Post by connie on May 3, 2014 12:37:35 GMT -5
Here's a link to division document on the Indiana Military Site Dated May 1 that outline the plans for reconstituting units lost during the Bulge:
www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Reports/47-106thAAR-5-1-1945/106thAAR-5-1-1945.htm
Below is a copy of Section I of that document (with bolding added)
SECTION I
Reconstitution of the 422d and 423d Infantry Regiments, 589th and 590 Field Artillery Battalions and the 106th Reconnaissance Troop
The 106th Infantry Division was directed to reconstitute and train the 422d and 423d Infantry, 589th and 590th Field Artillery Battalions and the 106th Reconnaissance Troop by orders, Fifteenth U. S. Army, 14 March 1945.
During the month of March, preparations and plans were made for obtaining the enlisted and officer cadres, training areas and equipment and for receiving, classifying and assigning reinforcements. It was decided by Fifteenth U. S. Army that the 106th Infantry Division could best perform this mission by moving to the vicinity of RENNES, FRANCE. The progress in accomplishing the mission is outlined below:
1-3 April - A reception group, consisting of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 106th Division Artillery, the 591st Field Artillery Battalion, part of Division Headquarters, the cadre from the 424th Infantry, 591st and 592d Field Artillery Battalions, and all remaining officers and men from the reconstituted units, moved to RENNES, FRANCE. This group proceeded to establish facilities for receiving reinforcements and for the remainder of the division. Three hundred sixty-five (365) men to cadre the 422d and 423d Infantry, 589th and 590th Field Artillery Battalions, were received from the units attached to the division, namely the 3rd and 159th Infantry, 401st and 627th Field Artillery Battalions. Certain key officers for these units were received.
4 April - Preparation of tent camps at the RENNES, FRANCE Airport was started.
5 April - Twenty (20) man cadre for the 106th Reconnaissance Troop arrived vicinity RENNES, FRANCE.
6 April - 106th Infantry Division closed in and division headquarters was established at RENNES, FRANCE.
6-13 April - The bulk of a total of six thousand sis hundred and six (6,606) filler reinforcements was received from Reinforcement Training Centers. Two thousand two hundred twenty seven (2,227) of these reinforcements had basic infantry training in Infantry Reinforcement Training Centers in the United States. The remaining reinforcements were from other branches of the service and had received a six-week (6) infantry course at Reinforcement Training Centers in the European Theater of Operations. Filler reinforcements continued to be received until 20 April.
14 April - A reconstitution ceremony was held, at which the colors, standards and guidons of the units were transferred from the veterans of the 106th Infantry Division to the reconstituted units.
15 April - 422d and 423d Infantry, 589th and 590th Field Artillery Battalions and the 106th Reconnaissance Troop were attached to the 66th Infantry Division.
16-21 April - Training of the reconstituted units started under the 106th Division's training program, as prescribed by Training Memorandum #10, this headquarters, 8 April 1945, (Annex #15, attached). Preparations were made for turning over the training activities to the 66th Infantry Division. A training cadre under the Assistant to the Division Commander, 106th Infantry Division, was selected and attached to the 66th Infantry Division to assist in the supervision of training.
22 April - Reconstituted units moved from RENNES, FRANCE to COETQUIDAN, FRANCE, for training.
The 106th Infantry Division cleared RENNES, FRANCE, for a new mission in GERMANY.
23-30 April - Training of the reconstituted units continued at COETQUIDAN, FRANCE, under the supervision of the 66th Infantry Division and the 106th Infantry Division training cadre.
Some of the special problems encountered in reconstituting and training these units, and the steps taken to overcome the are:
1. The lack of proper sequence in receiving key officers, other officers and reinforcements for the units. This problem was partially solved by the temporary assignment of key personnel from other units of the division to training assignments until sufficient officers were received. A special retention group was sent early to RENNES, FRANCE, to receive filler reinforcements.
2. The limited number of officers actually received. To over come this difficulty some officers from other units of the division were attached to the reconstituted units so as to perform the training mission as adequately as possible.
3. The lack of available training areas. After considerable correspondence and conferences, some extension of training areas in the vicinity of the RENNES Airport was obtained. Permission was also received to use CAMP COETQUIDAN until 15 Map. These measures were only a partial solution to this problem.
4. The lack of certain items of equipment. The bulk of the equipment for the reconstituted units arrived prior to start of training. However, certain essential items, such as anti-tank guns and 105mm howitzers were not shipped in time. Temporary loan of equipment by the rest of the division eased this problem considerably. In general, sufficient equipment had arrived by the end of the month so as not to handicap seriously the training during the following month.
