Battle for Weiswampach, Luxembourg

Rex Bowers was born December 18, 1920 in Burley Idaho. He is one of five children of Elias and Hannah Bowers. He was raised on a farm west of town in an area known as Starrh's Ferry. He graduated from Burley High School in 1938 and married his high school sweetheart, Myrtle Smith. He affectionately called his young wife "Smitty." By 1944, they had had three children--Marilyn Jean, Gary Rex, and Diana Gail.

He received his induction notice in the spring of 1944 and took his basic training at Camp Hood, Texas. He qualified as Marksman on the firing range, and made the 35-mile march in 24 hours with full field pack "with flying colors." After a brief furlough home in November, he boarded the train to Fort Meade, Maryland. He was shipped overseas on December 22, 1944, from Boston Harbor, aboard the British cruise liner, the Aquitania, to the Port of Grenock, Scotland.

Landing at LeHarve, France, on New Year's Eve of 1944, Rex was transported by train and truck to the front line, joining Company C of the 134th Infantry Regiment as a rifleman on January 8, 1945. At some point he was assigned the BAR. He was on the front line for 17 days before he was killed at Weiswampach, Luxembourg with a gun shot wound to the head.

His daughter Marilyn was five years old when her father was killed. His son Gary was three years old, and Diana was six months old. He saw Diana for the first time when he was home on furlough in November of 1944, prior to being sent overseas. Rex was originally buried at the Grand Failly, France, Military Cemetery but his body was returned home to his family in December of 1948. Today he lies in the family plot in the Gem Memorial Gardens cemetery in Burley, Idaho.

Roy "Francis" Cooper was born on May 16, 1924 in Virginia. Francis is the son of Thomas Felton Cooper, Sr. and Grace Loretta Ward. His father, Thomas, served in World War I. He entered the Army on June 24, 1918 and served in France where he drove a team of mules delivering supplies to the troops.

Francis had ten brothers and sisters: Aubrey, Harold, Thomas, William, a still born infant boy, James, Jean, Charles and Julia. His brother Charles was eight years old when Francis was killed. Charles idolized his older brother and remembers vividly when he came home on leave for the final time.

Francis entered the military on April 30, 1943 from Richmond, Virginia. He joined Company C on September 25, 1944. He was listed as sick on the Morning Reports from October 12-16, 1944, but then returned to the front line. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant on January 12, 1945. He was Killed in Action on January 25, 1945.

He was not buried in the same Plot as the other January 25th Company C casualties in the American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France but was buried in the Hamm Cemetery in Luxembourg. In 1948, his body was shipped home to his family, and he is at rest in Woodland Cemetery in Chase City (Mecklenburg County), Virginia.

Frederick Franklin (Fritz) Crider was born on the family farm located west of Junction City, Kansas, on March 13, 1914. His parents are Frank H. and Mary Crider and the family included five other brothers, Abraham, Charles, Preston, John and Sam - and three sisters - Ella Mae, Sarah, and Mary. Fred acquired his education at the Acker rural school located six miles west of Junction City on Kansas Highway 18. He graduated from the 8th grade in 1930, and then worked at farming with his family until he entered the armed forces soon after Pearl Harbor, in February of 1942. Until then, he had not wandered far from home, having lived his entire life in Geary County. According to his obituary, printed on the front page of the Junction City Daily Union for Feb. 16, 1945, prior to entering the service, he had been engaged in working both his parents' farm and part of the adjoining A.B. Dietrich farm, while living at home. His mother was apparently a widow by then.

Fred Crider saw action in France, with the 134th Infantry, following the Normandy Invasion. He was wounded at St. Lo. He was hospitalized in England until he returned to duty on January 11, 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge. Fritz was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant on January 21, 1945. He was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg. He was 30 years old at the time of his death.

On November 23, 1944, Fred wrote a letter to his sister, Ella Cooper Britt, "Dear Sis: A few lines from France again. I haven't got back to the old outfit yet, but will use the address because I hope to be back there pretty soon. We had a pretty fair dinner today, plenty of turkey. I have been living on field rations for several weeks. I wrote Mom a letter but will let the rest go awile [sic]. I don't get to much time for letter writing. They keep us on the move pretty well. They really tore parts of France up; you can't believe it until you see it. The people look pretty well taken care of. Better off than some of the English. I haven't heard from you for some time. Write when you can and Merry Christmas, brother. Fred."

