Tribute to Pvt Homer S LONG Jr - F/193rd & 194th GIR

(February 03, 1925 - April 06, 1945)

Son of  Homer Smith LONG Sr and Bessie Leona MOTTER-LONG, Homer S LONG Jr was born on February 03, 1925 in Kane, Pennsylvania. He lived at Bradford, Pennsylvania and was employed by the Pepsi Cola Co, Olean, New-York when he was enlisted on April 07 and inducted on April 14, 1943 at Buffalo, New York. He received ASN 32930595.

Private LONG was immediately sent to Camp McKall, North Carolina for basic training and assigned to Company F/193rd GIR of the new 17th Airborne Division.

Homer LONG was killed in action on April 06, 1945 in the area of Hamm, Germany while his regiment was involved in the Rhur pocket battle, attached to the 95th Infantry Division.

Article published in the OLEAN TIMES HERALD of Friday May 04, 1945

He was buried at Margraten US Military Cemetery, Holland before being repatriated on December 03, 1948 and permanently buried at McKean Memorial Park Cemetery, Lafayette, Pennsylvania.

Article published in the ERA, Bradford, PA of Thursday December 02, 1948

Homer S LONG Jr was awarded Good Conduct Medal, Expert Rifleman, Glider qualification Badge, Paratrooper qualification badge, Combat Infantry Badge, European - African - Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Battle Stars (for Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe campaigns) and one Arrowhead (for operation Varsity) and Purple Heart Medal (posthumously).

This "GI's Tribute" has  been realized with the help of Sally LONG SENNETT (niece) and will be archived in the GI's Tribute - 194th GIR.

Hosingen (Great-Dutchy of Luxembourg), January 29, 1945 : the 193rd GIR fights for the last time

I have made many many research on the 193rd GIR and I'm finishing a book (in french) dedicated to this 17th Airborne's unit. I am currently doing the layout of the Rhineland campaign chapter. On January 28, 1945, the 193rd GIR were located in the little village of Hosingen (Great-Dutchy of Luxembourg) facing the German border and the Siegfried Line (also called Westwall) delimited by the Our river. To better understand the battle, I have made a one day trip in the area and I think it is interesting to share this with you.

Enjoy,

TFH

The operation: on January 29, 1945, the 193rd GIR has received the mission to seize the highest ground facing the Our valley to better observed the German border and movements of enemy troops. The offensive starts around 02:00 PM with A Company on left and E Company on right. Under heavy fire, A Company failed to reach its objective while E Company reaches its goal at the cost of numerous losses. The two companies are ordered to withdraw at 05:30 PM. This action will be the last one for the 193rd GIR.

Operation of the 193rd GIR on January 29, 1945 (TFH map)

Hosingen before the war & after the battle of the Bulge (from the Archives of Hosingen, available on the web):

The Battlefield today: these pics have been realized on August 12, 2018.

Hosingen today seen from the left part of the front occupied by the 193rd GIR on January 28 & 29, 1945 :

Both companies leaved the village by the main road to Germany, exactly at this place :

The Our valley today :

The objectives of the January 29, 1945 (still seen from the left flank of the front) :

This pic realized just on the right of the E Company's goal shows very well the very hilly landscape in this area and the incredible difficulties to lead patrols at this place, especially in winter with anti-personnel mines on the ground and enemy fire over your head !

As a testimony of the battle, it is still possible to observe fox-holes. On the first pic, we seen very well a large german collective shelter with wooden roof remains.  On the second one, we can seen individual fox-holes :

Or simply pieces of shrapnel lying on the ground 75 years after the battle ...

Or a commemorative plate in honor of the 17th AB Division :

And finally two other surprises on the way to home ...

This german 88mm PAK 43/41 anti-tank gun visible on the village of Heinerscheid (Great-Dutchy of Luxembourg) located 10,9 kms north of Hosingen :

And this german 150mm Schwere FH18 visible on the village of Cherain (Belgium) located 10 kms north-east of Houffalize, in the area where the 17th AB has fought during the Bulge. Of interest are the numerous impact of shrapnels visible on this battlefield relic :

January 04, 1945 … The Battle for Cochleval

In its first day of combat, the 1st Battalion of the 513th PIR met heavy resistance on the National 4 road, north west of Bastogne, in a small hamlet called Cochleval. This hamlet does not survived to the battle and/or to the enlargement of the road realized after the war. It no longer exist and I have never found any pic of the place during WWII or before. The only proof I have found from its existence is an aerial pic realized on December 27, 1944.

As I was in the area this last December 16, 2016 (the date of the 72nd anniversary of the starting of the Battle of the Bulge !) and the weather was clement, I have stopped few minutes in this place where the 1st Bn / 513th PIR fought so heavily and suffered a lot of casualties.

 Cochleval from the sky on December 27, 1944. 

 The red dot is my location on December 16, 2016 and letters correspond of the direction I have made the pic.

