T he objectives for Day 1 and Day 2 for Operation VARSITY were spelled out in writing and graphically in the Operations Plan. Each of the Regimental and Battalion level units were assigned immediate and follow on objectives for the assault. The primary objectives for Day 1 were a series of positions on the east and northeast of the city of Wesel astride the Autobahn. The control graphic for the day’s advance was the London Line. On Day 2, the units were to continue the advance several more kilometers to the New York Line.
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H ere’s a bit more on medals, or more formally known as Awards and Decorations. In the national Archives and Records Administration (NARA) at College Park, MD, all of the official documents of every military unit are stored. The few visits that I made while searching for information on the 139th AEB were enjoyable and productive. One of the Appendices in the book will list the Awards and Decorations of members of the Battalion. The 139th official History lists Bronze Stars and Silver Stars awarded during the war as of the time of publishing. Most of the Purple Hearts were listed either in the 17th Airborne Division General orders, or in the General Orders of the Battalion. I scoured both the 17th and the 139th GOs for as many names and awards as possible. In the previous post I listed the BS and SS from the official unit history. I’ve also included a sample of the GO’s of the 17th and the 139th for comparison. I have to provide a plug for Brandon Weigand for publishing the General Orders of many US divisions and Parachute Infantry Regiments as well. He has produced dozens of booklets listing the names and awards of members of these units. I highly recommend starting there. he also provided copies of the General orders i requested at a nominal cost. It was a great help when i first started researching. Click on the image below to link to his site.
 Link to DDay Militaria
Three other factors complicate the fact gathering mission. Those who were wounded more severely and were transferred t a field hospital may have had their Purple Heart processed and awarded under the auspices of the Field Hospital headquarters. Many times, copies of those orders were not forwarded to the Division and hence they were not recorded in the unit history. After the war ended, those who received the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) were eligible for a Bronze Star. I have not researched the process for how the CIB was “converted” into a Bronze Star. It may have been automatic or a veteran may have had to send in paperwork. I have to figure that one out. A final complication in getting an accurate list was the end of the war itself. Once VE/VJ was announced, most turned their sights and attention to getting home. Lots of paperwork lost its way to the final approval authority or simply failed to receive the required level of attention. In the unit that is as large as a division, it is easy to understand how this could happen given the multple moves of the headquarters, the chaos of war and its aftermath, and the many administrative requirements that took a higher priority, namely writing letters to Next of Kin for soldiers killed or missing in action. In any regards, a trip to NARA is the best way to get started with the massive task.
Thanks
oz
“My Dad was a member of the 17th Airborne in the Bulge and Varsity and with the 1st Allied Airborne in Dragoon. He was with the 550th GIR and after the Bulge with the 194th GIR where he was wounded by flak in the glider over Wesel Germany. I’ve seen the 550th on the maps you have shown with the 550th sharing the same ground with the 139th Eng. I have some photos from a newspaper showing gliders on the ground at Wesel along with other assorted ones including arm band flag ,R&R in Nice France and in the French Alps after Varsity.” Larry sent several photos taken by his father and members of his unit. I’ve included some of the images taken during the war. Special thanks to Larry for sharing these with us all. I’ve also added an excerpt from my upcoming book, “Blood on the Talon”, which describes some of the action as the 550th fought side by side with members of the 139th AEB on 4 Jan 45, just west of Bastogne. “Shortly after Sgt. King returned to Renaumont, with his bayonet encrusted with frozen blood, a concentration of various German artillery and mortar shells fell on the engineers’ battle positions. One of the 550th AIB officers, Capt. Floyd M. Paxton, received notification that the enemy was moving some tanks toward the village under cover of the rolling barrage. Paxton called for some bazooka men. PFC Edward A. Ledonne and PFC James Haagenson from Baker Company went with Capt. Paxton to a position to cover the armor avenues of approach to the town. Ledonne and Haagenson along with bazooka men from the 550th engaged the first enemy tank that approached the village and succeeded in knocking it out.[1] Immediately thereafter an artillery round struck their position wounding the two bazooka men.[2]
Around 2300 hours, Private Marvin Haines of the 550th AIB was operating the unit’s SCR 300 radio on the battalion net when reports of another enemy attack came in. The assault included enemy tanks and was again aimed at Renaumont, the easternmost hamlet held by the 139th and 550th. Artillery support was requested as the attack increased.[3]