Fred's niece, Elle Grasso, and nephew, Charles Britt still live in the area. Elle writes, " . . . I have a vague memory of him but most of what I know or Charles knows would be what we've gleaned from parents, aunts, uncles and cousins. I was only 6 years old and my brother only 4 when Uncle Fritz died. I know he thought a lot of us and we of him. They said he had one green eye and one blue (I don't remember that, but I'm sure he must have). He was a natural born artist -- somewhere around here I'm sure I still have the pencil drawing he did of my mother. He was good at building things of wood. Also liked whittling or carving. I have a tiny basket that he carved from a peach pit and gave to my mother. . . . Even as a small child, I was aware of the terrible sadness that descended on our family with his passing. Loosing Uncle Fritz left a big hole in all of our lives that could never quite be filled. After all these years, I've found myself crying as I've gone through these old pictures and letters. He was much loved and still missed . . . "

Two of Fred's brothers, Abraham and Charles, were also serving in the military at that time. Abraham was able to visit Fred's gravesite at Grand Failly Military Cemetery in France after the war in Europe was over in 1945. Fritz was buried in Plot K, Row 12, Grave 289 next to Company C men, Stacy and Patrick also killed at Weiswampach. In 1948, Fred's remains were returned to the United States and now rest in Highland Cemetery.

Paul Jones was born in Sardis Ohio on September 17, 1922. His parents are Charles and Leota May Jones. He has three sisters and three brothers, Ruth Johnson, Grace Grossenbacher, Mary Alice Werntz and Cecil Jones. Two other brothers, Ned and Arden Jones, are deceased. He met his wife when he came to work on the farm next to her parents during the first part of 1944. His daughter, Paulette Jones Lytle Lucas, was born in March 1945, a month after her father's death.

He entered the military at Fort Hayes Columbus, Ohio on July 6, 1944. He took his basic training at Fort Hood, Texas. He went overseas in December of 1944, leaving the port at Boston with Rex Bowers and Jim Graff aboard the Cruise Ship, Aquitania. He joined Company C on January 8, 1945 outside of Marvie, Belgium. He was Lt. Wallace Chappell's radio man. By this time Lt. Chappell was in Command of Company C. He was Killed in Action at Weiswampach, Luxembourg on January 25, 1945. He was 23 years old when he died.

He was originally buried in the temporary American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France, in Plot K, Row 12, Grave 292 next to Patrick and Palladino both Company C men also killed at Weiswampach. In 1948, he was among the 1,700 American dead from the temporary cemetery at Grand Failly to be reburied at Hamm. Today he rests at the American Military Cemetery at Hamm, Luxembourg in Plot F, Row 10, Grave 4.

John J. Konopka was from Throop Pennsylvania. His father is Charles Konopka. He had two brothers also serving in the military, Marine Cpl Frank Konopka from Quantico, Virginia and Tech (5G) Henry Konopka in New Guinea.

He joined Company C on September 20, 1944 and was wounded on September 26, 1944. He returned to Company C on January 11, 1945. He was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg.

John Konopka was originally buried at the American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France, Plot K, Row 12, Grave 295 next to Company C soldier Joseph Ernest Polson also killed at Weiswampach. In 1948, he was among the 1,700 American dead from the temporary cemetery at Grand Failly to be reburied at Hamm. Today he rests at the American Military Cemetery at Hamm, Luxembourg in Plot F, Row 10, Grave 4.

Richard C. Larrieu was from Wilkinson County, Mississippi. He was born in 1917 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the son of John George Larrieu and Marion Richards Larrieu. He has two sisters, Jeannette Timmesch and Myrl Calvert. His father died in May of 1946. "He lost his will to live after Richard was killed" Jeannette says. Richard had planned to get into the cattle business following the war. He had started a herd of cattle for the plantation (Millbrook) his family owned. He was a 1940 graduate of Mississippi State College in Oxford, Mississippi.

Richard joined Company C as platoon leader on January 21, 1945. He is mentioned in a letter which Lt. Dan Neel wrote to Dale Stacy's parents, "I was leading the 1st platoon and we attacked with the 2nd platoon on our right. I believe your son (Dale Stacy) was in the 2nd platoon which was under the command of 1st Lt. Richard Larrieu. I would refer you to him, but Lt. Larrieu was also killed that day."

