134th Infantry Regiment "All Hell Can't Stop Us"

Pfc. Harry A. Krantz

Combat Medic, 134th Infantry Regiment

Aid Man - Company C, 2nd Platoon

Pfc Harry A Krantz - 1945	Pfc Harry A Krantz & Lt Joseph E Hein - 1945	Pfc Wesley Y Hasty - Pfc Harry A Krantz & Pfc Robert R Richardson
Pfc Harry A Krantz & S/Sgt Floyd M Sheffield - 1945	Lt Joseph E Hein - 1945	Pfc Harry A Krantz & Pfc Wesley Y Hasty - 1945

Harry A. Krantz was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 30, 1920. He was drafted and inducted into the Army June 28, 1943 and entered active service two weeks later on July 12, 1943 at Camp Grant, Illinois. He was 23 years old and single, the eldest son of Anton and Mary Krantz. At the time of his induction he was a baker at a commercial bakery in Chicago. After basic training, he departed for the European Theater of Operations (ETO) on January 2 arriving in England January 11, 1944.

His first assignment in the ETO was as a cook with Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). At that time SHAEF was at Camp Griffiss, Bushy Park, London, England. SHAEF moved from London to Versailles, France in August 1944. Pfc. Krantz continued to serve as a cook with SHAEF until October 11 when he was transferred through a series of replacement depots to Tidworth Barracks in south-east Wiltshire, England arriving there October 21, 1944. While at Tidworth he received training as a Medical Aid Man. After completing this training, he again traveled through a series of replacement depots before arriving at the 38th Replacement Battalion at Morhange, France on December 11, 1944. Two days later he received his final assignment to the 35th Infantry Division.

Pfc. Harry A. Krantz joined the Medical Detachment, 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division on Wednesday, December 13, 1944. He was assigned as an Aid Man (Combat Medic) to the 2nd Platoon of Company C. Although officially part of the Medical Detachment, Aid Men during WWII travelled with and were essentially a part of the infantry unit to which they were assigned. Their mission was to accompany the infantrymen, provide medical assistance and stabilize the wounded until they could be transported to an Aid Station. As medical personnel they were not permitted to carry weapons.

Just days before his arrival, the 35th Infantry Division fought its way into Germany inflicting and sustaining heavy casualties. The day prior to his arrival, the Division crossed the Blies River and entered the town of Habkirchen, Germany. The day of his arrival, during the early morning hours of December 13, 1944, they launched a large-scale offensive and after six days of fierce fighting a bridgehead into Germany was secured. On December 19, 1944, after fighting for 162 consecutive days, the 35th Infantry Division was ordered to hold and consolidate. Pfc. Krantz was awarded a Combat Medical Badge. The 35th Division moved to Metz, France on December 23, 1944 where they spent Christmas before being sent to the Ardennes to fight in the Battle of the Bulge.

On Christmas night the order to move was received and within 24 hours of leaving Metz they were in the thick of battle near Bastogne, Belgium. According to their Unit History, the Battle of the Bulge cost the Regiment 1,449 battle casualties including 140 killed, 1,011 wounded, and 298 missing. When most other units of the 35th Infantry Division left the Bastogne area and moved back to Metz, France January 18 - 19, 1944, the 134th Infantry Regiment remained in the Ardennes and continued fighting there as Combat Team 134 attached to the 6th Armored Division. Pfc. Krantz was wounded in action on Tuesday, January 23, 1945 near Troine, Luxembourg. He was treated at the 1st Battalion Aid Station at Hachiville but remained on duty. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his wounds.

Two days later, on January 25, 1945, Company C launched an attack from a wooded area over a snow-covered open field, toward the German held town of Weiswampach, Luxembourg. The town was situated approximately a mile or two away at a slightly elevated position. As the men of Company C started across the field, the enemy opened fire with mortars, small arms, and machine guns pinning them down, killing twelve and wounding twenty-one. Pfc. Harry A. Krantz was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for heroic action during this battle. According to his award citation "Because of the type of enemy fire utilized, it was difficult for medical aid personnel to move about, but Private Krantz, an aid man, with complete disregard for personal safety, moved among the personnel of Company C, administering first aid and, in many instances, carrying wounded to the safety of woods in the rear." On January 31, 1945, the 134th Infantry Regiment was detached from the 6th Armored Division and began the move north to rejoin the rest of the 35th Division in the vicinity of Gravenvoeren, Belgium about 10 miles south of Maastricht, Holland.

By early February 1945, Company C moved to the vicinity of Bocket, Germany, about 40 miles south west of Dusseldorf. Plans were made for the 35th Division to cross the Roer River on February 10, 1945, but the retreating enemy opened 2 large dams flooding the Roer River Valley and the surrounding countryside thus delaying the river crossing. The night of February 25, 1945 the 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry Regiment, of which Company C was a part, stormed the town of Hilfarth, Germany situated on the west bank of the Roer River and cleared the town of the enemy the next morning. By the end of February, the Roer River was crossed near Huckelhoven, Germany and the 35th Division swung north along the eastern bank, rapidly advancing to the west bank of the Rhine River. Early March found the Regiment in the vicinity of Venlo, Holland and on March 26, 1945, they crossed the Rhine River near Rheinberg, Germany about 25 miles north west of Essen.

During April 1945, the 134th Infantry Regiment continued its advance eastward across Germany toward the Elbe River. The end of the month saw the Regiment on occupation duty in the vicinity of Hannover where they were when the war in Europe ended on V-E Day. Another move in mid-May brought them to the Koblenz area of Germany, at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, where they continued occupation duty. Pfc. Krantz began his journey home in mid-July 1945, being redeployed with the rest of the Regiment to the tent city of Camp Norfolk, about 40 miles southeast of Reims, France. Departing the Port of LeHavre in mid-August for England, they spent a short time at Tidworth Barracks before sailing for the U.S. from Southhampton, England on September 5, 1945 aboard the Queen Mary.

The Queen Mary dropped anchor in New York Harbor five days later on Monday, September 10, 1945.  From there the troops traveled by rail to Camp Kilmer NJ.  The following day Pfc. Harry A. Krantz was assigned "for purpose of recuperation" to Camp Grant, Illinois, the same post where he had entered active service.  He was relieved of assignment and discharged from the Army on November 6, 1945.  A lifelong Chicagoan, after the war he continued to work as a baker until his retirement.  Harry A. Krantz passed away December 13, 1985.  He is buried at Windridge Memorial Park and Nature Sanctuary in Cary, IL.

Pfc Harry A Krantz

Picture of Nazi Flag captured by 2nd Platoon Company C, signed by Pfc. Harry A. Krantz

Group Photo - Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), Headquarters Company -  1944