TRUSCOTT AND VI CORPS TO BE HONORED AT BIG LUXEUIL CELEBRATIONS IN SEPTEMBER 2011 September 9–21, 2011: Col. (Ret.) Wilson A. Heefner, author of Dogface Soldier: The Life of General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., and an associate member of Outpost 54, will lead a tour retracing Truscott's VI Corps advance from the ANVIL/DRAGOON landing beaches of southern France northward through the Rhône Valley to the Vosges at Luxeuil in pursuit of the German Nineteenth Army. Luxeuil is staging a two-day Liberation Festival at which Colonel Heefner's VI Corps veterans, family members, and friends will be guests of honor. For more details, contact Colonel Heefner:
[email protected]; (209) 951–4748; 7205 Park Woods Drive, Stockton, CA 95207–1409.
Col. Wilson Heefner (AUS, Ret.) is the author of the recently published, highly praised Dogface Soldier: The Life of General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr. Truscott was 3d Infantry Division's commander in Italy, and assumed command of VI Corps (3d, 36th and 45th Infantry Divisions) in the Anzio beachhead, leading it during the drive to and capture of Rome. In August 1944 VI Corps spearheaded Seventh Army's invasion of southern France. In September this year, Colonel Heefner will lead an historic VI Corps veteran’s tour in General Truscott's honor from the French Riviera to the Vosges. He will retrace Truscott's advance from the ANVIL/DRAGOON landing beaches of southern France, as his corps pursued the German Nineteenth Army up the Rhône Valley to Luxeuil-lesBains on the southern edge of the Vosges near the Belfort Gap, advancing five hundred miles in just over a month. It was a spectacular military achievement, graphically and comprehensively described in Dogface Soldier, a review of which appears elsewhere in this issue. The people of Luxeuil and the surrounding region were overjoyed when they heard the news of Colonel Heefner's tour, because General Truscott and his VI Corps were their liberators. The Committee for the Luxeuil Liberation Commemoration was already planning a special two day anniversary festival on September 17 and 18 to celebrate their 1944 liberation and were coordinating with their 3d Infantry Division good friend John Shirley to spread the word and invite veterans and their families to Luxeuil as guests of honor, with a generous offer of two nights free accommodation and meals. You have probably seen John Shirley's notice "An Invitation to 3rd Infantry Division WWII Veterans" in the February 2011 issue of The Watch on the Rhine. It appears again in this issue. Now here was the chance for a wonderful two–day joint celebration in Luxeuil with Colonel Heefner's VI Corps veterans group. Colonel Heefner is an associate member of California's Outpost 54, of which John Shirley is the current president. The two of them, working in conjunction with MilSpec Tours, Patrick Hinchey, and the citizens of Luxeuil, have organized the itinerary so that
the tour group will be in Luxeuil for the two–day joint celebration of the liberated and the liberators. There is also an optional four–day extension tour in Switzerland retracing General Truscott's brief visit to Switzerland in July 1945. Interest in organizing this tour arose after the publication of Dogface Soldier: The Life of General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., authored by Colonel Wilson A. Heefner (AUS, Ret.). It follows the path of Truscott's VI Corps that spearheaded Seventh Army's ANVIL/DRAGOON landings on the French Riviera and the corps’ pursuit of the German Nineteenth Army up the Rhône Valley to the Vosges Mountains. Martin Blumenson, eminent WWII official historian and biographer of General Patton told Colonel Heefner that he considered Truscott to be one the greatest of the American World War II combat commanders. Blumenson was mystified why no historian had written Truscott's biography and encouraged Heefner to do so. We are privileged to have Colonel Heefner as our military historian, expert and lecturer on this tour. His knowledge and insights will make it a memorable and unique military history experience. He holds degrees from Gettysburg College (B.A.), the University of Maryland School of Medicine (M.D.), and the University of Hawaii (M.A., U.S. History), and is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College. The tour has been planned and organized by Patrick Hinchy, one of the most experienced veterans tour directors in Europe today. Patrick is multi-lingual and has a Master's Degree from Oxford University. He is highly recommended by Alan Reeves, the longtime National Commander of the SHAEF Veterans, for whom Patrick has planned and guided several SHAEF veterans’ tours. Alan Reeves took part in Seventh Army's ANVIL/DRAGOON landings with VI Corps's 45th Division, while on a special SHAEF mission to capture the Gestapo headquarters in Marseille. September 9–21, 2011: Col. (Ret.) Wilson A. Heefner, author of Dogface Soldier: The Life of General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., and an associate member of Outpost 54, will lead a tour retracing Truscott's VI Corps advance from the ANVIL/DRAGOON landing beaches of southern France northward through the Rhône Valley to the Vosges at Luxeuil in pursuit of the German Nineteenth Army. Luxeuil is staging a two-day Liberation Festival at which Colonel Heefner's VI Corps veterans, family members, and friends will be guests of honor. For more details, contact Colonel Heefner:
[email protected]; (209) 951–4748; 7205 Park Woods Drive, Stockton, CA 95207–1409.
