Elements of 4th Armored Division
62-558: Elements of 251st Infantry Division Logistics Task Force Baum , also known as the Hammelburg raid was a secret and controversial World War II task force set up by U.S. Army General George S. Patton and commanded by Capt. Abraham Baum in late March 1945. Baum was given the task of penetrating 50 miles (80 km) behind German lines and liberating the POWs in camp Oflag XIII-B , near Hammelburg . Controversy surrounds
124-681: A German ambush laid by veteran soldiers of the German Infantry Combat School in Hammelburg (nearly 100 NCOs in officer training). The first tank was hit by a German panzerfaust , abandoned, and captured. Then, a German drove this tank into a garden and a second answered the radio calls in English to lure more tanks into the ambush. The Germans used their Sherman prize with good effect against the other U.S. tanks. Four American Sherman tanks were destroyed. The remnants of
186-414: A cat… as everyone but me thought it too great a risk…. If I lose that column, it will possibly be a new incident. But I won’t lose it." ( The Longest Winter , p. 207) A furious General Eisenhower reprimanded Patton for the incident. While Patton admitted the failure of the mission, he defended his actions due to fear that retreating Germans might kill the prisoners in the camp. The Malmedy massacre during
248-478: A decade later on October 3, 1984, at Fort Benning, Georgia. The 75th Ranger Regiment was designated in February 1986. The modern Ranger battalions owe their existence to Abrams and his charter: The battalion is to be an elite, light, and the most proficient infantry in the world. A battalion that can do things with its hands and weapons better than anyone. The battalion will contain no 'hoodlums or brigands' and if
310-405: A diet of 1,700 calories (7,100 kJ ) a day, well below the 2,000 calories recommended daily allowance for men doing no work. This was cut even more as supplies ran low and the camp population increased, until an estimated 1,070 calories (4,480 kJ) were distributed daily. Many men in the camp suffered dramatic weight loss of more than 50 pounds (23 kilograms) and atrophy of muscles because of
372-418: A platoon of light tanks and one company of armored infantry were assigned to the task force. The tank battalion commander tabbed to command the mission was ill and suggested that Baum, the battalion S-3 , instead lead the task force, which set out on late evening of 26 March. Altogether the force numbered 11 officers and 303 men, 16 tanks, 28 half-tracks, and 13 other vehicles. On the evening of 26 March,
434-664: A strength of 11,488 men. The 251st Infantry Division was battered in the Warka bridgehead in January 1945 and effectively destroyed during the retreat to West Prussia . In March 1945, the division was dissolved for the final time. Its remaining officers were moved to one of the desperately assembled final formations of the Wehrmacht, the Infantry Division Friedrich Ludwig Jahn . Werner Heucke
496-756: The Battle of the Bulge and the Stalag Luft III murders showed that the Germans were more than capable of the intentional killing of POWs. According to Patton, the mistake was sending a force too small to perform the mission, saying, "I can say this, that throughout the campaign in Europe I know of no error I made except that of failing to send a combat command to take Hammelburg". As a footnote, Captain Abe Baum
558-657: The Cold War concern for potential invasion of western Europe by the Soviet Union. He then attended and graduated from the Army War College in 1953. Because of Abrams's service in Europe and his War College tour, he joined the Korean War late. In South Korea (1953–1954), he successively served as chief of staff of the I , X , and IX Corps . Upon Abrams' return from Korea, he served as Chief of Staff of
620-597: The German entrenchments surrounding Bastogne and the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge. In April 1945, he was promoted to temporary colonel but reverted to lieutenant colonel during the post-war demobilization. On April 23, 1945, Will Lang Jr. wrote a biography of Abrams called "Colonel Abe" for Life . Following the war, Abrams served on the Army General Staff (1945–1946), as head of
682-746: The M1 Abrams , after him. The IG Farben building in Germany was also named after Abrams from 1975 to 1995. Abrams graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in the Class of 1936, ranking 185th of 276 in the class. His classmates included Benjamin O. Davis Jr. and William Westmoreland . He served with the 1st Cavalry Division from 1936 to 1940, being promoted to first lieutenant in 1939 and temporary captain in 1940. Abrams became an armor officer early in
