Photo of 14th Chemical Maintenance Company soldiers in their WW-II U.S. Army uniforms, taken in front of the Company Command Post (CP) at Nordhausen, Germany in May-June 1945 Unit History 1945

14th Chemical
Maintenance Company

1942-1945


U. S. Army Chemical Corps
World War II

14th soldiers at Nordhausen, Germany
Taken circa May-June 1945
Source: T/5 David O. Meeker, Jr.  

 


"Under the provisions of War Department Circular 34b, 23 August 1944, the Meritorious Service Unit Plaque is awarded to the 14th Chemical Maintenance Company, United States Army, for superior performance of duty in the accomplishment of exceptionally difficult tasks during the period 1 November 1944 to 31 December 1944."

--Lt. General Courtney H. Hodges, Commander, 1st U.S. Army
General Order No. 51, 30 March 1945


This page focuses on what is believed to be the 14th's final year of service.  This is part of what is believed to be the first attempt at a comprehensive history of the unit.  It is very much a work in progress.  The center column of this page lists what the company was doing and where it was located.  The column on the right will feature quotes from primary and secondary sources that are intended to give insights into what the times, and the soldiers' lives, were like. 
Contributions of information and photos for this history are both encouraged and welcomed.  To learn how, visit the Help Needed page.  All who provide information and/or photos that are used on this site will be credited by name on the Contributors page.  Together we can create a tribute to the men of the 14th, who helped the U.S. 1st Army defeat the forces of fascism in Western Europe and preserve the freedoms currently enjoyed in the United States and Western Europe.  Thank you!

Abbreviations and definitions: Bn=Battalion; Capt=rank of Captain; CMC=Chemical Maintenance Company; CML=Chemical; Comdr=Commander; CWS=Chemical Weapons Service; EM=Enlisted Man or Men; fillers=replacements; Hq=Headquarters; hrs=hours; Mjr=rank of Major; Pfc=rank of Private First Class; Trans=Transferred; T/Sergt=Technical Sergeant; 1st Lt=rank of First Lieutenant; and 2nd Lt=rank of Second Lieutenant.

Sources: Fourteenth Chemical Maintenance Company Historical Record, 1942-1945, U.S. Army report covering period 30 July 1942 to 31 August 1945 (author unknown, not dated); and other items as noted.

Months Synopsis of 14th's Service Quotes

January
1945

Bronze Stars.  Camped at Ensival (Verviers), Belgium.  Strength: 4 Officers, 132 EM.

08  Awarded Bronze Star Medals.
  Capt. Donald S. Angell
  1st Lt. Walter Kovacs
  T/Sergt. Bigler
  T/Sergt. Ingvaldson.

16 - German forces driven from Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge ends)

22  Appointed 1st Lt.
  2nd Lt. Martin F. Wintje

During month gained 2 Officers and 29 EM, lost 1 Officer and no EM.


 

February
1945

Highest Manning.  Camped at Ensival (Verviers), Belgium.  Strength: 6 Officers, 145 EM.

No record of gains and losses for month.


 

March
1945

Into Germany.  Camped at Ensival (Verviers), Belgium.  Strength: 3 Officers, 114 EM.

04  Trans. by motor convoy through Aachen, Stolberg, and Eschweiler to Rolsdorf (near Duren), Nordhein-Westfalen, Germany.

19  Trans. by motor convoy through Euskirchen to Duisdorf (a suburb of Bonn), Nordhein-Westfalen,  Germany.

23  Trans. to hospital due to wounds from land mine explosion.
  Pfc. Washburn
  Private J. Johnson

During month gained 0 Officers and 0 EM, lost 0 Officers and 4 EM.


"Two of our men were out looking for souvenirs this afternoon between supper and dark.  They were late getting back and cut across a field on the way back and stepped on a anti-personnel mine.  It hurt both of them pretty bad and they both are in the hospital.  They were Washburn and Wm. Johnson."
--S/Sgt Herbert Landers, personal diary, 12 Mar 45.

April
1945

Meritorious Unit.  Located at Duisdorf (a suburb of Bonn), Germany.  Strength: 3 Officers, 109 EM.

02  Trans. by motor convoy through Siegen to Marburg, Hessen, Germany.

05  Unit learns it has been awarded Meritorious Service Unit Plaque by the 1st U.S. Army.

09  Trans. by motor convoy through Kassel to Warburg, Nordhein-Westfalen, Germany.

16  Trans. by motor convoy through Kassel to Nordhausen, Thuringen, Germany.

21  Co. reorganized under TO&E 3-47 dated 22 November 1944, Co. strength 3 Officers and 90 EM.

27  Trans. to 60th CML Deport Co.
  1st Lt. Martin F. Wintje

During month gained 0 Officers and 3 EM, lost 1 Officer and 3 EM.


