. Jack Dillender (6 pages, 1 map)
3/C-Lt. Hugo T. Bertruch, Jr. (7 pages, 1 map)

Links to Other Related Records That I Have Transcribed, Annotated, Indexed, and Published

Battle of the Bulge (the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign)

7th Armored Division Presidential Unit Citation, St. Vith, Belgium, December 1944: Recommendation, Supporting Documents, Combat Command "B" Citation
Boyer, Donald P. Boyer at St. Vith: Major Donald P. Boyer's "Personal Report: Narrative Account of Action of 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division, Battle of St. Vith, 17-22 December 1944" and "Notes - The Battle of St. Vith, 17-22 December 1944" (Click here for information about this book.)
US Army Armor School Research and Evaluation Division. The Defense of St. Vith, Belgium 17-23 December 1944: An historical example of armor in the defense. Fort Knox: Armored School. (Click here for information about this book.)
Selected World War II Combat Interviews.

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