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#1732802498213744-477: The Strike Command instructed to be prepared "to move ready, deployable, tailored Army forces ranging in size from a reinforced company to a maximum force of 15,000 personnel". He was promoted to lieutenant general and commanded V Corps in Europe (1963–1964). Abrams was on the cover of Time magazine three times in ten years: 1961 (October 13), 1968 (April 19), and 1971 (February 15). Abrams
806-564: The Volkssturm . He joined Waters in the Serbian hospital at the Hammelburg camp, which was liberated by the 14th Armored Division on 6 April — just 9 days after the failed liberation by Task Force Baum. Ironically, the failure of the task force did help set Waters free sooner: had he not been shot he would have been marched off to a camp farther into Germany with the rest of the POWs. Patton
868-542: The 251st Infantry Division. This second iteration of the division initially contained the Grenadier Regiments 184, 448, and 451, which were formed from the Division Groups 86, 137, and 251, respectively. The personnel of the three regiments hailed from Wehrkreis VI, Wehrkeis XVII, and Wehrkreis IX, respectively. Grenadier Regiment 451 from Wehrkreis IX was the only infantry regiment that served both at
930-480: The 3rd Battalion of Infantry Regiment 459, the 3rd Battalion of Infantry Regiment 471, the 1st Detachment of Artillery Regiment 251, and the 4th Detachment of Artillery Regiment 239, to the newly formed 129th Infantry Division . The lost formations were replaced to bring the 251st Infantry Division back to regular strength. In May 1941, the 251st Infantry Division was transferred to East Prussia in preparation for Operation Barbarossa . On 6 August 1941, Kratzert
992-416: The 4th Armored Division, led by the 37th Tank Battalion, was the spearhead for General George S. Patton 's Third Army . Abrams was well known as an aggressive armor commander. By using his qualities as a leader and by consistently exploiting the relatively small advantages of speed and reliability of his vehicles, he managed to defeat German forces that had the advantage of superior armor and superior guns. He
1054-580: The Armor Center, Fort Knox (1954–1956). He was promoted to brigadier general and appointed deputy chief of staff for reserve components at the Pentagon (1956–1959). He was assistant division commander of 3rd Armored Division (1959–1960) and then commanded the division (1960–1962) upon his promotion to major general. He was transferred to the Pentagon as deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (1962–1963) and during this time he served as representative of
1116-672: The Army Chief of Staff overseeing the armed forces deployed to support the enrollment of James Meredith at the segregated University of Mississippi . He performed a similar role in May 1963 during the civil rights protests in Birmingham, Alabama . Following these roles Abrams demanded a more coherent policy for the swift employment of Federal forces domestically. In May 1963, the Joint Chiefs formalized those arrangements with
1178-473: The Oflag. Colonel Goode himself decided not to slow the rest of the task force down and began the march back under a white flag. Baum gave the order to move out shortly after dawn on 28 March. Just as the column started up, they immediately came under fire from all directions. Germans, having surrounded the hill during the night, opened fire on the first sign of mobilization. Knowing there was no way of fending off
1240-520: The U.S. repelled the PAVN conventional Easter Offensive in 1972. The prolonged efforts and expense of the war had by then exhausted much of the American public and political support. Abrams disdained most of the politicians with whom he was forced to deal, in particular Robert McNamara and McGeorge Bundy , and had an even lower opinion of defense contractors, whom he accused of war profiteering. Abrams
1302-704: The Vietnam War increasingly became a conventional war between the military forces of South Vietnam and North Vietnam. Following the election of President Richard Nixon , Abrams began implementing the Nixon Administration's Vietnamization policy to decrease U.S. involvement in Vietnam. With this new goal, Abrams decreased American troop strength from a peak of 543,000 in early 1969 to 49,000 in June 1972. The South Vietnamese forces with aerial support from
