UNIT HISTORY 47TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 9th DIVISION-- Part I

My father joined the 47th Infantry Regiment as a replacement officer in July, 1944 in Normandy, just before the COBRA breakout. Dad sought out the 9th Division because it was a veteran outfit, having previously fought in North Africa and Sicily. The 47th’s WWII history thus starts long before DOD joined up with them.

The 9th Division contained three regiments: the 39th, 47th, and 60th. At times, the 9th fought as a unit with all of the regiments together; at other times, the regiments were assembled into “Regimental Combat Teams” (“R.C.T.”) with attached support such as armor, and could be used independently. This account will focus on the 47th, and is taken in part from the unit history written by Captain Joseph Mittelman, “Eight Stars to Victory.” The title comes from the Eight Battle Stars earned by the 9th Division: Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Normandy; Northern France; Ardennes; Rhineland; and Central Europe.

The 39th and the 47th regiments had a lineage that included service in the 4th Division during WWI, when they fought in the Aisne-Marne offensive of 1918, at one point relieving the 42nd “Rainbow” Division. The regimental patch of the 47th reflects that lineage, tracking closely the 4th Division’s patch.

TORCH

In the Torch invasion of North Africa in November, 1942,, the 9th’s regiments were used independently, with the 60th RCT landing near Algiers, the 39th at Port-Lyautney, north of Casablanca, and the 47th on the extreme right of the invasion, at Safi. In a bit of derring-do, two Free French destroyers bluffed their way past the coastal defenses and deposited K and L companies of the 47th’s third battalion (my Dad would later join Co. K) on the Safi docks. A daylong battle with the Vichy French Foreign Legion ensued, resulting in the cessation of French resistance at Safi.

The 9th was among the first US units on the offensive in Africa, along with the Big Red One and the 3rd Infantry, and the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions. All of those units started learning lessons that would make them comparative “veteran” outfits later in the war. (Yes, I know the Commonwealth had been in it for years by then. I said “comparative.”)

TUNISIA

The Allied armies attacked East in an attempt to cut off the Afrika Korps in Tunisia, under pressure from Montgomery in Libya. When Rommel mounted a surprise counteroffensive at the Kasserine Pass, capturing two battalions of the 34th Division, the 9th artillery was called ahead of the rest of the Division to provide fires that helped halt the German attack. The rest of the division followed, and participated with the 1st Division in the attack on El Guettar. According to Col. Peter Mansoor, the 9th learned basic lessons in its first attacks by doing things wrong. “The GI Offensive in Europe” at 92-94. It absorbed lessons from its failures, learned to take the high ground, and to manuever for advantage. And applied those lessons in a successful drive to take Bizerte. On May 7, 1943, GIs from the 9th entered Bizerte, and then withdrew to permit the French to take it, which they did on the May 8th, concluding the Tunisian campaign. Mansoor at 96.

That’s two battle stars. More later.

Doug am I right in thinking that the 47th went to Vietnam as well?

Andy

Andy, you are right. The 9th was stationed in the Delta, south of Saigon. In fact, I think there's a frame in "Forrest Gump," when Forrest first meets the Captain, showing a sign saying "2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry."

Doug,
Just in case you were wondering, some heavy snow fall kept us from a trip to the Heurtgen Forest last week. We much regret we did not have a chance to actually see some sites where DOD has been over there. We will try again though, perhaps in September this year.

Y.o.s.,
Mark

Mark, thanks for the update. I had wondered about your trip. September would be a good time to be there.

Doug, and imagine, the first trip of little VAT will be to an historical site!

We did visit Margraten though.

Mark

I remain tickled that someday your child is going to know that he/she had a working nickname of "Lil Vat." Which will cause him/her to be curious about your historical interest. Which will some day cause him/her to want to find out more about that interest. That's a pretty neat legacy in itself.

y.o.s., Doug

How about all that interest from abroad? I didn't have that before my birth!

