Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 006, folder 03: Donald Cass Anderson

116th Infantry Regiment - D-Day June 6, 1944 Box 6, #3

116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT - "D-DAY" - 6 JUNE 1944

"D-DAY" COMMAND

Commanding Officer...........................Col. Charles D. W. Canham Executive Officer.................................Lt. Col. Harold A. Cassell S-1......................................................Captain Morris Ernst S-2......................................................Major Asbury H. Jackson S-3......................................................Major Thomas D. Howie S-4......................................................Major John W. Sours Antitank Company...............................Captain William E. Lester Cannon Company................................Lt. Joseph E. McCollum Regimental Surgeon............................Major Millard R. Buckley Service Company.................................Captain Charles Powell Headquarters Company.......................Captain Joseph A. Rice

1ST BATTALION Commanding Officer...........................Lt. Col. John A. Metcalfe Executive Officer.................................Major Thomas S. Dallas Company "A"........................................Captain Taylor N. Fellers Company "B".......................................Captain Ettore V. Zappacosta Company "C".......................................Captain Bertier B. Hawks Company "D".......................................Captain Walter O. Schilling Headquarters Company.......................Captain Thomas J. Callahan Battalion Surgeon............................... Captain Robert B. Ware, MC

2ND BATTALION

Commanding Officer............................Major Sidney V. Bingham, Jr. Executive Officer..................................Major Fred McManaway Company "E"........................................Captain Lawrence Madlil Company "F"........................................Captain William Callahan Company "G"........................................Captain Eccles Scott Compary "H"........................................Captain George Boyd Headquarters Company........................Captain Charles R. Cawthon Battalion Surgeon.................................Captain Robert M. Dewitt, MC

3RD BATTALION Commanding Officer.............................Lt. Col, Lawrence E. Meeks Executive Officer...................................Major Malcolm R. Weller Company "I"..........................................Captain Mifflin B. Clowe, Jr. Company "K".........................................Captain William G. Pingley, Jr. Company "L"..........................................Captain Charles W. East Company "M"........................................Captain Charles H. Kidd Headquarters Company.........................Captain Archibald A. Sproul Battalion Surgeon..................................Captain Francis R. Burns, MC

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CITATION

116th Infantry WAR DEPARTMENT Washington 25, D. C. 6 September 1944.

GENERAL ORDERS) : NO. 73) BATTLE HONORS - Citation of Units________________________________XI

The 116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT is cited for extrodinary heroism and outstanding porfomanee of duty in action in the initial assault on the northern coast of NORMANDY, FRANCE, JUNE 6, 1944. The 116TH INFANTRY RE-GIMENT successfully attacked a heavily fortified and strongly defended beach in the vicinity of VIERVILLE-SUR-MER, FRANCE. The beach was fortified by mined underwater obstacles, bands of barbed wire, concrete walls and land mines, trenches and underground shelters. Defending troops were protected against the aerial and naval bombardment which preceded the assault by deep and elaborate underground shelters which had been constructed in the hills and cliffs overlooking the beach. As elements of the 116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT approached the beach in assault craft, they were met by withering fire from rifles, machine guns, mortars, and 88mm guns, all of which were effectively employed at close range from enfilading positions in the cliffs overlooking the beach. In addition, the beach was subjected to fire from enemy artillery and mortars which were inshore. In face of this heavy fire, and despite suffering high losses, the 116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT overcame the beach obstacles, took enemy-defended positions along the beach and cliffs, pushed through the mined area immediately in the rear of the beach while still under heavy fire and continued inshore to take its objective. The successful attack and landing of the 116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT made possible the subsequent landings of the other elements of the 29TH INFANTRY DIVISION which landed behind it with only light losses. During its landing and assault of the beach positions, the 116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT sustained more than 800 losses in officers and men.

BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR: G. C. MARSHALL, Chief of Staff.

