F Company was an infantry company in the United States Army's 78th "Lightning" Division's second battalion of the 310th Infantry Regiment. The company was called Fox, which was the sixth letter in the phonetic alphabet used during World War II. The Company participated in three major campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. "Combat Diary for Company F, 310th Infantry, 78th Division," a 1947 book written by its members, recounts the wartime experiences of its members.
History
The first Fox Company soldiers arrived at Camp Butner in Butner, North Carolina, on March 9, 1944. On March 27, 1944, Fox Company departed for Camp Pickett in Nottoway County, Virginia. Pickett's land, water, and other resources were surveyed in late 1941; by the end of 1942, more than 1,400 buildings had been built and were in use, including approximately 1,000 enlisted barracks and 70 officer's quarters. Here at Camp Pickett, Fox Company was trained and prepared for combat by Captain John H. Sharp.
Composition
Fox Company was composed of a Company Headquarters, 3× Rifle Platoons, and a Weapons Platoon. Fox Company left the United States with 189 men; 454 men men are listed as having belonged to the company by the war's end, due to transfers and replacements. 53 men were killed in action, and 164 wounded in action. With a 47% casualty rate throughout their 125 days of combat.
Battle of Kesternich
According to the overall Allied plan, the 9th Army was to break through the Cologne Plain, where the flat terrain was ideal for armored divisions to dash the Rhine. The north-flowing Roer River and the three big dams on the upper Roer near Schmidt were a barrier that had to be seized and held. The attack was on December 13 in the region of Lammersdorf. The first town that the Fox Company entered was Pastenbach; when they left on January 13, it was freezing, and the snow that had fallen three days earlier was frosted over and was deceptively thick. They settled in for the night after entering Simmerath further to the west.
The Company was awakened by rifle fire early on December 14; patrols were organized and sent out to find the snipers, but to no avail. Captain John H. Sharp called his Platoon leaders, Lieutenants William J. Barton, Burrel B. Budden, Donald Horsch, and T-Sgt John D. Loos, and gave them the plan for the next move. With the first Platoon in reserve, the second Platoon was selected as the base platoon and launched. It was followed by the third—Company Headquarters—and fourth Platoon. The Company moved through a field to the west of Kesternich and took up position along a road that was submerged, providing protection from enemy fire. Fox reorganized rapidly and secured their position. All four Platoon leaders had become casualties. Sgts. Frank A. Leonard, Claude E. Blackwell, George A. Roman, and Horst took over the Platoons. As morning came on December 15, a much-depleted Fox Company of around seventy men moved towards Kesternich again. Fox advanced to an old sunken road bordered by more hedge-rows. They came upon the crest of a hill, and before Fox lay Kesternich. They continued into the town's outskirts after climbing a short slope. When they entered the village, they were surprised to be met with little to no small arms or artillery fire. Fox seized the target with minimal resistance.Around 1300, Company "E" reached the eastern edge of Kesternich with less than half of its initial troop strength and made every effort to set up defenses. Company "G," also with significantly reduced strength, reorganized and managed to hold the town's center. At midnight on December 15, Lt. Col. Creighton E. Likes took over the 2nd Battalions, 309th and 310th Infantry. These battalions were to attack and take control of the town of Kesternich with a platoon of tanks and a platoon of tank destroyers attached. The attack started at 0700 hours in the early morning hours of December 15. Company F moved east and encountered a minefield near a pillbox that was neutralized earlier in the day. After avoiding the minefield, it moved south and into the town, where it encountered the same grueling house-to-house combat as Company G. Around 1400 hours, it had cleared the southern sector.