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Taking "The Factory"


TrevorR
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Just purchased this Heart and it is a special one. My mother is from Pennsylvania, Born in Elizabethtown, and grew up in a Small town Called Lititz, Pennsylvania. Growing up as a child I used to take trips to Lititz and see everywhere my mom had been. We used to go to the town park every day, go to my mom friends house and hear her father's stories of the war. He was a survivor of the "Malmedy Massacre"

 

Pvt. Martin S. Heller

Born: 12 February 1925

Co. A, 179th IR, 45th ID

KIA 12 February 1944

Aprilia, Italy

 

Pvt. Martin Heller was born 12 February 1925 in Litiz, Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the US Army on 5 May 1943. He was assigned to Co. A, 179th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division. On 22 January 1944 the 45th Division made an amphibious landing at at Anzio, Italy. On 11 February 1944 Co. A of the 179th Regiment was tasked with retaking the town of Aprilia, Italy also know as “The Factory”. It was vital to recapture the town because of the of the road junction. The attack started approximately 0430 hours with artillery from the 27th Field Artillery Battalion. Co. A jumped of the attack with support from a company from the 191th Tank Battalion. The men of Co. A used the tanks as cover as they advanced to the town, but the first tank was taken out by anit-tank fire. The tanks and men advance into the south east edge of the town taking multiple building resualing in the fierce hand to hand combat. By the end of the first day Co. A became disorganized and lost approximately 6 Officers, and 49 enlisted either killed or missing. On 12 February 1944 the Germans counter attacked around 0430 hours. Co. A took heavy casualties. It was during this attack Pvt. Heller was killed . Co. A was reduced to 3 Officers, and 40 enlisted still standing. The Company had to withdrawl from the town and orders were given to the Army Air Force to bomb the city. The AAF sent 34 B-17s, 19 B-24s, and P-40s, combined with Artillery. Pvt. Heller died on his 19th Birthday.

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Great tribute.

 

There was a Malmedy survivor who frequented the flea market at Black Angus very near that area.

 

Wonder if that’s the same guy?

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Great tribute and damn, KIA on his birthday too. Attached is a pencil drawing by Brummett Echohawk B co. 179th representative of the bayonet charge on the factory 11 Feb 44.

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  • 2 years later...

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