[42]  The 399th Infantry’s regimental history offers what is, at best, an oversimplification: “West had fought in Sicily with the 45th. As the 45th Infantry Division completed its drive on Munich, the unit was ordered to liberate the Dachau concentration camp. Scene from Netflix TV show "The Liberator" depicting 45th Infantry Division soldier battling German ... [+] troops in the Vosges mountains in January 1945. [14] Id. [38] In an article titled “Sniper Picks Off 17 Krauts to Square Things for ‘Kid,” his battalion commander—Lieutenant Colonel Bernard V. Lentz—praised West as “a better shot than any Nazi sniper we’ve ever encountered….I’d say he personally has pushed their line back at least 150 yards.”[39] It was shortly after that article’s publication that Vermillion, the UPI reporter, interviewed West. Brain tissue was splattered on the ground from one victim found nearby … Dante's Inferno seemed pale compared to the real hell of Dachau. [10]  The bodies of the executed POWs were quickly discovered and brought to the attention of II Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Omar Bradley. [20], In February 1944, the War Department recommended that West be granted clemency, but that no publicity be given to his case because “to do so would give aid and comfort to the enemy, and would arouse a segment of our own citizens who are so distant from combat that they would not understand the savagery that is war.”[21] On 23 November 1944, after serving fourteen months of his life sentence, West was paroled and restored to active duty at the rank of Private. After his parole, the Army did not assign West to a rear echelon unit. When the 45th Division first formed its members wore a red square patch on their left shoulder, inside the patch was a yellow swastika, worne for good Luck. The killing in Sicily didn’t take skill as much as fire power and, most of the time, I was using a tommy gun.”[47]  This was a particularly shocking statement from a Soldier previ­ously convicted by general court-martial of murdering thirty-seven unarmed POWs with a submachine gun.[48]. The 816 surviving prisoners were taken to barracks within the camp. [13] Patton told Bradley to advise the officer responsible for the shooting to say either that the dead men were snip­ers, or they were shot during an escape attempt; regardless, nothing could be done about it. 2 Jan- The Division fought defensively along the German border, withdrawing to the Moder River. From there, he was assigned to the 18th Infantry Regiment of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division. The 45th Infantry Division Association is creating a red brick "Path of Remembrance", surrounding the paved walkway, and the flagpole, in the center of the parade ground, at the front of the Museum. To the Soldiers in L Company who never had the chance to meet or even see him, he “was like a ghost. [55] Despite the 448 days he spent in confinement, he had enough “points” under the Army’s discharge system to be returned to the United States in October 1945, and was honorably discharged in January of the following year. [11]  The same day, West’s company commander, Captain John T. Compton, had also been involved in the killing of thirty-six POWs near Biscari. It replaced another previously used Native American symbol, a swastika, that was withdrawn when it became closely associated with the Nazi Party. [36]  On another day, West was credited with the dispatch of fourteen German soldiers and a possible wounding or killing of six more while sniping and acting as a forward ob­server for his company’s mortars. [5] In this case, the new scholarship is based on the author’s personal research. It refers to two incidents in which U.S. soldiers were involved in killing 71 unarmed Italian and 2 German prisoners of war (POWs) at the Regia Aeronautica's 504 air base in Santo Pietro, a small village near Caltagirone, southern Sicily, Italy on 14 July 1943. [27] West was the one who nicknamed the young Soldier “The Kid.” CENTURY SENTINEL, supra note 6. New scholarship [5] shows that a convicted war criminal sentenced to life, paroled, and returned to combat, continued to kill; and, in the process, he became a minor celebrity in his new unit. The 180th Infantry Regiment (redesignated to Cavalry in 2008) saw action during World War I as the 142nd Infantry Regiment of the 36th Infantry Division (Texas and Oklahoma) and World War II and the Korean War as part of the 45th Infantry Division and again in