48th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division<br> Schmallenberg, Germany

48th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division
with B and C/31st Tank Battalion
Schmallenberg, Germany - 7 April 1945
7th Armored Division Bookmark this page as http://www.7thArmdDiv.org/48-1945-04-07-Schmallenberg.htm
Last updated: July 13, 2026 - What's New? 7th Armd Div Patch

The Context

During the reduction of the Ruhr Pocket, U.S. 7th Armored Division's 48th Armored Infantry Battalion moved on 7 April 1945 from Grafschaft, Germany, to take Schmallenberg. Companies A and C made the attack, with Company B then charged with mopping up. While the attacking A/48 took the most casualties, the mopping up B/48 took nearly as many casualties as the attacking C/48. And B/48 lost twice as many men killed as the other two companies combined.

Company B of 31st Tank Battalion shows them at Schmallenberg. C/31's Morning Report makes no mention of Schmallenberg, but the 31st Tank Battalion After Action Report places C/31 at Schmallenberg. So, both companies are included here. And a veteran's account says some elements of C/31 were on loan to B/31 at Schmallenberg.

This web page gathers what can be found in the records and in personal accounts toward having an accurate account of what happened. This process has already identified that the official dates of death of B/48 men as 8 April instead of 7 April are incorrect and gives the source of how that error came about.

Contents

Contemporary Documents - After Action Reports

Contemporary Documents - Morning Reports

Contemporary Documents - Army Signal Corps Images

Postwar Book Accounts

Maps

Casualties by Company

Veteran Accounts

German Accounts

Conclusions

Contemporary Documents - After Action Reports

48th Armored Infantry Battalion After Action Report

The After Action Report for April 1945, dated 1 May 1945, has 19 pages comprised of the following reports.

The main battalion-wide report, signed by 48AIB commanding officer Lt Col Richand D. Chappuis contains 5 numbered pages.
The Headquarters Company report, dated18 April, has 4 pages (the first three of which are numbered), signed by 1st Lt Sam H. Sharp.
The Company A report, dated 17 April, has 1 unnumbered page, signed by Capt. Arville Ousdale, which covers 10-17 April.
A single-page Company B report has no signature or date but covers the period 090001 to 161000 April
A 2-page Company C report, dated 8 April, covers the period from 5 April 0400 to 7 April 1500 and was apparently by T/4 John S. Gittens. It simpley says "Plans carried out as ordered. Changes made when necessary." and has no details of the events.
Another 2-page Company C report, dated 10 April, was by T/4 John S. Gittens.
Another 2-page Company C report, dated 11 April, was by T/4 John S. Gittens.
Another 2-page Company C report, dated 13 April, was by T/4 John S. Gittens.

Only those pages relevant to Schmallenberg (which was on 7 April 1945) are included here.

Main Report (p. 2)
7 April 1945. Location: Grafschaft, Germany. GC 456834, map ref. Sheet 128, 1:50,000. From dawn until 0800 B/48 continued sweeping the woods west to within one mile east of Schmallenberg and dug in under cover of the woods. In the meantime C/48 left Almert 0400, made a wide envelopment thru the woods to the south coming into position to attack Schmallenberg. Under cover of darkness A/48 left Grafschaft, moved thru the woods swept by B/48 and stopped to the East of Schmallenberg, prepared to make a coordinated attack with C/48. At 1100, A/48 and C/48 jumped off after a ten minute concentration of two batteries of artillery on Schmallenberg. Considerable automatic fire was received and one tank supportingC/48 was knocked out. After a stiff fight A/48 and C/48 entered the town at 1600 and proceeded to clean it out from South to North. B/48 moved into town as task force reserve. A combat patrol consisting of the AT platoon of A/48 dismounted, 1/1/A/33 and 1/B/31 moved out from Grafschaft to clear one road to Schmallenberg after the town had been about one-half taken. Four P47s bombed and strafed Schmallenberg at about 1400. The forward CP moved from Almert to Grafschaft at 1030 and the rear CP was established at Almert at 1000. It remained there until about 1700, when it moved forward and a consolidated CP was established at Grafschaft. In the afternoon the vehicles were brought forward to the vicinity of Almert, Germany.
Weather: Sunshine

Headquarters Company Report (p. 2) (NOTE: The dates conflict with the other reports.)
The next day, 7 April, the Machine Gun Plat. and A Co & Mortar observers moved on down and joined "A" Company troops in GRAFSHAFT. One man was wounded in the Mortar Platoon by artillery fire at this village.
An attack was planned on SCHMALLENBURG for 8 April with "C" Company attacking from the left flank and "A" Co making the frontal attack. Observers were with "C" Co and fired several concentrations on SCHMALLENBURG prior to the attack. The attack started at 1100 and was met by heavy AT & MG fire. The village was taken by 1600 and mopped up by "B" Co. The high ground around the village was taken before dark and the MG plat. emplaced on the North.