]
www.indianamilitary.org/106ID/Reports/47-106thAAR-5-1-1945/106thAAR-5-1-1945.htm
Below is a copy of Section I of that document (with bolding added)
SECTION I
Reconstitution of the 422d and 423d Infantry Regiments, 589th and 590 Field Artillery Battalions and the 106th Reconnaissance Troop
The 106th Infantry Division was directed to reconstitute and train the 422d and 423d Infantry, 589th and 590th Field Artillery Battalions and the 106th Reconnaissance Troop by orders, Fifteenth U. S. Army, 14 March 1945.
During the month of March, preparations and plans were made for obtaining the enlisted and officer cadres, training areas and equipment and for receiving, classifying and assigning reinforcements. It was decided by Fifteenth U. S. Army that the 106th Infantry Division could best perform this mission by moving to the vicinity of RENNES, FRANCE. The progress in accomplishing the mission is outlined below:
1-3 April - A reception group, consisting of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 106th Division Artillery, the 591st Field Artillery Battalion, part of Division Headquarters, the cadre from the 424th Infantry, 591st and 592d Field Artillery Battalions, and all remaining officers and men from the reconstituted units, moved to RENNES, FRANCE. This group proceeded to establish facilities for receiving reinforcements and for the remainder of the division. Three hundred sixty-five (365) men to cadre the 422d and 423d Infantry, 589th and 590th Field Artillery Battalions, were received from the units attached to the division, namely the 3rd and 159th Infantry, 401st and 627th Field Artillery Battalions. Certain key officers for these units were received.
4 April - Preparation of tent camps at the RENNES, FRANCE Airport was started.
5 April - Twenty (20) man cadre for the 106th Reconnaissance Troop arrived vicinity RENNES, FRANCE.
6 April - 106th Infantry Division closed in and division headquarters was established at RENNES, FRANCE.
6-13 April - The bulk of a total of six thousand sis hundred and six (6,606) filler reinforcements was received from Reinforcement Training Centers. Two thousand two hundred twenty seven (2,227) of these reinforcements had basic infantry training in Infantry Reinforcement Training Centers in the United States. The remaining reinforcements were from other branches of the service and had received a six-week (6) infantry course at Reinforcement Training Centers in the European Theater of Operations. Filler reinforcements continued to be received until 20 April.
14 April - A reconstitution ceremony was held, at which the colors, standards and guidons of the units were transferred from the veterans of the 106th Infantry Division to the reconstituted units.
15 April - 422d and 423d Infantry, 589th and 590th Field Artillery Battalions and the 106th Reconnaissance Troop were attached to the 66th Infantry Division.
16-21 April - Training of the reconstituted units started under the 106th Division's training program, as prescribed by Training Memorandum #10, this headquarters, 8 April 1945, (Annex #15, attached). Preparations were made for turning over the training activities to the 66th Infantry Division. A training cadre under the Assistant to the Division Commander, 106th Infantry Division, was selected and attached to the 66th Infantry Division to assist in the supervision of training.
22 April - Reconstituted units moved from RENNES, FRANCE to COETQUIDAN, FRANCE, for training.
The 106th Infantry Division cleared RENNES, FRANCE, for a new mission in GERMANY.
23-30 April - Training of the reconstituted units continued at COETQUIDAN, FRANCE, under the supervision of the 66th Infantry Division and the 106th Infantry Division training cadre.
Some of the special problems encountered in reconstituting and training these units, and the steps taken to overcome the are:
1. The lack of proper sequence in receiving key officers, other officers and reinforcements for the units. This problem was partially solved by the temporary assignment of key personnel from other units of the division to training assignments until sufficient officers were received. A special retention group was sent early to RENNES, FRANCE, to receive filler reinforcements.
2. The limited number of officers actually received. To over come this difficulty some officers from other units of the division were attached to the reconstituted units so as to perform the training mission as adequately as possible.
3. The lack of available training areas. After considerable correspondence and conferences, some extension of training areas in the vicinity of the RENNES Airport was obtained. Permission was also received to use CAMP COETQUIDAN until 15 Map. These measures were only a partial solution to this problem.
4. The lack of certain items of equipment. The bulk of the equipment for the reconstituted units arrived prior to start of training. However, certain essential items, such as anti-tank guns and 105mm howitzers were not shipped in time. Temporary loan of equipment by the rest of the division eased this problem considerably. In general, sufficient equipment had arrived by the end of the month so as not to handicap seriously the training during the following month.
]