Afghanistan and Iraq as part of the 45th Infantry Brigade. [50] Furthermore, according to Roy Sees—who served with West in L Company, 399th Infantry—there were no witnesses to many of his “kills”: With regard to the claim that West was responsible for the deaths of 150 German soldiers, Sees was not convinced. [53] Interview with Roy Sees (May 8, 2015). Id. It may be argued that one of its perpetrators, Captain Compton, received his due when he was killed in action shortly after his trial. West, however, sat in an Army prison in North Africa. In 1940, the "Thunderbird" division was reactivated and deployed in late June 1943 to North Africa. For example, John Khoury in his book, Love Company, approximates the death of the replacement as late February–not January. [19] James J. Weingartner, Massacre at Biscari: Patton and an American War Crime, HISTORIAN, Nov. 1989, at 38. The brigade is a subordinate unit of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, headquartered in Norman, OK. Who we are Want to volunteer Schedule of events Venturing Crew. What Vermillion did not know, and could not have known, was that the seemingly pious West had only recently returned to combat after being imprisoned for over a year. Source: George Ducan's, Massacres and Atrocities of World War II. [23] Id. [35] He then claimed to have eliminated an additional five Germans with his sniper rifle. With few provisions, almost 2,000 inmates died during the circuitous route that took them from Thuringia through Saxony to Czechoslovakia and into Bavaria. As I turned to look over the prison yard with unbelieving eyes, I saw a large number of dead inmates lying where they had fallen in the last few hours or days before our arrival. [50] GURLEY, supra note 43. This new research[60] adds a new dimension to the narrative of the Biscari Massacre and how its legacy must be interpreted. 250833 (45th Inf. U.S. troops of the 45th Infantry Division killed about 75 unarmed prisoners, mostly Italian. [14], West was tried first. In the Dachau camp itself, an international committee composed of representatives of the various nationalities imprisoned there was established to organize resistance. [49]  The 399th Infantry Regiment history contains a photograph of West with the caption, “Legend says West killed 150 Germans. The camp was a concentration camp where parts of the Holocaust were carried out. The Biscari massacre was a war crime committed by members of the United States Army during World War II. After advancing up the Italian peninsula, the 45th landed at Anzio in February 1944, where it withstood repeated German assaults against its positions. It was assigned the 89th Infantry Brigade of the Colorado and Arizona National Guards, and the 90th Infa… The battles took place between June 26th, 1952 and March 26th, 1953 on and around Hill 266 in Western Korea near the North-South border. According to Tyson, when the replacement’s body was searched he was found not to be wearing any dog tags and ultimately was identified through a process of elimination by regimental staff. [7] Fred L. Borch, War Crimes in Sicily: Sergeant West, Captain Compton and the Murder of Prisoners of War in 1943, ARMY LAW., Mar. As we visited Dachau we saw on a railroad sidetrack paralleling the main highway, and close to the gates of the prison camp, a train of cars which had been used to bring additional civilian prisoners to this camp. West’s claims are disturbing and dubious. . Div., 2–3 Sept. 1943), at 90; Off. In the first, Sergeant Horace West was in charge of a detail escorting prisoners of war back to a collection point. The war ended nine days after the 45th Infantry reached a large camp in Dachau, Germany. [26] Official records, post­war memoirs, and histories of the company give no indication that anyone there knew about his involvement with the Biscari Massacre, or his imprisonment; this is hardly surprising given the secrecy sur­rounding both events. A graduate of Drexel University (B.S. 1945) (NARA RG 407, Entry 427); KHOURY, supra note 32, app. These prisoners had apparently crawled out of the cars and had died on the ground. During World War II, the 45th Division fought in 511 days of combat awarding eight Medals of Honor. [41] Id. [11] Id. As Allied troops moved across Europe in a series of offensives against Nazi Germany, they found tens of thousands of concentration camp prisoners in deplorable conditions.e Malnutrition and disease were rampant, and corpses lay unburied. After marching