|
Across the Causeway
The main focus centers around the last attack on La
Fière Causeway stating at 1030 hours 9 June 1944. I
was going to write in more detail but decided to let
the numbers tell the story. Later information will
add another day. Here is the breakdown of what
happened to the 325th Glider Infantry 82nd
Airborne Division along with attached 2nd Battalion
401st
for the Normandy Campaign.
The Surgeon General Reports are
here in three PDFs along with Reports showing the
day to day what the 2nd Battalion of the
401st Glider Infantry did in Normandy.
More will follow.
The 325th Gli Inf on
9 June 1944 Medical Records
1st Bn early morning attack on La Fière
from the West
2nd Bn with the 505th Prcht
Inf headed North towards Montebourg
3rd Bn with 507th
and
Rae Company
late morning attack on La Fière from the East
325th 1st
Bn Attacks on La Fière from the west June 9th
before dawn
Co A Led by Lt Till Forman (Co I 507th)
Co B Led by Lt Louis Levy (Co I 507th)
Co C Led by Lt John Marr (Co G 507th)
325th Gli Inf for 9
June 1944 for 1st Bn
KIA DOW SWA LWA LIA MIA POW
NBC Total
Hq & Hq Co 1
0 0 6 0
0 0 0 7
Hq Co 1st Bn 1 0
0 3 0 0 0
0 4
Co A 1 0 1
6 0 0 1
0 9
Co B 10 1 1
22 2 0 0
0 36
Co C 16 0 0
6 0 0 2
0 24
Totals 29 1
2 43 2 0 3
0 80
325th Gli Inf for 9
June 1944 for 2nd Bn North towards
Montebourg with the 505th
KIA DOW SWA LWA SIA LIA MIA
POW NBC Total
Hq Co 2nd Bn
1 0 0 1 0
10 0 0 0 12
Co E 5 0 0
27 1 8 0
0 1 42
Co F 4 0 0
7 0 1 0
0 0 12
Co G 4 0 0
22 0 3 0
0 0 29
Totals 14 0
0 57 1 22
0 0 1 95
325th Gli Inf for 9
June 1944 for 3rd Bn (Hq Co 2nd Bn 401st
Gli Inf) 970 men in total.
Order of battle for the La
Fière Causeway the final attack which started 1030
on 9 June 1944
(There were
120 507th
for Company Rae but only the 32
KIA/LWA names are available)
Units Involved
Infantry Companies
401st Gli Inf Regt (2nd Bn)
atchd to 325th Gli Inf 82nd
Abn Div
Hq Co 2nd Bn 401st CO
Mentlik
(became Hq & Hq Co 3rd Bn 325th)
Co E 401st = Co I 325th CO
Murphy
Co F 401st = Co K 325th CO
Harney
Co G 401st = Co L 325th CO
Saul
401st Serv Co Det
507th Prcht Inf Regt atchd to 82nd
Abn Div
Co
Rae 507th CO
Rae
307th Abn Engr Bn (C)
Co A CO Jedrziewski
Artillery
Co A 746 Tank Bn
345th FA Bn 105mm Howitzer 90th
Inf Div
German
91. Luftlande-Inf.-Div.
Gren.-Regt. 1057
Pi.-Btl. 191 (191st
Engr) 91st Air Landing Div
Panzer-Ersatz-Abteilung 100
The 101st Abn Div
401st Gli Inf was broken up prior to the
Normandy Invasion (March 10, 1944). The first
Battalion became third Battalion of the 327th
Glider Infantry Regiment. The second Battalion
became part of the 325th Glider Infantry
Regiment. In March of 1945 they officially became
part of the 325th.
In Normandy both the 1st
and 2nd Battalions were attached units.
The above listings show their 401st
Company designations and their eventual 325th
Companies. Some historians have muddled the waters
over the years referring to the 401st.
In this article, they will be referred to using
their 401st designation, attached to the
82nd Airborne, 325th Gli Inf
as the third Battalion. The Battalion Commander
Carrell was relieved by Gavin just before the attack
for a case of nerves. Gardner from the 325th
was then given command of the Battalion.
On D+1 Lieutenant Colonel
Maloney organized the 507th men available
to him into three Companies, Rae Company, Creek
Company and Brakonecke Company. Maloney dispatched
Rae on the Causeway attack.
Order of
Attack
(List
of KIA and Wounded)
KIA DOW SWA LWA LIA MIA NBC
Total
Co G 401st (2nd Plt, 1st
Plt, Weapons Plt. Hq Sec) 0 7
17 11 0 1
0 36
Co E 401st (1st Plt, 2nd
Plt, Weapons Plt, Hq Sec) 6 1
1 32 2 1
0 43
Co F 401st (1st Plt, 2nd
Plt, Hq Sec, Weapons Plt) 8 0
7 11 0 0
3 29
(401st Hq Co 2nd Bn MG Plt &
Mortar Plt) (Grouped with
401st Hq Co 2nd Bn)
Rae Co 507th (120
Soldiers)
5 0 0 27
0 0 0 32
401st Hq Co 2nd Bn (-MG Plt,
Mortar Plt) 7 0
11 12 2 0 1
33
Serv Co Det 401st
1 0 1 5
0 0 0 7
307th Abn Engr Bn (C) Co
A 1
0 0 4 0
0 0 5
Totals
28 8 37 103
4 2 3 185
401st Totals without 507th and
307th 22
8 37 71 4
2 3 148
Men known KIA and their
locations of death
Johnson, Melvin L. Co G 401st Gap in
Stone Wall east end of causeway, Blosville A-08-137
Wason, Donald Co G 401st just past
the west end of causeway, Blosville A-08-154
DeGlopper, Charles N. Co C 325th SW of
Cauquigny.
Books
Marshall Regimental Unit Study Number 5 (SLA
Marshall)
Let’s Go by Wayne Pierce
Morning Reports
Surgeon Generals Reports
Brian N. Siddall
October 16, 2023
|