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#17328024982131364-593: The administration's war in Cambodia. During this time, Abrams began the transition to the all-volunteer army, also known as Project VOLAR . In January 1974, Abrams directed the formation of a Ranger battalion. The 1st Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry, was activated and parachuted into Fort Stewart, Georgia, on July 1; the 2nd Battalion (Ranger), 75th Infantry followed with activation on October 1. The 3rd Battalion, 75th Infantry (Ranger), and Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 75th Infantry (Ranger), received their colors
1426-448: The army group of Arlington Ladies and devoted time to humanitarian causes. The Abramses had three sons and three daughters. All three sons became Army general officers: retired Brigadier General Creighton Williams Abrams III, General John Nelson Abrams , and General Robert Bruce Abrams . Daughters Noel Bradley, Jeanne Daley, and Elizabeth Doyle all married army officers. Abrams converted to Catholicism during his time in Vietnam. He
1488-464: The attack, Baum ordered every man for himself. The battle lasted mere minutes before the survivors who hadn't escaped into the woods were lined up as fresh POWs. Baum managed to escape with two soldiers into the nearby woods, as did a number of American POWs from the camp. Baum was Jewish and discarded his dog tags, believing he would be shot on sight if identified. As the Soviets were encroaching from
1550-634: The battalion is formed from such persons, it will be disbanded. Wherever the battalion goes, it must be apparent that it is the best. Abrams served as Chief of Staff until his death on September 4, 1974. Born in Springfield, Massachusetts , and raised in the Feeding Hills section of Agawam, he was the son of Nellie Louise (Randall) and Creighton Williams Abrams, a railroad worker. Abrams married Julia Berthe Harvey (1915–2003) in 1936. She founded
1612-399: The camp contained far more than the 300 officers they were originally planning to liberate. After calculating losses, he determined no more than two hundred men would actually be able to be taken back to Allied-controlled land with their remaining fleet. It was decided that only field-grade officers (O-4 and above) would be allowed to ride back, while any remaining men who wished to march with
1674-479: The camp put up resistance, though many of them fled or surrendered. The Serbian section of the camp received the brunt of American fire as it approached—likely due to the gray uniforms they wore, making them appear as Germans to the advancing columns. General Gunther von Goeckel, the camp commandant, called for Colonel John K. Waters to try to arrange a truce. Waters agreed to act as intermediary. Waters and several men, including one German officer, volunteered to exit
1736-556: The camp to notify the Americans of the mistake. While approaching the American column, an uninformed German soldier putting up resistance shot Waters in the buttocks before the German officer could explain the situation. He was taken back and treated for his wounds by Serbian doctors interned in the camp. Roughly half of Baum's forces made it to Hammelburg in fighting shape. Greeted by thousands of cheering prisoners, Baum quickly realized
1798-416: The columns would be allowed to do so, or they could try to travel cross-country on their own to the American lines about 50 miles to the west. Barely able to walk, the vast majority of POWs decided to stay behind. Waters, unable to be moved, was left behind in the camp. The task force left the camp at 8 pm local time to cross back across the German lines. By then, further complications had surfaced. There
1860-539: The decision was not publicly announced until June 20, 1972. Abrams was appointed Chief of Staff of the United States Army by Nixon in June 1972. He was not confirmed by the United States Senate until October, due to political repercussions involving accusations of unauthorized bombings of North Vietnam . It has also been reported that Congress had delayed the confirmation to question
1922-527: The department of tactics at the Armored School, Fort Knox (1946–1948), and graduated from the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth (1949). Abrams commanded the 63rd Tank Battalion , part of the 1st Infantry Division , in Europe (1949–1951). He was again promoted to colonel and commanded the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment (1951–1952). These units were important assignments due to
