William J. VOLLER

 

ii
NUMBER OF SERVICE33365228
AGE34 yo
DATE OF BIRTH20 April 1910
ETATPittsburgh, Allegheny, PENNSYLVANIA
FAMILYParents : Bernard F VOLLER / Philomina M DEPENHART
Brothers : Bernard F,  Norman Lee, Lewis Henry,  Lawrence C & Sylvester G
Sisters : Syvesta B, Florentine A , Regina Clara &  Bernice Irene
RANKPrivate
FONCTIONInfantry
JOB BEFORE ENLISTEMENT 

Unskilled occupations in production of glass and glass products

NE
DATE of ENLISTEMENT27 April 1942 New Cumberland PENNSYLVANIA  
COMPANYCompany
REGIMENT 8th Infantry Regiment
DIVISION 4th Infantry Division
DATE OF DEATH22 June 1944ii
STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATHDigosville Sector  MANCHE
CEMETERY TEMPORARY

 

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  Ste Mère Eglise #2 N°3586

blosville


Story of Cemetery Temporary 

PlotRowGrave
D113

 

CEMETERYNORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY of Colleville

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
G2833
DECORATION

Purple Heart

World War II Victory Medal 

Combat Infantryman Badge


Photo FDLM

victory medal

combat infantryman badge

 

 

us army div 4 8ri 8ri 1
STORY

 

A Pittsburgh native, William enlisted in 1942. He passed through the New Cumberland Army Reception Center and later joined the 4th Infantry Division at Camp Gordon, Georgia. He joined one of his units: the 8th Infantry Regiment.

The division trains hard and becomes superbly prepared; she passed through Fort Dix (New Jersey) where she arrived in April 1943 then it was Camp Johnston (Florida) where she participated in amphibious training; it ends its route with Fort Jackson (South Carolina).

On January 18, 1944, the 4th Infantry Division left their homeland for England, where they landed on January 29. She settled in Devon where she participated in numerous rehearsals of landings on Slapton Sands in preparation for D Day.

On June 6, the 4th Division was part of Force U for Utah Beach; H is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. and William’s 8th Regiment is on the first wave of assault. But a beneficial event takes place: the landing craft do not arrive where it was planned because of the particular currents in front of this part of the Cotentin, this deport them to the south at a little less than two kilometers, this navigation error facilitates their landing avoiding them to be within range of the batteries of Azeville and Saint-Marcouf in particular.

The landing is a success, at 8:00 am the 8th Infantry Regiment is complete. The three battalions cross the flooded areas on exits 1 from Audouville-la-Hubert, 2 on Vienville and 3 on Poupeville where on each of them the junction with the paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division takes place. At the end of the day, the 2nd and 3rd battalions reach the Route Nationale 13 and the Forges.

On June 7, the troops begin the progression towards Montebourg; on June 10 the 8th is west of the Nationale 13, progress is slowed down by sustained enemy resistance.

From June 12 to 14, regiments of the 4th including the 8th, conduct reconnaissance patrols to assess the enemy defenses of Montebourg; at the same time, land and air artillery, reduced the city to a heap of ruins.

On June 19, the offensive was launched by bypassing the city of the 8th from the west and the 12th from the east supported by tanks from the 70th Tank Battalion. On June 20, the city was liberated by the 12th Infantry Regiment which entered the latter abandoned by the Germans.

On June 20, the 8th continued on its way in preparation for the Cherbourg offensive. But this region, where the thick Cotentin grove is very present, makes it difficult for men from the 8th to progress. Finally the latter use the roads and arrive at the gates of the fortress exhausted; they come into contact with the German outposts located on Ruffosses, the men have traveled more than 10 kilometers in one day.

On June 21, the regiment's objective was to capture coast 178 west of Ruffosses.

On June 22, the 8th must seize Mesnil-au-Val then head for La Glacerie to take the heights east of this town. The night was difficult, the Germans raided the HQ of the second battalion and surrounded the companies. The day begins with an artillery barrage on the wood held by the Germans, some will surrender; a second phase is launched where soldiers go again, nearly three hundred Germans are neutralized.

Despite this result, the regiment experienced the first of the three worst days ever recorded for it in terms of casualties. Men progress by eliminating position by position after fierce struggles; a company loses more than fifty men. But the goal is reached by the end of the day. William lost his life and thirteen brothers-in-arms of his company.

The regiment suffered such losses over these three days that it was relieved on June 25, detached from its division and sent to rest.

6 juin utah beach tare green

Arrived in the sector of Digosville on June 22, 1944 for the capture of Cherbourg,

Instead of strong resistance, William died with 13 of his brothers in arms.