Day 1 FRI SEPT 9: ARRIVAL NICE Everyone arrives independently at our Nice hotel, which you can easily reach from Nice Airport. You have full instructions and an emergency phone number in your Final Documents, sent to you in advance. Our tour starts with cocktails and a Welcome Dinner.
Colonel Heefner and Patrick Hinchy introduce themselves and brief the group about the fascinating days to come. (D) Day 2 SAT SEPT 10: NICE–FREJUS Today and tomorrow we concentrate on the ANVIL/DRAGOON landings of Truscott's VI Corps. On the beautiful Riviera coast just southwest of Cannes, we cross the Blue Line, the eastern end of the ANVIL/DRAGOON beachhead. The French Naval Assault Group (Rosie Force) landed nearby to defend it. We continue to 36th ID's Camel landing beaches, the hardest beaches to capture. They were close to St Raphaël and the historic Roman port of Fréjus. Truscott knew the greatest danger of a German counterattack was here. In the afternoon there is an official reception. Our hotel is in Fréjus. (B, L) DAY 3 SUN SEPT 11: FREJUS Southwest along the Riviera with its smart resorts, we visit 45th ID's Delta landing beaches near Ste Maxime and 3d ID's Alpha landing beaches near St Tropez and Cavalaire, followed by an extended break for lunch and sightseeing in St Tropez. This afternoon we see where the French North African commando group (Romeo Force) defended the western end of the Blue Line and we go by boat to the enchanting Hyères islands, attacked by 1st SSF (Sitka Force) to knock out the German artillery. Then we return through the beachhead zone to Fréjus. (B, L) DAY 4 MON SEPT 12: FREJUS–GAP From Fréjus we drive inland along the Argens river valley to Le Muy, where 1st Airborne Task Force (Rugby Force) landed to block any German counterattack towards Fréjus and the coast. Le Muy is also where Truscott's Task Force Butler, followed by 36th ID, began its spectacular dash through Draguignan, over the beautiful pre-alpine mountains and along the Route Napoléon to Sisteron and Gap. We follow the same route as nearly as we can, but first we stop at Draguignan's peaceful Rhône American Cemetery for wreathlaying and "Taps." Our hotel is in Gap. (B, D) DAY 5 TUE SEPT 13: GAP–VALENCE After Truscott's successful ANVIL/DRAGOON landings, Hitler ordered the German Nineteenth Army to make a fighting retreat northwards in the Rhône River valley. The 3d and 45th IDs were in hot pursuit. We continue to track TF Butler and 36th ID as Truscott rushed them westward from Gap to trap and destroy the retreating German army in the Rhône valley bottleneck north of Montélimar, now known as the Montélimar Square battle. Our hotel is in Valence just north of the Montélimar Square. (B, D) DAY 6 WED SEPT 14: MONTELIMAR SQUARE Today we look in depth at the Montélimar Square battle. Victory came, but only after eight days of unrelenting fighting for all three VI Corps divisions, as the Germans
fought to keep the Rhône valley open for their retreat. Much of their equipment was destroyed but some German units did manage to get through. We have an official reception and visit the historic Roman town of Montélimar, famous for its nougat. Then we return to Valence. (B, D) DAY 7 THU SEPT 15: VALENCE–BESANCON Truscott's VI Corps hotly pursued the Germans through the Rhone valley wine country and past Lyon, France's second largest city. But we take the opportunity to go through this beautiful 2000–year–old city, and also to visit a winery. Then we continue northwards to Besançon. (B, D) DAY 8 FRI SEPT 16: BESANCON–LUXEUIL Truscott realized that the Germans were heading for the Belfort Gap. It not only provided a through route to the Rhine valley and Germany, but if plugged, would give the Germans a strong natural defensive line along the Vosges to the Jura mountains and Switzerland. Could Truscott's VI Corps beat the Germans to the Belfort Gap? He was going to try, and we follow VI Corps's advance to the northeast, led by 3d ID. With the help of our local military expert and great friend Eric Vandroux, we go cross-country from Besançon to Luxeuil, visiting rarely seen battlefield memorials at St Vit, Sauvagney, Geneuille, Vesoul and Saulx and celebrating the liberation of these towns with the local population.