The 75th Infantry Division departed for the European Theater of Operations from Staten Island, New York on October 22, 1944 and only two months later received their “Baptism of Fire” during the Ardennes German Offensive. The Division's introduction to combat came toward the end of December 1944 in the northern sector of the Ardennes, coming face to face with the German spearhead now commonly known as "The Battle of the Bulge." The 75th Division contributed significantly to the Allied defensive effort in the Bulge, helping to halt the German Army's advance toward its primary objective - the port city of Antwerp, Belgium. Having turned the tide, the 75th went on the offensive to reverse the German Army's hard fought gains. In France and Holland the 75th partnered with French, British, and other Allied contingents to grind the last stalwart remnants of the German military machine back into their homeland. In Germany, they assisted in conquering the enemy’s defense of its vast industrial complex in the Ruhr, where thousands of slave laborers were freed and protected from further slavery and persecution.

The 290th Infantry Regiment's historical record, contained in numerous books and other publications is, at best, a very small glimpse into the combat history of one of the finest American fighting forces assembled during WWII. The numerous errors, misconceptions and omissions contained in these various publications may be largely attributable to the fact that the 75th Division lacked a public relations organization of the size and stature that was prevalent in some of the more well known units of WWII. Needless to say, a good deal of the historical information concerning the 290th Regiment is skewed due to a lack of complete and accurate information. In particular, the description of the 290th's activities as recorded by author Gerald Astor in his books titled " Battling Buzzards: The Odyssey of the 517th Parachute Regimental Combat Team 1943-1945" and "A Blood Dimmed Tide: The Battle of the Bulge by the Men Who Fought It," fail to provide accurate historical knowledge concerning the 290th. The information on this website should help to correct these errors, particularly those regarding the Battle for Hill La Roumiere.

If you have any information regarding the identities and/or whereabouts of the unidentified men in my photo collection, please take a moment and contact me. I am particularly interested in locating a 75th Division Veteran by the name of David Chandler. Thanks for visiting!

Combat History of 1st Battalion Medical Section - 289th Infantry.

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Pictorial history of the 75th Infantry Division, 1944-1945 campaigns: photographic cavalcade

The 290th and 289th Regimental Combat Teams In Action

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