James Wymon MITCHELL

Source : Shannon Tuten

Parents : George L &  Hannah Ruley MITCHELL

Siblings : George Lee & Willene 

Source : Léana Lavernhe

CEMTERY TEMPORARY of  La Cambe N°3539

Story of Cemetery Temporary 

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

James arrived on June 16, 1944 as a replacement for D Company of the 116th Infantry Division.

June 12, 1944 the objective of the 29th infantry division is to cross the river ELA.

German troops are on the south bank of the river following German counterattacks the 116th infantry regiment is forced to fall back to a place called AUX CABLES with heavy losses (66 dead and 164 wounded) by their counterattacks the Germans were looking for to do a US troops encirclement maneuver.

June 13, 1944 the 116th infantry is put on alert to support the 115th infantry regiment at the same time the 116th seizes SAINT CLAIR SUR ELLE.

the 1st battalion of the 116th frees COUVAINS

June 15, 1944 the 116th infantry regiment pushes towards the place called L HOTEL CASTEL

June 16, 1944 the 116th objective is LA BLOTRIE and SAINT ANDRE DE L EPINE

the 1st battalion will be blocked north of SAINT ANDRE DE L EPINE about one kilometer away. the first battalion is on a cloth the place called LE CHENE LOUP and the place called LES HAUTS VENTS.

June 16, 1944 the third battalion enters the BRETEL WOOD

June 20, 1944 the first battalion of 116 th is in the area of the place called DUFAYEL

in the night of June 30, 1944 to July 01, 1944 first part of the evening was calm little combat but shortly before midnight fierce fighting between the American troops and the German troops

July 02, 1944 in the sector of SAINT ANDRE DE L'EPINE the US troops push towards LA BARRE DE SEMILLY.

objective the heights of MARTINVILLE the fights are made in melee

July 07, 1944 the fighting takes place on the place called RUPALAY (southwest of SAINT ANDRE DE L'EPINE)

July 11, 1944 an offensive is planned to take the heights of MARTINVILLE two units of the 29th infantry division are designated the 116th infantry regiment and the 115th infantry regiment.

the starting line of the 116th is SAINT ANDRE DE L'EPINE direction MARTINVILLE

the 115th infantry regiment will attack north of SAINT LO objective LE BOURG D ENFER LA LUZERNE BELLE FONTAINE

on July 11, 1944 a company of the 116th infantry regiment plugs a breach between company A and B of the 115th between July 01, 1944 and July 11, 1944 the 116th has 117 killed 294 injured 20 missing

July 12, 1944 the second battalion of the 116th advances north towards SAINT ANDRE DE L EPINE

the second battalion exceeds hill 147

the first battalion descends into the valley to the left of the device around noon the third is at the boulaye

July 14, 1944 the first and second battalions are put to rest

on July 15, 1944 General GERHARDT decides on a massive offensive on the ridges of MARTINVILLE

the third battalion advances on the ridge

at 7:30 p.m. the first battalion progresses to the left and the second to the right of the device

at nightfall the second battalion of the 116 th is surrounded. he puts himself in a defense position

on July 16, 1944 General GERHARDT decides to launch the first battalion to defeat the encirclement but it is a failure

the first battalion receives a rain of shells followed by an infantry attack. Company A loses 37 soldiers

on June 17, 1944 the third battalion attacks on the ridge and finds the men of the second battalion of the 116th almost at the end of food and ammunition at 6 o'clock they are at the MADELEINE

June 17, 1944 c is the second battalion of the 115 th infantry regiment which rushes on the heights of MARTINVILLE and cleans the last pockets of resistances

on July 18, 1944 the city of SAINT LO is finally liberated

July 20, 1944 the 29th infantry division is put at rest it records 7000 losses (death in combat wounded disappeared)