(B, D) DAY 9 SAT SEPT 17: LUXEUIL Luxeuil and its region were overjoyed at being liberated by VI Corps and this is what we are going to celebrate over the next two days. September 17 and 18 are the anniversary days of Luxeuil's liberation and the city is generously providing Seventh Army veterans and their families with free hotel accommodations and meals for these two days. Our great friend Jocelyne Papelard, on behalf of the City Hall, is already planning the Luxeuil Liberation Commemorations and Celebrations program for us. But there will also be time to relax, sightsee and shop in this delightful spa town. Today a commemoration is planned for Medal of Honor recipient Harold Messerschmidt in nearby Raddon. It will be especially moving and meaningful because his family will be present. This evening, listen to all your favorite WWII music in a Glen Miller concert by the US Army Europe Big Band. (B, D) DAY 10 SUN SEPT 18: LUXEUIL The Liberation Commemorations and Celebrations continue. The highlight of the day will be the grand parade through the town by a US Army Color Guard, platoons of US and French infantry, the USAREUR band, many French and American VIPs including the US military, and of course our veterans and their families as Luxeuil's guests of honor. Also already planned is the dedication of "Alexander Patch Square", honoring Seventh Army's commander in the presence of members the Patch family. There will be a
lot of media coverage including French television and the US Forces American TV Network. (B, D) DAY 11 MON SEPT 19: LUXEUIL–EPINAL–BRUYERES–LUXEUIL Amazingly, VI Corps's advance was brought to a sudden and unexpected halt around Luxeuil, not by the Germans but by General Eisenhower, the SHAEF commander, who did not consider the capture of the Belfort Gap a priority mission for Seventh Army. Eisenhower instead directed VI Corps to advance into the heart of the Vosges Mountains and into a bitter, ferocious slogging match where the weather and terrain favored the German defenders. We get a taste of this today. After participating in a special ceremony with wreath–laying and "Taps" in Epinal American Cemetery, we travel to the Vosges battlefield around Grandvillers–Brouvelieures–Bruyères–Biffontaine. Just northeast of Biffontaine are Hills 624 and 645 where the Nisei (Japanese–American) troops of the 442d RCT, attached to 36th ID, famously distinguished themselves by rescuing the "Lost Battalion,” 1st Bn, 141st Inf., 36th ID. This was the first of VI Corps's bitter battles in the Vosges. But it was also Truscott's last as VI Corps commander. In recognition of his outstanding abilities, Truscott received promotion and an Army command. In November he returned to Italy. (B, L) DAY 12 TUE SEPT 20: LUXEUIL–ZURICH Today we say 'au revoir' to VI Corps's Vosges battlefields as we head via Lure to the Belfort Gap and Switzerland. It is fitting that our last official stop lies on our way into the Belfort Gap. It is the emotionally moving site of Saint Juan, the temporary US Military Cemetery established in September 1944 by 46th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company for the fallen of Seventh Army as it drove northwards from the ANVIL/DRAGOON French landing beaches towards Germany. Although no longer an official cemetery, the site is still respected and looked after by the local French. From there we head for the Swiss border and Zurich Airport. (B,D) DAY 13 WED SEPT 21: ZURICH–USA September 9–21, 2011: Col. (Ret.) Wilson A. Heefner, author of Dogface Soldier: The Life of General Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., and an associate member of Outpost 54, will lead a tour retracing Truscott's VI Corps advance from the ANVIL/DRAGOON landing beaches of southern France northward through the Rhône Valley to the Vosges at Luxeuil in pursuit of the German Nineteenth Army. Luxeuil is staging a two-day Liberation Festival at which Colonel Heefner's VI Corps veterans, family members, and friends will be guests of honor. For more details, contact Colonel Heefner:
[email protected]; (209) 951–4748; 7205 Park Woods Drive, Stockton, CA 95207–1409.
