I have just recently completed an exact copy of my Grandfathers WW2 Eisenhower Jacket. His original was lost long ago but everything you see is original WW2
My Pa was a Combat Medic in the 99th Infantry Division 395th Infantry Regiment.
A few notes on the 99th.
The 99th arrived in England on 10 October 1944, it moved to Le Havre, France on 3 November and proceeded to Aubel, Belgium, to prepare to enter the front lines.
The division first saw action on the 9 November, taking over the defense of the sector north of the Roer River between Schmidt and Monschau, a distance of nearly 19 miles. After defensive patrolling, the 99th probed the Siegfried Line against heavy resistance on 13 December. Formerly known as the Checkerboard Division, which referred to its shoulder patch, in late 1944 having not yet seen battle, it was nicknamed the Battle Babies.
The US 99th Infantry Division, outnumbered five to one, inflicted casualties in the ratio of 18 to one. The division lost about 20% of its effective strength, including 465 killed and 2,524 evacuated due to wounds, injuries, fatigue, or trench foot. German losses were much higher. In the northern sector opposite the 99th, this included more than 4,000 deaths and the destruction of 60 tanks and big guns. Historian John S.D. Eisenhower wrote, "... the action of the 2nd and 99th Divisions on the northern shoulder could be considered the most decisive of the Ardennes campaign."
The stiff American defense prevented the Germans from reaching the vast array of supplies near the Belgian cities of Liège and Spa and the road network west of the Elsenborn Ridge leading to the Meuse River. After more than 10 days of intense battle, they pushed the Americans out of the villages, but were unable to dislodge them from the ridge, where elements of the V Corps of the First U.S. Army prevented the German forces from reaching the road network to their west.
Map depicting the northern shoulder of the Battle of the Bulge, or Ardennes Offensive, in which the German Sixth Panzer Army attacked the United States' 99th Infantry Division, but could not dislodge them. The 99th Division's effective defense of the sector prevented the Germans from accessing the valuable road network and considerably slowed their timetable, allowing the Allies to bring up additional reinforcements.
On at least six occasions they called in artillery strikes on or directly in front of their own positions.
The inexperienced troops of the division were lodged on the northern shoulder of the Ardennes Offensive on 16 December. Although cut up and surrounded in part, the 99th was one of the only divisions that did not yield to the German attack, and held their positions until reinforcements arrived. The lines were then moved back to form defensive positions east of Elsenborn Ridge on the 19th. Here it held firmly against violent enemy attacks. From 21 December 1944 to 30 January 1945, the unit was engaged in aggressive patrolling and reequipping. It attacked toward the Monschau Forest, 1 February, mopping up and patrolling until it was relieved for training and rehabilitation, 13 February.
The 99th were one of the spearhead Divisions and my Grandfathers Regiment was often tasked with very hard OPS
During the first confusing days of the Ardennes Offensive the US troops were taken completely by surprise and many us servicemen were taken prisoner by normal German troops but the SS did not take prisoners.
Orders came down from Command that EVERY able bodied man was to be an Infantryman until further notice, that meant clerks, cooks, truck drivers and even my grandfather who was a medic and did not carry a firearm.
He was a rifleman and medic for 3 1/2 weeks during the Ardennes Offensive also known as The Battle of the Bulge, battling the Germans and patching up the wounded enemy up after engagements (yes this did happen)
My grandfather also received the Bronze Star for actions during the Ardennes Offensive, they were on combat patrol and they came in contact with the Siegfried line and were instantly hit by Mortars, MG42 and MG34 MG fire my grandfather pulled several hit GI's from the spots they were hit braving the most furious MG fire no less than 7 times.
On 28 January 1945, after six weeks of the most intense and relentless combat of the war in the biggest battle of World War II, involving approximately 1.3 million men, the Allies declared the Ardennes Offensive, or Battle of the Bulge, officially over. The 3rd Battalion, 395th Regiment had acquitted itself with valor, having held its lines despite the harsh winter weather, the enemy's numerical superiority and greater numbers of armored units.
My Grandfather will forever be my hero!