A father's service during World War II.
Serving under the 45th Infantry Division, the US Seventh Army commandered by Lt. General George S. Patton, my father's platoon landed on the shores of Sicily, July 10th, 1943.
Over a thousand miles, through 420 combat days, the 45th Infantry took everyone of their objectives - (Italy) Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, Rome, (France) Alsace and the Vosges Mountains, (Germany) Bavaria, finally arriving triumphant in Munich, in May of 1945.
Sgt. J.S. McCourtney, Jr. (last row seated, on the far left) 3rd Platoon, L Company.
Sgt. McCourtney #17080808 - 45th Infantry Division, under Gen. Patton's US Seventh Army.
An Armored Infantry Battalion entering Germany at the time of my father's Platoon's German offensive. Spring of 1945. (stock photo).
After allied bombing and heavy artillery shelling - a note below a photo from my father's scrapbook reads, "A G.I. And my tank guard a Main Street - snipers were still active but you wouldn't know it", Sgt. J. S. McCourtney. (April 16th-20th, Nuremberg, Germany).
Wikipedia: (a quirky back history)
The 45th division's original shoulder sleeve insignia, approved in August 1924,[12] featured a swastika, a common Native American symbol, as a tribute to the Southwestern United States region which had a large population of Native Americans. However, with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, with its infamous swastika symbol, the 45th Division stopped using the insignia.[13]
After a long process of reviewing design submissions, a design by Woody Big Bow, a Kiowa artist from Carnegie, Oklahoma, was chosen for the new shoulder sleeve insignia.[14] The new insignia featured the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939.[1]
After a long process of reviewing design submissions, a design by Woody Big Bow, a Kiowa artist from Carnegie, Oklahoma, was chosen for the new shoulder sleeve insignia.[14] The new insignia featured the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939.[1]
In Memoriam - Memorial Day Services, Munich, Germany - following the German defeat in early May.
Then, in a final note, a promoted Staff Sgt. McCourtney, was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement after successfully organizing a ten man squad of machine gunners, after being outflanked by several hundred SS Troops, during that final battle for Munich, Germany.
Over the course of it's military history (1920-1968), proud and brave, the 45th Infantry Division sustained over 25,000 costly battle casualties.
