Original Items: One-of-a-kind set. 2nd Lieutenant William W. Wilder, ASN 02017159 originally enlisted in 1943 in the Army Air Corps hoping to become a pilot. Unable to earn his wings due to medical reasons, he shipped overseas in early 1944 and served in a in-transit transportation depot until he was selected for a new Officer Candidate Program in Paris. Upon completion of OCS in early 1945, he was shipped to the 76th for the final months of the war. He served with the 76th and 26th Divisions on Occupation duty in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. He was a member of C company of the 417th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry division for his combat service.

The following information was taken from a veterans grandson who pulled it from the Battalion book that was given to the 1st Battalion 417th Regiment, 76th Infantry Division soldiers after the war.

The 417th Infantry Regiment, 76th Infantry Division started to make history at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin where full time pre-combat training terminated in November of 1944. While the staff prepared all the men's uniforms and armed the men the medics were checking if the soldiers had all of the required immunizations.

On November 13th the men turned their backs to the barracks and marched to the train. When the train turned east from the camp the men were all happy because that meant they wouldn't be going to the Pacific Theatre of Operations. On the 22nd of November D company left for England. On the 23rd the res of the Battalion left for England on the U.S.S. Marine Raven. The men will never forget that boat ride. On the 4th of December all of the 76th Infantry Division docked in Plymouth, England. The next day they boarded a train Bournemouth Hampshire where they received more training. On the 10th of January the Btln. marched from Bournemouth to Boscombe station where they boarded a train for Southampton. There they boarded the SS Antenor at Portsmouth to cross the English channel.

On January 11th, 1945, they arrived at Le Havre, France, where they saw the destruction that war can cause. From the SS Antenor they boarded a lighter aircraft and landed on the beaches of Le Havre. They then marched nine miles to the battered seaport to a large, open, snow-covered hill. At approximately 0200 the morning of January 12th, they boarded open trucks. The weather was cold and snowing. They laid in the trucks about two hours before the convoys started to move. They rode approximately sixty miles, arriving at St. Hellier, France. During their stay in St. Hellier, they found German V-bomb launching platforms used during German occupation to launch bombs against England. Approximatley thirty-two landing sites were in their area. On January 19th, 1945, Major Clarence A. Mette, the battalion commander, was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel.

When in Wameriville, France, they removed their division patches and unit markings from all vehicles. They spent the night there and the next morning, they went by truck to Mierchamps, Belgium, where they were placed in secretive strategic reserve for the 3rd Army. When at Mierchamps they set up a perimeter defense. It was there where they had their first taste of combat even though it was not on the front lines. They stood guard in the snow and participated in patrol activity. This was the sector of the dupest German penetration in what is known as the Battle of the Bulge. on January 25, 1945 they boarded trucks for Luxembourg. At arrival at Luxembourg they established a defensive position and sent patrols into Ecternach across the Sauer River int the Sigfried Line. It was their initial contact with the German army.

In the cold blackness of the early morning hours on February 7th, men of the first battalion, undergoing their baptism of fire, embarked in small boats at Echternach, Luxembourg, to cross the swollen Saur River and plunged into the vaunted German West wall. In pitch dark, with the river swollen to a raging torrent, they made the crossing, under a hail of NSDAP small arms, mortar, and artillery fire. When flung into the icy waters when their boats were sunk, struggled toward the far shore. Reaching the east bank, the doughboys stormed up the steep, slippery cliffs of Germany and plunged 1600 yards into the Siegfried Line to take and hold high ground. They became the only battalion in the Sauer and Iur River crossing to reach the objective in strength, on the first day. Their regiment was attached to the 5th Infantry Division so that unit was credited with their success. But off from all the raelis contact and knowing they were spent, the men dug in, beat back Jerry tank ground and German pillboxes. Supplies were dropped form artillery liaison planes while engineers battled to construct bridges across the swollen river to supplement their dwindling stores. Casualties were quite heavy and their battalion medics could not be praised too highly for their magnificent performance of duty under the most trying conditions. Story on story could be told of their heroic deeds.

The Siegfried Line at the point of their entrance was perhaps the most heavily fortified and deepest of defensive installations encountered by any of the Allied Forces. Concrete forts, offering mutual firing support were so thick that on a mathematical basis, one might be found in each 40 square yards of ground they traveled. Their regiment was relieved by the 385th Infantry. They moved back to the town of Berbourg, Luxmbourg to reorganize rest and re-outfit for future action.

