COL Frederick personally reconnoitered the approach routes and key terrain objectives, minimizing causalities and preserving the element of surprise. He died on 29 November 1970, and is interred in the National Cemetery at the Presidio of San Francisco. Gerhard Strom was a member of the 99th. 75th Composite (Tng) 88th Airborne Bn 99th Infantry Bn 100th Infantry Bn 101st Infantry Bn We take a look back at what happened, and how the day is marked today. Well, it was approved all the way up to General Eisenhower by the superiors of me in the operation division, and when General Eisenhower came back from England on April 3rd, he called me and then said, Frederick, I cant sign that. I said, Well, why, General? He said, Because I just told them in London we would go ahead full-speed with the project. So, thats how it got started. "474th Infantry Regiment (Separate) 6 Jan 45 activated in France with personnel from the 1st Special Service Force with the 99th Infantry Battalion joined as the third battalion on 25 Jan 45; . Source: Densho Digital Repository. Today, May 8th 2022 is the anniversary of the Liberation of Norway. This unit was first designated as the 474th Infantry Regiment, later redesignated as the 74th Infantry Regiment. You can expect to see the Norwegian flag flying high on all public buildings and from many private houses and apartment balconies. MG FREDERICK: Well, particularly at Anzio, we were there for four months, and when they went out at night on patrols, they blackened their faces. This is particularly true of the First Special Service Force. My uncle Fred was presented with the same award. The V-42 was rated by the British as a superior close quarters combat blade. The 8th of May is Liberation Day, marking the end of Norways occupation during World War II. Very .hard times, Hi In his house was a framed citation from the people of Norway wish to thank you. The citation was for his father, Gerhard Strom, for taking part in the Liberation on May 8, 1945. It is in mint condition. WW2 U.S. Army Military 474th Infantry Regiment Shoulder Patch Insignia Blue. In the Summer of 1944 my mother, then 9 years old, was evacuated from Bergen by the Red Cross and sent to live on a small farm, with strangers, above Etne. At the time, the thought that Germany would voluntarily give up control of Norway, which they had heavily fortified and stationed hundreds of thousands of soldiers, was by no means a given. This unit earned a campaign streamer for Central Europe. On that day in 1945, the people of Norway took to the streets to celebrate their long-awaited freedom. Both Monte La Difensa and Monte La Remetanea were captured in darkness 2-3 December 1943. Jim Baker Member The FSSF was selected to spearhead the recovery of the Aleutian Islands, starting with Kiska Island 15 August 1943. U3052.1(C) Defense Meritorious Service Medal. In Russia, the day is marked on 9 May, due to the time difference. The First Special Service Force was reassigned the task of breaking the The colors of the patch reflected the branch colors of the infantry, artillery and engineers. WWII Veteran First Special Service Force Maintenance Company Born in Portsmouth, Iowa, third child and eldest son of Elmer G. and Ellen E. (Benden) Spracklin. As far as the Diamond I see more of them in use with the 5th or 2nd Ranger Bns. It depicts elements of the units from which the 474th IR was formed: Arrow = 1st Special Service Force; black scroll, = rangers; viking ship = 99th Inf Bn. Winter Line in the Battle for Monte La Difensa, by scaling the cliffside of the mountain and overcoming the German artillery unit and spearheading the allied forces advance to Rome. Reconstituted 18 July 1941 in the Regular Army. The first time the day became a flag day was in 1960, when the government decided to mark the 15th anniversary of the end of the war. The motto translates "Bold and Brave.". Reference: -Sleeve Shoulder Insignia of the U.S. Army 1946-1989- by Richard W. Smith, plate 13. Colonel Frederick was wounded three times in Rome. Abstract: Materials relating to activities of the First Special Service Force ("Devil's Brigade") and the 474th Infantry Regiment during World War II including correspondence, field orders, directives, reports, regulations, handbooks, maps, and photographs. MG FREDERICK: Oh, a couple hundred prisoners. MG FREDERICK: Well, when I told General Clark that we could take Monte la Difensa, we were given orders to go up there. US Army 474th infantry Regiment / 74th Regimental Combat Team Patch Inv# K1135 $69.85 Buy It Now , $39.03 Shipping , 14-Day Returns, eBay Money Back Guarantee Seller: worldwarpatches (13,759) 100% , Location: Clewiston, Florida, US , Ships to: WORLDWIDE, Item: On 7-27-47 the unit was des-ignated the 7th Regiment of Infantry (National Guard) NY State Militia. The RCT took the number designation of the infantry regiment. For example, by the end of January, 1945, the 47 th Infantry Regiment (which fought in France and Germany) had lost well over 100% of their strength to battle casualties, where men were either killed, wounded, missing, or taken as prisoner of war. 73rd Infantry Bn. The red cross appears on the Norwegian flag and alludes to the 3d Battalion (99th Infantry Battalion), constituted and activated in 1942, and composed of the citizens of Norway living in the United States and Norwegian speaking Americans. "Military Intelligence Service Language School at Fort Snelling: Overview," Minnesota Historical Society. 