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1984-413: The development of that branch and served as a tank company commander in the 1st Armored Division in 1940. During World War II , Abrams served in the 4th Armored Division , initially as regimental adjutant (June 1941 – June 1942), battalion commander (July 1942 – March 1943), and regiment executive officer (March–September 1943) with the 37th Armor Regiment . In September 1943, a reorganization of
2046-438: The division redesignated the 37th Armor Regiment to the 37th Tank Battalion, which Abrams commanded. He commanded Combat Command B of the division during the Battle of the Bulge . During this time Abrams was promoted to the temporary ranks of major (February 1942), lieutenant colonel (September 1942), and colonel (April 1945). Abrams was promoted to lieutenant colonel at age 27 years, 11 months. During much of this time,
2108-421: The east, the Americans began advancing into Germany days after the task force, with Germans moving POWs farther away from combat zones. Those able to move were rounded up into unmarked boxcars and sent via train to Nuremberg , then to other prisoner camps away from the front lines. The remaining men were left behind at Hammelburg. Baum was shot in the groin while trying to flee back to allied lines and captured by
2170-429: The effect that, "All this talk of dropping search-and destroy operations in favor of clear-and-hold is just a lot of bull." None of the strategy papers produced by Abrams on assuming command of MACV indicated the need for any change in U.S. strategy and U.S. forces continued large-scale operations to engage People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) main force units including the Battle of Hamburger Hill in May 1969. From 1969,
2232-588: The end of the first iteration as well as at the beginning of the second iteration of the 251st Infantry Division. Additionally, the second iteration of the 251st Infantry Division was equipped by the Division Fusilier Battalion 251 and the Artillery Regiment 251. On 10 October 1944, Werner Heucke was appointed divisional commander. On 1 January 1945, the 251st Infantry Division (then part of 9th Army under Army Group A ) had
2294-632: The fourth Aufstellungswelle in the Hersfeld area in Wehrkreis IX . It initially consisted of the Infantry Regiments 451, 459, and 471, as well as the Artillery Regiment 251. The initial commander was Hans Kratzert . On 12 December 1939, the 251st Infantry Division passed the 4th Detachment of Artillery Regiment 251, which was motorized, to the army reserves, and in return received the 4th Detachment of Artillery Regiment 239, which
2356-577: The hearts and minds programs. According to a colonel cited in Men's Journal , there was more continuity than change in Vietnam after Abrams succeeded Westmoreland. Newsweek magazine at the time of Abrams' appointment observed that its sources within the Lyndon Johnson administration had spoken at length with Abrams in the past, and had come away convinced that the general would make few changes. The magazine quoted an unidentified military analyst to
2418-417: The lack of food and subsequent immobility. Dysentery due to unsterile conditions and utensils further weakened many men in the camp. General Patton assigned the mission to Combat Command B (CCB), 4th Armored Division , commanded by Lt. Col. Creighton Abrams . Abrams wanted to use his entire combat command (two battalions and supporting artillery) but was overruled, and instead one company of medium tanks ,
2480-399: The locals en route. This slowed the task force considerably, forcing it to take on more fire than anticipated. Furthermore, a German spotter plane shadowed the column as it neared the camp, which would help coordinate resistance to the task force. A few Jagdpanzer 38(t) "Hetzers" were sent as support. By the afternoon of the 27th, tanks had arrived in sight of the camp. Some of the guards in
2542-570: The other. Most of the American portion of the camp was hastily upgraded in January 1945 after an influx of POWs from the Battle of the Bulge , which began 16 December of the previous year. As Soviets continued a westward advance toward Germany in the winter of 1944, the POW camp Oflag 64 in Schubin , Poland was emptied of its prisoners on 21 January 1945. In the dead of winter, 1,290 POWs headed west into Germany, then south toward Hammelburg. Among them
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2604-498: The task force reached Aschaffenburg , encountering heavy fire that disabled several vehicles, including one of the Sherman tanks . It took until early the next morning to break through the bridgehead just past the German lines. The largest problem facing the force going into the mission was a lack of maps —15 for 57 vehicles—and lack of knowledge of the exact location of the camp, which would have to be obtained through questioning of
