#kesternich

[carbone14]

Soldats de la 78e Division d'infanterie (Lightning) de la 9e Armée américaine entrent dans Kesternich devant deux Jagdpanzer 38(t) abandonnés – Bataille de Kesternich – Campagne de la ligne Siegfried – Kesternich – Allemagne - 2 février 1945

[iowahorde]

Memorial Day: Lyle Geisler joined the Idaho national guard at age 16 (pic 1). In 1943 he transferred to Army Air Corp but his training was cut short as he was transferred to infantry as the military backfilled for projected D-Day casualties. Before he was shipped overseas he spent time home summer 1944 (pic 2). He missed the 78ths initial battles in France as he recovered from appendix surgery. His first initiation to battle was when the 78th launched an attack in mid-December 1944 from this position on Siegfried Line (pic 3). While his battalion was held in reserve they division took Simmerath and then moved on to Kesternich. (pic 4) His company deployed west of town and moved north through this area (pic 5). The Germans furiously fought back as this was the northern shoulder of the planned offensive that would become known as the Battle of Bulge. He spent December and January in this area holding the line. He was wounded and died of his wounds Jan 18 45 (pic 6). He was initially interred in the Margarten (Nederland) US Military Cemetery (pic 7) until his remains were returned home to Nampa, Idaho in 1949. . . #memorialday #memorialdayweekend #ww2 #worldwar2 #inmemorium #usarmy #kesternich #78thdivision