The following document is on file in the
National Archives. Spelling errors have been retained.
On the first of May the Regiment was
located at Frankfurt am Main, except for the following companies:
"D" Company was at Fechenheim, "E" Company was at Schwanheim, "L"
Company was at Bad Homberg, Anti-Tank Company was at Echenheim,
Cannon Company was at Hochat. The city of Frankfurt was divided into
three districts, (See Map: Town Plan of Frankfurt, scale 1/18000
sheets 1 and 2). That portion of the city which lies south of the
Main River was the Second Battalion sector, east of the 20th
coordinate was the sector supervised by the First Battalion.
The screening and registering of
civilians and displaced personnel, the guarding of vital
installations and the maintenance of motorized and foot patrols to
preserve good order, continued to be the main duties of the Regiment
during this period. A training and recreational program for the
troops was in effect in order that a high standard of efficiency,
discipline and morale might be maintained.
On the first of May the Regiment
sponsored a program of entertainment for the Russian displaced
personnel. This tribute to the Russians on their national holiday
served a dual purpose: it exemplified the spirit of good will that
exists between ourselves and our allies, and it served as an outlet
for Russian exuberance on this May Day. It would help to curb their
desire to inflict on the German populace some of the injustices
imposed upon them during their captivity. Thus in the interests of
good will and good order the regiment sponsored this May Day
festival for these nationals of an allied nation.
On the second day of the month, the
Regiment received a warning order to move to a new sector. The Third
Battalion was the first to be alerted, and, accordingly, was
relieved of all it’s guard posts by the First Battalion. On the
third of May this Battalion moved to the Bad Nauheim area. "F"
Company relieved "L" Company at Bad Homberg and the Third Battalion
was located as follows: Headquarters Company was at Bad Nauheim, "I"
Company at Assenheim, "K" Company at Usingen, "L" Company at
Kromberg, and "M" Company at Butzbach. Their duties here continued
to be the same as previously.
A report was received from II Corps
and from the First Army of enemy usage of obsolete planes to fly
sabotage agents to rear areas. Their mission was to destroy bridges
and railroads. Two planes were shot down in the Third Army area
which carried explosives and detonating caps. There is an
organization called "Kommando Vienenstock" which was activated the
last part of April south of Munich with fifty aircraft and a hundred
pilots. They are assigned missions near their home towns. They may
wear civilian clothes of uniform. The pilot of one plane which the
First Army shot down carried hand grenades.
On the eighth of May the official
announcement of the surrender of the German Army was received by the
Regiment. This news was, of course, received with great enthusiasm,
tempered somewhat by the knowledge that the job was not yet
complete. One enemy had been completely defeated, but there remained
a big job yet to be finished. The surrender did not come as a
surprise, for the rapid advance of the Allied Armies left little
doubt that the forces of the enemy were in complete disorder. Yet it
was a source of satisfaction to all troops, for it marked the
completion of a difficult task. Unconditional surrender was the
avowed aim of the Allied Nations, and it's achievement was a
tremendous military success.
The 275th Infantry
Regiment could look back with pride on the part it played in the
actual subdueing of a powerful and ruthless enemy. They went into
combat against an aggressive and determined foe. The enemy had
succeeded in forcing back a portion of the Seventh Army in the
Hagenau-Phillipsburg sector, and they were determined to hold this
temporary advantage, and, if possible, exploit it into a breach of
our lines. It was here that the Regiment first tasted actual combat.
Pitted against troops that were experienced in battle, aggressive,
and determined to stop the American advance, the regiment met and
held this force. Though later forced to yield ground, they had
conducted themselves with courage and honor and had gained an
initial experience with the enemy. Later, when moved to the
Saarbruecken area, they drove the enemy back so that he was forced
to take up defensive positions in the formiable Siegfried line. Even
here the Regiment continued to probe and his positions, trying to
find the weak point. When the breakthrough occurred to the north of
our positions, the enemy was forced to yield this sector, or face
encirclement and destruction. The enemy withdrew, and our Regiment
seized the important city of Saarbruecken. A letter of commendation
was received by the Division from Major General F.W. Milburn, XXI
Corps Commander, praising the work of the Division in this sector.
