The Linkups
The
69th Infantry Division's legacy is it was the first military division of all the
Allies to meet the Russians in WWII. This
took place in, and the vicinity, of Torgau, Germany, April 25, 1945.
Actually, there were three meetings in what historically became known as
"East Meets West." These
meetings took place at different locations and times, by patrols that would
later be identified as Patrol No. 1, Patrol No. 2 and Patrol No. 3, all led by
and including brave men from the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 273rd Infantry Regiment
of the 69th Infantry Division along with an attached member from Hq 1st Army and
Hq V Corps.
Patrol No 2 came from Hq Co 1st Bn.
It was led by 2nd Lt William D. Robertson, Los Angeles, CA, accompanied
by Cpl James W McDonnell, Peabody, MA; Pfc Frank P. Huff, Washington, VA and Pfc
Paul Staub, Bronx, NY. It met the
Russians on a blown steel bridge in Torgau which crossed the Elbe River, at 1600
(4:00PM) and was honored universally as the "first" to meet the
Russians.
Members of Patrol No 2 are shown in this
picture, L to R, Huff, McDonnell, Robertson and Staub.
All are deceased except Paul Staub.
Patrol No 1, led by 1st Lt Albert L Kotzebue, Co G, Houston, TX, met the Russians at Leckwitz, Germany, 1130 (11:30AM). Members of this Patrol included:
T/Sgt Frederick W Johnston, Co G, Bedford, PA S/Sgt
Alfred E Aronson, Co G
New
York, NY
S/Sgt Wm E Weisel Hq 2nd Bn Norwood, OH Sgt John Sgt John J Peters Co
H,
Brooklyn, NY
Sgt
Jack B Tyson
Co
H,
Columbia, VA
Cpl Christopher R Twardzik Co H, Shonandock, PA Cpl
Stephen A Kowalski,
Med Det,
NewYork,
NY
Tec 5 Robert D Stuart Hq 2nd Bn, Scranton, TX Pfc
Nicholas Supron Hq 2nd
Bn,
Scranton,
TX
Pfc
James W Kane, Jr Co G,
Overbrook
Hill, PA Pfc
J P Thomas Co G
Blue
Springs, MS
Pfc
Emmett P Thompson Co G Merkel, TX
Pfc
Joseph W Johnson Co
G Excelsior, MI
Pfc Van D Rye Co G Clarksville, TN Pfc
Harold R Brummell Co
G Lees Summit, MO
Pfc Joseph P Polowsky Co G S Minneapolis,MN Pfc Carl L Robinson Co H Lancaster, SC
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Pfc John Wheeler Co H, Winstead, CN Pfc Edwin Jeary Co H, Detroit, MI Pfc Robert Haag Co H, Washington, IN Pfc Wm Matousek Co H, Glendale, CA Pfc Melvin Roseland Co H, Seneca, SD Pfc John W Best Co H, Champian, PA Pfc Harold B Pemberton Co H, Ft Worth, TX Pfc Edward P Ruff Co H, Riverside, NJ Pfc Otha N Phillips Co H, Quitman, LA Pfc Charles G Attara Co H Paterson, NJ Pfc Charles H Schulta Co H Dubuque, LA Pfc Rudolph Hoyos Co H, Los Angeles, CA Pfc James R Gilmore Co H Great Bend, KS Pfc John B Adams, Jr Co H Rockingham, NC Pvt Larry Hamlin Co G Towaoc, CO Pvt Robert S Legal Co H Georgetown, MA Pvt Peter M Calasciona Co G Los Angeles, CA |
Patrol No 3, led by Major Fred W. Craig, Hq 2nd Bn, Friendship, TN, met the Russians at Clanzschwitz, Germany, at 1645 (4:45PM). Members of this Patrol included:
Capt
George J Morey Hq 2nd Bn Dumont, NJ Capt Wm J Fox Hq V Corps Brooklyn, NY 2nd Lt Thomas P Howard Co E Lake Cormorant, MS M/Sgt
Paul H Murdoch Hq 273rd Los Angeles, CA
Sgt
Edward J Lang Co E
Boston, MA
Sgt
Bennett Thompon Co H
Athens, TX Sgt
Robert F Bender Co
H Des Moines, IA
Sgt
Andrew Marriock Co H
Hudson, NJ Sgt
Albert Harzog Co
H Brooklyn, NY T/4
Howard J Auclair Hq 273rd
Tupper Lake, NY T/4
Robert L Mayer Hq
273rd Wheaton, IL
Cpl
May L Weinstein Co H Long Island, NY
Pfc
Jaun A Arrandondo Co H
Laredo, TX Pfc
Harold C McCord Co H
Newark, NJ Pfc
Richard L Parent Co
H Trenton,
NJ Pfc
Lawrence J Wilson Co H
Durham, NC Pfc
Elijah R Sams Co
H Pinnacle, NC
Pfc
Edward K
Pollard Co
H Needham, MA Pfc
Murry Schulman
Co H Brooklyn,
NY Pfc
Fred Warren, Jr
Co H Myrtle,
MO Pfc
Arthur E Reinhardt Co H
Leehman, NJ Pfc
Ronald Williams
Co H
Fairport, NY Pfc Dewey Crause Co H Lincolnton, NC Pfc
John W Mowery, Jr Co H
Sutton, WV
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Pfc Simon M Talamantee Co H CorpusChristi, TX Pfc Robert H Walters Co H Minneapolis, MN Pfc William H Horton Co H Philadelpia, PA Pfc Vincent S Smithhisler Co H Cleveland, OH Pfc Abraham L Collin, Jr Co H Rupert, WV Pfc Paul J Peters Co H Waterville, ME Pfc Stanford J Silvestri Co E Brooklyn, NY Pfc Edward J Berger Co E Halletsville, TX Pfc Edward Rasmus Co E Naticoke, PA Pfc Auston B Johnson Co E Fort Payne, AL Pfc Igor N Belousevitch Co E San Francisco, CA Pfc Wm Seiter Hq 1st Army Detroit, MI Pfc Alex Hotes Co E Messmore, PA Pfc William J Head Co E Knoxville, TN Pfc Jesse J King Co E Liberty, Ky Pfc Clarence L Houseknecht Co E Hughsville, PA Pfc Charles C Forrester Co E Greer, SC Pfc Donald J Champeny Co E Milwaukee, WI Pfc Richard R Chambers Co E Marathon,TX Pfc Joseph Winnicki Co E Buffalo, NY Pvt Joe F Hamay Co E Ellsworth, PA Pvt Claudie Moore Co H Newburn, TN Pvt Ernest E Newman Co H Martinez, GA Pvt Harold B Ellison Co H Williamson, WV Pvt Lonne Upton, Jr Co H Washington, NC Pvt Jesse A Gum Co H Alton, MO
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