304th INFANTRY
1st BATTALION HEADQUARTERS
76th DIVISION
by Homer William Bailey, recorded by his son, David
The 304th pulled out of Boston (24 November 1944) on the US Troop
Ship Brazil, not knowing their destination. Arriving at the English
Channel, the troops unloaded at Southampton, England.
After a period of a month, the 304th crossed the English Channel
in six days into Le Havre and made its way up the Seine River to
Roven, France. From Roven by convoy the advanced party made its
way to the vicinity of Beausaint, Belgium. The remaining 304th boarded
40 and 8 box cars and made the rendezvous at Beausaint.
From Beausaint by convoy they moved south into Luxembourg and the
1st Battalion went into the line at Dickweiler where they experienced
the first taste of enemy fire.
After intense fighting, the 1st Battalion crossed the Sauer River
at Echternach into the Siegfried Line. After crossing the Siegfried
Line, they leap-frogged from village to village to Trier.
From Trier the troops crossed and fought their way through the
snipers, machine gun and mortar fire to Orenhfen and Hosten. Here
at Hosten, PFC Henry (Staff Sergeant Bailey’s future brother-in-law)
crept up to the first shattered house and took five prisoners. After
Hosten, the push toward the Rhine began. Before the Rhine River,
the Americans traded heavy shelling in the Mosel Valley. At the
Mosel River beside a house Staff Sergeant Bailey and six or eight
men were shelling across the river with a 57 mm gun. The Germans
knocked out the tank gun by mortar shelling. After retreating to
a school house for about a day and a half, a messenger found them
and returned the men to headquarters.
After crossing the strongly defended Rhine River at St. Goar to
the Fulda River, the regiment hauled in sizeable groups of SS men.
From the Fulda River the troops crossed the Elbe River into Langensalza.
Langensalza was a thoroughly Nazi community which had thrived as
a military center and a great supply depot. The push from Langensalza
encountered the battle of 13 towns. The 1st Battalion accounted
for 13 towns and encountered pockets of enemy resistance. Here the
1st Battalion captured the first commanding general of the 210th
Volksgrenadier Division, Lt. Gen. Karl Herekamp. Along roadsides
and city streets from Langensalza to Zeitz, the liberated lined
up to cheer the advancing army.
The 304th drew rifle fire in towns toward Zeitz. The 1st Battalion
encountered heavy resistance outside and inside while securing Zeitz.
From Zeitz to Altenburg the Battalion encountered civilian snipers.
At the outskirs of Altenburg the 304th received word that the town
was surrendering. After securing Altenburg the regiment did not
know whether to expect a counter attack or the meeting of the Russians.
The 1st Battalion advanced just south of Mittweida at the Mulde
River where they secured vital bridgeheads over the river. Here
the platoon of Sgt. Bailey crossed the final bridge over a small
river to seize and secure the small bridge. This position was in
advance of the line of demarcation prearranged between Russia and
the American command. To adjust the lines, the regiment withdrew
to the vicinity of Penig and Burgstadt. The move to Penig marked
in effect, the end of the war with Germany - 2 full weeks before
the official surrender announcement by Washington.
For a period of three months the regiment went on the assignment
of governing an area of 800 square kilometers in the vicinity of
Altenburg. From the vicinity of Penig the 1st Battalion transported
by railroad to Camp Lucky Strike, Le Harve, France. From Le Harve
to New York City the trip took 14 days by ship. From New York City
to Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Staff Sgt. Homer Bailey was honorably
discharged from the U.S. Army.
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