31st Tank Battalion After Action Report

The After Action Report for April 1945, dated 2 May 1945, has 9 pages. Only those pages relevant to Schmallenberg (which was on 7 April 1945) are included here.

Page 3
7 April 1945 ..Further losses of tanks were reported at 2010; these losses consisted of two by "B" Co and three by "C" Co in an attack on SCHMALLENBERG.

Combat Command B After Action Report

The After Action Report for April 1945, dated 1 May 1945, has 7 pages. Only those pages relevant to Schmallenberg (which was on 7 April 1945) are included here.

Page 4
At first light of 7 April 45, C/48 maneuvered Southwest from ALMERT and by 0800 was in position to attack SCHMALLENBERG from the South. At the same time B/48 was in position for an attack on the town from the East. This attack jumped off at 1110 following heavy artillery concentrations. At 1600 the town fell following a combined attack by dive bombers, artillery, tanks infantry. The 48th AIB pushed the attack to the high ground 1000 yards Northwest of SCHMALLENBERG where they consolidated for the night. B/87 which reverted to Squadron control at 1100 was moved into SCHMALLENBERG to secure the town. In the action of 7 April, tanks of B/31 worked with the 48th AIB while C/31 was with 3/395, A/31 reverting to Battalion control. A/87 was attached to CC "R" at 1000, while 38th AIB reverted in place to CC "R" at 1120, thus relieving Combat Command "B" of responsibility for Division's right flank. CC "B" Headquarters moved to GRAFSCHFT at 1710.

7AD Headquareters Reports

These original reports are among those collected in the book "The Ruhr Pocket and the Baltic Sea: 7th Armored Division Combat Interviews and After Action Report, Germany, April 1945" which is available on Amazon. The page numbers given are pages within the book and not in the original

7th Armored Division After Action Report
Page 69 Map

Click on image for full size.
Page 73
At the end of the day [6 Apr 1945], the division's forces were on high ground to the west and northwest of SCHMALLENBERG (3884) in position to attack that town.
Page 74
SUMMARY 7-APRIL Fanatical defense of every inch of the ground was again in order for 7 April. The day opened with two determined and quite sizeable counter-attacks on GLIEDORF both of which were repulsed with the enemy forces drawing northwards towards FREDEBURG. Combat Command "R" made a bitterly contested entry into HOLTHAUSEN and Combat Command "B" took SCHMALLENBERG (3884), the largest town in the area, against moderate to heavy resistance. Once inside the town, the troops were faced with the dual problem of combatting fierce resistance and poor observation caused by the smoke of buildings burning from our own artillery and air preparations. The blinding smoke concealed many weapons which continued to deliver a heavy volume of fire and the 48th Arm'd Inf. Bn., was obliged to clear the town house by house.
Page 75
SCHMALLENBERG FALLS The 48th Arm'd Inf Bn., supported by B/31st Tank Bn., under Combat Command "B", maneuvered into position to attack SCHMALLENBERG from the east and southeast on 7 April. C/48th made a wide envelopment through the woods to a position south of the town while A/48th moved through the woods and stopped east of the town to coordinate its attack with "C" Company. The two companies jumped off at 1110 after two battalions of artillery had hit the town with a ten minute preparation. C/48th entering the town from the south was met with small arms and machine gun fire from the south. A/48th met withering small arms, anti-tank and self propelled gun fire as it entered the town from the east. Just prior to their entry, four P-47's had bombed and strafed SCHMALLENBERG but it was still found necessary to fight from block to block to clear the town. The Germans finally gave up after the combined assault of artillery, tanks and infantry at 1900 and 350 PW's were taken. The 87th Cav Rcn Sq Mecz., occupied SCHMALLENBERG during the night 7-8 April, relieving the 48th Arm'd Inf Bn., who pushed on to secure the high ground about 1,000 yards northwest of the town.

G-2 Notes (The G-2 Officer was the Intelligence Officer in the Division's General Staff)
Pages 118-119
SCHMALLENBERG, the largest town in the area, which was attacked by our forces during the day, offered resistance that varied from moderate to heavy. Forces that attempted to enter the town from the south were subjected to small arms and machine gun fire from positions south of the town, and even more on the southern outskirts of the town once it was entered. Bazooka fire was also encountered in the southern outskirts of the town, and artillery was played on the town from the northwest and west - most of it from self-propelled pieces. Elements of the Division that attempted to enter the town from the east met withering small arms fire and fire from anti-tank weapons and self-propelled pieces within the town. Once inside the town, forces were faced with the dual problem of combatting fanatic resistance and poor observation that was caused by the buildings burning from our own artillery and air preparations. The blinding smoke concealed many enemy weapons that continued to deliver heavy volumes of fire on our forces that were obliged to clear the town house by house. The town was cleared of enemy by 1900, yielding over 300 prisoners.
The only substantial identifications made during the day were of the 338 Infantry Division, which seemed to have taken over the entire defensive sector against which we were pitting our efforts. The counter-attacks made on GLEIDORF during the earlier part of the day had been made by one regiment of the division with the support of a GHQ Heavy Tank Battalion, and the defense of the city of SCHMALLENBERG was made by another regiment of the division, with augmentation from a number of small and separate units that were centered around the town.
A total of 472 prisoners were taken during the period, exclusive of a number of prisoners that were left in the hospitals in SCHMALLENBERG.

