Issue Number 65 February 2020
All information in this Newsletter is developed by Fred Clinton, Webmaster, 63rd Infantry Division and does not necessarily reflect the
views of other individuals and is in no way an Official Publication of the 63rd Infantry Division or 63rd Infantry Division Association.
views of other individuals and is in no way an Official Publication of the 63rd Infantry Division or 63rd Infantry Division Association.
Greetings to all of friends of the 63d Infantry Division.
As stated above, this is the 65th edition of the 63rd
Infantry Division Internet Newsletter. The first edition
of this newsletter was posted in August 2000. Should
you be interested in what all previous newsletters
contained you can access them by going to the
bottom of each newsletter and clicking on the
reference to the previous newsletter.
THIS IS A BIG CELEBRATION YEAR FOR THE 63RD
INFANTRY DIVISION:
75 years ago the three Infantry Regiments of the
division (253d, 254th and 255th) arrived in France on
8 December 1944. Within a month all three of the
regiments were on the combat line facing enemy
forces in the area of the 7th US Army.
Because the Infantry Regiments of the division arrived
in country without supporting units such as Artillery,
Engineers, Medical, Maintenance and
communications it was necessary for them to be
attached to other Infantry Divisions already on line.
The 253d Infantry Regiment was attached to the 44th
Infantry Division from 31 Dec 1944 until 6 Feb 1945.
The 254th Infantry Regiment was attached to the 3d
Infantry Division from 28 Dec 1944 until 9 Feb 1945
and then to the 100th Infantry Division from 9 Feb-17
Feb 1945.
The 255th Infantry Regiment was attached to the
100th Infantry Division from 31 Dec 1944- 19 Jan
1945 and then to the 44th Infantry Division from 19
Jan-6 Feb 1945.
As you may have guessed from the cutoff dates of
these attachments, the remainder of the 63rd Infantry
Division had arrived in country and was ready to
operate as a division on 6 Feb 45.
75TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL SERVICE AT
WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL, WASHINGTON D C
On 20 January 2020 a memorial service
commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battles of
the Colmar Pocket was held at the National World
War II Memorial in Washington D C. A short video of
that service can be viewed at the following address:
www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/75th-anniversary-events/
During this service it was my privilege to read the
Poem "A small French Village named Jebsheim" in
honor of the 66 soldiers of the 254th Infantry
Regiment that were killed during the Battle for
Jebsheim, France in January 1945.
As stated above, this is the 65th edition of the 63rd
Infantry Division Internet Newsletter. The first edition
of this newsletter was posted in August 2000. Should
you be interested in what all previous newsletters
contained you can access them by going to the
bottom of each newsletter and clicking on the
reference to the previous newsletter.
THIS IS A BIG CELEBRATION YEAR FOR THE 63RD
INFANTRY DIVISION:
75 years ago the three Infantry Regiments of the
division (253d, 254th and 255th) arrived in France on
8 December 1944. Within a month all three of the
regiments were on the combat line facing enemy
forces in the area of the 7th US Army.
Because the Infantry Regiments of the division arrived
in country without supporting units such as Artillery,
Engineers, Medical, Maintenance and
communications it was necessary for them to be
attached to other Infantry Divisions already on line.
The 253d Infantry Regiment was attached to the 44th
Infantry Division from 31 Dec 1944 until 6 Feb 1945.
The 254th Infantry Regiment was attached to the 3d
Infantry Division from 28 Dec 1944 until 9 Feb 1945
and then to the 100th Infantry Division from 9 Feb-17
Feb 1945.
The 255th Infantry Regiment was attached to the
100th Infantry Division from 31 Dec 1944- 19 Jan
1945 and then to the 44th Infantry Division from 19
Jan-6 Feb 1945.
As you may have guessed from the cutoff dates of
these attachments, the remainder of the 63rd Infantry
Division had arrived in country and was ready to
operate as a division on 6 Feb 45.
75TH ANNIVERSARY MEMORIAL SERVICE AT
WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL, WASHINGTON D C
On 20 January 2020 a memorial service
commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Battles of
the Colmar Pocket was held at the National World
War II Memorial in Washington D C. A short video of
that service can be viewed at the following address:
www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/75th-anniversary-events/
During this service it was my privilege to read the
Poem "A small French Village named Jebsheim" in
honor of the 66 soldiers of the 254th Infantry
Regiment that were killed during the Battle for
Jebsheim, France in January 1945.