1/,2/,3/474th Infantry Regiment 1/,2/,3/473rd Infantry Regiment 1/,2/,3/,4/254th Artillery Regiment 254th Reconnaissance Battalion 254th Panzerjger Battalion 254th Pioneer Battalion 254th Signals Battalion 254th Division (Einheiten) Support Unit 16th Army: Reserve: FOR SALE! ORIGINAL CUT-EDGE WW2 474th INFANTRY REGIMENT PATCH, REVERSED COLORS VARIATION | Collectibles, Militaria, WW II (1939-45) | eBay! The various Special Forces groups of the Second World War played a major role in the evolution of elite units in the decades to follow. The feat however, had not come without great cost; the Force had been bled white with more than 2,700 casualties among its ranks. Mr. Mermelstein entered Buchenwald several days after liberation and took this picture. Thank's for any info you can provide me. Has Tromso got any special events planned for liberation day next year It also serves as Norway's Veterans Day. I spent 12 days investigating the project, and then wrote a 14-page single space report with maps appended to it, for General Eisenhower to sign to go back to General Marshall. US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY. When World War II ended in 1945, more than 7,800 Minnesotans had lost their lives while serving in the armed forces. He received a total of 24 U.S. and 8 foreign awards, including the Distinguished Service Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Silver Star, and Purple Heart with seven Oak Leaf Clusters. The Force served in the Aleutian Islands, and fought in Italy, and southern France before being disbanded in December 1944. The day is also marked with speeches and events throughout the country. 474th Infantry Regiment: same as 454th Infantry Regiment 484th Infantry Regiment: same as 454th Infantry Regiment 254th Reconnaissance Battalion 1 (tmot) Signals Platoon 2 Bicycle Squadrons (9 LMGs & 2 HMGs ea) 1 Infantry Gun Section (2 75mm leIGs) 1 Panzerjger Section (3 37mm PAK 36 & 1 LMG) General Bradley, General Eisenhower, and boy, there were so many of them. My uncle was in the First Special Service Force, a joint American/Canadian special forces super commando unit which was the predecessor of todays Special Forces. By On 2-3 December 1943 the Force captured the 3,000 foot high Monte La Difensa and La Rementanea mountain tops defended by a Panzer Grenadier division to crack the German Winter Line. Attached below a Silver scroll inscribed AUDAX ET FORTIS (Bold and Brave) in Blue letters. The patch shows a Ranger scroll as part of there design. In 1941, John married Gilda G. Gramkow, they had 10 children. Frederick was promoted to Colonel (COL) when the combined U.S.-Canadian FSSF was activated at Fort William Henry Harrison, Montana, on 9 July 1942. In December of 1944 the Force was disbanded and reformed into the 474th Infantry Regiment who finally took part in the Liberation of Norway. Relieved from the 12th Division and demobilized 31 January . When the United States entered World War II in December 1941, Fort Snelling became the induction point for more than 300,000 men and women who joined the armed forces. Two years ago, King Harald took part in a ceremony to mark the occasion at Akershus fortress in Oslo. Used as research material for the book by R. D. Burhans, The First Special Service Force: A War History of the North Americans, 1942-1944 . Reconstituted 18 July 1941 in the Regular Army. Find 474th Infantry Regiment (United States) stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. And that was where the trouble started, because I noticed that the Germans were not observing the north side of the mountain, because it was such a steep cliff, they didnt expect anyone to come up there. Arriving in Naples, Italy on 19 November 1943, Frederick and the Force had to break 15th Panzer Grenadier division defenses on the Winter Line mountainous peaks. And then at night, we went up and scaled the rest of the way to the top of Monte la Difensa. And then from Kiska, we came back to the United States and went to Italy, and the first operation in Italy was Monte la Difensa. Inactivated, less the 99th Infantry Battalion, on 16 September 1956 at Fort Devens; concurrently the 99th Infantry Battalion was relieved as an organic element of the 74th Infantry. So much so, Jo Nesb references the incident as an important moment in his Harry Hole novel, The Redbreast. At its height in 1942, the Reception Center was capable of processing approximately 800 recruits each day. Frederick was medically retired on 31 March 1952, but presented the FSSF colors to the U.S. Army Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in 1960. 