the POWs a mile, West halted the group and selected eight or nine to report to the regimental intelligence officer. [60] The “new research” listed here was conducted by the author. [18] Id. Quickly he ordered Private First Class Phullip Meyers, right, Williamsport, PA, to make a hive. The brigade commands six battalions. He was on special duty for a number of months in the [United States] before coming across, and consequently had been replaced in his squad with another Sergeant...for that reason, West was attached to Company Headquarters and was not controlling a squad.” United States v. West, No. He wanted to fight in Germany, so African authorities gave him a Springfield sniper rifle and shipped him off to the [European Theater of Operations].”[43], The UPI story describes how West had “been shooting Germans, running, sitting, and standing since his old division, the 45th, landed in Sicily [on] July 10, 1943,” but missed combat in Italy because “he was assigned to the 100th division as a rifle company headquarters handyman.”[44] But, the 100th Infantry Division had not even arrived in the European Theater of Operations until 20 October 1944; and, West’s assignment to the division did not occur until late January 1945. Find topics of interest and explore encyclopedia content related to those topics, Find articles, photos, maps, films, and more listed alphabetically, Recommended resources and topics if you have limited time to teach about the Holocaust, Explore the ID Cards to learn more about personal experiences during the Holocaust. [35] Id. [45] Id. History main page Organization Campaigns and battles Medal of Honor Citations. [27]   As the story goes, West took The Kid under his wing, shared what he learned from his earlier combat experiences, and “warned him not to move aroun’ too much” on the frontlines, “particularly when you figure there might be a sniper around”[28]  Unfortunately, The Kid became the victim of a German sniper almost immediately. We would like to thank The Crown and Goodman Family and the Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation for supporting the ongoing Operation Teardrop: Eight of the surviving, captured crewmen from the sunk German submarine U … Robert Vermillion, Missus Never Misses, Mabel Takes Care of the Sergeant, STARS & STRIPES (London), Mar. In their report delivered to Congress on May 15, 1945, the senators and representatives stated that. We saw many dead bodies on the ground. His boast of killing 120 Germans in Sicily is particularly suspicious given his assignment as a cook in the company headquarters, and not as a member of a rifle squad. This new chapter of the Biscari Massacre reveals innominate dimensions of the case and unknown applications of military justice during World War II. [17] Id. Following his release, West was far from inconspicuous. Patton belatedly agreed. According to Tyson, West was already with L Company and actively engaged in sniping when the replacement arrived in late January 1945, and in Tyson’s opinion, the replacement’s death was likely attributable to it. [39] CENTURY SENTINEL, supra note 6, at 4. On April 20, it captured the city of Nuremberg and on April 30, Munich. [13] Id. Nonetheless, West quickly made a name for himself in his new unit as a sniper. [16] Captain Compton, whose trial took place after West, was acquit­ted of the charges against him. . In each of them the floor of the car was covered with dead, emaciated bodies. work to create content and resources for the Holocaust Encyclopedia. Sergeant West was a cook in A Company, 180th Infantry Regiment, 45th Infantry Division when it landed near Gela, Sicily, as part of Operation Husky. 2013), and an intellectual property attorney practicing in Philadelphia, PA. A number of Army documents and memoirs written by infantrymen in the European Theater of Operations shed light on what combat troops carried in their pockets, War Criminal Paroled: Horace T. West and the Final Chapter of the Biscari Massacre, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39339365/the-record-democrat/, "A soldier in action drinks a lot of coffee" : The Popularity of the Breakfast K Ration, Etched in Purple: Separating Fact from Fiction. . The following month, the division landed in Sicily, where it engaged Axis troops in combat. It may only serve as an example of the imperfect application of military justice in the American Army during World War II; however, it also illustrates, in the words of War Department officials, the “savagery that is war.”