417th Infantry Regiment
Additions, Corrections and Memories
NAME:PFC Thomas E. Ryan, 417th Infantry, 1st Battalion
Family looking for information on Ryan and his Company
I need some help from the vets of the 417th. My wife's uncle PFC
Thomas E. Ryan was killed in action 6 Feb 45. As far as I can determine
he was killed during a night assault across the Sauer River.I am trying
to discover if he was in Alpha, Bravo or Charlie Companies 1st
Battalion 417th Infantry Regiment Any iformation on him would be appreciated.
Most of his records were destroyed by fire in 1973. All of his brothers
and sisters are dead. His sister-in-law is still alive and in her 90s.
She stiil talks about seeing him off in early 1944 at the Dearborn
Train Station in Chicago. She handed him his favorite treat, a peanut
butter and jelly sandwich, waved goodbye and never saw him again.He was 19
years old when he left and was dead by age 20 in Europe.I know a long
time has passed but it would finally bring closure after 58 years to a 90
year old woman.
Thanks,
First Sgt John Scudder
United States Army
NAME:Lawrence J. Selegue, 417th Infantry, F Company, 4th Platoon
My name is Lawrence J. Selegue. I was a member of the 76th Div. 417 Bn, Co F. 4th platoon. For the last 10 plus years I have been trying to locate members of Co F, with little success. I am interested in locating the following:: Sgt James Bear,(Wounded at Zeitz) Robert Bella ( From Chicago Illinois) Paul Klocke (From Wisc. or Minnesota) Paul Heim (Home Town Unknown). Are you able to assist me in my search, or can you offer any suggestions. Thanks.
Joe Selegue (77 years young)
NAME:PFC Anthony T. LaVecchia, 417th Infantry, I Company, 2nd Platoon, 22 Jan. 2003
I joined the outfit in late December of 1944 to 30 March whin I was wounded. A number of incidents still stand out in my mind during that time frame. Some of the details are lost, but the basics are there. One such incident is:
My platoon reached Oberwassel on the bend of the Rhine River and we billeted there for a few days. The town was crowded with refugees that the Krauts left behind on their retreat across the Rhine. On a moonless night I was on a 4 man patrol to hook up with our troops in St. Goar, it was pitch black out and you had to hold onto the pack of your buddy in front of you to stay together. Dogs were forever barking giving our position away. Loud foot steps from the road were heard approaching us. We stopped and when they got close enough we challenged the unknown individual. The person stopped, then the foot steps began again running away from us. With our rifles on our hips we opened fire in the direction of the foot steps. I myself fired 4 rounds. I don't think we hit him. We reported the incident and the barking dogs. The next day we were ordered to shoot all dogs on sight.
Another incident that stands out in my mind. My platoon was dug in on high ground in the woods in the Sauer River area. The woods were so thick that you could only see perhaps 20 to 30 yards in the prone position, standing you saw nothing. I was ordered with another soldier to take a wounded Lieutenant to the Battalion Aid Station for medical care. He was shot in the foot. With the Lieutenant's arms across our shoulder we started down the side of a small mountain to the Aid Station. Part way down bullets were swishing past my ears. A sniper was shooting at us. The 3 of us got down on our back sides and slid the rest of the way down. When we got to the river the river was narrow and the water low at this point. We managed to cross by moving from rock to rock. Part way across I was in the water up to my knees. My boots were full and my feet soaked. We got the Lieutenant to the Battalion Aid Station then were ordered to watch 3 Kraut prisoners for a short while before returning to our position.
Another incident that is fairly clear in my mind. After crossing the Rhine at St. Goar, we were on what was known as mopping up operations. We had the Krauts on the run. In passing through a number of farm towns (I don't remember their names) white sheets were hanging from many windows, there was little or no resistance from the enemy. Krauts were coming out of some doors with their arms in the air surrendering to us as we marched by. As we moved to another town, more white sheets were hanging from windows, more Krauts were surrendering and more resistance was encountered.
Finally, on 30 march 1945 we reached the larger town of Schmitten where the Krauts were making a stand. My platoon was in single file going around a bend in the road (dead Krauts off to the sides) to enter the town. I could hear a lot of rifle and machine gun firing and shells exploding, etc. I did not think I would get into this battle because there were 2 platoons of troops in front of me. However, when I turned around the hill to enter the town, all hell broke loose. Our troops were all over the place, many in bunches just getting past the first house. Seeing this, I jumped into a ditch along side the road, observing the situation and waiting for the troops to disperse. (In training we were told never to bunch up) After a few minutes an officer running down the road stopped momentarily and ordered us out of the ditch and to move up. Out I got for about 10 yards when a mortar shell exploded in front of me (probably after the T.D.). There was a hail of fire in front of me which I could reach out and touch. Lying on the ground, I could hardly move. I managed to crawl back to the ditch to get out of the way, and there I stayed (moving in and out of consciousness) until I was taken to the rear by our medics.
Thank you,
A. LaVecchia
NAME:Sgt. Rollin E. Allen, 417th Infantry, B Company, 26 May 2003
My Father, Sgt. Rollin E. Allen was a member of the 417th Inf. Reg. Company B. He was wounded and captured outside of Trier, Germany. I think the date was March 1945. Members of the Companies A, B, C were taken POW that day. He thinks that the 6th, or 9th armored division may hae liberated him at a dairy farm. He is not sure where in Germany. I am still getting information from him at this time. He is almost 89 years old. He is trying to remember things so I can write them down.
If you can help me with information, It would really be helpful.
Thanks,
Edward T. Allen
NAME:PFC Michael A Abatemarco, Co. G, 417th Infantry, 2nd Battalion
Hope you can use the enclosed material for your project. Lots of luck and success on your endeavor.