On the evening of the 26th they moved to an assembly area near Wolsfelderberg. And in the early morning hours they launched a dawn attack towards Wolsfeld. The next day Companies A and B cleared Wolsfeld and Badenborn. Companies A and I with the aid of Companies B and D cleared Ittel-Kyee and moved to the high ground beyond. Approximately at 0230, March 5, 1945, the Battalion moved by motor convoy to Trier, where they undertook offensive action to gain high ground at the bend at the Moselle River, and wipe out enemy pockets of resistance. In the early morning hours of of March 5th the Btln. marched over the hill from Trier to Eitelsbach. These hills they encountered were covered with vineyards instead of forest. In the vineyards German snipers were hidden. From the snipers positions they could see all enemy action. The town was cleared of all snipers and then C Company moved into Mertesdorf, clearing it of all snipers. The Battalion was held up here due to snipers and direct fire weapons. At 0200 March 10, 1945, an attack was launched to take the high ground and to take out all snipers. Companies reached their objectives and were dug in by dawn when the Germans counterattacked with tanks and infantry in force capturing part of Company B and causing the remainder to withdraw. Prior to withdrawing Company D mortar men in Mertesdorf went into action and fired 340 rounds in 7 minutes to stop the counterattack.

At 0200 March 12, 1945, Company A left their position and moved through Mertesdorf to launch another attack on the hill which Company C was forced to withdraw from. This time they drove the Germans out. Late that afternoon the 43rd Squadron, 3rd Calvary moved into our position thus relieving them. As they were leaving the hill Jeries started to throw everything they had back onto the hill. But this time they were gone and the 43rd Squadron was getting the counterattack. They then moved by motor convoy to Rodt. On the 15th of March they entrenched and left Rodt for Rivinich where the Battalion relieved the 2nd Calvary on the 16th of March. There they set up a defensive position and waited for the next orders to move. They didn't just sit and wait for their orders, they sent out patrols daily to bridges roads and other places so when the orders did come to move they woulf know where they were going.

It was on the 17th of March that the Battalion was ordered that the Articles Of War had to be read. The men put up a big howl--why they had to listen to the Articles Of War while Germans were dropping artillery all around them. Also on 23rd of March the Battalion was given orders to make all soldiers carry gas masks. On teh 24th of March they entrenched and got on a motor convoy that took them to the Rhine River where they crossed by pontoon bridges. From there they started a pretty big foot voyage. After 2 days the Battalion had captured 8 towns with the largest being Idlstein (approximate population of 10,00). For the next couple of days the Battalion engaged in much combat. In the taking of two towns beside each other the anti-tank platoon gave direct fire into the towns.

On the 11th of April while following the sixth armored division into the town of Buttsdadt 8 German planes from the Luftwaffe attacked. Four were shot down by a unit from the 778th anti aircraft which was attached to the unit. They reached their objective without any other conflict. From that town they were attacked by two more planes which were both shot down. From the town of Buttsdadt they took 20 towns and over 300 prisoners. Over the days two more planes were shot down and 75 prisoner were taken but most of all in the town of Roda where they captured 75 prisoners the released over 500 French Officers. After fighting all the way through Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany on the 5th of May the Battalion was given the new of Unconditional Surrender.

 Included in this fantastic 76th Infantry Division set are the following items:

- Ike Jacket with 76th Infantry Division patch on right shoulder, 26th Infantry Division patch on left shoulder, sterling silver Combat Infantryman's Badge, Medal ribbons (Good Conduct, American Campaign, European-African-Middle Eastern with four battle stars and WWII Victory Medal). Enamel Distinctive Unit Insignias for the 471th Infantry Regiment, Lieutenant bars, infantry lapel pins and 4 overseas service bars on left sleeve.

- Original dog tags that read Wilder, William W. 02017159 

- Regulation Army Officer shirt with 76th Infantry Division patch on right shoulder and 26th Infantry Division patch on left shoulder.

- Officer overseas garrison cap with Lieutenant bar.

- War Depart Identification Card dated 28 April 1945.

- Multiple unattached patches (including a German officer uniform breast eagle).

- Army Air Force Aid Society membership card dated December 1st, 1944.

- Dozens of original documents that include, extracts, newspaper articles, certificates, correspondence, mementos, water colors he painted, and much more.

- Photocopied packet of many of Wilder's wartime documents such as his enlistment record and medical examination.

- Fantastic wartime made scrapbook with dozens of wartime photos, postcards, newspaper articles, postcards, letters and more.

Overall a fantastic rare grouping from an officer in one of the most famous U.S. infantry divisions of WWII.