Contemporary Documents - Morning Reports
Note that some casualties were reported retroactively on later Morning Reports. See the section below on casualties for the complete record of casualties reported. Routine administrative text from REPORT OF EVENTS entries is not included.

48th Armored Infantry Battalion Morning Reports 7 Apr 1945

Battalion Headquarters

Grafschaft WG 414 833
Co-ordinated atk on Schmallenberg with "A" Co assaulting town from woods to E and "C" Co simultaneously going in from S [-] "B" Co followed "A" into Schmallenberg and mopped up and outposted town [-] "A" and "C" pushed out of town to the high ground to the N and W respectively [-] Excellent air and artillery support [-] Weather clear and cool [-] Men becoming tired but morale Excellent

Headquarters Company

Grafschaft WG 414 833
Co in support of Co's A and C [-] Weather clear and cool [-] Men becoming tired but Morale Excellent

Company A

Schmallenberg WG 385 833

Saynal, Aloysius A [-] 36 556 502 Pfc SSN745
Russell, Charles W [-] 35 906 539 Pfc SSN745
Staples, Estill [-] 35 715 835 Sgt SSN653
Higgins, Robert A [-] 31 434 267 Pfc SSN745
Lucero, Willie A [-] 38 166 363 Pfc SSN745
McCabe, Edmund F [-] 12 092 293 Sgt SSN745
Edwards, Stafford L [-] 34 314 057 Cpl SSN745
Nelson, James D [-] 35 581 490 Sgt SSN745
Davis, John K [-] 38 599 715 Pfc SSN745
Jenkins, James W [-] 34 984 091 Pfc SSN745
Sherrill, Fred B [-] 33 857 986 Pfc SSN745
Harris, Robert E [-] 42 024 262 Pfc SSN745
Whitwell, Earl Jr [-] 20 740 319 Cpl SSN653
   Above 13 EM fr dy to LWA trfd to 45 Evac Hosp Battle.
Smith, William J [-] 34 526 958 Pfc SSN745
Capehart, Virgil L B [-] 34 266 050 Pvt SSN745
Zimmerman, Clifford W [-] 35 247 770 Pvt SSN745
Morris, Elwood C [-] 42 107 983 Pfc SSN745
Salito, Gerome R [-] 34 005 412 Sgt SSN745
Yawn, Homer T [-] 34 357 259 Pvt SSN745
Yackel, Adolph [-] 6 934 917 T/Sgt SSN651
Castaldo, James C [-] 32 246 535 Pfc SSN745
   Above 8 EM fr dy to SWA trfd to 45 Evac Hosp Battle.
Koczan, Joseph J [-] 32 168 222 Pfc SSN745
   Fr dy to LIA trfd to 45 Evac Hosp Battle
Duncan, George T [-] 32 006 837 Sgt
Johnson, Lauraman [-] 38 579 388 Sgt
Maximovicz, Ralph C [-] 6 897 953 Sgt
   Above 3 EM aptd S Sgt per VOCO 1 Apr 45
   confirmed on SO 44 Hq 48th A I Bn 7Apr45
Powell, Cris C [-] 20 758 045 Pfc
Baker, Clarence J [-] 34 868 232 Pfc
Staples, Estill [-] 35 715 835 Pvt
Miller, Loren N [-] 38 296 307 Pvt
   Above 4 EM aptd Sgt per VOCO 1 Apr 45 con-
   firmed on SO 44 Hq 48th A I Bn 7 Apr 45
Brotschol, Ambrose C [-] 32 304 348 Pfc
Rud, Wilfred A [-] 37 576 049 Pfc
   Above 2 EM aptd Cpl per VOCO 1 Apr 45 con-
   firmed on SO 44 Hq 48th A I Bn 7 Apr 45

RECORD OF EVENTS
Company given mission to attack and take Schmallenberg; jumped off in the vicinity of Grafschalt [sic] at 1110 attacking town from the west and Co "C" attacking from the North. Reached town 1330 meeting heavy resistance, encountering artillery mortar and small arms fire. Proceeded to mop up. Town cleared 1630. Outpost set up around town. weather clear. 200 [sic] prisoners captured, 0 Off, 0 NC, 2 EM, 2 total

