7_33rd Armored Regiment After Action Report February 1945

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HEADQUA,.qTERS 33D A.TU.10RED RIDIUEN T
Office of the Regimental Commander
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APO 253, U. S. Army
3 March
1945.
SUBJECT:
After Action Report of the 33d Armd Regt for the Month of February 1945. ·
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Commanding . General, 3d Armored Division •
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Original unit:
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33d Armored Regiment (CC"B"), 3d Armd Div. ·
£• Changes in organization: No change in 33d Armd Regt (See Appendix No 1
for organization of 33d
E.•
A~d
Regt into Task Forces under CC"B" control)
Officers
Strength:
1 February 1945
28 February 1945
. 130
Net Increase or Decrease
d. Stations:
128
f2
Warrant 0 fficers
10
10
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E. }.': .
2252
2325
f73
(See Appendix No. 1)
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Marches:
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Campaigns:
S•
Battles: ·(see Appendix No 1)
(See Appendix No 1)
Official information lacking at present.
h• Commanding Officers in important engaeements: Colonel John C. Welborn.
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Losses in action:
(See Appendix No 2)
j. Former and present mambers wjp jave dostomgiosjed tje,se;ves om
(See Appendix No 3)
acto~ .
.!£. Photographs: Nona available.
l• Documents and journals: A combined journal is kept between CC 11 B11 and 33d
Armored Regiment to prevent duplication of effort.
and 33d Armd Regt journal, with CC 11 B11 report.
For reference see CC 11 B11
For the Commanding Officer:
/s/ A. J. Stevens
A. J. STEVENS
Major, 33d Armd. Regt.
Adjutant
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APPENDIX NO 1 T0 AFT.i!orl.-ACTION REPORT r"'OR THE J>.:ONTrr OF FEBRUARY 1945
Maps:
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1/100,000 ~heet 13, Belgium and NE France.
1/100,000 Sheet R-1, Central Europe.
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Narrati&e of Events.
At the beginriing of the month the Regiment was in assembly area in the vicinity
W..AFF.C:, SUED~ Ll!.1JZ:E and :OONSIN in Belgium. The troops were getting a much needed rest
1d carrying on training and maintenance. On the Afternoon of 4 Feb 1945, 31 Armored
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ivision issued orders for movement of the Division on 7 February to new assembly area
in the vicinity of SIULBK'l.G, GERllANY. The 33d Armd Regt (-3rd Bn) was to move as part
of CC"B" and the Jrd Bn, 33d Armd .Regt was to move as part of CC"R". Leading elements
crossed the IP at 070700A February and all e~ements were closed in assembly area in
vicinity of ~IULB~lG by 071700A February.
The period 8 February to 25 February was spent in training and maintenance and
in making plans and preparations for coming operation.
On the afternoon of 10 February 1945, Field Order No 26 was received by HqCU"B"
for an attack by 3d Armd Division on order of VII Corps.
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Enemy Situation and General Plans for the Attack were:
The enemy held defensive position on the East bank of the RO~ RIVER. The positions were thoroughly organized with numerous continuous trench systems having been
dug. In the VII corps zone the line was held by the 363rd Inf Div on .the North. The
12th Volksgrenadier Division in the center and the 353rd Inf Div on the South.
The U S Ninth ~my was to attack Northeast on D-day from the JULICH - LIHNICH
line to seize the /;est bank of the RHI Ni~ rliVER between IJ.iDUSS .:;.r,;D ~£0RS.
The VII Corps of the 1st US •rmy, with the 8th Inf Div on the.right and the
104th Inf Div on .the left was to attack on D-day to seize a bridgehead 6ver the ROER
RIV.i!.R and to continue the advance to the Northeast t 'o the E.l\l:''T RIVER, protecting the
right flank of the Ninth U S Army.
'ihe 3d Armored Division was to remain initially in its present position. The
13th Inf Div was to be attached on order VII Corps. The Division was to attack on
VII Corps order with Combat Commands abreast, CC"A" on the right and CC"B" on the left
to seize the Division objective. CC"R" was to pass through GC"B" when CC"B" had reached
its objective and seize the Northeastern sector of the Division objective. The 83rd
Armd Ren Bn wasto seize a bridgehead across the· ERFI' RIVER. On the morning of 16 February CC 11 B11 issued its field order for the attack. (For routes and objectives see
Annex 2, Eap "D" to CC"B" After Action .Report).
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Composition of task_ forces in CC"B" were as follows:
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1st Bn 33d Armd ~ e~t (Reinf)
Col J O~ C. ·,iELBORN , Comdg
Hq. 33d Armd negt
1st Bn, 33d Armd Regt
2nd 'Bn, 36th AIR
2nd Plat, "B" Co, ~03rd. TD Bn
3rd Plat, "B" Co, 23rd Arnxi l!.ngr Bn
3rd
,...... . Plat, Rcn Co, 33d Armd Hegt
2nd Bn 33d Armd ~egt (Reinf)
Lt Col ~·;rLLI AN B. TDVEL~.DY, Comdg
2nd
2nd
·3rd
1st
2nd
Bn, 33d Armd Regt
Bn, 13th Inf aegt
Plat, "B" Co, 703rd TD Bn
Plat, "B" Co, 23rd Armd Engr Bn
Plat, Rcn Co, 33d Armd Regt
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Combat Command "B" Reserve
Ce.pt GWRGi!: E. COf..l!·J ELLY Comdg
Combat Command "B" Trains
U:aj i'-~GBE:1T G. I NGltH ', Comdg
"Bn Co, 70Jrd TD Bn (-2nd & Jrd Plats)
"B11 Co, 2Jrd Armd Engr Bn (-1st & Jrd Plats)
Rcn Co, JJd Armd Regt (-1st, 2nd & Jrd Plats)
CC 11 B11 .attached trains
Sv Co, JJd Armd rlegt
Maint Co, 33d Armd Regt
Sv Btry, 39lst AFA Bn
"C" Co, llaint Bn, Jd Armd Div
"B" Co, 45th Armd l.'led Bn
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The 1st Bn JJd Armd Regt (reinf) and the 2nd Bn JJd Armd Regt (reinf) beg:m .move
to S:.tackposition just behind the LD at 260001 February. The 1st Bn moved by the North
route and the 2nd Bn moved by the South route.