PFC James Graff writes about Larrieu's death ". . . He (Pfc Richard Gerstbauer) had a shrapnel wound in the side of his head. He also said that the lieutenant (Larrieu) had been blown in two by the same shell that had wounded him."

1st Lt. Larrieu was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg. He was buried in the American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France in Plot K, Row 12, Grave 286, next to Company C men Show and Scott who were also killed at Weiswampach. His body was returned to the United States and he is buried in the family plot which his grandparents purchased in New Orleans, Louisiana. His parents are also buried there.

Michael R. Palladino was from Brooklyn (Kings County) New York. He is the son of Joseph and Margaret Palladino. His Americian Battle Monuments Commission interment record lists their address as 366 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.

Michael joined Company C on January 17th from the 83rd Replacement Depot outside of Michamps, Belgium. He was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg.

He was originally buried in the American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France, in Plot K, Row 12, Grave 293 next to Ernie Polson and Paul Jones. In 1948, he was among the 1,700 American dead from the temporary cemetery at Grand Failly to be reburied at Hamm. Today he rests at the American Military Cemetery at Hamm, Luxembourg in Plot F, Row 12, Grave 4.

Charles H. Patrick was from Chatham County, Georgia. He was born on November 19, 1916. He was married to Delia (Eula) Mae Botler and had two children, a son, Charles S. and a daughter, Brenda. He entered the military on September 1, 1941. At least three years prior to his assignment to the 134th, he was in the Corp of Military Police at Ft. Benning, Georgia.

He joined Company C, of the 134th Infantry Regiment from the 38th Replacement Battalion on October 1, 1944. He was put on sick leave November 5, 1944, but returned to duty the following day, November 6, 1944. He was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg. PFC James Graff (C-134) remembers talking to Patrick the night before he was killed. He had drawn a pencil map of the State of Georgia on his field jacket. According to Graff it was very graphic and very artistically done. Jim doesn't remember what they talked about. Charles was killed when he charged a machine gun nest and was gunned down, Jim believes.

Charles was originally buried at the American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France, Plot K, Row 12, Grave 290 next to Company C men Fred Crider and Paul Jones who were also killed at Weiswampach. In 1948 his body was returned home to his family in Georgia where he was buried in the Greenboro City Cemetery in Greenboro, Greene County, Georgia.

Joseph Ernest (Ernie) Polson was born September 17, 1921 at Commerce, Missouri. His parents are Charles Polson and Georgie Florence Steyn. He had two sisters, Daisy and Ruby, and one brother, Orlo. He was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg.

Ernie joined the military on July 17, 1942 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. His enlistment record shows he was 67 inches tall and weighed 132 pounds. He served as a member of an antiaircraft unit in California then was transferred to Texas before being sent overseas in December, 1944. Polson joined Company C on January 8, 1945 outside of Bastogne near Marvie. Bastogne and the 101st Airborne had been relieved, but the Germans were still attacking. He had gone overseas with Rex Bowers and Paul Jones who were also Killed in Action on January 25, 1945. His brother, Orlo, was also serving in the Army and it was reported that he was only three miles away from his brother when Ernie was killed. The family was devastated by the loss of Ernie. His father, Charles, grieved himself to death, dying on December 19, 1946.

Ernie was originally buried at the American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France, Plot K, Row 12, Grave 294 between Company C men Palladino and Konopka also killed at Weiswampach. In November, 1948, his body was returned to his family and his buried in the family plot at Rose Lawn Memorial Garden, Festus, Jefferson County, Missouri.

Melvin Earl Scott was born November 9, 1918 in Clay City, Indiana. He was one of three children born to Luther A. Scott and Elva Mae Bedwell. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on May 2, 1944 at Fort Benjamin Harrison. He was married to Laura Laudermilk and was the father of four children: Viola Bell born in 1940, Floyd Earl (1941), Patricia Ann (1943) and Hoyt Lee Scott (1944). His son Floyd is a Viet Nam veteran. His grandfather, Abraham Alexander Scott, served in the Civil War, and was wounded at Fredericksburg, Virginia. He died of his wounds on December 31, 1861, leaving behind a wife and four small children.