Company B

Schmallenberg WG 385 833
Willican, Lewis M. Jr. [-] O1 324 043 2d Lt
   Dy to LWA - on dy - Pun W Rt Elbow (Battle) Kounitz, Jerome [-] 32 082 933 S/Sgt
   Dy to trfd to 9th Reinforcement Depot APO 545 per par2 SO #87 Hq 7th Armd Div
Lerario, Joseph J. [-] 15 232 530 Pfc
   Dy to LWA - on dy - Nature of wounds unknown (Battle)
McCourt, Philip C. [-] 31 401 632 Pvt SSN745
   Dy to LWA to trfd to 45th Evac Hosp (Battle)
MacKenzie, William S. [-] 36 586 519 Sgt SSN653
Kazlauskas, John P. [-] 32 249 696 Pfc SSN745
Padien, Luke J. [-] 32 249 837 Cpl SSN610
Stewart, Deane W. [-] 39 208 650 Pfc SSN745
   Above 4 EM Dy to SWA to trfd to 45th Evac Hosp (Battle)

RECORD OF EVENTS
Co followed battalion into town and mopped up and outposted town. Excellent Air and Artillery support. Weather Clear and Cool Morale: Excellent

Company C

Schmallenberg WG 385 833
Proctor, William A [-] 34 254 446 T/Sgt SSN651
Gillispie, Roy C [-] 33 210 400 Pvt SSN745
Hawkins, Arthur J [-] 34 701 642 Pvt SSN745
Rapier, William L [-] 35 816 379 Pfc SSN745
Baron Jr, Hormidos J [-] 32 250 388 S/Sgt SSN653
Prente, Emile L [-] 31 457 149 S/Sgt SSN653
Timmons, Edward B [-] 15 105 425 S/Sgt SSN653
   Above 7 EM Dy to SWA to trfd to 45th Evac Hosp (Battle)
Croup, Asa N [-] 33 949 947 Pfc SSN745
Ward, William J [-] 42 102 135 Pfc SSN745
   Above 2 EM Dy to LWA to trfd to 45th Evac Hosp (Battle) Hoppes, Frederick A [-] 33 835 855 S/Sgt
   Dy to LWA - on dy - Nature of wounds Unknown (Battle)

RECORD OF EVENTS
Co attack and took Schmallenberg, Germany [-] Weather: Clear and warm. [-] Morale: Excellent

Service Company

Grafschaft WG 414 833

RECORD OF EVENTS
Carrying on with usual maintenance and supply duties at and from above location. Weather clear and cool; morale excellent.

Medical Detachment

Grafschaft WG 414 833
Bland, Willie [-] SSN 409 34 197 486 Tec 5
Dy to SWA trfd to 45 Evac Hosp (Battle)
RECORD OF EVENTS
Bn Aid Station moved to and set up at above location. Weather clear and cool; morale excellent.

31st Tank Battalion Morning Reports 7 Apr 1945

Company B	Schmallenberg Germany WG 375833 McDonald, Oliver Jr [-] 35 877 670 Pfc Dy to SWA lost to 45th Evac Hosp (SSN 531) Scott, Donald B [-] 34 179 106 Tec 4 LWA remaining on dy (Shrapnel wound across Chest) RECORD OF EVENTS Left Grafschaft Germany 1710 attacking the enemy [-] Arr at Schmallenberg Germay 1800 Distance traveled 2 Mi
Company C	Gleidorf Germany WG 410850 Ashmore, Vester [-] 34 273 349 Sgt LWA remained on DY (Shot in hand by sniper) Waldrop, Rex E (Inf) O1 017 105 1st Lt SSN 1203 Fr Dy to KIA RECORD OF EVENTS Left Oberkirchen Germany to present location Distance traveled 4 Mi [-]

Contemporary Documents - Army Signal Corps Images Army Signal Corps men took thousands of still images and thousands of feet of moving picture images.

Film: Bombing of Schmallenberg 7 Apr 1945

National Archives: NAID 16767 (1110-ADC-2964) (LIB5216) mp4 video file

This Army Signal Corps film footage (duration 5:15) contains footage from 4 rolls of film made by Signal Corpsman M. Weiner on 7 April 1945. He did not give the location in is in-film header cards, but it is film of the bombing of Schmallenberg as well as what appears to be an aerial reconnaissance plane.

Roll 1 has a header card in the middle of the footage. It includes an image of a tank (presumably a 7th Armored Division tank but with no identification and no visible markings) firing its machine gun toward some off-camera location.
Roll 2 has no header card. It is video of the bombing from a different location.
Roll 3 is very brief, from a different location.
Roll 4 has images of unidentified troops in an unidentified town. It is most likely 7th Armored Division troops in the streets of Schmallenberg. They do appear to be in combat but only in a mopping-up mode. The footage also includes German prisoners, civilians and burning buildings. From this footage, it appears that the damage was not throughout the town as buildings in the early part of this rool are intact. While Schmallenberg residents may be able to identify locations, the precise location of the images thus far has not been established.

Click here for the National Archives shot list card for 111-ADC-2964, which is these images (on card 2) and those of LIB 5215 (on card 1). Click here for the National Archives web page for 111-ADC-2964.

Postwar Book Accounts

Lucky Seventh (Volume 1)

This is the first of the two volumes of the Division history published by the 7th Armored Division Association, under the management of then-Historian Neil Chapin. The book is out of print and can sometimes be found on eBay.

