Christmas in France sounds better today than it did 70 years ago. Tonice was there as a combat medic in the 137th Infantry Regiment and we’ve been following along based on some research I’ve been able to cobble together. I did that so we could give it to my grandfather, his son, as a birthday gift last year. We got his dad’s medals, had a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol — on the anniversary of the end of the war, no less — and I put about 36 pages of documentation and maps and pictures together.

A lot of that started with the stuff you have been reading here. As I’ve said, we don’t know which company, or even which battalion he was in, because he kept all of those experiences to himself, so I have this view from a bit too high, but still it is more than we knew otherwise. Some of it is from other units altogether. Today you’ll read from a different medic, who was in a sister unit, just a few miles away.

When I gave all it to my grandfather I said, “I’ve put all this together like a diary, day-by-day. Some of this reading may be boring or dry. You don’t have to read it all, just promise me you’ll read through Christmas day. I think you’ll like what you find there.”

When he read that, he’d find this other medic Mike Linquata. He was young man from Massachusetts who found himself at peace in a strange place on this important day.

So, then, for Dec. 25:

The 137th remained assembled in the German barracks in Moulins.

The Regiment rested, and cleaned and repaired equipment. They also attended movies and washed clothes, uniforms, and spent Christmas in this location.

Another medic from the 134th Regiment wrote about Christmas in Metz:

Not far behind us, we hadn’t much noticed, was a French family, father about 40 years of age, his wife, a little younger, and two children, a girl about 9 years old and a boy about 6 years old.

As a family, they sang the same carols in French. We then sang together, they in French, and we in English.

We were then invited to their home, where we were each offered, and accepted, a glass of home-brewed schnapps.

That evening it was truly Christmas. We enjoyed a Christmas Mass, carols, snow and a family to remind us of home. That night we were at peace.

(Scroll to the north if you would like to jump ahead to December 26.

This information is derived from the unit history, found here and here and from this unit overview. These markers are rough estimates and are meant to be illustrative. Any errors are mine alone.

Christmas Eve, 70 years ago, my great-grandfather’s service in Europe. We’ve been following along through this map i made of his time as a combat medic. Tonice was attached to some element of the 137th Infantry Regiment, 35th Division. We don’t know which company, or even which battalion, so this is only a regimental overview.

But, after we’d found that he was in the 137th and I discovered their unit history I was relieved to learn that he had at least a bit of peace and, I hope, rest, at Christmas.

So, then, for Dec. 24:

On December 24, the 35th Infantry Division was assigned to the XX Corps from the XII Corps.

The day was spent in rest, with small classes held for some replacements. One hundred fifty-five more replacements were also received, which brought the 137th to nearly full strength.

The 35th Division passed from XX Corps control to III Corps control. The Regiment was notified of the movement, by motor, which it was to make the following morning to a new area.

This information is derived from the unit history, found here and here and from this unit overview. Any errors are mine alone.

This is the 70th anniversary of my great-grandfather’s service in Europe, so we’re moving through this map I made of Tonice’s time as a combat medic. Feel free to click around in the other thumbnails to catch up or read ahead.

Tonice was attached to the 137th Infantry Regiment, which fought in the famed 35th Division. We don’t know which company, or even which battalion, so this is only a regimental overview with some movements down to the company level.

So, then, for Dec. 21:

The 137th Infantry received orders that it would be relieved and was to assemble temporarily in the vicinity of Frauenberg, Habkirchen, and Neunkirch until ordered to move to an assembly area.

In the morning the 1st Battalion continued its defense of the Regimental sector. With a heavy artillery barrage, the enemy launched a heavy counterattack on the 1st Battalion positions. This attack was repulsed with heavy enemy losses.

The 2nd Battalion delivered harassing fire on all known and observed enemy targets.

The 3rd Battalion moved to its new assembly area in Richeling. The Regimental CP moved from Neunkirch to Remering. The Special Units cleared into Ballering at 1500.

The Battle of the Bulge was a hard, demanding, scary environment for most everyone. But there would be some rest coming up for these particular men in the next few days. Be sure to stick around for that.

This information is derived from the unit history, found here and here and from this unit overview. His quiet choice means that these markers are rough estimates and are meant only to be illustrative. Any errors are mine alone.

This is the 70th anniversary of my great-grandfather’s service in Europe, so I’m bringing back this map I made of Tonice’s time as a combat medic. He was attached to the 137th Infantry Regiment, which fought in the famed 35th Division. We don’t know which company, or even which battalion, so this is only a regimental overview with some movements down to the company level. We do know it was very, very cold that winter.

So, then, for Dec. 20:

The 1st Battalion was attacked repeatedly during the day, and Company B had two companies of SS troops infiltrate into its positions. This attack took place in the neck of the woods. The attack was held off by one squad of B Company until one friendly tank was brought up. Several enemy tanks made sorties toward the 1st Battalion positions, but direct fire drove them off.

The 2nd Battalion remained in position on the high ground near the woods and improved their positions during the day. Companies F, E, and G, in that order, were on the line. The Battalion received heavy enemy artillery fire on the ridge during the period. During one two and a half hour period, 1,000 rounds of artillery and mortar fire fell on the ridge and portions of the woods held by the Battalion.

The 3rd Battalion remained in Neunkirch and continued its reorganization and training for replacements. The Battalion was also placed on alert status.

This information is derived from the unit history, found here and here and from this unit overview. These markers are rough estimates and are meant only to be illustrative. Any errors are mine alone.