Melvin Scott joined C Company on November 13, 1944. The 1st Battalion was on the high ground commanding the approaches to Morhange from the southwest at this time. Melvin had a brother, Floyd A. Scott who was also with the 134th Infantry Regiment of the 35th Division. PFC Floyd A. Scott, was Killed in Action on January 6, 1945, having been reported as missing in action on January 1, 1945.

Kenneth Sutton of the 35th Division told Jim Graff who served with Company C-134 that on January 4, he, and two other men, one of whom was possibly Melvin Scott, hid in a straw stack for seven or eight days to keep from being captured. All they had to eat in that time was K rations. One man had a Bible. The German soldiers got straw from that stack for their foxholes while the men were hiding there. Finally, the Company C men decided they had to leave and started walking. A German shot at them and missed so they turned around and walked away, and the Germans no longer bothered them. They made it safely to the American lines. Dale Stacy from Indiana saw Kennrth Sutton on the front line. In a letter to his parents, Dale wrote, " . . . the other is Melvin Scott from Linton. He is the one that had the wreck at the pavement and our road, with a 37 Chev. and a cream truck, remember long time ago."

He was reported as Missing in Action on January 8th and returned to Company C on January 13th. Melvin E Scott was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg. He was originally buried in the Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France, Plot K, Row 12, Grave 287 next to his Company C friend, Dale Stacy, also killed at Weiswampach. In December, 1948 his body was returned to his family in Clay City, Indiana. He is buried at the Maple Grove Cemetery.

Sanford (Sonny) E. Show was from Farmington, Pennsylvania. He was born July 17, 1922. His parents are Nelson and Perl Show. He had two younger sisters, Irene and Fay. He entered service from Greensburg, Pennsylvania on January 27, 1943. He had a high school education and worked as a lumberman according to his enlistment record. The enlistment record also indicates that he was 71 inches tall and weighed 184 pounds.

Show was married and had an 18 month old daughter, Sandra Lee Show (Simensen). On his final leave home before being shipped out, there was so much snow on the ground that he could not get back to base. When he finally arrived his unit had already shipped out. He joined Company C on January 21, 1945 along with Dale Stacy. They both were assigned to Company C from the 83rd Replacement Depot.

He was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg. Sharon Tranovich, niece of Sandy, recalls that "Grandma Show never talked about her son. Everything got quiet following Sandy's death, everything changed forever." Sandy's widow later remarried. Daughter Sandra Lee died in 2012.

T/5 Sanford E. Show was originally buried at the American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France. Plot K, Row 12, Grave 285 between Rex Bowers and Richard Larrieu, Company C men also killed at Weiswampach. In 1948, Sandy's body was returned to his family and he now rests in the family plot at the Samson Chapel Cemetery in Farmington, Wharton Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania.

Dale Edwin Stacy was born May 2, 1923 in Lyons, Indiana. He is the son of Hubert Stacy and Edna Kearn. There were three children: Dale, Helen and Harold. Dale graduated from Switz City High School in 1941.

He entered the service on August 18, 1943 and received his basic training at Camp Hood Texas. He was sent overseas in January of 1945 joining Company C on January 20th from the 83rd Replacement Depot. In his last letter home, dated January 23, 1945, he asked for a few comforts from home and for his sister to send him some home made fudge candy (chocolate preferred). He was Killed in Action January 25, 1945 at Weiswampach, Luxembourg. He had been gone from home only 17 days when he was killed in action.

His parents were grief stricken. They wrote letters to 134th Infantry men, to the U.S. Government and to anyone they thought could help them understand what happened to their son. Sgt. Robert Hogue from Wood River, Illinois wrote, "On the morning of the 25th of January, Company C went into the attack with the objective being the town of Weiswampach, Luxembourg. The town was situated about five (5) miles from the woods where the company went in to attack that morning, but due to the deep snow and heavy woods it was about four o'clock in the afternoon before we came into sight of the town . . . If I am not mistaken, Dale was hit there . . . Our Company was pretty badly shot up."

Lt. Dan Neel wrote, "I know that anything I could say would be of little consolation to you. But you may be sure that we of the Infantry will never forget our comrades who fell in battle while fighting with us. It is hard for many to understand the close brotherhood that comes out of going into battle together. And therefore, I can appreciate and understand your loss."