From the chapter "The Seventh Armored Division in the Reduction of the Ruhr Pocket: March and April, 1945" (pp. 107-115) in the section "Phase One 'The Shell Proves Tough': April 5th-8th, 1945" (pp 108-109)

The Shell Begins to Crack: April 7th (p 109)
Although tanks and tank destroyers did yeoman service reducing the flanks, the task at hand was still mainly one for infantry. Plans called for A/48th to pass through B/48th and with L/395th [Company L of the 395th Infantry Regiment of 99th Infantry Division], take SCHMALLENBERG. C/48th was to pass south of GRAFSCHAFT and hit SCHMALLENBERG from the south. At 1100 the town was marked with smoke and hit hard by the Air Force. By house-to-house fighting and with subsequent artillery support, the tank-infantry teams secured the town at 1600. To consolidate the position the 87th Recon. occupied the hills to the northwest.

Click on image for full size.

The Last Offensive

This is the official U. S. Army History of World War II volume, by Charles MacDonald. The complete text can be downloaded as a PDF by clicking here.

Page 365 and Map 5 from page 363
The III Corps began to attack on 5 April ... During the first few days, the Germans defended in some degree almost every town and village and most ridge and stream lines ... Beginning on 7 April days of overcast and light rain gave way to warm sunny weather, enabling planes of the IX and XXIX Tactical Air Commands to aid the mop-up.

Click on image for full size.

Maps These maps are from "Lucky Seventh", Volume 1, in the section on the Ruhr Pocket.

Overview of Reduction of the Ruhr Pocket, 5-14 April 1945

Click on image for full size.

7AD in Reduction of the Ruhr Pocket, 5-8 April 1945

Click on image for full size.

Casualties

"They had crossed a strange line, they had become wounded men, and everybody realized, including themselves, dimly that they were now different ...They had been initiated into a strange, insane, twilight fraternity where explanation would be forever impossible. ... Tenderness was all that could be given."

-- James Jones, "The Thin Red Line" (as quoted in Edward W. Wood, Jr., "On Being Wounded")

Date of Morning Report entry in parentheses. Note that B/48 has wrong date of death in MRs for four KIAs. Links for the dead are to their Individual Deceased Personnel Files.

Casualty	A/48	B/48	C/48	Med/48	B/31	C/31
KIA or DOW	Cpl Val K. O'Kane KIA 7 Apr Rifleman (9 Apr)	Pfc Terrence M. Coyne KIA 7 Apr Rifleman (9 Apr) Pvt William H. Grady, Jr. KIA 7 Apr Rifleman (11 Apr) Pfc John P. Kazlauskas DOW 7 Apr Rifleman (SWA 7 Apr) Pfc Robert E. L. Price DOW 7 Apr Rifleman (9 Apr) Pvt John G. White KIA 7 Apr Rifleman (11 Apr MIA, 20 Apr KIA) S/Sgt William H. Zoellner KIA 7 Apr Squad Leader (9 Apr)	Pfc John J. Lister KIA 7 Apr Rifleman (9 Apr) Pvt Edward D. Ralston KIA 7 Apr Rifleman (9 Apr) Pvt Jack T. Remcus KIA 8 Apr Rifleman (10 Apr) - NOT yet sure whether he really was KIA on 7 Apr	.	.	1st Lt Rex E. Waldrop KIA 7 Apr Tank Officer (7 Apr)
SWA (Seriously Wounded in Action) and Survived	Pfc William J. Smith Rifleman (7 Apr) Pvt Virgil L. B. Capehart Rifleman (7 Apr) Pvt Clifford W. Zimmerman Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc Elwood C. Morris Rifleman (7 Apr) Sgt Gerome R. Salito Rifleman (7 Apr) Pvt Homer T. Yawn Rifleman (7 Apr) T/Sgt Adolph Yackel Platoon Sergeant (7 Apr) Pfc James C. Castaldo Rifleman (7 Apr)	Sgt William S. MacKenzie Squad Leader (7 Apr) Cpl Luke J. Padien Anti-Tank Gun Crewman (7 Apr) Pfc Deane W. Stewart Rifleman (7 Apr)	T/Sgt William A. Proctor Platoon Sergeant (7 Apr) Pvt Roy C. Gillispie Rifleman (7 Apr) Pvt Arthur J. Hawkins Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc William L. Rapier Rifleman (7 Apr) S/Sgt Hormidos J. Baron Jr Squad Leader (7 Apr) S/Sgt Emile L. Prente Squad Leader (7 Apr) S/Sgt Edward B. Timmons Squad Leader (7 Apr)	Tec 5 Willie Bland Medical Technician (7 Apr)	Pfc Oliver Jr McDonald Cannoneer (7 Apr)	.
LWA (Lightly Wounded in Action) and Survived	Pfc Aloysius A., Saynal Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc Charles W. Russell Rifleman (7 Apr) Sgt Estill Staples Squad Leader (7 Apr) Pfc Robert A. Higgins Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc Willie A. Lucero Rifleman (7 Apr) Sgt Edmund F. McCabe Rifleman (7 Apr) Cpl Stafford L. Edwards Rifleman (7 Apr) Sgt James D. Nelson Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc John K. Davis Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc James W. Jenkins Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc Fred B. Sherrill Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc Robert E. Harris Rifleman (7 Apr) Cpl Earl Whitwell Jr Squad Leader (7 Apr)	2d Lt Lewis M. Willican Jr. (7 Apr) Pfc Joseph J. Lerario (7 Apr) Pvt Philip C. McCourt Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc J. B. Baty Rifleman (9 Apr) T/Sgt Ralph M. Waishard (21 Apr) Pfc. William R. Beane (21 Apr)	Pfc Asa N. Croup Rifleman (7 Apr) Pfc William J. Ward Rifleman (7 Apr) S/Sgt Frederick A. Hoppes	.	Tec 4 Donald B. Scott (7 Apr)	Sgt Vester Ashmore (7 Apr)
LIA (Lightly Injured in Action) and Survived	Pfc Joseph J. Koczan Rifleman (7 Apr)	.	.	.	.	.
MIA (Missing in Action) and Survived but no return to duty found	.	Pvt Lloyd L. Short Rifleman (11 Apr-shown with White as MIA as of 8 Apr)	.	.	.	.