The remaining weeks of the war the Regiment was engaged in the
policing and securing of occupied areas. This, too, was an important
task. The rapid advance of the Armies made it impossible to check
and secure completely all the territory gained. It was the duty of
the policing units to hold the area and to remove any source of
danger to the Allied cause.
The surrender of the German
Wehrmacht brought additional responsibilities. Strict
anti-fraternization regulations were in effect, and it became
apparent that additional educational and recreational facilities
would be necessary in order to guard against a let-down in morale
and discipline. A survey of the Regiment showed that the men were
most interested in studying automobile maintenance, electricity and
radio. Accordingly, plans were prepared so those interested could
study these subjects under competent supervision. Former school
teachers were selected from among the officers and enlisted men to
conduct these classes. Accounting, languages, arithmetic and certain
other subjects were also listed. Recreational facilities were always
available and schedules and tournaments in various types of
athletics were arranged. Military training was not neglected, nor
were the occupational duties of the Regiment slighted. The men were
still called upon to guard certain establishments and a great amount
of record keeping was encountered in the registering of civilians
and in tabulating their available food supplies.
With the cessation of hostilities,
many things which combat conditions made virtually impossible to
employ were adopted. The smartness and neatness of the American
troops, their conduct and discipline must always be in accordance
with the high standards of the American Army. A slip-shod manner of
dress, or unsightly appearance was more apt to produce scorn and
ridicule amongst the people of Germany than the respect and
admiration deserved. The might and strength of the American Army
must be apparent in peace as well as in battle. A neatly dressed,
alert soldier whose manner was firm but courteous and who spoke with
authority, was one to command respect and obedience from the people.
Moves for which the Regiment had
been alerted earlier in the month began to take place on the 13th.
The Third Battalion was again shifted to new location. Battalion
Headquarters Command Post was established at Hofheim, Germany; "I"
Company was moved to [?]; "K" Company to Eppstein, "L" Company to
Bad Sodon, and "M" Company to Bad Welbach. On the 18th
Cannon Company left Hochst and set up in Niederhochstadt. On the 19th
"C" Company moved to Anspack, and Anti-Tank Company moved to
Florsheim. On the 23rd Regimental Headquarters moved to
Camberg.
It was decided that, as part of the
training program, the First and Second Battalions should move to
their new locations by a foot march. Accordingly, the Companies of
the Second Battalion left Frankfurt on the 24th for a
three day march to their new posts in the Limberg area. The first
day they marched eleven miles and bivouacked at Glasshutten. The
second day they proceeded twelve miles farther and stopped for the
night at Oberseltens, and on the third day arrived at their new
sector. Headquarters Second Battalion established their Command Post
in the city of Limberg, "E" Company at Limberg, "F" Company at
Hadamar, "G" Company at Niederselters, and "H" Company at
Langendernbach.
On the 26th Headquarters
Company, Frist Battalion, and Company "A" and Company "D" left
Frankfurt on a three day road march to their new area. Company "B"
remained in Frankfurt, and Company "C" continued on the construction
of anew Prisoner of War enclosure in Anspack. On the 28th
they arrived at their destination and established Command Posts as
follows: "A" Company at Rod, and Headquarters Company and "D"
Company were both Usingen, Germany.
The duties remained much the same
for all companies at their new posts. Bridges, roads, and important
installations were under guard. Road patrols were inaugurated to
control the area. The Regimental and Battalion schools continued
under supervision of the Information and Education Officer. During
the month the sector was quiet. There was no indications of
underground activity or attempts at organized resistance or sabotage
in the Regimental sector. The registering of civilians proceeded at
a rapid pace and the displaced personnel were evacuated to their
homelands as fast as conditions permitted. Military Government
Offices were set up in key cities and the occupational duties of the
Regiment settled into a routine matter. There were no casualties due
to enemy action and 328 prisoners were taken by the Regiment up to
VE Day.