Dale was buried at the American Military Cemetery at Grand Failly, France in Plot K, Row 12, Grave 288, next to his Indiana Company C friend, Melvin E. Scott, also killed at Weiswampach. In 1949 his body was returned to his family, and he now rests in the family plot in the Prairie Chapel Cemetery, Lyons, Indiana.

James Graff served with Company C, 134th Infantry Regiment and fought at Weiswampach. In 1995 Mr. Graff wrote the following article describing the battle and the dedication of the memorial.

Over 50 years ago, January 24 - 26, 1945 to be exact, was fought a bitter battle at the approaches to and at the small Luxembourg village of Weiswampach. Task Force Craig consisting of the 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry, 35th Division and supported by tanks of the 6th Armored Division to which the 134th had been attached. This was the attacking force.

In C Company, 1st Battalion, 134th was a young infantryman, 25 years old from Idaho: Rex M. Bowers who was a father of three small children. He had joined C Company on January 8, 1945 after leaving the States on December 22, 1944. Rex was trained at Camp Hood, Texas for 17 weeks and after a ten day delay enroute home was shipped out of Boston, Mass. enroute to the ETO. Landing in Greencock, Scotland on Dec. 29 he went by train to Southhampton and across the channel to land on the beach at LeHavre on New Year's Day, 1945. By 40/8 boxcars to Metz and a 90 mile truck ride to Martelange, Belgium and into the line on Jan. 10 southeast of Bastogne near Lutrebois, Belgium.

The Bulge was fast disappearing, but as we members of C Company would find out, the Germans were still full of fight. When pressed close, they turned and fought like junkyard dogs. As we left the half-tracks which had been furnished by the 6th Armored we saw a group of German POWs and a corpse on a child's sled. Also a wounded tanker with a bandage over his eyes was riding in a jeep with another POW perched on the hood.

We were soon moving out north of the village of Wilderdange across snow-swept fields while the tanks stayed on the Sky Line Drive. We came under severe small arms fire and in the process lost some men killed and wounded. By late afternoon we had secured shelter in some woods and were busy digging in.

Next day we proceeded to advance towards Weiswampach. At first our only obstacle was the deep snow, two or more feet of it. As we came out of the woods west of the village we were subjected to heavy mortar, small arms and tank fire. Again and again we tried to advance, but were beaten down by vicious machine gun fire.

Sometimes in the afternoon of this, the 25th of January, Pfc. Rex M. Bowers was killed in action. Our company was obliged to dig in and later in the evening to fall back to a little town, which had been cleared earlier by the armor. I and another man slept with and old sheep and a couple of lambs.

Next morning we again attacked the town from the east and our only loss was one tank to American mines, which had remained, buried in the snow for 6 weeks since the Bulge had begun on December 16, 1944. We were relieved on the afternoon of 26 January by elements of the 358th Infantry, 90th Division. Germany was a stone's throw away over the Our River.

C Company had lost on officer and eleven enlisted men KIA, 21 WIA including 3 seriously wounded and 5 enlisted men who were lost to frostbite. C Company had sustained 199 casualties during the month of January, 1945, including 29 KIA and had received a total of 119 replacements - a sad month to say the least.

Forty-nine years were to pass when I got a telephone call from a lady in Denver, Colorado. She asked me, as the Secretary of the 134th Infantry Association, if I could help her find anyone who might have known her father who had been killed in Luxembourg in 1945. I asked some particulars and discovered she was Rex Bowers' daughter. He and I had joined C Company together although I really didn't know him. After a year of corresponding and attending a 35th Division reunion in Topeka, Kansas, Marilyn and her husband David wanted to erect a memorial to her dad and the rest of the men killed with him.

With help from Mr. and Mrs. Camille Kohn and Mrs. Tillie Kimmes, who are leaders of the C.E.B.A. group in Luxembourg and, of course, help from the good citizens of Weiswampach we decided on a memorial plaque. It was cast in California. The C.E.B.A. people contacted the village fathers and they erected a seven-ton stone, mounted the plaque and put up matching flagpoles and an eternal light.