Veteran Accounts
The veteran accounts about specific dead help to understand what happened. In praticular, they establish the correct date of some of the B/48 dead. The first burial locations (section-row-grave) are noted since the men wound up in two different temporary US military cemeteries in Germany (Breuna and Ittenbach), and the cemetery may indicate who was recovered with whom.

A/48
Pvt. Val K. O'Kane
No personal accounts
He had just joined A/48 as a replacement 6 days earlier, on 1 Apr 1945. So, he hardly had time to know anyone even in his own squad.
Cause of Death: Shell fragment wounds to head (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Ittenbach E-9-165 (12 Apr)

B/48
Pfc. Terrence M. Coyne
No personal accounts
Cause of Death: Shell Fragment Wound to Chest (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Ittenbach G-1-1 (10 Apr)

Pfc. William H. Grady Jr.
No personal accounts
Cause of Death: Gunshot Wound to Neck (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Breuna A-8-148 (14 Apr)

Pfc. John Paul Kazlauskas
No personal accounts
Cause of Death: Perforating Wound to Abdomen (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Ittenbach F-5-87 (14 Apr)

Pvt. Robert E. Lee Price
Pfc James Robinson (B/48 same platoon but different squad) in letter to Price's widow (29 Jun 1945): [original spelling]
"I wasn't in Lee's squad, but I was in the same Plt [Platoon]. He was a rifleman in Hq.[Headquarters] squad, and I'm a machine gunner in the machine gun squad."
"... Lee was killed in ... a small town by the name of Smallenburg Germany in the Rhur Pocket."
"... we started to take the town and as we started in the Jerry saw us with there Mortor on the other side of town and opened up on us with borth mortor and artlelery. We all imediatly took cover and after we thought it had stopped coming in we ... went into town we had a small bridge to cross and as we started across the Jerries again up with morter. This time Lee didn't get down in time ... "
"... Lee was hit pretty bad in the body with scrapnel. He died within a matter of minutes after he was hit."
Chaplain Raphael O'Brien letter: [in 1992 newspaper article]
"3 artillery rounds, wounded in chest"
Cause of Death: Shell fragments from artillery and/or mortar rounds (per Pfc James Robinson, Chaplain Raphael O'Brien, Report of Burial)
First Burial: Ittenbach F-10-100 (10 Apr) [buried next to John Lister (C/48)]

Pvt. John G. White
Certificate of Identity by Pfc Everett A. Rosman (B/48)
Cause of Death: Shell Fragment Wound to Chest (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Breuna A-4-64 (14 Apr)

S/Sgt. William Henry Zoellner
Charles Barry (9/8/2001 and 9/29/2002 Reunions): were up hill toward Schmallenberg -- Zoellner was at head of squad and Barry at rear
sniper got Zoellner in head - he was killed on the 6th -- Zoellner was "dead before I got hit" -- same squad.
Charles Barry (15 Apr 2007 e-mail re 1945 UH casualty list):
"I wonder how many names are missing from those lists. I notice I was not in the Ruhr Pocket list. I was wounded there on the same day S/Sgt. William Zolner was killed. Not on Apr. 8. It was the 5th or 6th. The 8th is the day that Harvey Thiede took a Jeep up the hill, picked up his body and delivered it to an Aide station. Probably Graftshaft which was the closest Aide station."
Harvey Thiede (9/8/2001 Reunion):
hit in neck.
Avery Tucker (23 Aug 2007 telephone):
"I took his body to the medics. Harvey [Thiede] was with me at the time. Harvey came back and got me and told me Zoellner had been killed."
Cause of Death: Sniper Shot in Neck (per Charles Barry, Harvey Thiede, Report of Burial [SFW Neck])
First Burial: Ittenbach G-1-2 (10 Apr)