SICILY

The 9th started off the Sicily campaign in a reserve role. The 39th was again split off and attached to the 82nd Airborne for a run at Marsala, on the extreme West of the island. Then the 9th was reassembled and relieved the 1st Division for a week and a half of fighting through the mountains at the center of Sicily, to the Northwest of Mt. Etna. As Colonel Mansoor describes it: “The 1st and 45th Infantry Divisions began the attack toward Messina; the 3d and 9th Infantry Divisions would finish it. Truscott’s men [the 3rd] conducted a series of amphibious envelopments along Sicily’s northern coast while the 9th Infantry Division fought through the mountains. . . . Based on two excellent tactical terrain studies and intelligence reports, General Eddy decided to repeat the tactics used successfully in [Tunisia]. The 47th Infantry Regiment would pin the Germans from the front, while the 60th maneuvered through the mountains along the German Northern flank. Once again, the substitution of sweat for blood saved men and gained ground. In a nine-day operation, the 9th advance to Floresta and Randazzo, the last German positions before Messina. There the 3rd Infantry Division and the British 78th Division pinched the 9th Infantry Division out of the line.” Mansoor at 106.

Mansoor further observes: “The only combat experienced American divisions in Normandy in 1944 gained that experience in North Africa and Sicily. Four of the six American divisions that fought in Sicily also fought in Normandy: the 1st and 9th Infantry Divisions, the 2nd Armored Division, and the 82nd Airborne. . . . The difference in combat effectiveness between these battle-tested units and the remainder of the Army of the United States in the ETO would become readily apparent after the invasion of Normandy on 6 June, 1944.” Mansoor at 110. (I’m sure he’s overlooking the 101st).

A bit of color attached to the 39th RCT in Sicily. The 39th got a new CO, Colonel Paddy Flint, a West Point classmate of Patton and a former cavalryman with the appropriate touch of dash. Col. Flint came up with a new motto for the 39th: “Anything, Anywhere, Anytime, Bar Nothing,” abbreviated “AAA-0" and worn on the side of the helmet as part of the 39th’s official uniform. Mittelman at 131.

One more battle star. More later.

Thats quite a history of the 47th Doug. I am intruiged to learn about the last battle star for DOD's unit.

Cheers

Thomas

This website has a great reference of the 9th Division during WWII:

http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_bookl...ntry/index.html

Hi,
Ive been reading some forums on the site recently and decided to join. My grandfather served in WW2, in the 9th I.D. 47th I.R. 1st Batt. A Company. However, he passed away before I was old enough to ask him any questions about the things he did/ places he saw action. I found some of his paperwork, and it listed that he served in Normandy, Northern France and the Rhineland. From questions my aunt asked him ( he rarely talked about it) she found that he remembered Cherbourg. (I'm assuming that he may have possibly taken part in the assault and capture of Cherbourg.) Could you possibly tell me some of the things he may have done or taken part in or lend me some advice as to where I could find more information. I have done extensive research through books and internet but have not found much information. Anything you can tel me would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Terrier, a good place to start is the link in Paul's 2005 post just above yours. It kinda killed my motivation to continue the thread, since it covers so much.

For starters, I will confirm that the 47th, and the rest of the 9th Division, were central to the capture of Cherbourg. The fact that he served as long as the Rhineland means that he survived for at least several months, which beat the odds for rifle company soldiers.

Check out the thread and the link and if you still have questions, I'll try to answer them. My father was in Co. K, 47th Inf., and fought from July in Normandy (and therefore after Cherbourg) until he was wounded east of Remagen in March, 1945.

Thanks for the quick reply!
He did survive the war, however, I am not sure if he served until the end of the war, or was medically discharged ( i think my mom told me he had extreme frostbite). I also believe he was a B.A.R. gunner, but again I am not positive. Is there any way that I could find that information out? I will read that link ASAP.

Thanks again

Doug, the destroyers at Safi were the USS Cole and the USS Bernadou, two modified WWI destroyers. They got Presidential Unit Citations for landing those companies at the docks, and their captains both got navy crosses (next to MOH). I don't recall any similar awards for I and K companies -- but I guess Infantry is supposed to get shot at!


He isn't. Of all the US divisions committed to the ETO, only those four (and the 3rd, 36th and 45th Divisions which landed in Southern France after being withdrawn from the fighting in Italy) saw combat prior to being commited to action in that theater. The 101st had NEVER (it didn't exist in WW!) seen combat prior to the D-day landings (which doesn't mean it wasn't a first class unit.)

