Warriors of the 106th: The Last Infantry Division of World War II

The 106th were fresh, green and right in the pathway of the German 5th Panzer Army when the Battle of the Bulge began at 0530 hours on December 16, 1944. This book covers the history along with the individual stories of the incredible heroism, sacrifice and tenacity of these young Americans in the face of overwhelming odds. From this division 6,800 men were taken prisoner but their story didn’t end there. For the ones who miraculously escaped, there was a battle to fight, and fight it they would with every ounce of strength and courage they could muster. They would fight debilitating weather conditions more reminiscent of Stalingrad than the Belgian Ardennes. They would fight a determined enemy and superior numbers and despite all adversity they would eventually prevail. One 106th GI waged his own personal war using guerilla tactics that caused serious consternation amongst the German troops. For another GI his main concern was recovering his clean underwear. These stories are heartwarming, heartbreaking, nerve-wracking and compelling. They aim to put the reader right there in the front lines, and in the stalags, during the final months of WWII.Table of ContentsForewordAcknowledgementsIntroductionPreface1 Birth of the last infantry division2 The Golden Lions go to war3 Man for man and gun for gun4 Germans everywhere!5 Golden Lions fighting like tigers6 A lot of shooting7 We never surrendered!8 To fight another day9 Property of the Reich10 Holding the crossroads11 The Goose Egg and beyond12 Taking the fight to the Germans13 Dresden: Slaughterhouse-Five14 Seeing it throughEpilogue The Agony GrapevineAppendix 106th Infantry Division: Records & StatisticsBibliographyIndex