C/48
Pfc. John J. Lister
No personal accounts
Cause of Death: Shell Fragment Wounds to Abdomen (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Ittenbach F-10-199 (10 Apr) [next to Robert Price of B/48 and Edward Ralston of C/48]

Pvt. Edward Dale Ralston
Son Coye Ralston:
shot by a sniper at Schmallenberg
Cause of Death: Shot by sniper (per son Coye Ralston); SFW head (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Ittenbach F-10-199 (10 Apr) [next to John Lister of C/48]

Pvt. Jack T. Remcus
48 AIB 1945 Unit History: "COMPANY "C" CASUALTIES - RUHR POCKET - ... - Pvt Remcus, Jack 18 032 133 KIA 8 Apr"
Cause of Death: Shell Fragment Wounds to Head (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Ittenbach H-2-33 (12 Apr)

C/31
1st Lt. Rex E. Waldrop
E-mail from Eugene Dale (C/31 veteran) via Al Rosinski (13 Apr 2004):
"Waldrop: Gene says he was a 1st Lt in Co C; died Schmallenberg area while he was on loan to Co B. His mos was 1203 tank officer. A side note: his father was a police office and was on the 1952 and 1956 US Olympic Pistol team."
Cause of Death: Explosion, with shell fragments to head and upper body (per Report of Burial)
First Burial: Ittenbach G-8-149 (11 Apr)

German Accounts and Map
Some German websites contain information about the battle at Schmallenberg and about the town itself.

Map of the Historic Old Town of Schmallenberg
The town is basically laid out as a long narrow town along two parallel main streets.

Brief history of Schmallenberg
"On April 7, 1945 during the Allied invasion of the Ruhr basin, after the villages Gleidorf and Grafschaft was attacked by the American 7th Armored Division with air support and occupied on the same day. 72 German soldiers and 11 civilians were killed, 350 soldiers were taken prisoner, 37 houses were burned down and 151 were damaged. The attack on Schmallenberg was captured on a 32-millimeter film. [It is not known if this refers to the Army Signal Corps film footage included further upt this web page.] In the summer of 1945, the stream of refugees displaced from the east also came to Schmallenberg and, in view of the housing shortage, the lack of food and the hundreds of people evacuated from bombed cities during the war, placed a great burden on the local population."

Der Angriff auf Schmallenberg im April 1945 (The attack on Schmallenberg in April 1945)
This is a webpage of the Woll Magazine website. It is entirely in German. It includes an account written by the late Marianne (Falke) Geiecke. She was 27 years old at the time of the attack. The website contains a significantly abridged and adapted version of her account. Here is the text translated into English.

On April 6, 1945, the situation in Schmallenberg escalated dramatically. German soldiers increasingly entered the town, and an assault gun was positioned at the water gate, directly in front of the Veltins family's house (today the Vollmert house). The danger was ever-present, especially for the residents of this house, who eventually fled to us. Our pleas to the gun commander to choose a different location to protect the civilian population and the wounded in the elementary school's infirmary (today the Alexanderhaus) were unsuccessful. The tank remained, and its escort sought shelter in our cellar (today the corner building at Alter Kirchplatz/Oststraße).

In the early afternoon, I was preparing potatoes upstairs with one of the soldiers. The firefight outside intensified, and suddenly an explosion shattered the large window. The soldier ducked, while I was thrown against the door. I felt warm blood on my forehead. We quickly returned to the cellar, where everyone was in a state of great agitation. A grenade had exploded right on the garden wall.

The night of April 7th
The following hours were marked by unbearable fear. Our hopes for the swift arrival of the Americans remained unfulfilled. We spent the night of April 7th huddled together in the cellar while shells rained down incessantly. The admirable calm of my mother and younger sister sustained us all. We prayed often and found solace in it.

In the early morning of April 7th, the fighting intensified further, and all hell broke loose! Around 6:00 a.m., tank shells and artillery fire announced the arrival of the Americans. But it wasn't until shortly before noon that the shell explosions ceased; only the occasional shot broke the silence. The tank crew left our cellar, leaving only one medic behind, deliberately hoping to be taken prisoner.

Later, through the open door, we saw thick plumes of smoke drifting across the church square. There was a fire, but where exactly? Suddenly, a bullet whizzed through our room. Two American soldiers had fired in the heat of the moment; luckily, they only hit the washing machine. Grabbed white cloths and shouting, "Women and children only!", we surrendered.

I trembled with excitement: On April 7th, the victor of the Battle of Schmallenberg stood before us in the form of an American soldier. It was over!

A picture of horror
When we went upstairs, a scene of horror greeted us: all the windowpanes were shattered, shards of glass were embedded in the wainscoting, and the front door was broken. A direct hit had struck the small room, another the bay window; many window frames had been ripped out. The curtains hung in tatters, and mortar and dust were everywhere. Amidst this chaos, the Americans were rummaging, breaking down doors and drawers with their rifles, terrified of an ambush.

