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Battle of the Bulge POW/DOW Purple Heart Group


kcmo
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Posting this grouping in honor of the 76th anniversary of the loss of 1st SGT Long (Company C, 60th Armored Infantry Regiment, 9th Armored Division) who died of wounds on December 26, 1944 from fighting in Luxembourg during the Battle of the Bulge. From his records, he went Missing in Action on December 19th and died as a POW in a German Military Hospital from a chest wound and was buried in Wittlich, Germany. His findagrave states he entered the Army in 1937 serving in the US and Panama Canal Zone before heading to Europe. He earned his Combat Infantry Badge on December 17, 1944. Below is part of the 9th Armored Division I found online that discusses the 60th Armored Infantry during the battle. His remains were shipped back to the US arriving on December 8, 1948 and is buried in Martin, TN.

RIP First Sergeant

 

The 9th Armored entered the line shortly before the Battle of the Bulge and conducted patrols in what was deemed a quiet sector. On 16 December 1944, it became one of the units that bore the brunt of the German onslaught. The 9th received their baptism by fire fighting the Nazis smashing through the Ardennes Forest. The division’s three combat commands – similar in structure to modern brigades – were spread across the front lines and found themselves defending some of the most important sectors.

 

There are widely considered to be two crucial fights during the battle that proved to be turning points: the siege of Bastogne in the south and the Battle of Elsenborn Ridge. The 9th Armored’s Combat Command B (CCB) was deployed to St. Vith, Belgium in the vicinity of Elsenborn Ridge, Combat Command Reserve (CCR) was around Bastogne when the Germans attacked while Combat Command A (CCA) was in Luxembourg.

 

Combat Command A faced off against the Wehrmacht Seventh Army in the vicinity of Echternach, Luxembourg. It was the task of the Seventh Army to secure the southern flank of the entire German operation. However, CCA held their sector of the front against relentless attacks denying the Germans of their goals. During the fighting CCA’s 60th Armored Infantry Battalion had been surrounded, Stars and Stripes reported:

 

Nobody told the doughs of the 60th Armd. Inf. Bn. to pull out, so they stayed and fought until word finally got through to them. A few days later they showed up in German helmets and with blankets draped over their shoulders, their rifles slung with bayonets fixed. They walked through German lines that way… They kept right on going until they reached the U.S. lines. After that, they fought some more.

After being relieved by elements of the 6th Armored Division, Combat Command A was immediately pressed into the drive to relieve the beleaguered defenders of Bastogne.

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Superb group! Really like when they are complete like this.

 

That´s one heck of a baptism of fire.. 

 

Nice presentation, thanks a lot for sharing. I always enjoy looking at Battle of Bulge items.

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