2nd armored division ww2 rostermary calderon quintanilla 27 februari, 2023 / i list of funerals at luton crematorium / av / i list of funerals at luton crematorium / av 475th Fighter Group, Fifth Air Force 173; 754. USA.gov, The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration 482nd Bomb Group 283 . Reconstituted 18 July 1941 in the Regular Army. MG FREDERICK: Well, Marshall went to England in March of 1942. Relieved from the 12th Division and demobilized 31 January 1919 at Camp Devens. The patch shows a Ranger scroll as part of there design. Inactivated, less 99th Infantry Battalion, on 26 October 1945 at Camp Shanks, New York. Most recruits stayed at Fort Snelling for only a short time before they were transferred to other military posts to begin their basic training. Activated 6 January 1945 in France with American personnel from the joint Canadian-American 1st Special Service Force. Source: MNHS Collections. Relieved from the 12th Division and demobilized 31 January 1919 at Camp Devens. After landing at Anzio on 1 February 1944, their aggressive night patrols earned them the nickname the Devils Brigade. On 4 June 1944, the FSSF spearheaded the Allied entry into Rome, securing key bridges for the major U.S. II Corps assault. Battalion and the hardships and challenges they faced, 1942 until 1945] Accepted to the U.S. Military Academy, he graduated on 9 June 1928 with a Second Lieutenant (2LT) commission in the Coast Artillery Corps. 479th Fighter Group 7. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. The Ranger tie to the 474th goes back to the Italian campaign.When the 4th Rangers were severly depleted in combat many were reassigned as repalcement to the First Special Service Force.In Italy the 1st,3rd and 4th Rangers took heavy combat tolls.The 3rd had a lot of men killed and Captured during the battle for Citerna as well.When the Force disbanded after southern France many of the Parachute qualified men went to various Airborne units,others went with the new 474th when formed(even though the 474th wasnt airborne) and went to Norway.There were former Rangers still in the unit and who had been a part of the unit so the scroll in the patch is more symbolic of the Ranger replacements as is the red spear head to symbolize the 474ths lineage to the Force. @mikegolicjr Dad/Mr. The insignia is based upon the FSSF 'red arrow' badge . 1-86-NARA-NARA or 1-866-272-6272, Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States, Statistical Summary of Holdings by Record Group Number, How to File a FOIA Request for Archival Records. MG FREDERICK: Well, it never happened. The Hydro-Norsk facility was destroyed by a Norwegian resistance team known as The Heroes of Telemark. Inactivated, less the 99th Infantry Battalion, on 16 September 1956 at Fort Devens; concurrently the 99th Infantry Battalion was relieved as an organic element of the 74th Infantry. He was killed in action during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. . From Austria, he returned to the U.S. to command the reflagged 4th, (6th Infantry Division), and the Joint U.S. Mission in Greece. 80 Copyright Privacy Information Policy Ticketing Policy. After it was deactivated in December, 1944, Mr. Mermelstein and other Americans in the original unit became the nucleus of the 474th Infantry Regiment. Free shipping for many products! The fleur-de-lis represents the Regiments European battle honors awarded for service during World War II. The Force spearheaded the assault on Kiska in the Aleutian Islands, defended a major portion of the Anzio beach head, breached the German Winter Line in Italy at Monte La Difensa, and was the first Allied unit to enter Rome. The 474th had been activated on 6 January 1945 with American personnel from the recently disbanded Canadian-American 1st Special Service Force "Devil's Brigade". 22 October 1944: German 474th Infantry Regiment; Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted. And I kept nearly all of the Canadians, because the Canadians, many of them had been overseas at Dunkirk. They used two infantry divisions to try to get up there, but neither one was able to make it. Constituted 9 July 1918 in the Regular Army as the 74th Infantry and assigned to the 12th Division. 