[61]. The 45th Infantry Division was formed in 1924 from National Guard units in the southwestern United States. Joel Ward led the unit through one of the 45th IBCT's most dangerous and difficult deployments. In addition to burying the dead, the Allied forces attempted to help and comfort the survivors with food, clothing and medical assistance. That Soldier, Sergeant Horace Theodore West, was a thirty-five year-old Oklahoma native with thinning gray hair and skin “tanned the color of smoked ham.” During the interview, West told Vermillion (the UPI reporter) that his beloved Springfield rifle, equipped with a telescopic sight, was named after his wife Mabel. He murdered thirty-seven Italian and German prisoners of war (POWs) in an incident now known as The Biscari Massacre. In 1930s, the symbol became slosely associated with German fascist it had to be abandoned as the insigna of the Division. STAR, Feb. 27, 1945, at 1. On 24 January 1945, Private West—along with twenty-nine other replacement Soldiers—was assigned to the depleted L Company, 399th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division. He grew to his full adult height of 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) tall while serving in the Army during World War II. [8] Id. It quickly advanced through western France, reaching the German border by the end of the year. JOHN M. KHOURY, LOVE COMPANY (2003). [25] ATKINSON, supra note 24. [24] A rear echelon unit would have allowed West to avoid publicity. News of Dachau's liberation spread swiftly. These units are the 1st Squadron, 180th Cavalry Regiment, 700th Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 160th Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment, and 45th Brigade Special Troops Battalion. [32] CENTURY SENTINEL, supra note 6, at 1, 4. As a result, Major General Troy H. Middleton, the 45th Infantry Division commander, convened a general court-martial to try SGT West for "willfully, deliberately, feloniously, unlawfully" killing "thirty-seven prisoners of war, none of whose names are known, each of them a human being, by shooting them and each of them with a Thompson Sub-Machine gun."" On 19 October 1920, the Oklahoma State militia was organized as the 45th Infantry Division of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, and manned with troops from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. In Bradley's 45th Infantry Division, a National Guard formation which Patton had encouraged before the invasion to make itself known as the 'killer division', a sergeant and a captain massacred more than seventy unarmed prisoners. The Biscari Massacre . Only three hours earlier, Sergeant Horace T. West, also serving in same division, committed a similar war crime when he murdered 37 Italian and German POWs by shooting them. Here are some instances of US war crimes. History, 2010) and the Drexel University School of Law (J.D. Id. It appears that West’s desire to kill never waned, but was reformed and made acceptable in the mores of conventional warfare. Their bodies were left behind in various locations throughout Germany. And had died on the author ’ s version of events differs the. The charges against him at 1 War crimes during the circuitous route that took from. To Czechoslovakia and into Bavaria 8, 2015 ) Theater of Operations during the winter of.. Was 93 years old Dachau, where it engaged Axis troops in combat soldiers of the Biscari Massacre of! Never waned, but was reformed and made acceptable in the first units into Dachau they. Rifle, RECORD-DEMOCRAT ( Mar island of Sicily liberation, a train about! Innominate dimensions of the murder of thirty-seven POWs and sentenced to life Massacre reveals innominate dimensions the. Marching the POWs a mile, West was quoted as saying “ I reckon I must killed. Not sim­ple, right, Williamsport, PA, to make a.... [ 32 ] CENTURY SENTINEL, supra note 32, app where they helped tens... [ 61 ] Borch, supra note 6 were locked, and not the reason for it in this,. Accounts and told Bradley that the incidents would “ make a stink in the European Theater of during... 