 

div 4

4th INFANTRY DIVISION - IVY

 

Activated/Activé

 Normandy/Normandie

1 Jun 1940  Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  299
   Casualties/Victimes 22 660

Entered Combat/Entré au combat

 
6 Jun 44 D-Day  

Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux

Maj. Gen. Walter E. Prosser (Jun 40 - Oct 40)
Maj. Gen. Lloyd R. Fredendall (Oct 40 - Jul 41)
Maj. Gen. Oscar W. Griswold (Aug 41 - Sep 41)
Maj. Gen. Harold R. Bull (Oct 41 - Nov 41)
Maj. Gen. Terry de la Mesa Allen (Dec 41 - Dec 41)
Maj. Gen. Fred C. Wallace (Jan 42 - Jun 42)
Maj. Gen. Raymond 0. Barton (Jul 42 - Dec 44)
Maj. Gen. Harold W. Blakeley (Dec 44 - Oct 45)

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


The 8th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Division was one of the first Allied units to hit the beaches at Normandy on D-day, 6 June 1944. Relieving the isolated 82nd Airborne Division at Ste. Mere Eglise, the 4th cleared the Cotentin peninsula and took part in the capture of Cherbourg, 25 June. After taking part in the fighting near Periers, 6-12 July,, the Division broke through the left flank of the German Seventh Army, helped stem the German drive toward Avranches, and by the end of August had moved to Paris, assisting the French in the liberation of their capital. The 4th then moved into Belgium through Houffalize to attack the Siegfried Line at Schnee Eifel, 14 September, and made several penetrations. Slow progress into Germany continued in October, and by 6 November the Division reached the Hurtgen Forest, where a severe engagement took place until early December. It then shifted to Luxembourg, only to meet the German winter offensive head-on, 16 December 1944. Although its lines were dented, it managed to hold the Germans at Dickweiler and Osweiler, and, counterattacking in January across the Sauer, overran German positions in Fouhren and Vianden. Halted at the Prum in February by heavy enemy resistance, the Division finally crossed 28 February near Olzheim, and raced on across the Kyll, 7 March. After a short rest, the 4th moved across the Rhine 29 March at Worms, attacked and secured Wurzburg and by 3 April had established a bridgehead across the Main at Ochsenfurt. Speeding southeast across Bavaria, the Division had reached Miesbach on the Isar, 2 May 1945, when it was relieved and placed on occupation duty.

CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION


Le 8e régiment d'infanterie de la 4e division fut l'une des premières unités alliées à débarquer sur les plages de Normandie le 6 juin 1944, jour du débarquement. Soulager la 82nd Airborne Division isolée de Ste. Mère Eglise, le 4e défricha la presqu'île du Cotentin et participa à la prise de Cherbourg le 25 juin. Après avoir pris part aux combats près de Periers, du 6 au 12 juillet, la Division a franchi le flanc gauche de la Septième armée allemande, aidé à endiguer la route allemande vers Avranches et, à la fin du mois d'août, s'est installée à Paris, aidant les Français. dans la libération de leur capitale. Le 4e s'est ensuite déplacé en Belgique par Houffalize pour attaquer la ligne Siegfried à Schnee Eifel, le 14 septembre, et a fait plusieurs pénétrations. Les progrès lents en Allemagne se sont poursuivis en octobre et, le 6 novembre, la division a atteint la forêt de Hurtgen, où un engagement sévère a eu lieu jusqu'au début du mois de décembre. Il s'est ensuite déplacé vers le Luxembourg, seulement pour affronter l'offensive allemande d'hiver, le 16 décembre 1944. Bien que ses lignes aient été bosselées, il a réussi à tenir les Allemands à Dickweiler et Osweiler et, contre-attaquant en janvier à travers la Sauer à Fouhren et Vianden. Arrêtée au Prum en février par une forte résistance ennemie, la Division a finalement franchi le 28 février près d'Olzheim et a couru à travers le Kyll, le 7 mars. Après un court repos, le 4 mars traversa le Rhin à Worms, attaqua et sécurisa Wurzburg le 29 mars et, le 3 avril, il établit une tête de pont sur le Main à Ochsenfurt. Accélérant le sud-est à travers la Bavière, la division avait atteint Miesbach sur l'Isar, le 2 mai 1945, quand elle fut relevée et placée en devoir d'occupation.
SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOArmydivs.squarespace.com

SOURCE INFORMATION & PHOTOCyrille MARIE - Frédéric LAVERNHE - www.dday-overlord.com  - Aad.archives.gov
PROGRAMMERGarrett, Clive, Frédéric & Renaud
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