Arthur PORCHE

 

ii
ARMY SERIAL NUMBER38173599
AGE26 yo
DATE OF BIRTH1918
STATEOrleans County LOUISIANA
FAMILYSingle
RANKPrivate First Class
FONCTIONInfantry
JOB before ENLISTEMENTCarpentersLA
DATE of ENLISTEMENT

10 june 1942 Camp Livingston LOUISIANA

camp livingstone

REGIMENT304th Engineer Combat Battalion
DIVISION79th Infantry Division
DATE OF DEATHJune 22, 1944porche arthur tombe
STATUSKIA
PLACE OF DEATHSector Cherbourg
CEMETERYNORMANDY AMERICAN CEMETERY de Colleville

Plan du Normandy American Cemetery

GRAVE
PlotRowGrave
A1511
DECORATION
Purple HeartPhoto FDLM
American Campaign Medalamerican campaign medal
World War II Victory Medaltvictory medal
Combat Infantryman Badgecombat infantryman badge
 

 

us army div 79 corps engineers

 

 

  
STORY

porche arthur tombe 1I wish to sincerely thank you all, our French friends who sponsor the tombs of our fallen soldiers.

We, members of their American families, are so grateful to you. I'm the niece of Private First Class Arthur PORCHÉ of Louisiana, US Army 79th Infantry Division, who passed away on Thursday, June 22nd, 1944, on the first day of the battle to free the port city of Cherbourg.

If anyone knows the sponsor of my uncle's grave at the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, I would very much appreciate the chance to contact him or her, and offer my thanks in person, especially for his parents (my grandparents).

By Anne Bell     Facebook.com

 


CHERBOURG: The Star and Stripes flew over the Fort du Roule, a June 25, 2015

roule ceremonie 71

Photos: P. Dalibard ( Club Souvenir Militaire )

On June 25, 2015, at 10 a.m., members of the organization Nord Cotentin Mémoire 44, who came by jeeps and GMC, and all in period dress, paid tribute to the liberators by raising the coours on top of the Roule.

« A symbolic gesture to pay tribute to the American soldiers from the 79th Infantry Division who gallantly fought to take the fort. »

« The American flag flew over the Roule mountain, June 25, 1944, before even being on the front of the City Hall. It was important for us to remember today. The municipality allowed us to raise the Stars and Stripes for hours. It is an honor for all of us. »

Norbert, Régisseur du musée de la libération

Historic reminder

June 1944. While the British’s goal is « the Caen’ hinge », the Americans fight in Cotentin. Their goal is to take the Cherbourg harbour. The Roule Fortress was the last obstacle before taking Cherbourg, essential to deliver supplies to the Allied landed troops. Despite an intense aerial bombardment, the German opposition was a stubborn one, due to the Fort’s strategic position. The honor of his clearance, accomplished on June 25, will go to the 313rd and 314th Infantry Regiments of the 79th Infantry Division, this American Division, at the end of 36 hours of fights which end with grenades and cold weapons.

The permanent liberation of Cherbourg is confirmed on the next day, in the morning, making of the city the first harbour liberated in France. After a month of repairs by the American and French Engineers, the harbour, completely demolished by the Germans and the bombardments, welcome the first Liberty ships. Cherbourg, bridgehead for the Allied trops in France, became for a while, the world first harbour, ahead of New York, with 25 000 tons of material unloaded every day !