UNIT COMBAT AWARDS RECEIVED BY 63RD
INFANTRY DIVISION UNITS:
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION:
254th Infantry Regiment for Colmar-22 Jan 2
-Feb 1945
2d Battalion, 254th Infantry Regiment for
Jebsheim, France 25-29 Jan 1945
1st Battalion, 254th Infantry Regiment for
Ensheim (Siegfried Line), Germany, 15 Mar
1945
3d Battalion, 254th Infantry Regiment for
Ensheim (Siegfried Line) Germany- 16-20 Mar
1945
3d Battalion and Companies A & B, 253d
Infantry Regiment for Kleinblittersdorf,
Germany- 17-24 Feb 1945
C Company, 253d Infantry Regiment for
Bubingen, Germany- 3-5 March 1945
2d Battalion, 253d Infantry Regiment for
Buchhof/ Stein Am Kocher- 4-12 April 1945.
FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM
254th Infantry Regiment for Colmar- 23-24
January 1945. Award not received until 1986
due to the regiment not being listed as an
attached unit with the 3d Infantry Division
Note: Citations for the combat awards can be
viewed on the regimental pages of he 63rd
Infantry Division website at www.63rdinfdiv.com
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATIONS
RECEIVED BY 63RD INFANTRY DIVISION
UNITS:
Hq&Hq Co 255th Inf Regt- 8 Dec44-8 Jun 45
Med Det, 254th Inf Regt- 1 Jun-1 Dec 44
Sv Co, 254th Inf Regt- 9 Dec 44-1 Feb 45
Sv Co, 255th Inf Regt- 1 Oct 44-30 Apr 45
Med Det, 255th Inf Regt- 15 Oct 44-15 Apr 45
763d Ord Co- 1 May-1 Nov 44
763d Ord Co (1st OLC)- 1 Dec 44-31 May 45
63d QM Co, May-Nov 44
Sv Btry 863d FA - 1 Jul-28 Sep 44
Sv Btry 863d FA (!st OLC) 1 Nov 44-30 Apr 45
Sv Btry 861st FA- 1 Jan-12 May 45
363d Med Bn- 1 Dec 44-31 May 45
Sv Btry, 862d FA- 3 Mar-31 May 45
Sv Btry, 718th FA- 10 Jan-1 May 45
Sv Co, 253d Inf Regt- 1 Nov 44-30Apr 45
INFANTRY DIVISION UNITS:
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION:
254th Infantry Regiment for Colmar-22 Jan 2
-Feb 1945
2d Battalion, 254th Infantry Regiment for
Jebsheim, France 25-29 Jan 1945
1st Battalion, 254th Infantry Regiment for
Ensheim (Siegfried Line), Germany, 15 Mar
1945
3d Battalion, 254th Infantry Regiment for
Ensheim (Siegfried Line) Germany- 16-20 Mar
1945
3d Battalion and Companies A & B, 253d
Infantry Regiment for Kleinblittersdorf,
Germany- 17-24 Feb 1945
C Company, 253d Infantry Regiment for
Bubingen, Germany- 3-5 March 1945
2d Battalion, 253d Infantry Regiment for
Buchhof/ Stein Am Kocher- 4-12 April 1945.
FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE WITH PALM
254th Infantry Regiment for Colmar- 23-24
January 1945. Award not received until 1986
due to the regiment not being listed as an
attached unit with the 3d Infantry Division
Note: Citations for the combat awards can be
viewed on the regimental pages of he 63rd
Infantry Division website at www.63rdinfdiv.com
MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATIONS
RECEIVED BY 63RD INFANTRY DIVISION
UNITS:
Hq&Hq Co 255th Inf Regt- 8 Dec44-8 Jun 45
Med Det, 254th Inf Regt- 1 Jun-1 Dec 44
Sv Co, 254th Inf Regt- 9 Dec 44-1 Feb 45
Sv Co, 255th Inf Regt- 1 Oct 44-30 Apr 45
Med Det, 255th Inf Regt- 15 Oct 44-15 Apr 45
763d Ord Co- 1 May-1 Nov 44
763d Ord Co (1st OLC)- 1 Dec 44-31 May 45
63d QM Co, May-Nov 44
Sv Btry 863d FA - 1 Jul-28 Sep 44
Sv Btry 863d FA (!st OLC) 1 Nov 44-30 Apr 45
Sv Btry 861st FA- 1 Jan-12 May 45
363d Med Bn- 1 Dec 44-31 May 45
Sv Btry, 862d FA- 3 Mar-31 May 45
Sv Btry, 718th FA- 10 Jan-1 May 45
Sv Co, 253d Inf Regt- 1 Nov 44-30Apr 45