Nor was prior combat experience always a plus. I understand Mintgomery had some problems with the combat experienced divisions in the British 2nd Army -- and both Bradley and Patton concurred in relieving the extremely popular, highly successful and tactically brilliant Terry De La Mesa Allen and Theodore Roosevelt (respectively CG and Deputy CG) from command of the 1st Division before it left Sicily because of their refusal to enforce discipline on the unit. [Allen, on being returned to the states, was given command of the 104th Infantry Division, which achieved an admirable record in fighting from Holland (under command of the 1st Canadian Army) to the Mulde River. Roosevelt was attached to 4th Infantry Division for the D-day landing and made the decision to continue the landings at that location after the navy put them ashore in the wrong place. Bradley was going to give him command of a division, but he died of a heart attack before that could be done.]

Andy, the 47th Infantry sent its 2nd, 3rd and 4th battalions to Vietnam with the 9th Infantry Division. 3-47 amd 4-47 constituted the Mobile Riverine Force based at Dong Tam in the Mekong River. 2-47 was a mechanized infantry battalion which spent most of its time farther north (where the ground was a bit more solid). The 1-47 was a mechanized infantry battalion assigned to the 171st Infantry Brigade in Fort Richardson, Alaska during the war.

Mike

Mike, thanks for that added detail. Even after Atkinson's "Army At Dawn," there's much more to be told about Torch and its aftermath.

Terrier, when I said "survived" I meant "continued in the line." Should have been more clear. My father is still alive, and thus survived the war, but his rifle company career ended with his million dollar wound in March.

The casualty rates were such that the odds were against any soldier in a rifle company, officer or enlisted, to remain unwounded in the line for eight months.

My sense is that it is unlikely that Army records will contain anything about the weapon your grandfather carried. Your best source on the BAR thread is to find something in your grandfather's personal effects about it. Group photo, V-Mail home, diary or the like.

My father said that there was some flexibility about who carried what weapon. But the rule was that SOMEONE in a rifle squad had to carry the BAR. It was too valuable to the group firepower to pass up. And it was tough duty, because the BAR was heavy, and the ammo for it was heavy. But it was a great equalizer in the firepower battles with German units heavy with MG 42's.

You have much to be proud of in your grandfather's record. His being a BAR man is very much part of that.

I just watched Forrest Gump and you're absolutely right... not only does the sign say that, but he wears the division patch on his fatigue and dress uniforms in the movie. (Psychedelic cookie?)

*BUMP*

Dear Doug,

I hope that DOM is still okay. And DOD, too. Give us news.

I've just watched Forrest Gump and noticed the 9th Inf. Div. 's insigna on his shoulder. If I had this patch, I'd sew it on one of my bags. Along with the Screaming Eagles & the 87th Inf. Div., DOD's unit symbolize for me the Liberation troops in Belgium (I suppose this perception depends on the experience of every family or Belgian).

So thanks one more time to DOD and his fellows for their job here.

Morgs, I talked to DOD and DOM tonight with your post in mind. They both send their best wishes to you.

They are 85 and 83 respectively, and have the problems that you would expect at those ages. But. They still live in the house that DOD designed in 1961, and will have to be blasted out of it. They still read voraciously, and DOM still starts the day with a crossword puzzle. And they're still passionately concerned about the issues of the day and about history.

They both send their best respects to you. You are in many respects an exemplar of values that they care about. Not least in your academic achievements. And also in your concern for others and your respect.

In support of that, I offer this exhibit. DOD just sent me a box of books for my birthday. Pretty standard. Including a book about Pete Maravich, a basketball hero of my youth. But he also included two books I'd never read: "Anne of Green Gables," and "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm." What the heck? These were chick books of the 1930's. I'd never have guessed that my gruff, macho, take-no-guff-and-give-no-quarter father would have ever cracked the cover of either of them.

Nope. When I asked him tonight what that was about, he said he'd read both of them as a teenager. Whoa. And they both appealed to him because the heroines were selfless, caring about people other than themselves. Whoa.

You live and learn. That, Morgs, would put you in the category of people that both DOD and DOM regard highly. As does their son.

As you know, Binche, Belgium was one of the few high points in DOD's ETO experience. As a result, I and my brothers grew up with a fond spot for Belgians. The fete in Binche in 1994 deepened that reaction. You have taken it to another level. y.o.s., Doog