Ludovic AMELINE "La presse de la manche"

 

La 79th Infantry Division

Order of Battle

Chief Executive : Major General Ira T. Wyche
Adjoint : Brigadier General Edmund B. Sebree
Chief of Staff : Lieutenant-Colonel Maddrey A. Solomon puis le Colonel Maddrey A. Solomon à compter du 20 juin 1944
 
313rd Infantry Regiment Colonel Sterling A. Wood
1/313
2/313
3/313
314th Infantry Regiment Colonel Warren A. Robinson
1/314
2/314
3/314
315th Infantry Regiment Colonel Porter B. Wiggins, remplacé le 23 juin 1944 par le Colonel Bernard B. McMahon puis par le Colonel Robert H. York à compter du 13 juillet 1944, puis par le Lieutenant-Colonel John A. McAleer le 29 juillet 1944
1/331
2/331 : Lieutenant-Colonel James F. Faber (tué le 9 juillet 1944)
3/331
79th Reconnaissance Troop (mechanized)
304th Combat Engineer Battalion
304th Medical Battalion
79th Artillery Division 310th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm Howitzer)
311st Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm Howitzer)
312nd Field Artillery Battalion (155 mm Howitzer)
904th Field Artillery Battalion (105 mm Howitzer)
779th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
79th Quartermaster Company
79th Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Headquarters Company
Band
 
REINFORCEMENTS
Anti-aircraft artillery 463th AAA AW Bn (Mbl), du 1er juillet 1944 au 9 juillet 1945
Cavalerie 749th Tank Battalion (749th Tk Bn), du 1er au 24 juillet 1944
Co B, 749th Tk Bn, du 31 juillet au 1er août 1944
Anti-tank fight 813rd TD Bn (SP), du 1er juillet au 9 septembre 1944
 
IMPORTANT DATES
ACTIVATED 15 Juin 1942 à Camp Pickett, Virginia
OVERSEAS 7 Avril 1944
CAMPAIGNS Normandie, Nord de la France, Allemagne, Europe Centrale
RETURNED to US 10 Decembre 1945
INACTIVATED 20 Decembre 1945
 
DAYS OF COMBAT 248
 
AWARDS
Distinguished Unit Citations 8 Distinguished Service Cross 13
Distinguished Service Medal 1 Silver Star 962
Legion of Merit 11 Soldier's Medal 27
Bronze Star 4 916 Air Medal 78

La 79th Infantry Division was raised in August 1917.

It was sent to France, arriving in July 1918.

In September, il took part in the Meuse-Argonne offensive.

Back in the United States in May-June 1919, it was demobilized shortly afterwards.


The division was brought back into active service on June 15th 1942. Assigned to VI Corps at Camp Pickett (Virginia).it remained in that sector until August 1942. In April 1944, the 79th Infantry Division left the United States for the UK where it continued training.

The Division landed on Utah Beach from June 12-14th 1944. Starting on June 18th, it took part with VII Corps in the attack on Cherbourg. Starting out from a Golleville-Urville line, it was stopped south-west of Valognes on June 19th. On June 20th, it resumed its advance, reching Brix and St Martin le Greard, and mopped up the area west of Valognes.

On the21st, it was reorganized prior to the attack on Cherbourg, and captured it on the evening of June 25th. On June 26th, it linked up with elements of the 4th Infantry Division arriving from the east.


corwin roule

corwin roule1

Between June 6th and June 30th, the division lost 2,376 men killed, wounded or missing.

monument la haye du puits
The memorial stone for the 79 th Infantry Division, Cherbourg road to La Haye du Puits, the only one in Europe dedicated to this army.

Allocated to VIII Corps, from July 3rd the 79th Infantry Division took part in the offensive on La Haye du Puits, Portbail Lessay and the Ay valley.

Still with VIII Corps, the division took part in Operation "Cobra". It took Lessay on July 26th. It advanced towards the Seine, reaching Dreux.

The division will continue its forward march through France and then Belgium, Holland and Germany in May 1944

route du 79th

The 79th Infantry Division was among the American Units committed most often during the Second World War. In the course of its advance through France and Germany, it lost 20,000 men, including 2,000 killed.

The germans described this division as one of the most "combative in the American Army".

The division was disbanded shortly after its return to the United States in December 1945.

TRANSLATION BYNathalie & Patrick

INFORMATION & PICTURE SOURCEHonorstates.org - Abmc.gov - Anne Bell - Findagrave.com - Max la Menace(Dale Genius Collection)
PROGRAMMERFrédéric & Renaud
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