2666-428: The task force regrouped again after pulling back to a quiet area near Hill 427 in the early morning hours. Without enough fuel to make it back across the line by now, the task force waited for daylight to travel with visibility to maximize the distance they could travel. Colonel Goode, knowing most of the men would be unable to travel across the line on their own, advised that most of the walking wounded should head back to
2728-434: The task force, purportedly to identify Waters so he could be taken back with them. Diaries that Patton made publicly available indicate he was unaware of Waters' presence there until after the task force had arrived, but a letter written to his wife just after the task force left indicates otherwise. I sent a column to a place forty miles east of where John [Waters] and some 900 prisoners are said to be. I have been nervous as
2790-672: The time of the four power Paris Peace Accords . Although it occurred before he assumed total command, Abrams bore the brunt of fallout from the My Lai massacre in March 1968. Nixon grew increasingly dissatisfied with Abrams' performance during Operation Lam Son 719 and had debated for some time whether to recall Abrams. On May 4, 1972, a little more than a month after the onset of the Easter Offensive, Nixon resolved to replace Abrams with his former deputy General Frederick Weyand , but
2852-443: The time the men from Schubin arrived at Oflag XIII-B, the numbers in the officer camp swelled to over 1,400, though it was by far less than the estimated 5,000-man population in the enlisted men's camp by that time. Conditions at the camp were miserable for both the prisoners and their guards. The winter of 1944 was considered one of the coldest on record. The seven 5-room buildings each were crowded with two hundred men. One small room
2914-578: The true reasons behind the mission, which most likely was to liberate Patton's son-in-law, John K. Waters , taken captive in Tunisia in 1943. The result of the mission was a complete failure; of the roughly 300 men of the task force, 32 were killed in action during the raid and only 35 made it back to Allied -controlled territory, with the remainder being taken prisoner. All of the 57 tanks , jeeps , and other vehicles were lost. Camp Hammelburg, located just 1.8 miles (3 km) south from its namesake town,
2976-409: Was Lt. Col. John K. Waters , General Patton's son-in-law, who had been captured in Tunisia in February 1943. Col. Paul Goode, the senior ranking officer at the camp, kept a list of the men in his ranks, which would have helped U.S. intelligence keep track of where the officers were. Traveling 340 miles (547 km)—mostly by foot—in 7 weeks time, the men arrived at their destination on 9 March. By
3038-489: Was alleged to have offered Baum a Medal of Honor for a successful completion of the mission. As a Medal of Honor warrants an investigation into the events behind the awarding of it, which Patton would not have wanted, Baum received a Distinguished Service Cross . Patton awarded it to him personally. It is disputed whether Patton knew his son-in-law was being held at the camp, but many at the camp and Abraham Baum believed so. Patton sent an aide, Major Alexander Stiller , with
3100-633: Was an infantry division of the German Heer during World War II . The division was active in two iterations: the initial 251st Infantry Division was deployed in 1939 and dissolved in November 1943, but another formation by the same name was deployed in September 1944, essentially destroyed in January and formally dissolved in March 1945. The 251st Infantry Division was formed on the day of German general mobilization , 26 August 1939, as part of
3162-607: Was born in the Bronx, New York, 29 March 1921. He died, age 91, at his home in Rancho Bernardo, California on 3 March 2013. Baum fought at Normandy, suffering shrapnel wounds in a mine field. By March he was a battle-toughened officer. Surprised when Patton personally gave him his orders for the raid to Hammelburg, he later remarked: "I thought, what the hell am I doing here?" 251st Infantry Division The 251st Infantry Division ( German : 251. Infanterie-Division )
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#17328024982133224-400: Was horse-drawn. On 31 January 1940, the 251st Infantry Division transferred the 3rd Battalion of Infantry Regiment 471 and the 2nd Battery of Artillery Regiment 251 to the newly formed 299th Infantry Division , part of the eighth Aufstellungswelle . On 1 October 1940, the 251st Infantry Division lost a third of its personnel, including the staff and 3rd Battalion of Infantry Regiment 451,