On April 1st, 1995 David and Marilyn Jensen, her sister, Diana Schlund, and my wife Alice and I went to Weiswampach, Luxembourg to dedicate this plaque. We were greeted by a great multitude of citizens of the village and surrounding area - the school children, the fire brigade with their youth auxiliary, municipal band, U.S. Embassy officials, city fathers, the lady mayor, the priest, and a great turnout. Also in attendance was Katie Kremer, a native of Weiswampach, who lived there during the war. She now lives in Calumet City, Illinois and we are fortunate to have made her acquaintance.

We dedicated this memorial to the men killed here, but really to all the men of the 35th killed in 10 months of combat in the ETO. You cannot believe the reception they gave us. After the memorial service in the Village Square, we had a huge reception in a large tent erected for this ceremony. Here we met two men who were 16 year old teens when we attacked the town. They told me that the Germans had 20 tanks in the town, but only enough fuel for 3 to be operational. They were waiting for a resupply from across the Our River during the night. They had pulled out when we attacked on the 26th, except for one disabled tank, which was burning, when we entered the town. They also told of the death of 2 civilian women during the attack. A Mrs. Hoffman also lost her right arm.

The Bowers girls and their brother knew nothing about their father's military history, because of some unusual circumstances.

I, James G. Graff, of Middletown, Illinois, was a BAR man and platoon runner during my term of service in C Company, 134th Infantry. I came home from overseas with them and was discharged out of the 5th Division in April 1946. My wife Alice and I farmed for 43 years and have been married for 53. We have 4 children and 11 grandchildren.

The following is an excerpt from James G. Graff's memoir Reflections of a Combat Infantryman - A Soldier's Story of C Company, 134th Infantry, 35th Division.

"On January 25, 1945, I remember moving out of the woods and finding that the Germans had our area zeroed in with light machine guns and rifle fire. And by now tank fire. Light tanks of the 6th Armored were with us and this was to our advantage. The fire from both sides got heavier and more accurate. Most of the men at this time dropped into the deep snow. Men fell from both sides of me. This was caused by the tank fire and the machine gun fire. Oh, yes, the blasted machine guns seemed like they would never stop. We could see the white tracers just over our heads. We were mixed up and didn't know which direction to run. As the sky became dark, we began to bring our wounded out. Wounds of all description were noted, and the medics were at hand. What a grand contribution they made in the caring of our soldiers. Lt. Neel informed us to be on the alert. The Germans knew our position and shelled us with screaming meemies [multi barreled rockets). The Lt. ordered us to pull out and guide on a village on fire."

Letter dated Oct. 15, 1945, from Lt. Dan Neel to Dale E. Stacy's parents whose son was Killed in Action during the battle.

" . . . Our company had been attacking during the whole day that your son, Dale Stacy, was killed. We got up at 0630 (six thirty) and had a short breakfast. Around 0800 we started our attack through the woods toward the town of Weiswampach, Luxemburg (sic). During most of the day fighting was very sporadic, and I don't believe we had any casualties. Around 4:00 o'clock we came to the edge of the woods and could see the town about 900 - 1000 yards away. Between Company C and the town it was all fields with absolutely no cover as concealment.

Our company along with another rifle company was ordered to launch our assault across the open terrain. At the time I was leading the 1st platoon and we attacked with the 2nd platoon on our right. I believe your son was in the 2nd platoon which was under the command of 1st Lt. Richard Larrieu. I would refer you to him but Lt. Larrieu was also killed that day. The Germans had very good observation & they held their fire until we had advanced some 200 yards. Then they opened fire from three directions on our platoons. Within 15 minutes we had suffered 83 casualties. Even with these casualties we tried in the best way we knew how to press home our attack, but finally the intensity of enemy fire forced us to withdraw to the forest. The next day we took the town.

I know that anything I could say would be of little consolation to you. But you may be sure that we of the infantry will never forget our comrades who fell in battle while fighting with us. It is hard for many to understand the close brotherhood that comes out of going into battle together. And therefore I can appreciate and understand your loss . . . "

"On the 25th of January, 1945, elements of the 6th Arm Div, supported by the 134th Infantry, approached the village of Weiswampach. One part of the town is located on a high ground on the eastern side. From there the Germans had a magnificent view round and so they defended this part of the village with stamina and were supported by tanks. Consequently, the Americans drew together, leaving the town. The U.S. artillery then bombed the village. The church got hit 8 times, but not the steeple, which was an excellent observation point for the Germans. From that steeple they could observe all the movements of the Americans. Reaching the edge of a wooded area past Weiswampach, the 1st Battalion, 134th Infantry was halted by mortar and small arms fire. The woods were studded with enemy anti-tank guns, which prevented supporting tanks from advancing the foot troops. The 1st Battalion being temporarily pinned down renewed the attack the next morning and took the town of Weiswampach."

