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The Thundering Herd |
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HEADQUARTERS 7th ARMD INF BN S-1 JOURNAL (Note: This S-1 journal was handwritten) |
| Time | Incidents, Messages, Orders, etc. Action taken |
| 1 Feb 45 | |
| 1300 | LnO brings G-2 rpt to CO |
| 1350 | S-3: All Cos (msg) comply with ETO memo 13 Jan 45 |
| 1400 | Bn receives 98 EM replacements |
| 1500 | LnO to CO: Bn alerted to move on 6 hrs notice. |
| 1515 | S-3: All Cos (Msg) read memo capture by en ETO 6 Jan - 4 Dec |
| 1550 | CO: All Cos (Msg) alert to move on 3 hrs notice. |
| 1550 | CO: All Cos (Msg) send rept X to too Bad.? |
| 1730 | ExO: All Cos (Msg) billeting NCOs rept Bnt/Q. |
| 1755 | CO: A, B, C, (Msg) MaintO school cancelled. |
| 1805 | S-1: All Cos (Msg) CO meet & payroll turnin. |
| 1920 | CO: 2 (Msg) furnish 1/4 T Trk. S-2: All Cos (Msg) turn in maps. |
| 2115 | CO: Co Cmdrs: Div moves N tomorrow - move is top secret Route will be marked by MP's. Details on march not available now. We probably won't move until noon tomorrow. Div is moving in order: Div Hq Div Arty, 0800 cross IP CCB CCA CCR 2 1/2 hrs betw serials. Will move approx 8 MPH - speed about 10 MPH. A 24 hr march - move by CCS - each 7 hrs have 2 hr halt. During halt serve hot meal: Serve drivers just so they can sleep during 2hrs; change drivers when possible. Have 1/4 ton ride the column for your CO. Radio silence. CCA move - 7th, 398th, 18th - AG Plt if it has M4 will move with 18th. Bn IP - R. J. at Nomeny where C Co road enters - go to Pont-a-Mousson. P-a-M is Div IP - at bridge. Route - tentative - P-a-M - Mars-le-Tour - Confleus - Etain - Longuyon - Longwy - Arton - NW on N48 - Neufchateau - N on N 35 to Marsh - Liege - Vise - Wist - Biv in woods there. This position is behind 8th Army on line to Berlin. Rumor of 15th Army atk there. Berlin repts trp concentration there. Total trip 25 hrs - should arrive aftern of 3 Feb. 10 min betw Cos; 30 min betw Bns. Watch mines now that ground is thawing. All 1 1/2 QT decons will be filled with danc.? Men must dig foxholes; not just slit trenches. |
| 2300 | CCA: S-1 (Msg) meeting of billeting party E of P-a-M bridge 0100 |
| 2 Feb 45 | |
| 0830 | LnO brings Operations Instrs. 1 Feb 45 - tentative H Hour - 2020. IP Pigny |
| 0930 | S-3: All Cos (Msg) clean 7 whitewash veh - password, 1st sgts call. |
| 1217 | CCA: S-3 changes 1 & 2 to Oper Instrs, 1 Feb. |
| 1245 | CO: All Cos (Top Sec Msg) Re Movement. |
| 1340 | S-2: All Cos (Msg) Re Destruct of ident material. |
| 1400 | S-1: CCA (Msg) Re Reading of memos: control German civilians; capture by enemy. |
| 1800 | S-3 brings fr CCA - Lv Mailly 1920; cross Nomeny 1940 - Div IP 2050 |
| 1920 | Bn departs mounted. |
| 1940 | Hq Co hits IP; clears 1945; A - H 1950 C 1957; B - H 2001 C 2014; C - H 2017 C 2024; Sv - H 2025 C 2030. |
| 2303 | Flare over column & explosion heard; planes overhead; columb halts - lts off (beyond Dornig). |
| 2320 | Column moves blkout |
| 2330 | Column moves with lights. |
| 3 Feb 45 | |
| 0630 | Column halts for refuel and hot breakfast. |
| 0800 | Column moves. |
| 1600 | Column halts for refuel and hot meal. |
| 1800 | Column moves. |
| 2330 | Bn closes: having travelled 222 miles. Bn Hq & Hq Co : Cartiels, Holland A Co. : Wijare, " (spelling?)B Co. : Ingare, " (spelling?)C Co. : Wislde, " (spelling?)Sv Co : Witten, "CCA : Gulpen, HollandMap refer: France & Belgium, SHT: Gulpen #59 (South) |
