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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Topic Author's Original Post - Nov 4, 2017 - 07:52pm PT
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My father was in the 254th infantry regiment 63rd infantry WW11. not a lot written about them but they saw continous combat from the bulge to the end of the war and got a presidental unit citations for battles in the colmar pocket in january and again in march when the regiment was the first in the 7th army to breach the seigfried line. Dad hardly ever spoke about it and I only have 2 letters that he wrote to his cousin who was at anzio and hit in normady.
My question is I found two books written about the 253rd regiment of the 63rd division. how similer would the experiences be in a division between 2 regiments??? any of you army vetrans have any insight? I know that in our modern wars divisions are split up and regiments seem to be deployed seperatly. In ww11 that was not the case and complete divisions were sent into the line. Any insight would be helpfull.
thanks, Nick
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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I’d lay good money that the 253 fought right next to the 254. Our very own Greg Crouch could likely provide far more insight as he went to West Point! I’m sure there are plenty of records but many have probably not been digitized. If you want Navy history I’m yer guy! :-)
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perswig
climber
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Thank you for those links, Dr. H.
Trad, that's a proud division history; the .mil link lists 120d on the line and a casualty rate >50% of the div T/O (I don't think that includes attached units, so all from the three reg and HQ, maybe tasked arty).
I read Ed's second reference this morning: a 75-page first-person acct, download from Bangor, ME community library with a contact link; maybe more available in their World War collection? The photos on the fold3 Ancestry page look amazing, worthy of registration - hope you can find more about your dad.
Dale
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 5, 2017 - 03:25am PT
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had not seen this stuff. I had just found 2 books from the 253rd on amazon. I have read hundreds of history books but not found more than a sentance about 63rd division. I think at one point i was told that most records had been lost in a fire? It is crazy when you know how many divisions we had in WW11 and how we have about a half a dozen now and how the powers that be seem to think that a coupple of regimental combat teams will be able to control a whole country. It is no wonder that the wars in afganistan and Iraq were never actually resolved. territory that big you need to go in with 20 divisions if you want to actually control all the terrain and the populace.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 5, 2017 - 03:46am PT
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some of the stuff on the last link is not correct as tit has the division enetering combat later in january yet I have copys of orders showing my day wounded jan 5th by grenade fragments. back on line a few weeks later.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Topic Author's Reply - Nov 5, 2017 - 06:07pm PT
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thanks. the last time I googled this was about 6 or 7 years ago and none of this stuff came up.
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