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Surrounded at Bastogne, cut off from all supplies, and with tremendous forces of Nazi “supermen” closing in for the kill, the 101st Airborne Division was asked to surrender.
“Nuts!” was the answer of the lOlst’s acting commander, Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe.
“Nuts!” echoed his men, thus giving to American military tradition a slogan that will live forever with such battle cries as “Don’t give up the ship!” “I have just begun to fight!” and “Do you . . . want to live forever?”
For this heroic action—an action that more than any other blunted Rundstedt’s mighty winter offensive against the Allied forces—the whole 101st was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation.
The men who wear the screaming eagle on their shoulders are many-sided. They’re rough, tough, unyielding, in battle. But it was the 101st men who held the first full-scale art exhibit in liberated Europe. In their drive across France, and then into Nazidom up to and including Berchtesgaden, they captured a cache of priceless paintings, stolen from the Louvre and other museums by Hermann Goering and his cohorts. The works of art were tastefully arranged, lighted, and beyond a sign pro-claiming that the display was by courtesy of the 101st Airborne, GIs were invited to gaze upon millions of dollars’ worth of art treasures. Paratroopers who had withstood the fiercest Nazi attacks at Bastogne acted as guides and instructors during the art exhibit.
It was the men of the 101st who captured two of the most notorious Nazi fanatics. They first put the irons on Robert Ley, leader of the Nazi labor party, and one of Hitler’s leading councilmen. Their second—and biggest—bag, was Julius Streicher, the infamous perpetrator of racial hatred, under whose orders thousands of Jews were scourged and killed.
The 101st, after a long period of training in England, made its D-Day landing in France without major loss, and began its march across Normandy. Strong resistance was met near Ste.Marie-du-Mont, but the Division fought its way through to Carentan, a vital German stronghold.
In December the 101st was rushed to Bastogne in trucks. Hold. Hold. Hold. No matter what. That was its orders. At the finish of the Bastogne battle General McAuliffe said of his officers and men: “With the type of soldier I had under my command, possessing such fighting spirit, all that I had to do was to make a few basic decisions—my men did the rest.”
A British corps commander, near the end of the Holland campaign, told Screaming Eagle soldiers: “I have commanded four corps during my army career, but the 101st Airborne Division is the fightingest outfit I ever had under my command.”
Where did the 101st get its Screaming Eagle shoulder patch?
It goes back to the Civil War and the “Iron Brigade,” one regiment of which possessed the famous war eagle, “Old Abe.” A sergeant carried him into the smoke and fire of a civil war battle and the eagle, perched on a shield between the national color and the regimental color, screamed above the roar of the guns. The eagle, it is said, went through 36 battles, being wounded at Vicksburg and again at Corinth. During the battle of Corinth, the men of the 101st will tell you, a Confederate general offered a substantial reward for the bird’s capture or death.
But he didn’t have to pay off.
The eagle of the 101st screamed defiance at the enemy many times in World War II.
From Fighting Divisions, Kahn & McLemore, Infantry Journal Press, 1945-1946.
327TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
JAPANESE MADE JACKET PATCH
Activated 15 August 1942
Arrived ETO 15 September 1943
Arrived Continent (D-Day) 6 June 1944
Entered Combat 6 June 1944
Days in Combat 214
Normandy
Ardennes
Rhineland
Central Europe
501st Parachute Infantry
502d Parachute Infantry
506th Parachute Infantry
327th Glider Infantry
401st Glider Infantry
101st Parachute Maintenance Battalion
326th Airborne Engineer Battalion
326th Airborne Medical Company
81st Airborne Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion
377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
463d Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion
801st Ordnance Company
426th Quartermaster Company
101st Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Headquarters Company
Reconnaissance Platoon
15 Sep 43 Maj. Gen. William C. Lee
14 Mar 44 Brig. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor
31 May 44 Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor
5 Dec 44 Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe
27 Dec 44 Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor
15 Sep 43 Brig. Gen. Don F. Pratt
1 Aug 44 Brig. Gen. Gerald J. Higgins
15 Sep 43 Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe
5 Dec 44 Col. Thomas L. Sherburne
27 Dec 44 Brig. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe
9 Feb 45 Col. William N. Gillmore
1 May 45 Brig. Gen. William N. Gillmore
15 Sep 43 Col. Gerald J. Higgins
11 Aug 44 Lt. Col. Raymond D. Millener
21 Oct 44 Col. Raymond D. Millener
8 Dec 44 Lt. Col. Ned D. Moore (Acting)
28 Dec 44 Col. John H. Michaelis
10 Feb 45 Lt. Col. Ned D. Moore
8 Mar 45 Col. Ned D. Moore
15 Sep 43 Lt. Col. Ned D. Moore
14 Dec 44 Maj. Frank R. Brower, Jr. (Acting)
28 Dec 44 Lt. Col. Ned D. Moore
10 Feb 45 Maj. Frank R. Brower, Jr.
16 Apr 45 Lt. Col. Frank R. Brower, Jr.
15 Sep 43 Lt. Col. Ralph M. Neal
17 Apr 44 Maj. Arthur M. Sommerfield
7 Jul 44 Maj. Paul A. Danahy
11 Nov 44 Lt. Col. Paul A. Danahy
15 Sep 43 Lt. Col. Raymond D. Millener
1 Jul 44 Lt. Col. Harold W. Hannah
30 Sep 44 Lt. Col. Col. Harry W. O. Kinnard, Jr.
8 Mar 45 Lt. Col. Charles H. Chase (Acting)
16 Apr 45 Col. Harry W. O. Kinnard, Jr.
15 Sep 43 Lt. Col. Carl W. Kohls
6 May 44 Maj. Glen C. Eberle
18 Jun 44 Maj. Charles H. Stephens
30 Aug 44 Maj. Ralph L. Blanchard
9 Jan 45 Capt. Robert S. Smith
7 Mar 45 Maj. George R. Dessaussure
7 May 45 Maj. Robert S. Smith
15 Sep 43 Lt. Col. Edward Schmitt
15 Sep 43 Col. George S. Wear
10 Jun 44 Col. Joseph H. Harper
1 Feb 44 Col. Howard R. Johnson
7 Oct 44 Col. Julian J. Ewell
9 Jan 45 Lt. Col. Robert A. Ballard
30 Apr 45 Col. Robert A. Ballard
15 Sep 43 Col. George V. H. Moseley
9 Jun 44 Col. J. H. Michaelis
23 Sep 44 Col. Steve A. Chappuis
15 Sep 43 Col. Robert F. Sink
1st Plat, Btry A, 474th AAA AW Bn (SP) 9 Jun 44-11 Jun 44
Br 502d Light AA Btry -14 Nov 44
2 plats, Co B, 796th AAA AW Bn (SP) 9 Jan 45-10 Jan 45
Btrys A, B & C, 61st Abn AA Bn 11 Jan 45-27 Feb 45
567 th AAA AW Bn (Mobile) 23 Feb 45-27 Feb 45
2d Plat, Btry D, 910th AAA AW Bn (Mobile) 5 May 45-9 May 45
Co D, 70th Tk Bn 6 Jun 44-16 Jun 44
Co F, 70th Tk Bn 7 Jun 44-
1st Bn, 66th Armd Regt (2d Armd Div) 17 Jun 44-26 Jun 44
759th Tank Battalion 28 Jun 44-8 Jul 44