29^th INFANTRY DIVISION - BLUE AND GRAY

Activated/Activé	Normandy/Normandie
3 Feb 1941	Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  242
	Casualties/Victimes 20 620
Entered Combat/Entré au combat
6 Jun1944 D-Day
Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux Maj. Gen. Milton A. Reckord (Feb 41 - Jan 42) Maj. Gen. Leonard T. Gerow (Feb 42 - Jul 43) Maj. Gen. Charles H. Gerhardt (Jul 43 - inactivation)	Campaigns/Campagnes Normandy (6 Jun 44 - 24 Jul 44) Northern France (25 Jul 44 - 14 Sep 44) Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45) Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)
PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP
DIVISION CHRONICLE The 29th Infantry Division trained in Scotland and England for the crosschannel invasion, October 1942-June 1944. Teamed with the 1st Division, a regiment of the 29th (116th Infantry) was in the first assault wave to hit the beaches at Normandy on D-day, 6 June 1944. Landing on Omaha Beach on the same day in the face of intense enemy fire, the Division soon secured the bluff tops and occupied Isigny, 9 June. The Division cut across the Elle River and advanced slowly toward St. Lo, fighting bitterly in the Normandy hedge rows. After taking St. Lo, 18 July 1944, the Division joined in the battle for Vire, capturing that strongly held city, 7 August. Turning west, the 29th took part in the assault on Brest, 25 August-18 September 1944. After a short rest, the Division moved to defensive positions along the Teveren-Geilenkirchen line in Germany and maintained those positions through October. (In mid-October the 116th Infantry took part in the fighting at the Aachen Gap.) On 16 November the Division began its drive to the Roer, blasting its way through Siersdorf, Setterich, Durboslar, and Bettendorf, and reaching the Roer by the end of the month. Heavy fighting reduced Julich Sportplatz and the Hasenfeld Gut, 8 December. From 8 December 1944 to 23 February 1945, the Division held defensive positions along the Roer and prepared for the offensive. The attack jumped off across the Roer, 23 February, and carried the Division through Julich, Broich, Immerath, and Titz, to Munchen-Gladbach, 1 March 1945. The Division was out of combat in March. In early April the 116th Infantry helped mop up in the Ruhr area. On 19 April 1945 the Division pushed to the Elbe and held defensive positions until 4 May. Meanwhile, the 175th Infantry cleared the Klotze Forest. After VE-day, the Division was on military government duty in the Bremen enclave.	CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION La 29th Infantry Division s'entraîna en Ecosse et en Angleterre pour l'invasion crosschannel, d'octobre 1942 à juin 1944. En équipe avec la 1st Division, un régiment du 29th (116th Infantry) se trouvait dans la première vague d'assaut pour frapper les plages de Normandie. Le 6 juin 1944, débarquant à Omaha Beach, le même jour, face à un feu nourri de l'ennemi, la division s'empara bientôt des falaises et occupa Isigny, le 9 juin. La Division traversa la rivière Elle et s'avança lentement vers Saint-Lô, se battant amèrement dans les rangées de haies de Normandie. Après avoir pris St. Lo, le 18 juillet 1944, la division se joignit à la bataille de Vire pour s'emparer de cette ville fortement occupée, le 7 août. Tournant vers l'ouest, le 29 a pris part à l'assaut sur Brest, 25 août-18 septembre 1944. Après un court repos, la division a déménagé à des positions défensives le long de la ligne Teveren-Geilenkirchen en Allemagne et a maintenu ces positions jusqu'en octobre. (À la mi-octobre, le 116e régiment d'infanterie prit part aux combats à Aix-la-Chapelle.) Le 16 novembre, la division commença sa route vers la Roer, traversant Siersdorf, Setterich, Durboslar et Bettendorf, et atteignant la Roer par la fin du mois. Les combats intenses ont réduit Julich Sportplatz et le Hasenfeld Gut, le 8 décembre. Du 8 décembre 1944 au 23 février 1945, la division occupe des positions défensives le long de la Roer et se prépare à l'offensive. L'attaque a sauté à travers le Roer, le 23 février, et a porté la Division par l'intermédiaire de Julich, Broich, Immerath, et Titz, à Munchen-Gladbach, le 1er mars 1945. La Division était hors combat en mars. Au début du mois d'avril, le 116th Infantry a aidé à nettoyer la région de la Ruhr. Le 19 avril 1945, la division pousse vers l'Elbe et occupe des positions défensives jusqu'au 4 mai. Pendant ce temps, le 175th Infantry a dégagé la forêt de Klotze. Après le jour de la victoire, la division était en service militaire dans l'enclave de Brême.