Robert W. DIFFEY

 

ii
NUMBER OF SERVICE6951053
AGE22 yo
DATE OF BIRTH9 January 1922
ETATBryan OKLAHOMA
FAMILY

Parents : Armond A & Sarah Louise DIFFEY

Siblings :  Ernest Edward, Lewis & Charles L 

RANKStaff Sergeant
FONCTIONInfantry
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT NE
DATE of ENLISTEMENT17 October 1939
REGIMENT 9th Infantry Regiment
DIVISION 2nd Infantry Division
DATE OF DEATH9 June 1944ii
STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATH 
CEMETERY TEMPORARY

 CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  La Cambe N°3539

blosville

Story of Cemetery Temporary

CEMETERYNORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
G1925
DECORATION

Purple Heart

World War II Victory Medal 

Combat Infantryman Badge


Photo FDLM

victory medal

combat infantryman badge

 

 

us army div 2 9ri 9 inf reg
STORY

 Robert lives in Oklahoma with his parents, he has three brothers. He joined the US Army in 1939; his three brothers will also join the army.

The youngest Lewis will be incorporated at the age of 16; Elder Ernie, married with three children, will also volunteer.

Robert joined in 1939 with his third brother Charles. They will follow their initial infantryman training together. After several weeks of training, they were incorporated into the 2nd Infantry Division "Indian Head" in Fort Houston, Texas in the early summer of 1940.

Robert integrates with his brother the same regiment: the 9th Infantry Regiment, in the new organization of the division with three regiments.

He trained and perfected in the various fighting techniques, knowledge of weapons, physical training and participation in Fort Sam Houston (Texas), he participated in major maneuvers in Louisiana during the summer of 1940. In the spring of 1941, it was Corps-wide maneuvers in Texas and Louisiana in the fall. In September 1942, the division underwent airborne training until November then moved to Camp Mc Coy (Wisconsin) where it trained for winter fighting.

In September 1943, the division assembled at Camp Shanks, the last stop before the great departure.

On 8 October, Robert and Charles watched as the Statue of Liberty moved away from New York Bay aboard the SB Anthony; the next stop was Northern Ireland, where they docked on 17 October in Belfast. The division settled in the counties of Down and Armagh where training was very advanced.

April 1944: the division moved to Wales and Swansea. At the end of May, it moved to the ports of Bristol and Cardiff.

On June 7, the 9th Infantry Regiment landed at Omaha Beach and was the first unit to land in the early afternoon. Its first mission is to clean the last pockets of resistance near the beach.

On June 9, it was the offensive on Trévieres 8kms behind Omaha Beach, Robert and the 9th were to occupy the left flank towards Mandeville-en-Bessin.

The progression is difficult but the 9th reaches and releases Rubercy at the end of the day. It was during this progression that Robert was killed by a German mortar fire.

Charles his brother, died 3 days later during the attempts to cross the Elle.

Ernie and Lewis the other two brothers will return from the war.

The 9th Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest units in the American army, it will receive the honorary title of "Manchus" for its exemplary engagement in China during the boxer rebellion in 1901. During the First World War, the regiment will arrive in April 1917 with the Expeditionary Force and will be illustrated in the battles in Aisne, Meuse-Argonne in particular.

Today, Robert and Charles are resting side by side in the cemetery of Colleville-sur-Mer.

 

ii

Tomb of Robert W & Charles L


Brother's Robert W.

 

Charles L. DIFFEY

 

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER6951045ii
AGE24 yo
DATE OF BIRTH6  July 1919
STATEBryan OKLAHOMA
FAMILY12 June 1944
RANKPrivate First Class
UNIT

9th Infantry Regiment

2nd Infantry Division

NE
DECORATION

Bronze Star

Purple Heart

World War II Victory Medal 

Combat Infantryman Badge

bsm

Photo FDLM

victory medal

combat infantryman badge

 

SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOAbmc.gov  -  Findagrave.com

div 2

2nd INFANTRY DIVISION - INDIAN HEAD

 

Activated/Activé

 Normandy/Normandie

26 Octobre 1917  Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  303
   Casualties/Victimes 16 795

Entered Combat/Entré au combat

 
8 Jun 44 Normandy  

Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux

Maj. Gen. John C. H. Lee (Nov 41 - May 42)
Maj. Gen. Walter M. Robertson (May 42 - Jun 45)
Brig. Gen. W. K. Harrison (Jun 45 - Sep 45)
Maj. Gen. Edward M. Almond (Sep 45 - Jun 46)