Our hearts stopped when we stepped onto the front steps of our house: the houses and the elementary school – all burned down or gutted; the church square and the street – destroyed by direct hits; the shattered trees – war! We felt it acutely in those moments. Above the misery, a wonderful spring sky was blue, the sun was shining, the mountains stood in unshakeable solidity. The American soldiers forced us to go into the church, even though German soldiers were still firing from the tower.

After negotiations with the Americans, we were able to leave the church again after a short time.

Are you still alive?
On the morning of April 8, 1945, people on the street greeted each other with the question, "Are you still alive?" Gratitude for their lives restored was palpable. During those hours, the first orders from the Americans were announced, and the former local Nazi Party leader, Gilsbach, was appointed provisional mayor. This situation did not last long for him.

At noon, he and his former staff were summoned to our house for a meeting by several American officers. The meeting was over quickly, and everyone got into a car to drive to Grafschaft to meet the commander. Not a single German returned from that journey.

Gradually, we became aware that we were no longer free. Soldiers kept coming to our house, anxiously but politely searching every room. This changed, however, when they started drinking alcohol and became quite boorish in their drunkenness.

Otherwise, Sunday passed quietly. The streets were empty of civilians. Only our Vicar Geisthövel kept going out to recover the dead. I believe everyone who saw him was deeply moved by the grief-stricken figure of this man.

Conclusions

A/48 Conclusions

Cpl Val K. O'Kane joined as a replacement Corporal on 1 Apr 1945 and was KIA 7 Apr 1945, six days later. Transfers into 7th Armored Division of Corporals and Sergeants began just before the crossing of the Rhine, pushing unit levels to more men than the TOE (Table of Organization and Equipment) provided since casualties were expected to rise after the Rhine crossing. The over-filling would allow units to continue operating with strength in a continuous effective push. The pre-crossing transfers (7AD crossed 25 Mar 1945) were primarily from Army Air Corps ground crews. So, it may be the Cpl. O'Kane was previously in an Army Air Corps ground crew.

B/48 Conclusions

The B/48 Morning Reports carried the wrong retroactive 8 Apr 1945 date of death (5 men, one initially as MIA) and MIA (1 man) because the remains of the dead were not recovered until the next day after they died so that their actual dates were 7 Apr 1945, and the actual place of death (or mortal wounding) was Schmallenberg, Germany, and not Obringhausen, Germany.
The same sniper that hit William Zoellner in the neck apparently hit William Grady in the neck. The implications of this are unclear since Grady was not recovered with Zoellner nor buried at the same cemetery as him. It suggests that they may have both been in view of the sniper but were in different squads.
The B/48 dead were buried at two different cemeteries on different dates. Price was buried next to Lister of C/48 and was at the end of section F, with Coyne being the first burial in section G and Zoellner next to Coyne, so that these four were collected and buried together and were probably all killed in the same part of town. Coyne, Price and Zoellner may have been in the same squad (the squad that also contained veteran Charles Barry, per his account).
- Breuna - 14 Apr burials (Grady A-8-148, White A-4-64)
- Ittenbach
  - 10 Apr burials (Coyne G-1-1, Price F-10-100, Zoellner, G-1-2)
  - 14 Apr burials (Kazlauskas, F-5-87)

C/48 Conclusions

The fact that Pvt. Edward Ralston was killed by a sniper provides further evidence that William Zoellner's squad of B/31 and members of C/31 were possibly all within view of the same sniper. The sniper who hit both Grady and Zoellner (B/31) in the neck may have been the same one who killed Ralston and Lister (C/31).
I am NOT sure if Jack Remcus was actually killed 8 Apr or 7 Apr, since the B/48 Morning Reports had made that error. But he was in C/48 so that it is not clear if they had made the same error. I am assuming the same date error was made for him until I see more records.

C/31 Conclusions

The C/31 Morning Report for 7 Apr 1945 makes no mention of Schmallenberg. However, the 2004 account by veteran Eugene Dale explains that some elements of C/31 were on loan to B/31 for operations at Schmallenberg. The 31st Tank Battalion After Action Report correctly reports both B/31 and C/31 being at Schmallenberg.
The cause of death of Lt. Rex Waldrop was an explosion hitting him in the upper body and head. But the fact that Sgt.Vester Ashmore of C/31 was hit in the hand by a sniper, when combined with the two B/48 men hit in the neck by a sniper suggests that they were in the view of a sniper.
Sgt. Ashmore Vester had the unusual status of being in 4 Morning Reports in April 1945. He had been on temporary duty at the Reception Station at Fort McPherson, Georgia. On 2 Apr 1945, he returned to duty with C/31. Five days later he was hit in the hand by a sniper. The next day (8 Apr) he was a lost (non-battle) to the 45th Evacuation Hospital (with MOS 795 since he was a tank commander). He returned to duty 11 Apr 1945 (same MOS), which was not recorded in a Morning Report until 14 Apr.

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