What's New
Author Updates and Archive Additions
December 18, 2022
Last year, I posted documents concerning the 551st Parachute Infantry Battalion and the nightmarish battle for Rochelinval, Belgium. Here are four additions to the 551st documents in my online archive.
Fosse-Dairomont Aerial Photo
551st Para Inf Officers, 31 Dec 43
Relieved from Attachment, 12 Jan 45
517th PIR Map Overlay, 5 Jan 45 (18:00)
November 11, 2022
Today is the sixth anniversary of my website. It’s also Veterans Day, and I am honoring one particular soldier, Herbert Burr of the 41st Tank Battalion. He received the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism on January 15, 1945, and subsequently earned the Medal of Honor for his actions on March 19, 1945. I’ve added his DSC and MoH recommendations to my archive plus a color portrait of him.
Burr DSC Recommendation
Burr MoH Recommendation
WD General Orders 73, 1945
Burr Photograph
October 15, 2022
I’ve added another 11th Armored Division field order to my online archive. The document includes map overlays which are rather faded but still legible. I’ve also added three messages culled from the G-2 Journal file of the 11th AD. Each message includes a topographic map for reference purposes.
FO 11, CCA, 14 Jan 45
G-2 Message J-21, 13 Jan 45
G-2 Message J-60, 14 Jan 45
G-2 Message J-80, 14 Jan 45
September 18, 2022
My online archive now includes the following field orders issued by the 11th Armored Division during January 1945. These include an overlay that I’ve superimposed on a 1:25,000 topographic map.
FO 4, CCB, 11th AD, 13 Jan 45
Intel Annex, FO 10, CCA, 11th AD, 12 Jan 45
Weather, 11th Armd Div, 14 Jan 45
June 19, 2022
The 11th Armored Division section of my online archive now includes the following intelligence reports.
S-2 Estimate, CCB, 11th AD, 12 Jan 45
Intel Summary, CCA, 11th AD, 13 Jan 45
Tac Intel Report, CCA, 11th AD, 17 Jan 45
May 21, 2022
This month, I’ve posted three documents from the operational records of the 11th Armored Division. Two of them are intelligence reports based on prisoner interrogations.
History, 42nd Tank Bn, 17 Dec 44 - 17 Jan 45
Daily Int Rpt, 13-14 Jan 1945
Daily Int Rpt, 14 Jan 1945
11th Armd Div Code Names
April 17, 2022
Last summer, while at the National Archives, I scanned documents relating to the 11th Armored Division and its operations during the Battle of the Bulge. Today I’ve posted the following combat interviews.
22nd Tank Bn (Wingard)
41st Tank Bn (Sagesser)
42nd Tank Bn (Ahee)
G-2, 11th Armd Div (Slayden)
March 24, 2022
Today I’ve added three more map overlays to my online archive. Like last month, these pertain to the 2nd Armored Division in April 1945.
Overlay, CCA, 14 Apr 45
Overlay, CCA, 15 Apr 45
Overlay, CCR, 2 Apr 45
February 18, 2022
This month I’ve posted two map overlays in my online archive. Both concern the 2nd Armored Division during the final weeks of the war in Europe. I’ve added another combat interview, too. More next month.
Rcn Co, 67th Armd Rgt (Howe)
Overlay, CCA, 7 Apr 45
Overlay, CCA, 9 Apr 45
January 16, 2022
Resuming where I left off in October, here are three more combat interviews related to the 2nd Armored Division in April 1945.
Co F, 67th Armd Rgt (Adler)
Co F, 67th Armd Rgt (Bonnell)
Rcn Co, 67th Armd Rgt (Gassell)
August 20, 1945: Staff Sergeant Herbert H. Burr, Kansas City, Missouri, after receiving the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman at the White House, Washington D.C.
January 15, 1945: Armor from the 42nd Tank Battalion, 11th Armored Division, moves down Houffalize road near Bertogne, Belgium. (Walter D. MacDonald, 167th SPC)
April 2, 1945: Tanks from Company H, 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Division roll through the streets of Ahlen, Germany. (Ralph Paik, 168th SPC)
April 18, 1945: Tank dozer from 66th Armored Regiment clears rubble on Leipziger-Straße in Magdeburg. Tank commander is Sergeant Thomas J. Blancato of Chicago, Illinois. (Edward M. DuTiel, 168th SPC)