474th Infantry Regiment - RPL's Local History 474th Infantry Regiment Veterans Who Have Passed: Bjarne J. Jacobsen January 27, 2020 Andrew Source: Rockford Register Star, Jan. 6, 2020. Subscribe to 474th Infantry Regiment Footer menu. It was to be the first combat for this unique Canadian-American unit. On 26-January 1945 the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) also known as "The Viking Battalion", joined the 474th Infantry Regiment. Read more: The History of Norway in World War II. Nisei Womens Army Corps (WAC) detachment at Fort Snelling, about 1945. The Museum of Post War Reconstruction in Hammarfest tells of events after WWII in Finnmark and Northern Troms: the liberation of Eastern Finnmark, the scorched earth policy, forced evacuation and reconstructiion after the war. The fleur-de-lis represents the Regiments European battle honors awarded for service during World War II. These soldiers played an important role after the end of the war during the occupation of Japan. Operation PLOUGH was ultimately shelved, but Eisenhower considered Frederick an expert on winter operations in the mountains and recommended in the spring of 1942 that he command the FSSF. Original Color Variation 474th Infantry Regiment Patch: This is a very nice original color variation 474th infantry regiment patch. World War I regiment Constituted 9 July 1918 in the Regular Army as the 74th Infantry and assigned to the 12th Infantry Division. Born to a doctor and nurse in San Francisco, California, in 1907, Robert Tryon Frederick was the oldest of two children, with a younger sister. 474th Infantry Regiment, 1944-45 | San Luis Obispo CA A Silver color and metal enamel device 118 inches (2.9cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Azure, a cross Gules fimbriated Argent, in dexter chief two arrows saltirewise of the like, and in sinister base a fleur-de-lis of the last. 2Dogs, Historic Fort Snelling is a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. Was the Ranger Diamond worn by all the Battalion's in Europe? The 74th Infantry Regiment was a regular infantry regiment of the United States Army. QUESTION: What psychological effect do you think this had, or were you able to determine that it had on the German soldiers? This enabled the Seventh U.S. Army (Lieutenant General Alexander M. Patch) to land safely in southern France during Operation DRAGOON. arrived in Norway 7 Jun 45; ." The remnants of the Ranger battalions had been incorporated into FSSF before the 474th was activated. This patch is fully embroidered with a cut edge. ORIGINAL CUT-EDGE WW2 474th INFANTRY REGIMENT PATCH, REVERSED COLORS VARIATION. The 1st Special Service Force was an elite American-Canadian commando unit in World War II, under the command of the United States Fifth Army. What Ranger Battalion or Battalion's is the scroll representing if any? Flag Day at Fort Snelling, 1942. Formally disbanded on 6 January 1945, FSSF American veterans became the 474th Infantry Regiment (Separate). Major Frederick graduated from the advanced Coast Artillery School in 1938 and the Command and General Staff College in 1939. Next question. About 350 Americans went to airborne units in need of experienced replacements, and the remaining FSSF soldiers formed the nucleus of the 474th Infantry Regiment (Separate) along with the 99th Infantry Battalion (made up of Norwegian-Americans) and saw service in Germany and Norway. Belgium WWI WWII Prisoners War Labor Valorem Medal palms stars WW1 WW2 1914 1940 1918 1945 Great Belgian Decoration Award King Leopold III Nazi Germany Gestapo Military Medals Orders Badges Decorations Insignia Army Navy Air Force Pilot Wings decals Dracomedals Medals-Orders The celebrations reached their peak when King Haakon returned home to Oslo on the 7th of June. This unit earned a campaign streamer for Central Europe. Estate find the family of Lieutenant Jack D Bartingale his personal stuff 3 paper items his personal lighter back 21st Gimlet Infantry Regiment ( The first army unit ) his enamel pun on button as well -his heavy sterling bracelet inscribed on the back -3rd Squadron 3rd Platoon weights 32.3 grams or a little over 1 . It uses material from the Wikipedia article "74th Infantry Regiment (United States)". Formally disbanded on 6 January 1945, FSSF American veterans became the 474th Infantry Regiment (Separate). Gilda passed away in 1989. Next question. I have been searching for some info on the 474th Inf. So, he wrote a memorandum to that effect, which came to the operation division, and it came down to me, the chief of the current section, which handled more than one theater of operation. Military Intelligence Service Language School students, 1945. These are men who served in either the 552nd Anti Tank Infantry Company (Separate), assigned to the 1st Airborne Task Force for Operation Dragoon, or the Anti Tank Company of the 474th Infantry Regiment (Separate), after Operation Dragoon, or both. Nico Brandeis (1886-1917) was a German soldier who served in the Imperial German Army's Infanterie-Regiment Nr. This patch was used by both the 474th Infantry regiment in WWII and the 74th RCT in the 1950s. They were created and trained specifically to jump into Norway to destroy the Heavy Water producing Hydro-Norsk facility in Rjukan which the Germans had commandeered after invading and occupying Norway.