PFC Willard Herman Keeber at the Battle of the Bulge

[dkeeber]

My father, PFC Willard Herman Keeber, 12 238 570, was in Company G of the 424th Infantry of the 106th Regiment. He was trained at Camp Atterbury and sent to the Ardennes a day or two before the initial strike. His unit took the first blow of the Battler and many were lost or captured. Dad managed to escape that fate and ended up behind enemy lines for about 10 days, wandering with a small band of others until such time as the were able to make it back to friendly lines. If anyone has information pertaining to this, I would very much appreciate connecting with that person or persons.

Dad passed away in 2012. Before he passed, and throughout his life, he shared very little information on this seminal period of his life. Now that he is gone, the family is trying to piece together information. We are traveling to the Ardennes region of Belgium this autumn to travel the area and are being guided by a younger gentleman who has specialized in this action. Again, if anyone has information on the events surrounding PFC Keeber's exploits, we would very much like to connect.

Thank you.

David Keeber (son) [e-mail]

[connie]

David,

So good to hear from you...

The name struck a familiar chord, though not in my case from any personal first-hand connection. My connection was through this Discussion Board first where I became acquainted with a fellow from G-Company of the of the 424th named Floyd Ragasdale. Floyd is gone now but his posts live on on this board. I have recently begun adding an overview of links to his posts. But if you want to find therm all faster than I post, simply get into the thread on him, go to one post by him, click on his name to the left and then click on recent threads or recent posts. The threads would probably be the best first place to begin. Here's a link to the beginnings of my compilation: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4424/thread.

A few years back Floyd learned I was traveling to the area and asked to link up to this personal trip. I'll check with you in personal mail on the name the young man who you will be traveling with, but I can guess and hope. We had help from a young Belgian then who has specialized in the 106th. Before our arrival he had found what he believed to be the location of 424G at the onset of the Bulge, and he led us there. Floyd was anxious to see his foxhole. He confirmed that this was indeed the spot, and I stood with him beside the dent in the ground that was still there where his foxhole had been. And I walked back further in the woods to the site down the hill where their mess had been set up.

If you check out the Site Soldier Index you will find your father's name already there with links to references and to his diary posted on the Indiana Military site.

Sorry you missed connecting with Floyd. But thankfully his writing awaits you.

Your Dad's not saying much about the war is classic. I think the majority of us find ourselves retracing history wishing that now when we know the questions to ask that we had our fathers around to answer. Still it is amazing what you can glean when you start looking. I'll be interested in following your journeys.

Connie

PS. I'll post a link to your post under the Site Soldier Index and let a few others know you're on board.

[Carl W.]

Hi David,

Welcome to the message board. I'll be looking forward to meeting you, your mother and sister this coming fall. Like Connie mentioned, we were fortunate to accompany Floyd back to the former battlefields in 2010 (he was a close friend of your father and fellow mortarman in 424/G). Floyd passed away in 2014 but left us a wealth of information and personal tales right here on the board and in that way continues to shed light on that period in time which shaped his and his comrades' lives as young G.I.'s during that cold winter of 1944-45.

All the best,
Carl

[connie]

With Willard's son having started this thread, this is a good spot to begin consolidating references I have to Willard Keeber.

Anyone who knew Willard please contact his son and continue posting in replies below this post.

WILLARD HERMAN KEEBER, PFC, 424 G

Site Soldier Index on this discussion board: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/1529/thread

Indiana Military Site Roster: listed here: www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Rosters/RosterZOHO.htm

Wartime Memories contributed by his wife and posted on the Indiana Military Site (also photo attached to bottom of this post): www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Diaries/None-POW/Keeber-WillardH/Keeber-WillardH.htm

Mention in Posts by Floyd Ragsdale 424 G

* On 424 G mortar team: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3592/thread
Our mortor position was "dug in" & the sides were reinforced with sandbags. The area that thee 2nd Division covered was stagnant for about six weeks. Thus, the troops who occupied that area had time to "tidy up" their foxholes and bunkers. Example: the frontline foxholes were camouflaged with wheat shocks over them,yet the Soldier in the foxhole had a commanding view of the area in front of him. Also, there was a connecting trench between each foxhole. So, a Soldier could walk from one foxhole to another without being observed by the enemy.I'm estimating that those positions were around twenty-five yards apart. Our mortar was about the same distance from the foxholes and on the tree-line, or edge of the Ardennes Forest. The gunner (Willard Keeber) and assistant gunner (me) were on duty there all day, except when the assistant gunner went to get more ammunition for the mortar.

* On Trench Foot Prevention (with mention of ASTP connection also noted in Wartime Memories) 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/3601/thread
As soon as I was back in the Bunker, off came my boots and socks. We had a small gasoline stove that was lit almost constantly & they (socks & Boots) were put as close to that stove as the law wold allow. When it wasn't feasible to do that I buried my feet in my overcoat, blanket or whatever I could lay my hands on, then let my shoe's and socks freeze dry. During Infantry Basic Training we were instructed on how to "keep your feet dry" when exposed to the weather 24/7 for weeks at a time.

Soldiers who were in the Army's A.S.T P. program and were shipped into the 106th Division did not have (at least most of them) Infantry Basic Training. Willard Keeber (our Gunner) was in the A.S.T.P. Program when he was sent to the 424th Regiment. He got trench foot simply because he lacked the training an Infantry Soldier had. It was dangerous to let your feet stay wet for more that three days at a time...
To read complete post click on link.

On What Carried During Retreat 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/2275/thread
...In the evening of the 18th of December, Willard Keeber and myself were stationed at our 60mm mortar position. We received an oral message from the Company Runner to vacate our mortar location and descend the hill to the Company C.P. The entire company (G) was being pulled off the front lines. We were instructed to pull out, one squad at a time. “Travel light, leave all heavy weapons behind”, was the word. So, our side arms and associated ammunition we had is what we carried with us.

As our squad left the area, a barrage of screaming memmies (rockets) traversed the area. They exploded, all around us with a deafening blast. All of us escaped that incident without a scratch. Somehow, the Germans must have known we were on the move. Their timing couldn’t have been any better. Wow! What a scary state of affairs that was.

Ammunition for our rifles came in bandoleers that were slung over the shoulder. One bandoleer held a respectable supple of ammunition. Enough, that is, to last a soldier through a good days firefight...
For complete post click on link

For Growing Compilation of Ragsdale posts: 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4424/thread

Cub Magazine notes from his wife: www.106thinfdivassn.org/CUB/CUB-Vol70%20no3-Nov2014-web.pdf. scroll down to pages 35/ 36; includes request for info on the history of his earning the Bronze Star.

Also of Interest: Info on Tom Wilson, commander of 424 G KIA. 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4412/thread. This includes a link to post by a relative. 106thdivision.proboards.com/post/4412/thread

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