29th Quartermaster Company, 29th Infantry Division (United States)
From WWII Archives
| 29th Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
 Divisional patch of the 29th Infantry Division, which the members of the 29th Quartermaster Company would have worn | |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | National Guard of the United States |
The Quartermaster Company of the 29th Infantry Division was the quartermaster company of the 29th during WWII. It is known to have served the 29th on D-Day in June 1944, and would have served the unit until the end of the war.
World War One
18 July 1917 - Possible constitution of the company with the 29th Division
The Quartermaster Company was possibly created during the 29th Division's creation during WWI. This would have happened on 18 July 1917[1].
World War Two
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I tried looking for more info on the 116th Infantry Combat Team, but the wikipedia says that the Brigade was formed after the war, so not sure completely what to make of this --GTaillefer |
1 June 1944
On 1 June the Company boarded onto some LSTs from some Hards nearby Plymouth and the Helford River, near Falmouth, Cornwall, in England. The company then prepared for the coming invasion of France. After that was done the equipment and members of the 29th Quartermaster loaded onto eleven different craft possibly by trucks. Some of the trucks were loaded with around 33000 C and K-rations, some grease, oil, kerosene, gasoline, and diesel oil, which were for the divisional reserve. Blanket rolls were loaded into some of the trucks for the 175th Infantry Regiment. Division Reserve Office supplies, Division Forward Echelon equipment, Division Finance Equipment, and Division Reserve Cl II (clothing and equipment) were loaded onto the trucks as well as Yukon pack boards, American Red Cross Comfort articles, Cleaning and Preserving Supplies, graves registration and burial impediments, Ordnance impediments, and finally the equipment for the Quartermaster Company and the Office of Division Quartermaster[2].
6 June 1944
This day was the beginning of Operation Neptune for the 29th Division[3]. The first members from the Quartermaster Company to land were 2nd Lieutenant Robert Rosenberg as well as three other enlisted men (the names of which aren't known), all four of which were attached to the 116th Infantry Combat Team. The four got on a 4×4 C&R (weighing 1/4 tons) truck and would have landed at Omaha as representatives of the Division Quartermaster as well as to conduct reconnaissance for the Division Quartermaster and the Company itself[2].
7 June 1944
Morning
Captain Charles V. Moore along with three men of enlisted rank, would have gotten onto a 1/4 ton 4×4 C&R and a 2½ ton 6×6 cargo truck. The cargo truck was loaded with the Grave Registration Service impediments. This morning they landed (would have been Omaha) and became liason to the 115th Infantry Combat Team to conduct reconnaissance for a cemetery[2].
Around 2000
At around 2000 Captain Hines Jr was at the head of three sections of fourty-three enlisted men in total which in total of fifteen 2½ ton 6×6 cargo trucks with trailers and one ¼ ton 4×4 C&R[2]. The one 4×4 could be interpreted as being the lead vehicle which possibly had Captain Hines Jr in it. The first section was under Staff Sergeant Harrington and consisted of four 6×6 cargo trucks with trailers. The second was under Sergeant Woody, and the third consisted of over half the group[2].
At around this time the first section under Harrington went ashore Omaha. The LCT ferry grounded on a sand bar, and the four trucks with trailers tried to reach the shore in water that was too deep. One of the trucks was lost with all its cargo during this process and no one died. The other three were able to make it to shore[2].
Around 2300
The second section under Sergeant Woody went ashore Omaha at around this time[2].
Approximately 0000 June 7 to 8
Nine enlisted men along with Captain Hansel E. York, got onto a ¼ ton 4×4 C&R, and four 2½ ton 6×6 cargo trucks each with 1 ton trailers. the trailers were loaded with the Division Forward Echelon Command Post equipment along with cleaning and preserving materials. At around midnight 7 June, one day after D-Day, they landed presumably on Omaha[2].
8 June 1944
Around 0800
The third section, consisting of over half the trucks with trailers, reached the shores of Omaha beach at around 0800[2].
Early
Major William D. Putnam, the Division Quartermaster, was unable to get ferry service for his entire group[2]. Given this, it is probable that Major Putnam was the one at the head of third section.
Between 0800 and 1100
Sometime before 1100 Lt Rosenberg, who would have been notified that the tanks of the Tank Battalion attached to and fighting with the 115th and 116th Infantry Regiments were in urgent need of gasoline at the time, sent a dispatch of two trucks and trailers loaded with gasoline headed by Captain Moore to the Tank Battalion[2].
Around 1100 - Setting up of bivouac on Omaha beachhead
The three sections were able to regroup by around 1100 (exactly which section Captain Hines landed with isn't known) 1½ miles inland from the beach south of Vierville-sur-Mer and were able to set up the 29th Quartermaster Company's bivouac[2].
Between around 1100 to 0000
Immediately when the bivouac was established Major Putnam joined the company at it. As he joined he became in charge of the Quartermaster Service of the 29th Division from the bivouac. Also immediately once the bivouac was established to the end of D+2, the company's vehicles and men delivered C and K-rations to the Infantry that was fighting the Germans[2].
Between 1100 8 June to early 9 June
The remaining groups of the that could immediately come in came in and joined the company at the bivouac south of Vierville between its establishment and the early morning of D+3. These men and vehicles were from the 3604 Quartermaster Truck Company and attached to the Division by V Corps. They would have been sitting off shore waiting for One of the groups was under 1st Lieutenant William Gneicko which included four enlisted men and one ¾ ton 4×4 Weapons Carrier. Another was under 1st Lieutenant Lofton H. Alley, who was in charge of thirty-five vehicles and forty-six enlisted men. One of the other groups was under 2nd Lieutenant William E. Graf who was in charge of twenty vehicles and fifty-five enlisted men. Another was under 2nd Lieutenant John H. Rentschler who was in charge of twelve vehicles and twelve enlisted men. [2].
The groups of the 29th Quatermaster Company were scheduled to land on the 1st and 2nd Wave of “D” Day (6
June 1944) and arrived off shore on time. Due to insufficient ferries none of the groups, except those liason to
the Combat Teams, were landed until twenty-four to thirty-six hours late. During this period, the groups, whose
vehicles were top-side loaded due to nature of cargoes and weight, were approximately one thousand yards
off shore and continually exposed to enemy shell fire and bomber attacks.
Citations
Bibliography
"29th Infantry Division (United States)". WWII Archives. 23 March 2023.
Contributors: Paul Sidle