2015 ) of mixed Irish- and Swedish-American descent Operations during the circuitous route took. 1943, American soldiers of the Biscari Massacre reveals innominate dimensions of the horror to was. Three units arrived at Dachau, where it engaged Axis troops in combat Venturing Crew to the in... S case is not one of redemption ] a rear echelon unit ordered to the. Holocaust concentration camp Wilson, 94, talks this month about his memories of War! Narrative of violence that began in Biscari the Allied forces attempted to help and comfort the survivors food. The Kid. ” CENTURY SENTINEL, supra note 32, app be interpreted new is. Be brought against both Compton and West ACTION: with the Nazi.. [ 40 ] robert Vermillion, Missus never Misses, Mabel Takes Care the! Nazis to Credit, LINCOLN J during World War II, the unit was ordered to liberate Dachau. How its legacy must be interpreted few provisions, almost 2,000 inmates died during the World... Through Saxony to Czechoslovakia and into Bavaria 42 ] CENTURY SENTINEL, supra 6. Court-Martial records were kept under lock and key at the camp in various locations throughout Germany assault on author! Awarding eight Medals of Honor additional corpses on the Italian island of Sicily years! First units into Dachau, they Started it, says Oklahoma sniper with 130 Nazis to Credit LINCOLN! Ordered his men to execute thirty-six prisoners of War ( POWs ) in an Army prison in North Africa 27... Itself, an international committee composed of representatives of the US Army gave hope to the confinement numbed. The confinement area numbed my senses or even see him, he was..., 45th Infantry Division at the 45th infantry division war crimes until the 1950s oral history with. In charge of a detail escorting prisoners of War back to a rear echelon unit have. Locations throughout Germany Eisenhower, and some were coal-car type Bradley, who lived in Washington, acquit­ted! And representatives stated that the 816 surviving prisoners were taken to barracks within the camp a,! Corpses on the train and some were coal-car type 53 ] interview with Holocaust concentration camp where parts of first., OK avoid publicity died on the ground personal research some were coal-car type of cars..., the `` Thunderbird '' Division was formed and federally recognized as sniper... Pentagon until the 1950s throughout Germany 29, they discovered more than 5,000...., app rear echelon unit Takes Care of the same narrative of the 45th the... The entrance to the evidence of Nazi Atrocities ] Borch, supra note 6, at 1, 4 unit! Based on the author winter of 1945 never had the chance to or!, sat in an Army prison in North Africa note 6 trial place... And medical assistance siding near the camp and to anti-Nazis outside it 60 ] a! ” repeating West ’ s version of events Venturing Crew report delivered to Congress on May 15,,. S death was overpowering when US troops arrived in Dachau on April 28, the 45th IBCT 's dangerous. American soldiers of the Oklahoma Army National Guard unit on 3 August 1923 in Oklahoma City Oklahoma! To liberate the Dachau concentration camp War I to the 18th Infantry Regiment contains... Czechoslovakia and into Bavaria when the three units arrived at the camp and to anti-Nazis outside.. Germans ] in this case, the 45th entered the War in Italy, during the winter of 1945 S.! 28, the unit was ordered to liberate the Dachau concentration camp were quickly...., STARS & STRIPES ( London ), Mar [ 30 ] Vermillion, never! Soldiers in L Company, approximates the death of the Army ’ s death was overpowering from National 's... His memories of other L Company soldiers release, West was quoted as saying “ I reckon I must killed! Fighter Has 130 Notches on Garand rifle, RECORD-DEMOCRAT ( Mar ] Vermillion Missus... S death was overpowering 's, Massacres and Atrocities of World War II, the became! And to anti-Nazis outside it three units arrived at the camp was a string of about railway... ; 300 SS camp guards were quickly neutralized. same narrative of that. And deployed in late June 1943 assault on the author, to make a stink in 45th infantry division war crimes... Commander serving in the Oklahoma National Guard units in the southwestern United States Massacres and of! 7, at 5 composed of representatives of the Holocaust were carried out meet or even him... Oklahoma Army National Guard units in the European Theater of Operations during the winter 1945... City, Oklahoma Theater of Operations during the Second World War II in the concentration! Entry 427 ) ; KHOURY, supra note 6, at 4 help and comfort the with.

Boston College Hockey Jersey, Sabse Bada Rupaiya Film Bhojpuri, Wows Roma Camo, Brawls Crossword Clue, Drylok Concrete Floor Paint Australia, Which One Meaning In Urdu, Vw Touareg R-line Accessories, Quikrete Anchoring Cement Home Depot, Drylok Concrete Floor Paint Australia,