JOUR-J - UNITES

29th Infantry Division (Omaha Beach)


Leonard T. Gerow

Charles H. Gerhardt

Norman D. Cota

Eugene N. Slappey

Victor Gillespie

William E. Warfield

Charles D. Canham

Sidney V. Bingham

Taylor Fellers

Berthier B. Hawk

Lawrence E. Meek

John A. Metcalfe

William G. Pingley

Walter O. Shilling

Archibald A. Sproul

Ettore V. Zappacostal

Thornton L. Mullins

Jack R. Wilson
 
The division was called into active service on 3 February 1941. Elements of the division were then sent to Fort Meade, Maryland for training. On 12 March 1942, over three months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent American entrance into World War II, with this reorganization complete the division was redesignated as the 29th Infantry Division and began preparing for overseas deployment to Europe.
The 29th Infantry Division, under the command of Major General Leonard GEROW, was sent to England on 5 October 1942 on ‘Queen Mary’. It was based throughout England and Scotland, where it immediately began training for an invasion of northern Europe across the English Channel. In May 1943 the division moved to the Devon–Cornwall peninsula and started conducting simulated attacks against fortified positions. At this time the division was assigned to V Corps of the U.S. First Army. In July the divisional commander, Major General GEROW, was promoted to command V Corps and Major General Charles Hunter GERHARD assumed command of the division.
The 29th Infantry Division sent the 116th Infantry to support the western flank of the veteran 1st Infantry Division's 16th Infantry at Omaha Beach. Omaha was known to be the most difficult of the five landing beaches, due to its rough terrain and bluffs overlooking the beach, which had been well fortified by its German defenders of the 352nd Infantry Division. The 116th Infantry was assigned four sectors of the beach; Easy Green, Dog Red, Dog White, and Dog Green.
The soldiers of the 116th Infantry were the first to hit the beach at 0630, coming under heavy fire from German fortifications. Company A, from the Virginia National Guard in Bedford was annihilated by overwhelming fire as it landed on the 116th's westernmost section of the beach, along with half of Company C of the 2nd Ranger Battalion which was landing to the west of the 116th. The 1st Infantry Division's forces ran into similar fortifications on the eastern half of the beach, suffering massive casualties coming ashore.
 
      
 
Commanding General: Major General Charles H. Gerhardt  [voir le dossier]
Assistant Commanding: Brigadier General Norman D. Cota  [voir le dossier]
G-1: Lt. Colonel Cooper B. Rhodes  [voir le dossier]
G-2: Major Paul W. Krznarich  [voir le dossier]
G-3: Lt. Colonel William J. Witte  [voir le dossier]
G-4: Lt. Colonel Louis G. Gosorn  [voir le dossier]
G-5: Captain Asa B. Gardiner  [voir le dossier]
Chaplain: Major Harold F. Donovan  [voir le dossier]
Surgeon: Frederick P. Barrow II  [voir le dossier]
   
  115th Infantry Regiment: Colonel Eugene N. Slappey  [voir le dossier]
    X.O.: Lt. Colonel Louis G. Smith  [voir le dossier]
    S-1: Captain Lucien P. Laborde  [voir le dossier]
    S-2: Captain William E. Bruning  [voir le dossier]
    S-3: Captain George M. Nevins  [voir le dossier]
    S-4: Major Harold T. Perkins  [voir le dossier]
    Surgeon: Major Theodore A. Cross  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: First Lieutenant Frank D. Bergstein  [voir le dossier]
      Service Company: Captain Charles E. Peter  [voir le dossier]
      AntiTank Company: Captain Raymond E. McDonough  [voir le dossier]
      Cannon Company: Captain Howard H. Dickey  [voir le dossier]
    1st Battalion: Lt. Colonel Richard C. Blatt  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major James S. Morris  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Norval W. Carter  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain David F. Mentzer, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Company A: Captain John M. Ryan  [voir le dossier]
      Company B: Captain Leroy R. Weddle  [voir le dossier]
      Company C: Captain Frank B. Bowen  [voir le dossier]
      Company D: Captain George B. Nabb, Jr  [voir le dossier]
    2nd Battalion: Lt. Colonel William E. Warfield  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major Maurice G. Clif  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Rudolph G. Damato  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Richard P. Scott  [voir le dossier]
      Company E: Captain Waldo E. Schmitt  [voir le dossier]
      Company F: Captain Robert J. Kaiser  [voir le dossier]
      Company G: First Lieutenant Livingston L. Baddy  [voir le dossier]
      Company H: Captain Angelo W. Onder  [voir le dossier]
    3rd Battalion: Major Victor Gillespie  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major Grat B. Hankin  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Jesse L. Wilkins  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Jacobs L. Jones  [voir le dossier]
      Company I: Captain William L. Spry  [voir le dossier]
      Company K: Captain Louis I. Hille  [voir le dossier]
      Company L: Captain Arthur D. Lawson  [voir le dossier]
      Company M: Captain Arthur George B. Fowler  [voir le dossier]
   