3286-521: Was in charge of the Cambodian Incursion in 1970. President Nixon seemed to hold Abrams in high regard, and often relied on his advice. In a tape-recorded conversation between Nixon and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger on December 9, 1970, Nixon told Kissinger about Abrams' thoughts on intervention in Cambodia that: "If Abrams strongly recommends it we will do it." Troop levels in Vietnam eventually reached 25,000 in January 1973, at
3348-439: Was no moon out that night, so only artificial light could be used for navigation , which could be spotted easily by the growing number of German troops in the area. Only one reconnaissance jeep was able to scout ahead of the column to find an escape route. Sometimes the tanks had to be turned off entirely to avoid detection by a growing German encirclement. Nearing Höllrich in the black of night, Task Force Baum encountered
3410-513: Was not marked by the public optimism of his predecessors, who were prone to press conferences and public statements. Lewis Sorley asserted that in contrast to Westmoreland, Abrams implemented counterinsurgency tactics that focused on winning the hearts and minds of the Vietnamese rural population. A joint military-civilian organization named Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support under CIA official William Colby carried out
3472-406: Was originally used as a military training ground before World War I and again before World War II. It was converted into two separate POW camps during the second war; Stalag XIII-C for Allied enlisted men and Oflag XIII-B for Allied officers. Originally, all of the Oflag camp's occupants were Serb officers. The camp was later split into sections of American officers on one side and Serbs in
3534-545: Was promoted to general in 1964 and appointed Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Army . He was seriously considered as a candidate for chief of staff. Due to concerns about the conduct of the Vietnam War, he was appointed as deputy to his West Point classmate, General William Westmoreland , commander of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), in May 1967. Abrams succeeded Westmoreland as COMUSMACV on June 10, 1968. His tenure of command
3596-479: Was replaced by Karl Burdach as divisional commander. The 251st Infantry Division was dissolved on 2 November 1943. The division staff subsequently formed the staff of Corps Detachment E. The first battalions of Regiments 451 and 459 joined the Corps Detachment E as Division Group 251, whereas the staffs of Regiments 459 and 471 formed the staffs of Jäger Regiments 54 and 52. On 10 March 1943, Burdach
3658-414: Was replaced by Maximilian Felzmann as divisional commander. He was briefly substituted by Eugen König in early April, then assumed command again until 15 November 1943. The former and subsequent 251st Infantry Division was known as Corps Detachment E between November 1943 and September 1944. Following a directive on 27 September 1944, Corps Detachment E was once again restructured to once more become
3720-518: Was still in command until the dissolution of the 251st Infantry Division. Creighton Abrams Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. (September 15, 1914 – September 4, 1974) was a United States Army general who commanded military operations in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1972. He was then Chief of Staff of the United States Army from 1972 until his death in 1974. In 1980, the United States Army named its then new main battle tank ,
3782-422: Was to house 40 prisoners on bunk beds , while coal was rationed out to heat the furnaces at a rate of just 48 briquettes per stove every 3 days. Although some men were able to scavenge for wood nearby, it still was not enough to keep the soldiers warm. The average temperature in the rooms at any time was estimated to be 20 °F (−7 °C). Food was just as scarce as heat. Initially, the men in camps were given
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#17328024982133844-596: Was twice decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism, on September 20 and December 26, 1944. General George Patton said of him: "I'm supposed to be the best tank commander in the Army, but I have one peer—Abe Abrams. He's the world champion." Frequently the spearhead of the Third Army during World War II, Abrams was one of the leaders in the relief effort that broke up
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