4. PERSONNEL

1. Organic Strength - See par 2 Annex 1.
2. Commanding Officers - See par. 3 Annex 1.

   (1) Changes in Command - See par 4 Annex 1.

3. Casualties - See par 5 Annex 1.
4. Graves Registration
   1. Names of dead - See par 6 Annex 1.
   2. Summary
      • 15 men buried in First Army cemetery located at Henri Chapelle, Belgium.
      • 2 men buried in Ninth Army cemetery located at Margraten, Holland.
        Sequence of Evacuation: Companies evacuated Allied and enemy dead in their sectors to the Battalion munitions dump. Battalion A & P platoon was responsible for evacuating the bodies from this point to the Regimental Collecting point at the munitions train. Regimental Graves Registration Officer evacuated to the Division Graves collecting point and from here the Quartermaster graves Registration platoon evacuated all dead to the Army cemetery.
5. Replacements - See par 7 Annex 1.
6. Prisoners of War
   1. Enlisted Men - 33
   2. Officers - 1
7. Promotions - par 8 Annex 1.
8. Reclassifications - None.
9. Awards and decorations - par 10 Annex 10.
10. Religious Activities:

    The period from December 1, 1944 to 9 December 1944 in Belgium during which time the troops were being readied for combat, Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish services were held with the interest in attendance good. Catholic masses were held in local Catholic Churches, other services in the open. The period from 9 to 24 December while attached to the 8th Infantry Division religious services of all faiths were held in small groups, in dugouts, partly demolished buildings and in the shelter of heavy woods. Attendance was limited only by the ability of the troops to be relieved from duty at the front. The third period from 24 to 31 December when the Regiment reverted to 78th Infantry Division control had been simply a duplication of the preceding period from the religious aspect. Attendance and interest in Religious services has been exceedingly good. In addition to religious administration, the three Regimental Chaplains have been assisting at the Battalion aid stations during attacks, when casualties were in the process of being evacuated. In this instance the Chaplain's vehicles have been of extreme value in assisting in the evacuation.

11. Red Cross Activities:

    During this period the American Red Cross supplied the Regimental and Battalion Aid Stations with a small quantity of essential items for casualties. There was no Red Cross Fiels represenative assigned to the 311th Infantry during this period.

12. Special Service Activities
    1. Rest Area - 578 Enlisted men were transported to rest camp facilities during this period. Facilities provided included showers, clean clothes, PX, movies, billets, and Red Cross sponsored facilities. Morale of the men in this unit, based on observation and personal inquiry, is very high.
    2. Special Service was responsible for continued PX service and all free distribution of PX items.
13. Courts Martial - See par 11 Annex 1.
14. Information-Education Activities:
    1. Unit newspaper resumed daily publication getting news of the day to front line companies.
    2. Public Relations program intensified due to the committment of the 311th lnfantry to action. Over 50 press releases were forwarded.
    3. This section was responsible for the distribution of the Stars and Stripes and all other informational media.
    4. Educational activities were at a minimum during this period.
    5. Assistant S-3, Information-Education Officer, attended the Army Information-Education Staff School at Cite, University, Paris and completed ETO course, Army Education Program, Phase II (40 hours)
    6. The stimulation of awards and decorations became an activity of this section. Liaison to subordinate units to insure sufficient and proper recommendations.

5. SUPPLY

1. Ordnance - See par 1 Annex 3.
2. Quartermaster Supplies - See Annex 3 par 2.
3. Signal and Communication.
   1. Observations of Communication Officer.
      1. In combat it was found impossible to operate under the established TO & TE, for EXAMPLE: On the Regimental level 2 BD-72 switchboards proved to be inadequate. Four were found to be necessary. Battalions discovered that two BD-71 switchboards could not handle the lead and it was necessary to add an additional BD-72 switchboard. These additional switchboards were procured without difficulty from Division Signal Officer.
      2. To meet the demands from supporting units both Regiment and the Battalions have had to add additional linemen. It is not uncommon for the Regimental board to carry as many as 30 lines.To meet the demands from supporting units both Regiment and the Battalions have had to add additional linemen. It is not uncommon for the Regimental board to carry as many as 30 lines.
      3. Another demand to be met was constant wire communication with companies in attack. This necessitates a tremendous use of wire in excess of the TE allotment.
      4. With this organization FM sets have proved very satisfactory especially SCR-300 and 610.
      5. It was found practical to devote the FM sets as high as possible stringing an extension cord to a protected dugout or basement where the operator was protected.
4. Engineer Supply - See par 3 Annex 3.
5. Mail distribution - Normal

6. MEDICAL

1. Observations of the Regimental Surgeon.
   1. Anti-personnel mines and Booby traps resulted in serious casualties. Because of their multiplicity, evacuation of casualties becomes a difficult procedure, as witnessed by the death of two company aid men trying to evacuate a casualty in a mined area. Experimentally, litters have been placed on skis, and in the future a rope fastened to such a litter will be thrown to such a casualty as described above and attempt will be made to evacuate casualty then by withdrawing litter with rope fastened on other side with casualty placed on litter by his own power.
   2. No wounded man was left on the field, even though their evacuation many a times was accomplished under intense enemy small arms, mortar, and artillery fire. It is of inestimable value to the morale of the troops that every possible effort be made to evacuate every casualty. Infantry cooperated excellently providing protection to aid men. During periods of stabilized action, litter jeeps successfully crossed open fields, bearing the Geneva Gross, and evacuated casualties from otherwise unattainable routes under direct observation of enemy machine gun posts. It is felt that the enemy respected the Geneva Gross on such occasions.
   3. Tactical employment of Litter Bearers - The Assistant Battalion Surgeon during action is best located at the forward Battalion CP. Here he can receive messages directly from companies, in that sector, and determine the number of casualties. From this point he can best dispatch his litter bearers and should instruct them thoroughly on the terrain features. To a company making a flanking maneuver it is best to attach litter bearers to the company.
   4. Collecting Points for casualties near the rear boundary of adjoining company sectors are best suited for assembly of casualties both walking and litter cases. Litter jeeps from here can evacuate casualties to the aid stations thus economizing litter carry and promoting speed of evacuation.
2. Medical Evacuation (statistical) - See par 5 Annex 1.

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