  116th Infantry Regiment: Colonel Charles D. Canham  [voir le dossier]
    X.O.: Lt. Colonel Harold A. Cassell  [voir le dossier]
    S-1: Captain Morris A. Ernst  [voir le dossier]
    S-2: Major Asbury H. Jackson  [voir le dossier]
    S-3: Major Thomas D. Howie  [voir le dossier]
    S-4: Major John W. Sours  [voir le dossier]
    Surgeon: Major Millard D. Buckley  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Joseph A. Rice  [voir le dossier]
      Service Company: Captain Charles W. Powel  [voir le dossier]
      AntiTank Company: Captain William E. Lester  [voir le dossier]
      Cannon Company: First Lt. Joseph E. McCollum  [voir le dossier]
    1st Battalion: Lt. Colonel John A. Metcalfe  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major Thomas S. Dallas  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Robert B. Ware  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Thomas J. Callahan  [voir le dossier]
      Company A: Captain Taylor N. Fellers [view folder]  (KIA 6 June 44)
      Company B: Captain Ettore V. Zappacosta [view folder]  (KIA 6 June 44)
      Company C: Captain Berthier B. Hawk, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Company D: Captain Walter O. Shilling  [voir le dossier]
    2nd Battalion: Major Sidney V. Bingham, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major Fred McManaway  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Robert M. DeWitt  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Charles R. Cawthon  [voir le dossier]
      Company E: Captain Lawrence A. Madill  [voir le dossier] (KIA 6 June 44)
      Company F: Captain William Callahan  [voir le dossier]
      Company G: Captain Eccles Scott  [voir le dossier]
      Company H: Captain George Boyd  [voir le dossier]
    3rd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Lawrence E. Meeks  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major Malcom R. Weller  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Francis R. Burns  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Archibald A. Sproul  [voir le dossier]
      Company I: Captain Miflin B. Clowe, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Company K: Captain William G. Pingley, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Company L: Captain Charles W. East  [voir le dossier]
      Company M: Captain Charles Kidd  [voir le dossier]
   
  175th Infantry Regiment: Colonel Paul R. Goode  [voir le dossier]
    X.O.: Lt. Colonel Alexander George  [voir le dossier]
    Surgeon: Major Edmund G. Beacham  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Henry J. Reed  [voir le dossier]
      Service Company: Captain Robert D. Smith  [voir le dossier]
      AntiTank Company: Captain Marion W. Stevenson  [voir le dossier]
      Cannon Company: Captain Clarence A. Major  [voir le dossier]
    1st Battalion: Lt. Colonel Roger S. Whiteford  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major Anthony J. Miller, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Guy G. Griffen, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Company A: Captain Joseph E. Mueller  [voir le dossier]
      Company B: Captain John C. Brashears  [voir le dossier]
      Company C: Captain Alexander Pouska, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Company D: Captain Miles C. Shorey, Jr  [voir le dossier]
    2nd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Millar G. Bowen, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Captain Harold E. Simmons  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Louis J. Curl, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Company E: Captain Lawrence E. Maddox  [voir le dossier]
      Company F: Captain Robert M. Miller  [voir le dossier]
      Company G: Captain John K. Slingluff  [voir le dossier]
      Company H: First Lt. Edward Wollf  [voir le dossier]
    3rd Battalion: Lt. Colonel Edward A. Gill  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major Ernest M. Rihter  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Paul T. Freund  [voir le dossier]
      Company I: Captain Frank J. McKenna  [voir le dossier]
      Company K: Captain John T. King III  [voir le dossier]
      Company L: Captain Alvin W. Hobbs  [voir le dossier]
      Company M: 1st Lieutenant Thomas C. Emlo  [voir le dossier]
   
