World War II: Desperate Hours at Kesternich

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7 Responses to “World War II: Desperate Hours at Kesternich”

1. 1
   drew fair says:

   11/16/2008 at 4:48 am

   i was watching a program on the allied attack on the west wall of
   germanys border in 1945, at one point it was mentioned that a
   whole uss company vanished without trace (f company). can any
   body tell me has this vanishing ever been solved ? sorry the
   information im providing is a littel vage, but its all i have. Drew.

   Reply
2. 2
   Fiedler Rudi says:

   3/16/2009 at 6:15 am

   Hallo!
   Ich suche nach meinen Vater, Rudi Walter Fiedler, geboren am 24.12.1914.
   Mein Vater war Angehöriger der 8. Kompanie/ Grenadier-Regiment 980, Feldpostnummer 04716 E.
   Er war zuletzt eingesetzt bei Kestenich/ Eifel wärend der Abwehrkämpfe gegen vorrückende Amerikanische Verbände.
   Sein letzter Kompaniechef war Leutnant Helmers.
   Kann mir Jemand Helfen?

   Danke,

   Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Rudi Fiedler

   Reply
3. 3
   Ed Malouf (Dallas, Texas says:

   1/16/2010 at 11:23 am

   On the 13th of December, 1944 the 2nd Battalion ((includes "F" Company) of the 310th Regiment of the 78th Infantry Division attacked Kesternick, They got into a serious situation, so the second battalion of the 309th Regiment was sent in.
   Kesternich ans Simmerath werre keys for the resupply of German forces that were to attack in the Battle of the Bulge. Get a copy of Lt. Colonel Edward Miller's book A DARK AND BLOODY GROUND and you will find your answer. "F" Company was amongst the 549 Americans who were killed, captured, or Missing in Action in the Battle
   The battalion strength was 871. What happened was that the German 116th Panzer Diiivison was on it's way through Kesternich, and Simmerath to get into place for the BULGE. . KESTERNICH, and ESPECIALLY SIMMERATH were FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN BASTOGNE in stopping the Germans. Historians are gradually getting the drift. The Germans went AROUND Baston=gne, and I personally consider the Bastogne incident a "MEDIA EVENT., for it was WEST of Bastogne that the Germans nearly got to the Muese River. Col. Miller's book is published by the Texas A & M University Press, and it won the prestiiigiuos POGUE AWARD for the best military book published in 1997.

   Reply
4. 4
   Tom MacKnight says:

   12/22/2010 at 7:00 pm

   Rudi,

   I have been researching the battle at Kesternich for over ten years now. My father was on the American side and was captured. I would be glad to correspond with you, but I can also suggest a friend in Koingswinter (Bonn). His name is Ralf Klodt. Ralf's email is ralf.klodt@t-online.de. The 8. Kp of the 980 Regiment, 272 VGD was in Kesternich during the battle in December. My email is architdog@msn.com.

   Reply
5. 5
   Ruby Waters says:

   4/18/2011 at 10:59 am

   My brother 2nd Lt Henry Raymond Haynes of the 309th 2nd Bat.platoon 3 co F,was killed at Kesternich in that battle.
   I have letters from some of the solders who were there with him thanks to a very helpfull man who knew how to find the exact information that I needed, I E.his co and platoon #s.He is buried at The Henri Chapele Am.Cem in Belgium.

   Reply
6. 6
   Felton McAfee says:

   6/16/2011 at 12:09 am

   My father Pvt Felton D. McAfee, Company E, 78th Div, 310th Reg was killed in Kesternich on December 14th 1944. I have been researching this battle for years and would appreciate any information anyone can forward to me. I plan on visiting Kesternich and also Henri Chappelle Cemetery in October 2011.
   Felton McAfee
   fmcafee@verizon.net
   943 Private Road 5937
   Emory, TX. 75440

   Reply
7. 7
   Peter Szyman says:

   6/29/2011 at 4:15 pm

   Hi,

   Contact Gerhard Kristan via email Gerhard.Kristan@t-online.de. I was with him today in Kesternich and is expert on this area.

   Good luck,

   Peter Szyman son of Sgt. Robert Szyman, 78th, 311, k.

   Reply