The 1st Bn 33d Armd Regt launched its attack at 260645 February. Initially there
was little enemy resistance but the terrain gave considerable difficulty. ETZBEILER was
taken and cleared of enemy and they advanced to BLSDOHF their initial objective, a sainst
moderate enemy resistance. The Bn entered the Southern outskirts of the town and cleared
out the first few houses. During the day two enemy trucks were ~estroyed and ninety
prisoners of was captured.
~he 2nd Bn JJd Armd Regt (reinf) attacked at 260600 February. The attack made
good progress initially. During the period light to moderate enemy resistance was encountered. By the end of the period, the Bn had cleared most of the towns of GIESENDORF
and EB&lENDORF and had set up road blocks to the Natheast and East. During the period
two Mk V tanks and 1 sP· gun was destroyed and 25 prisoners qf war captured.
The Jrd Bn 33d Az:md Regt moved as part of CC"i" closely behind CC"B".
On 27 February the 1st Bn 33d Armd Regt (reinf) assisted b·.r elements of the 2nd
Bn 33d Armd Regt (reinf) launched an attack on ELSDORF the 1st Bn attacking from the
South and the 2nd Bn from the Southeast. Heavy artillery fire was received as our troops
were forming for attack along LD for operation. Heavy enemy artillery;
mortar and neberwerfer fir'e continued during the morning and the artillery during the
afternoon. The ene~ resisted from houses, necessitating house to house fighting, and
with roving tanks and SP guns. He also employed road'Qbcks in the streets and AT guns.
The entire town was cleared prior to dark.
The Jrd Bn 33d Armd .i\egt (reinf) moved through the Combat Command 11 B" moving
through ELSDORF toward GL.tSCH against light resistance at 271750 February. GLESCH was
reached and infantry crossed the ERFT CANAL but no bridges capable of carrying tanks
could be found so the Jrd Bn 33d Armd Regt coiled \;est of the ERFT.
On 28 February all units of JJd Armd Re gt with 6C"B" rernai;ned in their same
locations. Despite direct SMALL A.::UAS fire and heavy artillery fire the ERIT Canal was
bridged at RAFFENDORF but surong direct fire prevented immediate bridgin? operations
at GLESCH. However, the enemy could not prevent the linking of a taru< company passed
over the PAFFENDORF bridge with infantry elements attached to 3rd Bn 33d Ar.md Regt which
had crossed at GLESH. However, at . AT ditch vicinity F 220640 prevented our tanks from ·
taking the high ground to the East. ·
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Apoendix No. 2 to After-Action Report for the month of February 1945
SLIGHTLY \'iOUNDED IN ACTION
Albine, Dante P.
Cpl.
42028718
27 Feb 45
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' i.ffin, Chester
38332807
Tee 4
27 Feb 45
!es, Charles R.
2d Lt.
01999265
27 Feb 45
~ .:mes, Joseph V.
1st Lt. 27 Feb 45
01014841
Lewis, Walde W.
35206660
Tee ·4 - 28 Feb 45
~orrissey, Kenneth J. :32211925
Pfc
27 Feb 45
Stockton, ilillis H.
Cpl
18184200
28 Feb 45
· Yen, Yee N.
Pfc v
27 Feb 45
13133108
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SLIGHTLY INJURED IN ACTION
Fegleman, James E.
01014811
Parrett, James E.
· SERIOUSLY iDUNDED IN ACTION
34886413
Cpl.
27 Feb 45
2d Lt.
26 Feb 45
1/'ISSING IN ACTION
Davis, Yialter
34140055
· Farrington, William J .01012514
~ ~gt
let Lt.
28 Feb 45
27 Feb.45
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APPENDIX NO ,3 TO AFTER-ACTION REPORT FOR l!.ONTH OF FEBRUARY 1945
CITATIONS
Captain ill.G:L D. BARTOSH
Captain JOHN T. MUN!iOE
1st Lt. ALBEaT vi. HOPE
r- 3gt
Joseph Plotnick
Bernard
B. Farrell
c 4
_Mark D. Hargrove
Pfc
Pfc
John J. McCoy
SILVER STAR (Posthumously)
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BRONZE · STAR (1ITA)
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14 Feb
Feb
Feb
l"eb
14 Feb
25 Feb
14
14
14
14
45 G0/123, Hq 3d /ill
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45 G0#23 II
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45 fXJ ,¥23.
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45 G0/123
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45 . 00/123
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,45 G0/125 II
Feb 45 G0#23
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