35^th Infantry Division Memory

HEADQUARTERS 137TH INFANTRY

APO 35 U S ARMY

1 July 1945

SUBJECT: Reports of Operations.

TO : The Adjutant General

Washington 25, D. C.

1. In compliance with the provisions of Par 10 C3 AR 345-105, submitted below is Reports of Operations for the 137th Infantry covering the period 1-30 June 1945.

1-30 JUNE 1945

The mission of the 137^th Infantry Regiment during the month of June 1945 was to occupy and govern a zone west of the Rhine River and south of Coblenz which included the four landkries’ of St. Goar, Zell, Cochem and Simmern.

The 137^th Infantry departed from the Ruhr Industrial area on the morning of 1 June 1945 and moved by rail and motor, south, to its newly assigned zone on the opposite side of the Rhine River.

The 35^th Infantry Division during this period was a part of the United States 15^th Army and the XXIII Corps. The 2^nd Bn of the 137^th Infantry held the status of XXIII Corps reserve, but at the same time, had nine security missions.

This section of Germany which the 137^th Infantry occupied was of scenic and historic importance. The regiment’s extreme eastern boundary was 35 miles of the Rhine River from Rhens south to Bingham. The 3^rd Bn of the 137^th Infantry had 41 miles of the Moselle River winding through its sector. The entire valley country along both the Rhine and Moselle Rivers are dotted with many resort towns which flourished during the pre-war days.

Regimental Headquarters, along with Co B, was located in the resort town of Boppard, on the Rhine. Other units located on the Rhine were Co A in St.Goar, Cannon and Anti-Tank Companies in Oberwesel, and the 1^st Bn Headquarters in Bacharach. These units were all within the landkreis of St. Goar.

The Simmern landkreis was occupied by Co D, which was located in the town of Rheinbollen, 2^nd Bn Headquarters with Co G and Co H in Simmern, Co E and Co F in Kirchberg, and Service Co in Castellaun.

The 3^rd Bn occupied both the Cochem and Zell landkreis’. The battalion Headquarters was located in Bad Betrich with the 35^th Division Rear Echelon and Personnel Sections. Co I was in Kaisersech, Co M in Pommern, Co L in Zell, and Co K in Traben.

The regiment’s greatest difficulty was its wide zone it had to occupy and govern. The area covered approximately 1,000 square miles. Extensive patrol missions over this area and military police type of duties, necessitated the formation of a provisional military police company. This provisional company was formed from the Regimental Anti-tank Company and the Battalion anti-tank platoons. The AT Co commander was designated as Regimental Provost Marshal.

A training schedule was also carried on during June. Units of the regiment who had a large number of men on security missions were still continuing their training by means of an accelerated program by which each man would obtain some form of training at the least.

Another difficulty encountered by the regiment was maintaining communications over this widely scattered area. Some 450 miles of wire were being used to maintain communications from regiment to the battalions and on to the companies. Commercial wire solved the problem wire teams faced, which was the lack of wire.

The athletic program shot ahead in June. A regimental baseball team was formed of players from throughout the regiment. This team will complete on a regimental level. Four members of this team were chosen to play with the 35^th Division nine on a division level. Each company in the 137^th Infantry organized both a softball and a volley ball team. Each battalion and the Special Units formed a league for these two sports. Each battalion and the special units have competed in track and field meets to qualify individuals to compete in the 137^th Infantry track meet which will be held in July. The 35^th Division sponsored swimming meet will also be held in July. Turning to the links, the regiment has sent a five-man golf team to compete in the 35^th Division golf tournament in Luxembourg. Tennis tournaments will be held in July also.

The Information and Education program in the regiment was very active during the month of June. Each battalion and the special units has a two-man mobile orientation team which delivers orientations to the companies within the allotted hour each week. Another hour each week is allotted for group discussion. Each platoon in the regiment has a discussion leader for that purpose. Instructor training schools were held at regimental and battalion level during the month and 120 potential instructors were trained.

Another function of the Information and Education section was conducting regimental sponsored tours to points of both scenic and historic interest along the Rhine River. Among the points visited was the Stolzenfels Castle, in Kappelen on the Rhine. This historic structure was initially built in 1235, destroyed completely in 1689, and restored by 1842. These tours are conducted four days per week, one day allotted for each battalion and the special units.

There were no casualties during the month of June.

Awards received by members of the 137^th Infantry for the month of June are as follows:

	Silver Star		Bronze Star
	Reg	Oak Leaf Clus.	Reg	OLC
Officers	4	0	18	2
EM	14	0	56	7
Totals	18	0	74	9

W. S. MURRAY

Colonel, Infantry

Commanding

Incl:

Journal and Supporting Papers.