God Bless,
Michael Abatemarco
NAME:PFC John E. Barnes, Co. L, 417th Infantry, 3rd Battalion
Hello, My name is Daphne(Barnes)Houze and I am the daughter of
then private John E. Barnes who served in the 417th
infantry regiment. I don't know much about my father's
participation in the war but have been trying to research
it because I have a collection of his millitary things.
I know he received a purple heart and a bronze star for
wounds and actions while in the 417th between 15-21, Feb.
1945. I know he had a lower leg and possibly chest wound
and according to a family member was hospitalized in France
and was still in the hospital when his mother died (of
consumption) Mother's Day of that year.
Sadly, my dad was an intensely private, stoic man who
rarely spoke of his injuries or his experiences and he
passed away of congestive heart failure in 1972 and I was
only 10 years old. Many years went by and my mother gave
me his things several years ago. I did not know what I
was looking at and when I finally started to ask for records
I have gotten only a little information and it has been a
painstakingly slow process. I am continuing to search and
am grateful to have found Gerald Brown and Lt.Col. Hamilton
to help me interpret some of the things that I have!
I would love to hear from anyone who may have served with
him! He was in L. Co. In addition to his medals, I have some photos, badges and personal items that he kept and would be happy to show them
to anyone who may have served with him and has an interest.
Daphne(Barnes)Houze
22874 Lincoln Ct.
Lawrenceburg, IN. 47025
or by e-mail: daphnept@earthlink.net
NAME:T/Sgt. Moe Zazyck, KIA, 417th Infantry, (30 Nov. 2003)
My great uncle T/Sgt. Moe Kazyck was killed February 7, 1945
during the crossing of the Sauer River. Our family, at the time, made a great
effort to find more about the circumstances of his death and about his
last days. Very little was forthcoming. According to the War Department, he
was found dead of shrapnel wounds to the throat. In 1947 his body was
disinterred and reburied in New York with a military funeral. We do
have his purple heart. We know little else. Anyone who knew him or of him
would be great to learn more about him and the 417th in general.
Peter Aronson
e-mail: paron@ix.netcom.com
NAME:T/5 John J. Kapera
Dear Sir,
I am writing to see if anyone can give me information about my father &
the period he spent as a member of Company G, 417th Infantry, 76th
Division in WWII.
My father's name was John J. Kopera & he was from Hastings, PA. He was
a T/5 & served in the Army from 1943-1946.
My father died in 1971 of a heart attack. He was a secondary school
teacher in Gaithersburg, MD at the time. Because of this (I was 7 at
the time) I have no first hand accounts of my Dad in WWII.
I've attached a few photos that I have of my father in training
stateside & then in Germany in 1945. I can't identify the men that are
in the photos with my father. I'd appreciate any information.
Thank you,
John Kopera
e-mail: slovak64@verizon.net
NAME:PFC Verlon M. Horton, KIA, 417th Infantry (12 July 2007)
Hi,
I am looking for anyone in the 417th who might have known Verlon M. Horton. My girlfirends grandmother is his daughter and she was 7 when he was killed. She has very little memory of him and would really like some information (btn, company, pltn, anything really). Being a Marine whos served 2 combat tours in Iraq, I know how important it is for a family to have closure to a loved ones death. Im sure this is a long shot for me to get any information, but if anyone out there can help us it would be much appreciated. Thank you for your help, and thank you for your service.
To the webmaster: Please include my email address with the post. Thanks for your time!
Semper Fidelis,
Dennis Terek
e-mail: dg_terek@yahoo.com
NAME:John G. Ernsberger, Co. M, 417th Infantry (04 October 2007)
Gerald: I served in Compay M, 3rd Battalion, 417th Regiment. I joined the Divison at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin in the late summer/fall of 1944. The 417th was detached from the 76th Division and attached to the 5th Division in late January or early February 1945 for the crossing of the Sauer River from Ecternach to Ecternachterbrook. The Regiment suffered large losses in the river crossing. The river was at flood stage due to warmer weather melting the snow pack. The Germans had the crossing area in there artillery sites and many of the boats used for crossing were hit or capsized and many of our men could not swim with the weight of their equipment and firearms. Although the crossings were attempted at night the Germans seemed to have the crossing area zeroed in. Those that made it across the river the 1st night ran into mine fields just across the river and many were killed or wounded there. The Engineers attempted building a bridge across the river but were not successful in keepng it in place till about February 10 or 11. Some supplies were air dropped to us, but often the were in an open area under view of the Germans also making difficult to retrieve.
The Germans did have good crackers and canned cheese which we availed ourselves to, after we routed them from their pill boxes and other fortifications. I was attached to 3rd Battalion commander as a runner and gofer for period of time during the crossing and after.
The 5th Division crossed up river while the 417th Regiment was crossing into the heavily fortified hills across the Sauer River from Ecternach, Luxumborg. Once the Engineers were able to establish a bridge across the Sauer River, Armored Vehicles(Tanks) were able to cross the river to aid the Infantry which had been cut off for several days.
Gerald, this enough for now, contact me if you would care to. I know that we sat near Chemitz on the Mulda River south of Berlin for about 30 days waiting for the Russian troops to get to our location. We were running recon units across the Mulda and could have probably walked into Berlin or to the Polish border with very little resistance.
John G. Ernsberger,
4341 Isabella Street,
Riverside,CA 92501.
NAME:Jack F. Kountz, 417th Infantry, Headquarters Co. (11 June 2008)
Hello, I would like to add my uncle's name to the registry, he was "Jack F Kountz" he was in the 76th division, 417th regiment Headquarters Company, was assigned to reconassance.
Thank You,
Robert J Kountz
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