British 44th Armd Regt (Br 4th Armd Bde) 19 Sep 44-25 Sep 44
Br 13/18 Hussars (Br 79th Armd Div) 18 Oct 44-22 Oct 44
Br 4/7 Dragoon Guards (Br 79th Armd Div) 2 Nov 44-11 Nov 44
2d Tk Bn (9th Armd Div) 19 Dec 44-30 Dec 44
CCR (9th Armd Div) 20 Dec 44-31 Dec 44
CCB (10th Armd Div) 20 Dec 44-18 Jan 45
CCB (4th Armd Div) 8 Jan 45-10 Jan 45
Co A & 1st Plat, Co D, 781st Tk Bn 26 Jan 45-28 Jan 45
Co A, 47th Tk Bn (14th Armd Div) 5 Feb 45-14 Feb 45
Co A & 3d Plat, Co D, 781st Tk Bn 6 Feb 45-7 Feb 45
1st Plat, Co D, 47th Tk Bn (14th Armd Div) 7 Feb 45-13 Feb 45
2d Plat, Co D, 47th Tk Bn (14th Armd Div) 13 Feb 45-19 Feb 45
Co B, 47th Tk Bn (14th Armd Div) 14 Feb 45-25 Feb 45
113th Tk Bn 5 May 45-8 May 45
774th Tk Bn 5 May 45-9 May 45
24th Cav Rcn Sq 29 Jun 44-8 Jul 44
4th Cav Gp 1 Jul 44-8 Jul 44
Br 53d Rcn Regt (Br 53d Div) 5 Oct 44-6 Oct 44
Sqs A&B Br Royal Scots Greys 6 Oct 44-7 Oct 44
Br 61st Rcn Regt 6 Oct 44-12 Oct 44
Sq C Br Royal Scots Greys 6 Oct 44-17 Oct 44
Sq C Br 61st Rcn Regt 10 Oct 44-12 Oct 44
Br 53d Rcn Regt (Br 53d Div) 13 Oct 44-19 Oct 44
101st Cav Gp 5 May 45-9 May 45
116th Cav Recon Sq 8 May 45-9 May 45
Cos B&C, 87th Chemical Mortar Battalion 11 Jun 44-12 Jun 44
Co B, 99th Cml Mort Bn 5 May 45-8 May 45
48th Engr C Bn 5 May 45-9 May 45
65th Armd FA Bn 6 Jun 44-26 Jun 44
87th Armd FA Bn 10 Jun 44-14 Jun 44
188th FA Bn (155 How) 11 Jun 44-12 Jun 44
951st FA Bn (155 How) 12 Jun 44-15 Jun 44
14th FA Abn Bn 13 Jun 44-16 Jun 44
Br 4th Royal Horse Field Arty Regt (RA) (Mecz) 12 Oct 44-18 Oct 44
Br 147th Field Arty Regt 18 Oct 44-
Br 6th Field Arty Regt 8 Nov 44-
463d Prcht FA Bn 18 Dec 44-
755th FA Bn (155 How) 19 Dec 44-12 Jan 45
969th FA Bn (155 How) 19 Dec 44-12 Jan 45
775th FA Bn (4.5" Gun) 19 Dec 44-15 Jan 45
333d FA Gp 20 Dec 44-28 Dec 44
559th FA Bn (155 Gun) 1 Jan 45-3 Jan 45
559th FA Bn (155 Gun) 11 Jan 45-12 Jan 45
687th FA Bn (105 How) 12 Jan 45-18 Jan 45
770th FA Bn (4.5" Gun) 13 Jan 45-14 Jan 45
463d Prcht FA Bn 25 Feb 45-26 Feb 45
250th FA Gp 7 Apr 45-11 Apr 45
790th FA Bn (8" How) 7 Apr 45-11 Apr 45
942d FA Bn (155 How) 7 Apr 45-17 Apr 45
490th FA Bn (155 How) 10 Apr 45-17 Apr 45
805th FA Bn (155 How) 12 Apr 45-17 Apr 45
529th FA Bn (8" How) 14 Apr 45-17 Apr 45
791st FA Bn (8" How) 15 Apr 45-17 Apr 45
969th FA Bn (155 How) 5 May 45-7 May 45
522d FA Bn (105 How) 5 May 45-7 May 45
342d Armd FA Bn 8 May 45-9 May 45
506th Prcht Inf 15 Sep 43-
501st Prcht Inf Jan 44-
Br 5th Duke of Cornwall's Light Inf 5 Oct 44-
Br Sherwood Rangers 22 Oct 44-2 Nov 44
Br Sherwood Rangers 2 Nov 44
Br 152d Brig (51st Highland Div) 19 Nov 44-26 Nov 44
509th Prcht Inf Bn (Non-Div) 22 Nov 44-18 Dec 44
Task Force Higgins 3 Jan 45-6 Jan 45
193d Glider Inf (17th Abn Div) 3 Jan 45-7 Jan 45
193d Glider Inf (17th Abn Div) 14 Jan 45-18 Jan 45
Br 304th AT Btry 12 Oct 44-13 Oct 44
Br 74th AT Btry 9 Nov 44-13 Nov 44
705th TD Bn (SP) 20 Dec 44-18 Jan 45
Co B, 811th TD Bn (SP) 3 Jan 45-11 Jan 45
Cos B&C, 705th TD Bn (SP) 3 Jan 45-11 Jan 45
Co C (- 1 plat), 704th TD Bn (SP) 4 Jan 45-6 Jan 45
Co A, 602d TD Bn (SP) 4 Jan 45-6 Jan 45
611th TD Bn 6 Jan 45-7 Jan 45
Co B (- 1 plat), 704th TD Bn (SP) 9 Jan 45-11 Jan 45
Co C, 609th TD Bn (SP) 11 Jan 45-12 Jan 45
807th TD Bn (SP) 20 Jan 45-25 Feb 45
813th TD Bn (SP) 5 May 45-9 May 45
