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 "We're using Metz to blood the new divisions."

General George S. Patton Jr., commander of the 3rd Army Corps

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  All about the official picture of the Virtual Museum

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  The stained glass of the 377th Infantry Regiment

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All about the official picture of the Virtual Museum

  The picture of the first page of the website, selected as the official picture of The Virtual Museum has not been chosen by chance. Indeed, this one reflects our objective as well as possible: to honour the soldiers of  the 95th Infantry Division who released the city of Metz. 

  Thanks to the assistance of Stephen J Bodnar, it was possible to find one of the soldiers present on this picture and be in contact with him: Fletcher B Cox.

  These men are from the 2nd Battalion of the 377th Infantry Regiment and more precisely of the 1st Squad int the  Anti-Tank Platoon of Company "HQ" (Head-Quarters).

Now, we know more about three men on this picture :

- Boarding the truck is Earl Honeycutt, from Roan Mountain (Tennessee). He was the gunner on their 57mm anti-tank gun.

- With the hand on the wheel, cugaret in mouth, and M-1 rifle slung from his right shoulder is Oscar Doyra, from Sandcoulee (Montana).

- The soldier on the right is Fletcher B. Cox originaire, from Baltimore (Maryland).

  In the background, we can see an artificial smoke on the field beyond the truck, with an aim of covering the attack of the infantry on Fort Deroulede. (Probably Company E, 377th Infantry Regiment).

Composition of the 1st Squad, Anti-Tank Platoon of the Company "HQ", 2nd Battalion - 377th Infantry Regiment:

  Squad leader:

Staff Sergeant Alfred Arndt, from Lafayette, Indiana
  Assistant squad leader:

Corporal Albert M. Albaugh, Tipton, Iowa
  Gunner: 

Corporal Earl Honeycutt, Roan Mountain, Tennessee
  Driver: 

T/5 Walter E. Hunt, Ohio
 

T/5 Robert L. Smith, Glenford, Ohio
 

T/5 Melvin Miller, Rhame, North Dakota
 

PFC Armodos J. Belisle, Two Rivers, Wisconsin
 

PFC Robert S. Trial, Haliovell, Maine
 

PFC Armand G. Powers, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada
 

PFC Oscar A. Doyra, Sandcoulee, Montana
 

PFC Fletcher Cox, Baltimore, Maryland

  This picture  is from a series of photos that a Signal Corps Photographer realized then he was accompanying the riflemen passing the truck. he stopped at that point, to wait while riflemen cleared Germans up ahead of the street and take the pictures.

  Thanks to the assistance of Fletcher B. Cox, and using the original map, we found the exact place where the pictures had been taken. Indeed, it is at the Northern entry of the city of Woippy that the famous panel of indication « Metz » was installed.

  Above : On this picture, we see the truck with its 57mm anti-tank gun and the pannel « Metz ». The truck is a Dodge 1 ½ ton 6x6. Gun-ring mount was for .50 caliber machine gun for anti-aircraft combat combat. Truck driver T/5 Walter Hunt was trained in its use.

  On the right-hand side, you'll see a building with a hole in the side. Today, the wall has been restorated but we see always the place of the impact.

Above : Picture of the actual street, taken in November 2005.

 

Above : Picture of the house where we can see the place of the impact.

 

 

Above : Around the Dodge and the 57mm anti-tank gun,  we see tank Sherman and infantry. Notice the tree at the right-hand side. It has probably a covering for explosives...

Above : Picture of the actual street, taken in November 2005.

My thanks with those which, by their assistance, enabled me to obtain this invaluable informations: Fletcher B. Cox, Stephen J. Bodnar & Vincent Thuillier.