"Ever Forward" 116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT ****** "D-DAY" - 6 JUNE 1944

Killed In Action

Major John W.Sours, 0-337213 Captain Walter O. Schilling, 0-330838 Captain Sherman V. Burroughs, 0-330025 Captain Taylor N. Fellers, 0-381409 Captain Robert B. Ware, MC, 0-387982 Captain Ettore V. Zappacosta, 0-399291 1st Lt. Benjamin R.Kearfoot, 0-407671 1st Lt. Alfred S. Anderson, 0-1291076 2nd Lt. Alton B. Ashley, 0-1286225 1st Lt. Merle T. Cummings, 0-1290722 1st Lt. Harold C. Donaldson, 0-1292150 1st Lt. William (NMI) Gardner, 0-1024051 1st Lt. Vincent P. Labowicz, Jr., 0-1290091 2nd Lt. Rudolph (NMI) Skrek, 0-1320661 1st Lt. Clyde H. Tidrick, 0-1316243 1st Lt. Robert B. Williamson, 0-425827 1st Lt. John R. Hussey, 0-439206 2nd Lt. John B. Clements, 0-1313282 1st Lt. Thomas R. Dallas, 0-1290723 2nd Lt. Herman O. Hilscher, 0-1292175 2nd Lt. James J. Limber, 0-1292019 2nd Lt. Stanley N. Schwartz, 0-1298847 1st Lt. Emil (NMI) Winkler, 0-1316257 S/Sgt. Leslie C. Abbott, 20363621 Pfc. Robert T. Ainsworth, 33431055 Tec. 4 Herbert R. Aldred, 20363137 Pfc. Henry F. Aubin, 31057737 S/Sgt. Meade H. Baker, 33043409 Pfc. James A. Bakewell, 33417631 Pvt. Wlllian D. Barnett, 33706102 Pfc. Edward L. Bechtel, 36148034 Pvt. Raymond C. Bell, 38520198 Pfc. Joseph M.Barchols, 33152986 Tec. 5 Robert H. Bergmann, 32535562 Pfc. Clarence W. Bloxom, Jr., 33133660 Pfc. Carl E. Bowen, 32047659 Pfc. Moritz H. Brall, 32300019 Sgt. Thomas E. Bratten, 35688309 Pfc. Walter S. Brinton, 32674377

116TH INFANTRY REGIMENT "D-DAY" - 6 JUNE 1944

Killed In Action (contd.)

Cpl. Walter E. Broscious, 33152974 Pfc. Clande H. Brownell, 38518332 Pfc. Donald E. Burke, 33133676 Pvt. Charles T. Byrnes, 32974846 Pfc. Clarence H. Campbell, 33046870 S/Sgt. Rufus B. Carr, 33047772 Pfc. Raymond D. Carver, 20365466 Pfc. Frank J. Cheek, 38487392 Pfc. William R. Chipps, 35757478 Pfc. John R/. Clifton, 20365635 S/Sgt. John R. Cox, 20365451 Pvt. William O. Crawley, 34737626 Pvt. Victor L. Culberson, 34145362 Pvt. Charles G. DeVeaney, 33278822 Pfc. Thompson G. Dicks, 14115893 Pvt. Frank J. Dirtoma, 32857053 Pvt. Alexander F. Dominguez, 39018036 Pvt. Carmen P. Drolles, 33481835 Pvt. Ellis S. Abney, 34635336 Pfc. Louis J. Alberigo, 31067716 S/Sgt. Samuel R. Anderson, Jr., 20366028 Pfc. Richard G. Ayers, 33047604 S/Sgt. John G. Barnes, 33043543 Pfc. Andrew D. Dean, 33361910 Pfc. Charles G. Beckwith, 32837592 Pfc. Frederick L. Bennett, 31013927 Pfc. Edward B. Berghoff, 33043413 Sgt. John T. Blacknall, 33042558 Pfc. Albert A. Boucher, 31067618 Pfc. William T. Boyd, 33046968 Pvt. Richard C. Brandtonies, 33694935 Pvt. Claude V. Bray, 36757075 Pfc. James L. Brooks, 20363846 Sgt. Staunton M. Brown, 33043501 Pvt. Roger G. Brulotte, 31322746 Pfc. John M. Burkhart, 33526478 Pvt. Celford C. Campbell, 35266046 Sgt. Frank E. Carnrike, 33152809 Pfc. Wallace R. Carter, 20363699 Pvt. Frutoso R. Chavez, 38215609 Pfc. Benjamin (NMI) Chesney, 33153006 Pvt. William B. Clark, 34736752 Pfc. William J. Cowan, 31064212 Pfc. Wilbur S. Crane, 32918639 Pvt. Mauricio G. Cuellar, 38553193 Pvt. Leonard F. Dearing, 33519267 Pvt. John (NMI) DiBeneditti, 38352237 Pvt. August W. Diedesch, 36756619 Pvt. Robert L. Dittmar, 31336619