The 275th Infantry Regiment was activated with
the 70th Infantry Division 15 July 1943 at Camp Adair, Oregon. It
trained there for its combat mission for the next 12 months. During
that period, the division was tasked to provide replacements for
U.S. Army losses in Europe and the Far East. This required new
replacements and retraining of the regiment's small units. In late
July 1944 the division entrained for a transfer to Fort Leonard
Wood, MO, and resumed training there. The last of the replacements
arrived in early October 1944, and the next month the regiment went
with the division to Camp Myles Standish, MA to stage for shipment
to Europe. On 15 December it landed at Marseilles, France and was
trucked to a staging area to make final preparations for combat.
On 20 December the regiment boarded 40 and 8
box cars and traveled north toward the front line. Christmas Eve and
500 cold and snowy miles later it arrived at Brumath, France, and
walked carrying full field gear and weapons to Bischweiler ready for
commitment. The areas in which the 275th Infantry Regiment fought
are described in this home page and include:
Operation Nordwind
From the 275th Infantry's initial defensive mission after arriving
in theater, it is ordered to join the 45th Infantry Division in the
frigid, snow covered ridges and mountains of the Low Vosges just in
time to meet the Germans executing Nordwind.
Philippsbourg
This village was an important German objective in operation Nordwind
because of the road and rail network in that area. The 275th
Infantry was committed to help clear it of enemy forces.
Falkenberg Ridge
B/275 is ambushed.
Schwarzenberg
The regiment struggles through precipitous terrain to maintain
contact with the German forces.