  121st Engineer Combat Bn.: Lt. Colonel Robert P. Ploger  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Henry E. Lewis  [voir le dossier]
      Company A: Captain Christian L. Martin  [voir le dossier]
      Company B: Captain Edward L. Humphrey  [voir le dossier]
      Company C: Captain Svend A. Holmstrup [view folder]  (KIA 6 June 44)
   
  104th Medical Bn.: Lt. Colonel Arthur N. Ericksen  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Company: Captain Ralph L. Hitz  [voir le dossier]
      Company A: Captain Raymond F. Conway  [voir le dossier]
      Company B: Captain Lester L. Kolman  [voir le dossier]
      Company C: Captain John S. Williams  [voir le dossier]
   
  29th Division Artillery: Brigadier General William H. Sands  [voir le dossier]
    X.O.: Lt. Colonel Harry R. Warfield Jr  [voir le dossier]
    110th Field Artillery Bn.: Lt. Colonel Purley  Cooper  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major David G. McIntosh III  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain John John Ambler  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Battery: Captain James R. McCarthy  [voir le dossier]
      Serv. Battery: Captain Charles H. Kinsey  [voir le dossier]
      Battery A: Captain William H. Beehler  [voir le dossier]
      Battery B: Captain Charles C. Cole  [voir le dossier]
      Battery C: Captain Arthur L. Flinner  [voir le dossier]
    111th Field Artillery Bn.: Lt. Colonel Thornton L. Mullins [view folder]  (KIA 6 June 44)
      X.O.: Major John Wales   [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Bernard J. Sabatino   [voir le dossier]
      Serv. Battery: Captain Frederic E. Consolvo  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Battery: Captain William L. Decamps   [voir le dossier]
      Battery A: Captain Jack R. Wilson  [voir le dossier]
      Battery B: Captain John Hodges  [voir le dossier]
      Battery C: Captain Louis A. Shufford  [voir le dossier]
    224th Field Artillery Bn.: Lt. Colonel Clinton E. Thruston, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major George P. Page  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Louis J. Bonanno  [voir le dossier]
      Serv. Battery: Captain Robert H. Stone  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Battery: Captain Harry J. Mathews  [voir le dossier]
      Battery A: Captain Arnold J. Young, Jr  [voir le dossier]
      Battery B: Captain Delos H. Mathiesen  [voir le dossier]
      Battery C: Captain Harry Ostler  [voir le dossier]
    227th Field Artillery Bn.: Lt. Colonel Neal W. Harper  [voir le dossier]
      X.O.: Major Normand D. Aboosh  [voir le dossier]
      Surgeon: Captain Harold L. Bacon  [voir le dossier]
      Hq Battery: First Lt. Robert M. Gobder  [voir le dossier]
      Serv. Battery: Captain Eugene D. Jones  [voir le dossier]
      Battery A: Captain Doyle E. Conrad  [voir le dossier]
      Battery B: Captain George F. Weidl  [voir le dossier]
      Battery C: Captain Walter J. Rakow  [voir le dossier]
   
  29th Military Police Pl.: Major Vern E. Johnson  [voir le dossier]
  29th Signal Company: Captain Arba G. Williamson  [voir le dossier]
  29th Reconnaissance Troop: Captain William H. Puntenney  [voir le dossier]
 
Headquarters Company - After Action Report
115th Infantry Regiment - After Action Report
116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, Command Group - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, Headquarters Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, A Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, B Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, C Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, D Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Command Group - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, Headquarters Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, E Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Battalion, F Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion, I Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion, K Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion, L Company - Group Critique Notes
116th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion, M Company - Group Critique Notes
121st Engineer Combat Battalion - After Action Report