What's New
Author Updates and Archive Additions
May 20, 2020
Lafayette Pool lost three tanks during his combat career with the 32nd Armored Regiment. The regiment’s losses during August and September 1944 are detailed in two new documents now in the online archive. There’s also a wartime photo of Pool’s tank (“In the Mood”) crossing the Meuse River at Liège, Belgium, in September 1944. This image was scanned from the original negative.
Tanks Rendered Inoperative, 32nd Armd Rgt, Aug 44
Tanks Rendered Inoperative, 32nd Armd Rgt, Sep 44
ETO-HQ-44-14374, Lafayette Pool’s M4A1(76)W
April 18, 2020
Last year, I began posting documents pertaining to Lafayette Pool, famed tank commander from the 32nd Armored Regiment. I’m now continuing with three new documents from the period when Pool earned his Distinguished Service Cross.
Field Order No. 12, 3rd Armd Div, 31 Aug 44
Morning Reports, Co I, 32nd Armd Rgt, 29-31 Aug 44
After-Action Report, 32nd Armd Rgt, Aug 44
March 8, 2020
This month marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the battle for Cologne, Germany. My online archive now includes three more 32nd Armored Regiment documents related to that battle.
Map, Town Plan of Köln, 1:11,000
Disposition Overlay, CCA, 3rd Armd Div, 8 Mar 45
Operating Instructions 26, CCA, 3rd Armd Div, 7 Mar 45
February 16, 2020
Today I’ve added four more unpublished 8x10 photos to my archive. They relate to Einheit von der Heydte and Operation Stösser. Two pictures show a wrecked Junkers 52 shot down while attempting to reach the drop zone in Belgium. All the German paratroopers onboard died in the crash.
ETO-HQ-44-30053, crashed Junkers 52
ETO-HQ-44-30055, crashed Junkers 52
ETO-HQ-44-30122, Fallschirmjäger parachute
ETO-HQ-44-30131, Fallschirmjäger prisoner
January 28, 2020
Continuing on last month’s theme, I’ve updated my archive with four unpublished 8x10 photos of captured German paratroopers from Einheit von der Heydte. These men participated in Operation Stösser and fell into American captivity on December 17, 1944, after being dropped inside Germany by mistake.
ETO-HQ-44-30129, Fallschirmjäger prisoner
ETO-HQ-44-30132, Fallschirmjäger prisoner
ETO-HQ-44-30133, Fallschirmjäger prisoner
ETO-HQ-44-30134, Fallschirmjäger prisoners
December 17, 1944: This Fallschirmjäger, at an MP headquarters in Kornelimünster, Germany, became a prisoner of war during Operation Stösser. He showed little fight and gave up after being misdropped in Germany. (T/5 Leander P. Zwick Jr., 165th SPC)
December 17, 1944: Mangled bodies of German paratroopers and aircraft wreckage scattered about a field near Jüllich, Germany. The Junkers 52 transport was shot down by 29th Infantry Division antiaircraft fire. The paratroopers never reached their drop zone as part of Operation Stösser. (Sgt D. W. Miller, 167th SPC)