 A : today, the only building remaining at the place is a recent barn. It is exactly at that place the Company C was nearly annihilated and survivors surrendered in the afternoon of January 04, 1945.

 B : this is the view toward Flamierge. It is from this side that German tanks launched their counter-offensive.

 C : in the direction of Bastogne. The Company B was approximately located on the right side of the road, at the horizon line.  It is in this area Isadore S JACHMAN, on of the fourth divisional CMH recipient was killed in action. The barn where the First Aid Post was opened was approximately located near my car.

D : the path we can see on the aerial pic is still present and absolutely unchanged since 72 years ! 

Lors de son baptême du feu le 04 janvier 1945, le 1er Bataillon du 513th PIR rencontra une résistance inattendue en arrivant sur la route Nationale, au nord ouest de Bastogne, dans un hameau appelé Cochleval. Les constructions situées à cet endroit n'ont pas survécu à la guerre et/ou à l'élargissement de la route réalisé après-guerre et je n'ai jusqu'à aujourd'hui jamais trouvé de photographie de l'endroit avant ou pendant la guerre. La seule preuve tangible que j'ai de l'existence de ce hameau est une photographie aérienne réalisée par un pilote de l'USAAF le 27 décembre 1944.

J'ai profité de mon passage dans la région et d'un temps très clément ce 16 décembre dernier (date anniversaire du début de l'offensive des Ardennes) pour m'arrêter quelques instants à l'endroit exact ou combattit si durement au prix de terribles pertes le premier bataillon du 513th PIR.

This article will be later placed in the "Then and Now" chapter.

In this chapter, you'll find anonymous 17th Airborne troopers who need an identification. All help will be greatly appreciated !

Who know this 17th Airborne trooper ? 

This picture comes from an unidentified 17th Airborne photo album (may be 194th GIR). It was realized in Germany, at the end of the war in Europe. May be somebody will can give me info on this man ?

Who know this 17th Airborne trooper ? 

This picture comes from an unidentified 17th Airborne photo album but I am sure the man was member of the 513th PIR. It was realized in a boat, most probably during the return to States, after the end of the war in Europe. All info on this man will be greatly appreciate !

Who know this trooper ? 

I have recently acquired two pictures from this soldier who seemingly was member of the 507th PIR. The only info writing on the pic is "Eddie WELCH". After having made some researches, I have found a Edmund E WELCH in the 17th Airborne Roster (507th PIR) but I am not able to confirm it is the same man. All info on this man will be greatly appreciate ! 

Who know "Bob" ? 

I have a little grouping belonging to this guy. On each pic available, the surname "Bob" is writing  On another one, a man called Lawrence BEERMAN strikes a pose. BEERMAN was member of the HQ II Company / 507th PIR so I guess he was a friend from the same company. Anybody know him ? Once again, all info on this man will be greatly appreciate !

After the VE Day in May 08, 1945, numerous 17th AB troopers were transferred in other combat units, especially 82nd, 101st and 13th Airborne Divisions. Few ones were also transferred to the 11th Airborne Division and than send in Japan for occupation duty.

This pic shows 11th AB troopers. The paratrooper in the center of the top row wears proudly the 17th Airborne Division shoulder sleeve insignia on his right shoulder. That is mean he was previously member of this division and fought with it as he also wears the Combat Infantry Badge (CIB). Of interest is that the wings are pinned below the CIB ! This gentleman is unfortunately anonymous. Who can help me ?

(unpublished TFH collection)

Who know this trooper ? 

This pic has been probably realized in the early time of the unit as the GI's wears a trooper visor hat rather than an overseas cap and has only one qualification (expert) badge as only decoration on his jacket. Of interest is the shoulder sleeve insignia not sewn according the army regulation !

Who know Joe ? 

This unknown 17th AB soldier was probably member of an artillery battalion as the pipe, the Airborne badge on his overseas cap and the oval under his wings are dark and seem to be red. The chino shirt indicates the pic has been realized in USA, circa 1943 or 1944. As he wears an Airborne badge on his overseas cap and Wings on his chest I guess so this gentleman was member of the 460th or 466th PFAB.

Of interest, note the "opposite claw" shoulder sleeve insignia.

Picture realized at Camp MacKall, North Carolina, circa 1943. It shows six unidentified troopers from the Sv/194th GIR before a training walk. Any help to identified these gentlemen will be appreciate !

Armond G WILSON (ASN 39167099) - 464th PFAB

Armond G WILSON was born on October 29, 1917 in the North Dakota. He grow up in San Bernardino County, California and was inducted in the United States Army at Los Angeles on October 22, 1941. He received ASN 39167099. I don't know when he exactly joined the Airborne forces but he was finally assigned to the 464th PFAB and joined the 17th Airborne Division with his unit on March 1945 just before operation Varsity.

Mr Wilson passed away on April 04, 2003 and is buried at Montecito Memorial Park, Colton CA with his wife Margaret.

I am fortunate to have in my collection few artifacts that belonged to Mister Wilson, reason why I have realized some researches and writted this Tribute.