William Matterson CROSSFIELD

Source : Robert Cole & Ellen Marchese

Parents : Raymond Cole & Sue Esther Houchin CROSSFIELD

Sisters : Mary Esther & Minnie Bell

109^th Infantry Regiment

2^nd Brigade Combat Team

Source : stéphanie pépin

 CEMTERY TEMPORARY of Le Chene Guerin, Percy N°3543

Story of Cemetery Temporary  

Map of St James American Cemetery

Source : Debbie Holloman

Source : Debbie Holloman

Source : barbaragermann1 (Ancestry)

William M. CROSSFIELD and Robert B. COLE were raised in the modest rural community of Lawrenceburg, KY., located in central Kentucky, about twenty-five miles west of Lexington.

William and my father were similar in age, and they were both raised in rural farming households.

Being closely related by kinship and many family interactions, it was natural that they share many interests and often spend time in each other’s company. Crossfield’s and Cole held large plots of land in the tiny village of Fox Creek, located just outside Lawrenceburg.

They were both passionate about nature and I remember my father’s stories of his time spent with William on autumn hunts, armed with their 22-calibre rifles, searching for their favorite squirrels and rabbits.

Dad told me stories during the hottest months of the year.

During the summer months, my father confided to me that he would go frantically with William to wade in the stream with rods and reels during the warmest months of the year, fishing for species from the Salt River, which ran through a large area of our cultivated land.

My father confided to me that he always kept a close relationship with William, from their childhood until adolescence, and even until their incorporation into the army in the spring of 1942.

Papa enlisted in the US Army Air Force, while William joined the American armed forces.

During their early stages of military training and various postings on the base, before William was sent abroad, he and his father regularly exchanged letters to maintain the bond and discuss their respective lives in the army.

My father told me that Dad kept many of the letters that William wrote to him and that they are still in my possession today. Although I cannot provide you with additional information on the unfortunately fleeting life of William, these letters could shed light on his character and personality.

By Robert B COLE II

Fox Creek Cemetery Lawrenceburg, Anderson, KENTUCKY

 Source : Rosemary Pike

Source : Rosemary Pike

 Source : Rosemary Pike

 Source : Rosemary Pike

Source : barbaragermann1 (Ancestry)

Source : Robert Cole 

28^th INFANTRY DIVISION - KEYSTONE

Activated/Activé	Normandy/Normandie
17 Feb 1941	Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  196
	Casualties/Victimes 16 762
Entered Combat/Entré au combat
27 Jul 1944 Normandy
Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux Maj. Gen. Edward Martin (Feb 41 - Dec 41) Maj. Gen. J. Garsche Ord (Jan 42 - May 42) Maj. Gen. Omar N. Bradley (Jun 42 - Jan 43) Maj. Gen. Lloyd D. Brown (Jan 43 - Jul 44) Maj. Gen. Norman D. Cota (Aug 44 - 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) 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
DIVISION CHRONICLE The 28th Infantry Division after training in England, landed in Normandy, France, 22 July 1944, and entered the hedgerow struggle north and west of St. Lo. Inching their way forward against desperate opposition, the men of the 28th took Percy, 1 August, and Gathemo, 10 August. On the 12th, Brigadier General Wharton was killed a few hours after assuming command. The Division began to roll north and east, 20 August, meeting light resistance except at Le Neubourg, 24 August, and Elbeuf on the 25th. After parading through Paris, 29 August, it continued its sustained drive through France and Luxembourg to the German border, assembling near Binsfeld, 11 September: It began hammering at the Siegfried Line, 12 September, destroying pillboxes and other fortifications, moved north to Elsenborn, 1 October, then returned on the 6th for patrols and rotation of troops. The 28th smashed into the Hurtgen Forest, 2 November 1944, and in the savage seesaw battle which followed, Vossenack and Schmidt changed hands several times. On 19 November, the Division moved south to hold a 25-mile sector along the Our River in Luxembourg. The Von Rundstedt offensive broke loose, 16 December, along the entire Division front. The 28th fought in place using all available personnel and threw off the enemy timetable before withdrawing to Neufchateau, 22 December, for reorganization. The Division moved to a defensive position along the Meuse River from Givet to Verdun, 2 January 1945, then to a patrol of the Vosges Mountains, 17 February. From 1 to 5 February, it participated in the reduction of the Colmar Pocket, headed for the Rhine and crossed the Rhine-Rhone Canal, 6 February. After an attack toward the Ahr River, 6 March, the 28th engaged in training, rehabilitation, and holding defensive positions. Beginning 7 April it performed occupation duties at Julich and Kaiserlautern until it left France.	CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION La 28th Infantry Division, après s'être entraînée en Angleterre, débarqua en Normandie, en France, le 22 juillet 1944, et entra dans la lutte des haies au nord et à l'ouest de Saint-Lô. Poursuivant leur chemin contre une opposition désespérée, les hommes du 28 emmenèrent Percy le 1er août et Gathemo le 10 août. Le 12, le général de brigade Wharton a été tué quelques heures après avoir pris le commandement. La division a commencé à rouler vers le nord et l'est, le 20 août, rencontrant une légère résistance, sauf au Neubourg, le 24 août, et à Elbeuf le 25. Après avoir défilé à travers Paris, le 29 août, il continue sa route à travers la France et le Luxembourg jusqu'à la frontière allemande, se rassemblant près de Binsfeld, le 11 septembre: Il commence à frapper la ligne Siegfried, le 12 septembre, détruit les casemates et autres fortifications. 1er octobre, puis retourné le 6 pour les patrouilles et la rotation des troupes. Le 28 novembre, la forêt de Hurtgen s'écrase, le 2 novembre 1944, et dans la bataille sauvage qui suit, Vossenack et Schmidt changent de mains plusieurs fois. Le 19 novembre, la Division s'est déplacée vers le sud pour maintenir un secteur de 25 milles le long de la rivière Our au Luxembourg. L'offensive Von Rundstedt s'est déchaînée le 16 décembre sur l'ensemble du front de division. Le 28ème combattit en utilisant tout le personnel disponible et repoussa l'horaire ennemi avant de se retirer à Neufchâteau, le 22 décembre, pour une réorganisation. La Division s'est déplacée vers une position défensive le long de la Meuse de Givet à Verdun, le 2 janvier 1945, puis à une patrouille des Vosges, le 17 février. Du 1er au 5 février, il participa à la réduction de la poche de Colmar, se dirigeant vers le Rhin et traversa le canal Rhin-Rhône, le 6 février. Après une attaque contre la rivière Ahr, le 6 mars, le 28 a commencé à s'entraîner, à se réhabiliter et à tenir des positions défensives. À partir du 7 avril, il remplit des fonctions d'occupation à Julich et à Kaiserlautern jusqu'à ce qu'il quitte la France.

Robert B Cole II - Rosemary Pike - Debbie Holloman

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