World War II Honoree

Robert A. Battenberg

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

South Bend, Indiana

ENTERED SERVICE ON DECEMBER 1, 1942 IN TOLEDO, OHIO. JOINED COMPANY C, 325TH GLIDER INFANTRY REGIMENT FOR BASIC TRAINING. THE REGIMENT WAS PERMANENTLY ASSIGNED TO THE 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION. DUTY AS COMMUNICATION CHIEF WAS TO KEEP IN RADIO CONTACT WITH OTHER UNITS OF THE OPERATION. WHEN THE ENEMY DETECTED THE FREQUENCY BEING USED, IT COULD LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE RADIO SIGNAL ON MAP COORDINATES AND ZERO IN 88MM ARTILLERY FIRE ON THE REGIMENT. THE UNIT SAILED TO CASABLANCA, THEN BY GLIDER TO SICILY. FROM SICILY IT WENT BY LANDING CRAFT TO A POINT NEAR SALERNO WHERE THE MEN CLIMBED 4000 FOOT MOUNT SAINT ANGELO DI CAVA TO RELIEVE RANGER UNITS. NEXT WAS A STAY IN NAPLES FOR POLICING DUTIES, THEN A RETURN TO ENGLAND FOR REPLACEMENTS AND TO PREPARE FOR THE INVASION OF FRANCE. THE 325TH LANDED BY GLIDER ON D-DAY PLUS 1 AND ADVANCED THROUGH NORMANDY. IN MID-SEPTEMBER IT PARTICIPATED IN MARKET GARDEN, THE LARGEST AIRBORNE OPERATION EVER. NEXT WAS A TRIP TO HOLLAND TO SECURE THE WAAL BRIDGE AT NIJMEGEN TO HELP BRITISH PARATROOPERS AVOID CAPTURE. DURING THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE THE REGIMENT WAS DUG IN AT BARAQUE DE FRAITURE AGAINST 2 GERMAN DIVISIONS. THE 82ND HIT THE SIEGFRIED LINE JANUARY 31, 1945 AND THE 325TH AND 504TH REGIMENTS CRACKED IT IN 3 DAYS. AFTER GERMANY SURRENDERED THE 82ND AND ASSIGNED UNITS SERVED AS THE OCCUPATION FORCE IN THE AMERICAN SECTOR OF BERLIN. HE RECEIVED AN HONORABLE DISCHARGE ON SEPTEMBER 19, 1945 AT CAMP ATTERBURY, INDIANA WITH THE RANK OF STAFF SERGEANT. AWARDED THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER RIBBON WITH 6 BRONZE STARS AND A BRONZE SERVICE ARROWHEAD, GOOD CONDUCT RIBBON, DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION AND A BRONZE STAR MEDAL.