The combined attack on the series of small villages south of Hill 460 was quite overwhelming. Later that evening, two more Baker Company troopers were wounded. The 550th was ordered to vacate the village for the more easily defensible positions in the woods to the southeast. Sgt. King’s squad, along with the two wounded troopers and other elements of Baker Company were covering the withdrawal of the 550th. Another artillery round landed in the building, wounding two more troopers. Sgt. King rushed to the company command post in search of a jeep and driver to evacuate the wounded man. At the command post, Pvt. Jerald W. K. Eberline and T/5 Robert F. Bowers volunteered to take a jeep and pick up the wounded. Since artillery was still impacting, it was a dangerous mission. The two stalwart troopers made their way to the wounded men, loaded them into the jeep and returned back to the command post where they could receive medical treatment.”[4] Additional members of Baker Company were still in the outskirts of the town covering the withdrawal of the 550th. Although the enemy artillery and machine gun fire was intense, they stayed at their positions, buying time for the unit’s retreat. 2nd Lt. Robert Reed, a platoon leader in Baker Company, moved from position to position, directing fire, reassuring the troopers, and taking general control of the situation. Lt. Reed’s men maintained their position in the town, allowing the troopers of the 550th to withdraw from the town. They held their positions at Lt. Reed’s urgings, holding their fire to the last moment when the Germans attacked. His courageous leadership and the determination of the men allowed the 550th to fully withdraw. By 0400 on 5 January, Reed and the rest of the engineers were able to withdraw. They dug into new positions a few hundred yards from the town. For his efforts Lt. Reed was later awarded the Silver Star.[5]  In Belgium recuperating from wound June 5,1945–Note Glider wings. [1] As reported in 550th Airborne Infantry Battalion 1941-1945, several of the bazooka rounds fired by the 550th and the engineers failed to detonate. This could have been either from the cold, malfunctions or because the nervous troopers failed to remove the safety clip. [2] History: 139th Airborne Engineers, 9. [3] Buckeridge, 550th Airborne Infantry Battalion 1941-1945, 74. [4]History: 139th Airborne Engineers, 9-10. [5] History: 139th Airborne Engineers, 10-11. In previous posts I supplied the casualties for the 139th AEB; pages 2and 4. Here are the remaining two pages to complete the list as compiled and typed for the 17th Airborne Historical document following VE-Day. As I dig through additional documents, I find the list incomplete. MIA status changed, additional orders for Purple Heart awards were uncovered that are not included in the final list. The book, “Blood on the Talon” will be the most complete source, drawing from all official documents I could find.
Many of the members of the 139th AEB were transfered to the engineer company of either the 8nd or 101st Airborne Division. This accounts for why so many 139th AEB uniforms are double patched with the 17th and either 101st or 82ned patch. Most of the examples I have seen are with the 82nd patch on the left shoulder and the 17th on the right (combat shoulder). These photos were taken with Sgt Petrell’s camera. he is in the center of the photo smiling, facing the camera. Note the Lt. behind him with beer in hand wears the horsehide A-2 aviator’s jacket with 82nd patch on the left breast, as was common for that division. The M-43 uniform is prevalent by this time.  WW2 Beer cans available at: http://www.orlandobeerguide.com/beer-can-day.html
He was able to obtain a bunch of information on the Clark from various sources over the course of the years. Based on all that I have read, things that are posted on other sites and my conversation with Mr. Swelnis, it is difficult to determine exactly how many CA-1s were actually built in Buchannan, MI. Joe has documented that 14 were built before the American Machine and Metals Company of East Moline, IL took over the contract, which, according to http://www.syltech.net was fully taken over in January of 1944. CA-1 owners will marvel at this since many of the machines bear the Clark Tractor data tag having been built in mid to late 1944. Perhaps AMM used Clark data tags until the contract was fully under them and not a sub-contracted deal. I’m not really sure, but more research is warranted. The enclosed letter provided by Mr. Swelnis will shed some light on the subject. In any regards, Mr. Swelnis said that the company is planning to release a 100th anniversary book on the company in 2017. I believe it will go to the publishers in 2016. He indicated that they published a book for the company a few years ago and posted images of restored CA-1s. Perhaps we can all get ours ready in time for the big event! The real good news is that he has sent me a digital copy of the original Clark Factory Manual which I will make available to anyone who asks. He also sent me some additional information that I will post/forward as required.
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