Command Post,
2 1/2 Miles West of Courtenay, France.
Coord 468474, 1/100,000.
252400 August, 1944.
CT 134 continued to mop up in the city of Montargis, France. The 3rd battalion, 134th
Infantry, after being relieved from guarding road blocks along the Loire River, reverted
to battalion control. The town of Joigny, France, was liberated by the 134th Infantry
during the period.
CT 137 (- 3rd battalion) remained attached to the 4th Armored Division, after liberating the
city of Sens, France, established strong guards in and around the city as to secure it.
The 3rd battalion, securing Orleans, was relieved during the period and reverted to
regimental control.
CT 320 remained in Montargis, France, mopping up in the town, and sending strong patrols
and guards to secure the towns of Sueppes and Fontenay, France. CT (-2d battalion) started
advance toward Courtenay, France, at 0700 hours, mopping up woods along the
route of advance.
All division advancing toward Courtenay, France, at the end of the period, capturing many
enemy stragglers who were cut off and left in the woods by their retreating units.
At the end of the period the enemy had no organized front line in the division sector.
It was established that there are no strong enemy defenses as far east of Courtenay,
France. Small scattered groups of enemy cut-off and surrounded continued to surrender
to our advancing troops, but the bulk of the enemy's forces in this sector have withdrawn
to the east and southeast. Enemy troops guarding road blocks in the vicinity of Gien,
were attacked, captured and annihilated and put to flight by the 654th Tank Destroyer
Battalion. Enemy attempted to put up a fight at Fortenay, but was overrun and his forces
either annihilated or captured. A civilian report as of the 24th reported that about 200
enemy soldiers, with horse-drawn vehicles and artillery, were retreating southwest out
of Chateaurenard, France. Prisoners were captured from the 758th Regiment, 338th Division.
Some prisoners were from scattered units who were in the vicinity of Montargis, when it
was attacked by our forces. The 757th and 759th Infantry Regiments of the 338th Division
are thought to be available as disorganized reserves in our sector. A total of 725
prisoners were captured during the period by the division.
At 1255 hours, the FFI reported enemy vehicles in woods just north of Chuelles, France,
and two officers and an undetermined number of soldiers in woods in the vicinity of
coordinates 430445, 1/100,000. At 1550 hours, the FFI reported an estimated group of
enemy soldiers in woods at coordinates 420230, 1/100,000. Air reconnaissance reports
40 horse drawn vehicles, moving south and east from Aillant-Sur-Thelen, France at 1900
hours. Prisoners captured in the town of Joigny, France, are from the artillery, which is
from south France. They report that their division is thoroughly cut-up and disorganized.
The command post closed 3 miles East of Montargis, France, at 250900 August, 1944, and
established 1 1/2 miles east of Courtenay, France, coordinates 468474, 1/100,000 at
251055 August, 1944, advancing a total distance of 22 miles.
The weather during the period was fair and warm; excellent for operations.
All companies directed to double outposts to prevent a surprise attack by surrounded
enemy forces in the sector. At 1414 hours, 100 enemy soldiers were reported 300 meters
north west of Chuelles,France.
The command post of Company "A" was established in the vicinity of Les Pays, France during
the period, and was relieved from direct support of the 134th Infantry, except for the
1st platoon and 1st reconnaissance platoon under Lieut. Alexander H. Smith, Junior, which
remained in direct support of the 3rd platoon, 134th Infantry.
The 1st platoon of company "A" under 1st Lieut. Michael P. Elcano and Staff Sergeant Walter
P.Moore, in support of the 3rd battalion, 134th Infantry, supported that battalion
in mopping up in and around Montargis, France, and in reconnaissance missions to the east,
liberating the town of Joigny, France, capturing over 900 prisoners from the 338th and
708th German Infantry Divisions.
The 2d platoon, Company "A" upon arrival in assembly area at Les Pays, France, took up
antitank positions in the vicinity of coordinates 470755, 1/50,000.
Company "B" after taking the town of Gien, France, was relieved from supporting the 3rd
battalion, 134th Infantry, and closed in assembly area in the vicinity of Thimony, France,
and from there it moved to Les Pays, France, under battalion control to the battalion
assembly area., Company was relieved from supporting the 320th and the 134th Infantry Regiments.
Company "C" was relieved from direct support of the 320th Infantry, and moved from Montargis,
France, to the battalion assembly area, 1 mile northeast of Chuelles, France.
First Sergeant Barnausky of Company "C was transferred to Company "A" during the period. First
Sergeant Owen, the company first sergeant, was transferred to Company "A" during the period.
The command post of the reconnaissance company established in the battalion assembly area
in the vicinity of Les Guaguins, France, during the period.
Reconnaissance platoons remained attached to companies "A,"B", "C", during the period.
The 1st reconnaissance platoon under 1st Lieut. Alexander H. Smith, Jr. and Staff Sergeant
Jolly White, accompanied the 1st platoon of Company "A" on their mission with the
3rd battalion, 134th Infantry ; occupying and mopping up in and around Joigny, France.
At 1630 hours while the platoon was patrolling the road between Joigny and Auxerre, France,
they were attacked by a group of enemy soldiers in the vicinity of Appoigny, France. As
a result of this action Pvt1cl Aloysious J. Morarity and Private Paul E. Anders are missing
in action, and Private Robert T. Beatty, wounded in the leg by enemy mortar fire.
It is reported that Private Morarity was seriously wounded in the abdomen and was evacuated
by the FFI who were also supporting the attack in that sector; and, that Private
Anders is yet hiding out with the FFI in the area.
One jeep and one motorcycle were completely destroyed by the enemy in this action. Private
1cl Ernest Prough, Medical Detachment, platoon aid man accompanying the attack, was slightly
wounded and was rescued by the local FFI who advised him to change his uniform for
civilian clothing and try to get back to our lines; which he did, returning to the unit
the following day where he was awarded the purple heart.
The sky vibrated at 2300 hours with British planes enroute to Germany. Captain Witherspoon
and Sergeant Koon(?) on duty in the command post was sweating them out.
Captain Samuel L. Goldheim, missing in action since 12 July 1944, reported recaptured
in hospital, when the city of Soissons, France, fell to advancing American troops.
At 1801 hours a message was received from the G2 section of the Division to be on the alert
for an enemy attack from the chewed-up elements hiding out in the woods in the sector.
Machine gun posts and bazooka-teams were immediately established and skirmish lines fixed
so as to give the enemy a reception when he entered the area.
3rd battalions of 134th and 137th Infantries relieved in Orleans during the period.
The 5th Infantry Division has completed 3 bridges across the Seine River and another under
construction. 319th Infantry, 80th Infantry Division, relieved 3rd battalions, 134th and
137th Infantry Regiments, in Orleans, France during the period.
It is reported that the 4th Armored Division, with 137th Infantry attached, have entered
the city of Troyes, France, or are operating in its outskirts.