James Steinhaufel's interview with Marilyn Bowers Jensen, daughter of Pfc Rex M. Bowers who was Killed in Action during the Battle at Weiswampach.

"On January 25, 1945, I remember moving out of the woods and finding that the Germans had our area zeroed in with light machine guns and rifle fire. And by now tank fire. Light tanks of the 6th Armored were with us and this was to our advantage. The fire from both sides got heavier and more accurate. Most of the men at this time dropped into the deep snow. Men fell from both sides of me. This was caused by the tank fire and the machine gun fire. Oh, yes, the blasted machine guns seemed like they would never stop. We could see the white tracers just over our heads. We were mixed up and didn't know which direction to run. As the sky became dark, we began to bring our wounded out. Wounds of all description were noted, and the medics were at hand. What a grand contribution they made in the caring of our soldiers. Lt. Neel informed us to be on the alert. The Germans knew our position and shelled us with screaming meemies (multi barreled rockets). The Lt. ordered us to pull out and guide on a village on fire.

We left the medics with the wounded who would be rescued in the morning. The rest of the night Graff and I slept in a barn, burrowed in the sheep manure. Pooie. During the night we were all but wiped out. The next morning we had hot chow brought up to us. After chow we pulled out again to take Weiswampach. But things didn't shape up. As we approached Weiswampach, one of the tanks hit a mine. Two Company C men, Sgt. Loos and PFC Graff removed the mines. Not until then did the tanks move out. We entered the town without firing a shot."

Weiswampach un die Rundstedtoffensive pp 456-464, Wamper Chronik, Fanfare Weiswampach, 1988 - Translated by Elisabeth McComas, Denver, Colorado

"On January 16, 1945, word got around that the Americans are getting closer. The Wehrmach is retreating. The village is swarming with soldiers and equipment. With every sound in the air, they look fearfully upward.

In spite of camouflage, not all vehicles remain unnoticed to the fighter planes. Around 4:00 p.m. it culminated into a terrible battle involving several tanks close to the Heinz-Krier house. The result is gruesome. Eighteen young soldiers die, six immediately, the others in the military hospital located in the school. Three houses are destroyed, Heintz-Krier, Reuland and Leyder-Schaus. The houses around are heavily damaged. Four of the German horses are killed by the fallout. The owners of the houses are only lightly wounded.

At the same time the barns and stables of the family Tinnes-Kneip were destroyed by bombs. The first American bombs are coming in. The citizens are mostly staying in their cellars. Owners of horses are made to hitch their horses up for snow clearing to keep the streets open.

On January 21, 1945, the House Lis-Reuland is hit by a bomb and destroyed. The day after, artillery fire kill two cows in the stable of Kreis-Noel. In the workshop of Hoffman-Eugene, an ox and two cows are fatally wounded.

During this hail of artillery fire, the Germans try to recruit 150 men for snow shoveling. They are attacked by planes. Two Belgian men are killed.

On the knoll in the direction of Breidfeld, flack is in position. A fighter plane attacks this position flying low. His guns are lighting up, rotating in a circle. Soldiers are tossed into the air. The plane disappears. The wounded cry out. There were casualties.

On January 24, 1945, the barn Schaus burns down as a result of a tank which explodes.

On January 25, 1945, it is rumored that this will be the last day for the Field Gray in Weiswampach. A frost clear morning, over a snow-covered landscape, announces an eventful day. Briedfeld is partly burned out because of nightly phosphorous attacks. The Americans had moved in. Bombs explode. Soldiers in white suits are going in between houses, slowly, carefully. Before noon three soldiers, half frozen, hungry and dirty arrive at Neckel-Hoffmann Haus. They are very young and ask for something to eat. They cry for their mothers. They are offered potatoes, which are still cooking on the stove, not quite done, but they eat them. They depart for a field barn in the Grait. Meanwhile a German tank which was positioned at the spot where now stands the Broquet-Huet house keeps firing to the West.