"Today we moved from Bonn to Marberg, Germany, 108 miles beyond the Rhine River.  It rained most all the way here.  We are living in a barracks that was used to house refugees.  Today we passed lots and lots of burned and wrecked German vehicles on the way here."
--S/Sgt Herbert Landers, personal diary, 02 Apl 45.

"Today we moved again.  This time we moved to Nordhausen, Germany.  Our area is just across the highway from the concentration camp.  It is sure a mess."
--S/Sgt Herbert Landers, personal diary, 16 Apl 45.

"...the German people have not shown themselves worthy of their Fuhrer..."

--Adolph Hitler, statement made shortly before he killed himself 30 Apl 45, leaving control of Germany to Admiral Karl Doenitz

May
1945

Victory in Europe.  Located at Nordhausen, Germany.  Strength: 3 Officers, 109 EM.

04 - German forces in Holland and NW Germany surrender.

08 - Victory Europe (VE Day)

10  Appointed comdr of gas mask repair platoon, and Co. personnel officer, Mess Officer and Postal Officer.
  1st Lt. Arthur C. Schoenewaldt, Jr.

16  Co. learns it has been reassigned from 1st Army to 9th Army effective 11 May 1945.

During month gained 0 Officers and 0 EM, lost 0 Officers and 15 EM.


"Doenitz at last saw the inevitability of compliance and the surrender instrument was signed by [Field Marshal Alfred] Jodl at two forty-one in the morning of May 7.  All hostilities were to cease at midnight May 8."
--U.S. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, in his 1948 book Crusade in Europe

June
1945

Headed Home.  Located at Nordhausen, Germany.  Strength: 3 Officers, 92 EM.

12  Trans. to St. Falery, France.  2 Officers and 83 EM move by troop train.  1 Officer and 9 enlisted men drove Co. vehicles through in convoy departed Nordhausen 1830 hrs. (6:30 pm).

17  Personnel on troop train and on motor convoy rejoined at Camp Lucky Strike near St. Valery, France.

18-22  Packing and marking of Co. and personal equipment in preparation for return to United States.

24  Entire Co., consisting of 3 Officers and 92 EM, entrained at 0600 hrs. (6:00 am) for Le Havre, France, where they embarked at 0930 hrs. (9:00 am) on troopship "SS Benjamin Huntington" which sailed for the U.S. at 1415 hrs. (2:15 pm).

During month gained 0 Officers and 0 EM, lost 0 Officers and 2 EM.


 

July
1945

Homecoming.  Located onboard ship crossing Atlantic Ocean.  Strength: 3 Officers, 92 EM.

07  Arrived at New York Port of Embarkation, disembarked from Benjamin Huntington and moved by motor convoy to Camp Shanks, New York.

08  2 Officers and 91 EM placed on temporary duty at their homes "for 30 days recuperation."  1st Lt. Walter Kovacs and 1 EM in custody of Co. records departed Camp Shanks for Camp Polk, Louisiana, the 14th's new permanent station.

13  Co. now officially located at Camp Polk, Louisiana.  1st Lt. Walter Kovacs placed on temporary duty at his home "for 30 days recuperation."  Maj. George J. Powell appointed acting commanding Officer in absence of all other commissioned personnel. 

During month gained 0 Officers and 0 EM, lost 0 Officers and 0 EM.


The Steam Ship (S.S.) Benjamin Huntington was a Liberty ship (Hull No. 0107) built in Houston, Texas, by the Todd-Houston Shipbuilding Corporation.  Its keel was laid 04 Jul 42, it was launched 11 Sep 42, and delivered to the government on 30 Sep 42, less than 3 months after construction began.  For more information, visit the Liberty Ships Project by Peter Thompson, University of Houston.

August
1945

Intensive Training.  Located at Camp Polk, Louisiana.  Strength: 3 Officers, 92 EM. 

06 - Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.

09 - Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan.

14  1 Officer and 38 EM trans. to duty from temporary duty for recuperation.  1st Lt. Arthur C. Schoenewaldt, Jr. assumed command of Co.

15 - Victory Japan (VJ Day)

20  Returned to duty from temporary duty for recuperation and assumed command of Co.
  Capt. Donald S. Angell 

21  Co. started first week of Intensive training program prescribed for redeployed troops.

22  Co. records inspected by 4th Army Inspector Generals Staff.

During month gained 0 Officers and 4 EM, lost 0 Officers and 44 EM.


 

September
1945

WW-II Ends.  Located at Camp Polk, Louisiana.


World War II officially ends 02 Sep 45 when representatives of the Japanese government sign surrender documents on the battleship U.S.S. Missouri (BB-63) anchored in Tokyo Bay, Japan.

October
1945

 

 

November
1945

 

 

December
1945

 

 

This page Copyright by Our Fathers' Footsteps All Rights Reserved.
Created July 30, 2001. Last updated March 8, 2009.

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