Campaigns/Campagnes

Normandy (6 Jun 44 - 24 Jul 44)
Northern France (25 Jul 44 - 14 Sep 44)
Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45)
Ardennes-Alsace (16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45)
Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)

   

PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP

carte campagne europe

DIVISION CHRONICLE


After training in Ireland and Wales from October 1943 to June 1944, the 2d Infantry Division crossed the channel to land on Omaha Beach on D plus 1, 7 June 1944, near St. Laurent-sur-Mer. Attacking across the Aure River, the Division liberated Trevieres, 10 June, and proceeded to assault and secure Hill 192, the key enemy strongpoint on the road to St. Lo. With the hill taken 11 July 1944, the Division went on the defensive until 26 July. Exploiting the St. Lo break-through, the 2d Division advanced across the Vire to take Tinchebray 15 August 1944. The Division then moved west to join the battle for Brest, the heavily defended fortress surrendering 18 September 1944 after a 39-day contest. The Division took a brief rest 19-26 September before moving to defensive positions at St. Vith. The German Ardennes offensive in mid-December forced the Division to withdraw to defensive positions near Elsenborn, where the German drive was halted. In February 1945 the Division attacked, recapturing lost ground, and seized Gemund, 4 March. Reaching the Rhine 9 March, the 2d advanced south to take Breisig, 10-11 March, and to guard the Remagen bridge, 12-20 March. The Division crossed the Rhine 21 March and advanced to Hadamar and Limburg, relieving elements of the 9th Armored Division, 28 March. Advancing rapidly in the wake of the 9th Armored, the 2d Division crossed the Weser at Veckerhagen, 6-7 April, captured. Gottingen 8 April, established a bridgehead across the Saale, 14 April, seizing Merseburg on the 15th. On the 18th the Division took Leipzig, mopped up in the area, and outposted the Mulde River; elements which had crossed the river were withdrawn 24 April. Relieved on the Mulde, the 2d moved 200 miles, 1-3 May, to positions along the GermanCzech border near Schonsee and Waldmunchen, and attacked in the general direction of Pilsen, reaching that city as the war in Europe ended.

CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION


Après s'être entraînée en Irlande et au Pays de Galles d'octobre 1943 à juin 1944, la 2e Division d'infanterie traverse le chenal pour débarquer à Omaha Beach le jour du 1er au 7 juin 1944, près de Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer. Attaquant de l'autre côté de la rivière Aure, la division libéra Trévires, le 10 juin, et attaqua et sécurisa la colline 192, le principal point d'appui de l'ennemi sur la route de Saint-Lô. Avec la montée de la colline le 11 juillet 1944, la division est passée sur la défensive jusqu'au 26 juillet. Exploitant la percée de Saint-Lô, la 2 e division avança à travers la Vire pour prendre Tinchebray le 15 août 1944. La division se dirigea ensuite vers l'ouest pour rejoindre la bataille de Brest, la forteresse fortement défendue capitulant le 18 septembre 1944 après un combat de 39 jours. La division a pris un peu de repos du 19 au 26 septembre avant de passer à des positions défensives à St. Vith. L'offensive des Ardennes allemandes à la mi-décembre a contraint la division à se replier vers des positions défensives près d'Elsenborn, où la campagne allemande a été stoppée. En février 1945, la division attaqua, reprenant le terrain perdu et s'empara de Gemund le 4 mars. Atteignant le Rhin le 9 mars, le 2d s'avance vers le sud pour prendre Breisig, 10-11 mars, et pour garder le pont de Remagen, du 12 au 20 mars. La Division a traversé le Rhin le 21 mars et a avancé à Hadamar et Limburg, en soulageant des éléments de la 9ème Division Blindée, le 28 mars. Avançant rapidement dans le sillage de la 9ème Armored, la 2d Division a traversé la Weser à Veckerhagen, 6-7 avril, capturé. Göttingen, le 8 avril, établit une tête de pont à travers la Saale, le 14 avril, s'emparant de Merseburg le 15. Le 18, la division s'empare de Leipzig, épongée dans la région, et a quitté la rivière Mulde; les éléments qui avaient traversé la rivière ont été retirés le 24 avril. Relâché sur la Mulde, le 2d se déplace de 200 miles, 1-3 mai, à des positions le long de la frontière Tchécoslovaque près de Schonsee et Waldmunchen, et attaque dans la direction générale de Pilsen, atteignant cette ville comme la guerre en Europe a pris fin.

 

SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOArmydivs.squarespace.com
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOFindagrave.com - Abmc.gov - Aad.archives.gov
PROGRAMMERGarrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud
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