Soon there appears in the clear sky a small observation plane and it circles giving a fire request that soon brings artillery fire to the Grait. The field barn in which the three soldiers are in is hit. All three receive multiple wounds. They drag themselves to Grait-Neckel. For two, help comes too late. The third was shot through his leg. Neckel applies a linen bandage. The soldier drags himself to the street and is taken in by nurses in today's Lemper-Frich Haus.

About 4:00 p.m. that afternoon the houses Hoffman-Neckel and Koch-Kutsch are hit by phosphorous bombs. The cellar occupants at Neckel's are his family and neighbors. They all flee from the cellar. Part of them look for shelter at the FlickVictor Haus. While Neckel is trying to free his animals from the stable, more grenades come down. His son, Josy, barely escapes a show of shrapnel. So Neckel gives up on his plan. Josy, age 12, lets his dog loose, and takes him along to Flick-Victor.

About evening time, the Hoffman family leaves the Flick Haus. Neckel is not with them. They wanted to make it to the Fellens house. The house door is locked so they cannot enter immediately. At that moment, two more shells hit-one in the garden and one in the wall above the house door. Fragments hit Mrs. Marie Kneip Hoffman in the neck. Mrs. Kneips back is hit. Mrs. Anna Hoffman is hit in the arm. Josy Hoffman's arm and Alice Hoffman's lower body is hit. All wounded are taken into the house. A German medic renders first aid by applying bandages. More he is unable to do. At that time the Colling-Peter Haus is burned down. A few soldiers hit with shrapnel are burned to death with it. Shelling keeps coming, especially in the upper village. Helen Girson, wife of Harry Schaus is hit and dies that evening.

Suddenly American tanks roll in. German tanks do the same. American tanks retire, then advance again. The Germans make it as far as (Wilwerdingen) the church and fire towards Wilwerdingen, and then hide themselves behind the houses. But the Americans answer with ever increasing strength. The church tower which all this time has been the observation post for the surrounding area is badly damaged. About daybreak the Germans retreat and the Americans return, first tanks, later massive infantry. About 60 Germans which had been hiding in small groups give themselves up. The citizens give a sigh of relief. All wounded soldiers and civilians are rapidly transported via Red Cross cars to the Military Hospital at Bastnach."

The following excerpt is from the 134th Infantry Regiment's unit history by Major General Butler B. Miltonberger, Former Commanding Officer, 134th Infantry Regiment and Major James A. Huston

"Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion reverted from attachment CCA to CCB, and then mounted its most difficult attack - against the strongly defended town of Weiswampach. It was another case of facing direct gunfire and small arms over snow-covered fields, and once more the 1st Battalion turned to night attack. It fought its way into Weiswampach at 0630 on 26 th January, and with a firm foothold among the buildings, was able to do an effective mopping-up. Elements of the 90th Division relieved the 1st Battalion there, and the latter, still attached to CCB moved down to Fischbach on the Regiment's right."

"25 January . . . CCB (Read) atking [attacking] at 250900A with TF Root on the left and TF Craig (1st Battalion 134th Inf Regt) on its right advanced steadily during the early part of the period. However as the TFs (Task Forces) advanced they received an increasing amount of s/a (small arms) and mortar fire. TF R (Task Force Root) advancing through the woods vic (vicinity) (P799733) experienced great difficulty in getting its tks (tanks) across the stream in that vic. Upon clearing the edge of the woods its elms (elements) received direct AT (attack) and automatic weapons fire from well dug-in positions on the outskirts of Weiswampach. At the end of the period the TF had progressed to vic (P807700) astride the Weiswampach-Huldange road and were preparing to continue the atk during the night to secure its obj (objective). TF C (Task Force Craig) upon reaching the edge of woods vic (P800720) halted there and prepared for a final assault upon Weiswampach in conjunction with TF R. TF C at 25 1530 A to atk the town, but as it cleared the edge of the woods it received heavy s/a and mortar fire. Heavy AT fire prevented the supporting tks (tanks) from advancing to support the atking inf elements. The TF withdrew on order and prepared to continue its atk during the night or early morning 26 Jan."