January 1945 World War II Combat Interviews of the 7th Armored Division: The Battle of the Bulge -- Recapture of St. Vith, Belgium

January 1945 World War II Combat Interviews
of the 7^th Armored Division:
The Recapture of St. Vith, Belgium Bookmark this page as http://www.7thArmdDiv.org/7adci145.htm
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The following records and interviews were created in January and February 1945, covering the actions of the 7th Armored Division in the recapture of the town of St. Vith, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge (the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign).

See below for details on the interviews and price information. To order copies of the interviews, please send a check (sorry but I am not set up for credit cards), payable to Wesley Johnston, to:

Wesley Johnston
1865 Herndon Avenue, Suite K-187
Clovis, CA 93611-6163

For orders outside the U. S. postal system, please add $10 to cover the extra postage.
For large orders over 50 pages outside the U. S., add $20.

All copies are 8 1/2" x 11" pages, staple-bound, with no cover.

The 7th Armored Division Goes Back: St. Vith 20-23 January 1945 (45 pages, 4 maps; transcribed and fully indexed; staple-bound 8 1/2" x 11" pages with no cover $30). This is a narrative history of the return of 7th Armored Division to St. Vith, written by the 4th Information and Historical (I&H)Section staff shortly after the events, based on interviews, After Action Reports and Journals.

The following individuals are referenced in the narrative and/or the end notes:

Maj. William F. Beaty (Executive Officer, 31st Tank Battalion)
Sgt. Howard O. Bidney (3d Platoon, Company "B", 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)
Lt. Truman R. Bowman (CO, Company "C", 31st Tank Battalion)
Capt. Dudley J. Britton (CO, Company "B", 23rd Armored Infantry Battalion)
Lt. Manuel N. Cepeda (CO, 1st Platoon, Company "B", 31st Tank Battalion)
Lt. Col. Richard Chappuis (CO, 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)
Brig. Gen. Bruce C. Clarke (CG, Combat Command "B")
Lt. Col. William H. Dodge (31st Tank Battalion)
Lt. Col. Robert C. Erlenbusch (CO, 31st Tank Battalion)
Capt. Harrison S. Forrester (CO, Company "C", 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)
Lt. Richard Hardin (CO, Company "B", 17th Tank Battalion)
Maj. Gen. Robert W. Hasbrouck (CG, 7th Armored Division)
Capt. Jack Howison (Acting S-3 Officer, 17th Tank Battalion)
Capt. John E. Kennedy (Assistant G-3 Officer, 7th Armored Division)
Lt. Roland Lavrenz (CO, 3d Platoon, Company "B", 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)
Lt. Donald J. Leckrone (Company "C", 31st Tank Battalion - Killed in Action)
Lt. Robert E. Merriam (4th Information and Historical Section)
Capt. Orville R. Ousdahl (CO, Company "A", 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)
Lt. Col. Robert C. Rhea (CO, 23rd Armored Infantry Battalion)
Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway (CO, XVIII Airborne Corps)
SEITZ (CO, 2d Battalion, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment)
Maj. Clement O. Stevenson (S-3 Officer, 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)
TOMASIK (CO, 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion)
Lt. Ernest W. Van Winkle (CO, 2d Platoon, Company "B", 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)
Lt. Rex E. Waldrop (CO, Company "C", 31st Tank Battalion)
T/Sgt. William E. Walsh (2d Platoon, Company "B", 48th Armored Infantry Battalion)
Col. John P. Wemple (CO, 17th Tank Battalion)
Maj. Paul H. White (S-2 Officer, 23rd Armored Infantry Battalion)
T/3 Hugh Williamson (4th Information and Historical Section)
WILSON (Capt.? in 17th Tank Battalion)

The following units are referenced in the narrative and/or the end notes:

7th Armored Division organic and long-term attached units
- 17th Tank Battalion
- 23d Armored Infantry Battalion
- 31st Tank Battalion
- 33d Armored Engineer Battalion
- 38th Armored Infantry Battalion
- 48th Armored Infantry Battalion
- 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion
- Combat Command "A"
- Combat Command "B"
- Combat Command "R"
Other U. S. units, some attached to 7th Armored Division
- Major References
  - 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
  - 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment
- Minor References
  - First U. S. Army
  - 1st Infantry Division
  - 2d Infantry Division
  - 4th Information and Historical Service
  - V Corps
  - VII Corps
  - XVIII Airborne Corps
  - 23d Infantry Regiment (2d Infantry Division)
  - 30th Infantry Division
  - 80th Ariborne Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion
  - 106th Infantry Division
  - 120th Infantry Regiment (30th Infantry Division)
  - 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion
  - 319th Field Artillery Glider Battalion
  - 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment
German Units
- 905th Assault Gun Brigade

Links to Other Related Records That I Have Transcribed, Indexed, and Published

Battle of the Bulge (the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign)

Boyer, Donald P. Boyer at St. Vith: Major Donald P. Boyer's "Personal Report: Narrative Account of Action of 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division, Battle of St. Vith, 17-22 December 1944" and "Notes - The Battle of St. Vith, 17-22 December 1944" (Click here for information about this book.)
US Army Armor School Research and Evaluation Division. The Defense of St. Vith, Belgium 17-23 December 1944: An historical example of armor in the defense. Fort Knox: Armored School. (Click here for information about this book.)
Combat Interviews of the 7th Armored Division: The 7th Armored Division Goes Back: St. Vith 20-23 January 1945 (Click here for information about this book.)
Selected World War II Combat Interviews

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7th Armored Division Association Home Page
Battle of the Bulge Main Page Click here for an active overview of all pages at the 7th Armored Division web site