HEADQUARTERS 106th INFANTRY DIVISION
Office of the Surgeon
APO 443, U. S. Army

ANNUAL REPORT OF MEDICAL DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES 1944

The 106th Infantry Division was activated 15 March 1943, at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.  The greater portion of the officers and enlisted cadre was furnished by the 80th Infantry Division.  The organization of the Medical Department, was similar to that of all triangular divisions.  The first echelon of medical service was rendered by the regimental detachments of the 422d, 423d, and 424th Infantry Regiments; the medical section of the 81st Engineer battalion, the 58th, 590th, 591st and 592nd Field Artillery Battalions.  The second echelon of medical service was maintained by the 331st Medical Battalion.  While in garrison, there were seven dispensaries functioning.  In the field, Battalion Aid Stations, Collecting Stations, and the Clearing Station furnished the medical service.

Upon activation, Lt. Colonel T. C. Rich, 019631 was the Division Surgeon and Lt. Colonel M. S. Belzer, 0285420 was the Commanding Officer of the Medical Battalion.  IN August 1943, Lt. Colonel Belzer became the Division Surgeon replacing Lt. Colonel Rich who received another assignment.

The basis of the medical training for the Division was MTP 8-1.  The Instructor's Guide issued by Medical Field Service School, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, was closely adhered to.  The training throughout was progressive and intensive.  Basic training and Corps tests were passed successfully.  Battalion, Regimental and Divisional series of exercises which stressed rapid removal of the injured from the "field of battle" into the chain of evacuation and efficient medical treatment, were satisfactorily completed.  Simulated casualties were "the stock and trade" of the training aids.  In the field, company "D" of the 331st Medical Battalion always functioned as the Clearing Station.  Throughout the summer and fall, one half of the training time was spent in the field and the other half in garrison.  In December 1943, the Division moved into the field for the "D" series.  Throughout this period the weather was inclement -- rain, snow and subzero temperatures were common.

The year 1944 found the troops completing the "D" series.  On return to Fort Jackson there were property and equipment checks made preparatory to a movement to the Tennessee Maneuver Area.  Correction of deficiencies noted in the series of combat exercises was made in the training.

On 10 January, the troops began the trek to the Tennessee Maneuver Area.  It was XXXXXXXX movement and was accomplished without any unusual occurrences.

The Division Clearing Station opened 20 January in the vicinity of Christiana, Tennessee.

In the Maneuver Area, a series of eight operations were completed.  One operation was a meeting engagement; one the defense of an organized position; one, a river crossing and another the defense of a river line.  Four other operations were problems in attack in which we operated against delaying rear guard actions as well as numerous other types of maneuvers.  Throughout the series of operations, the medical service, which at first was satisfactory, became superior.  Ratings received from maneuver directors showed seven excellent and one satisfactory.  These ratings were the best given any unit in the Division. 

The weather during this period, 20 January to 27 March was cold and wet.  Mud, slush and rain was the normal diet.  However, despite this inclement weather, upper respiratory disease showed a marked decrease from garrison figures.  We are impressed with the fact that, as regards upper respiratory infection, troops living in the field always fared better than in garrison.

During the maneuver period, several experienced officers were lost to the Division as well as approximately 600 enlisted men who were shipped to Ports of Embarkation. 

Sanitation as practiced by the Division was satisfactory. 

Inclosure #1 will show a breakdown of all admissions to the Division Clearing Station during the maneuver. 

On March 27 the maneuvers were satisfactorily completed.  The Division made the motor move to its new post, Camp Atterbury, Indiana.  Here, everyone again returned to a garrison type of existence. 

The first week was taken up with billeting and the necessary care and cleaning of all equipment.  Not much training was accomplished.  Immediately thereafter, an intensive program to correct all deficiencies noted on maneuvers was begun � to further train all medical personnel in all types of technical training was felt necessary.  The accent on training was :functional� medicine.  Every medical solder was required to be able to administer plasma, treat all wounds and to have a through and accurate knowledge of splinting and bandaging of all types.  The training of all medical personnel was placed under the direction of the Surgeon�s Office.  A master training schedule was complied and several schools were initiated as follows: 

       1. Medical and Surgical Technician School.

       2. Division Litter Bearer School.

       3. Ambulance School. 

Inclosures 2, 3, 4 and 5 outlined the courses presented.  Medical officers who presented the course were enthusiastic and the students were attentive and absorbed the material presented.  Oral and written examinations were XXXXXX at the completion of the courses. 

These courses served as the basis for further and more detailed training for the medical personnel.  Intensive training and programs and schedules promulgated and followed by lower units and weekly testing by the Surgeon�s Office, aided materially in bringing the technical ability of the medical soldier to a high plane. 

A group of medical and surgical technicians from the medical battalion were given further training by utilizing the facilities of Wakeman General Hospital � while a few others received the regular three months medical and surgical technicians training at Walter Reed General Hospital. 

The average number of medical officers for the training of the troops, for rendering medical service, and beginning in April, for the classification and reclassification of personnel for proper utilization of man power, was sixteen officers.  The department was flooded with work due to physical profiling.  WD Circular 164 and 212 dated 26 April 1944 and 29 May 1944 respectively, as well as memorandum No. 40-44 WD 18 May 1944 and MR 1-9 were the guides in physically examining and classifying personnel.  Every man in the Division was examined as to his qualifications for overseas service.  We find that an experiences processing team, with adequate space, can examine over 500 men per hour, and 400 men routinely.  Some 6,000 men qualified and were shipped to units which ere alerted or sent as replacements for overseas service.  New replacements came in and complete physical examinations were performed.  We had to determine whether or not they qualified for overseas service as well as properly profile them.  This number amounted to approximately 7,500 men.  In addition, all officers of the Division were given complete physical examinations on WD AGO form 63.  The Division did a good job in utilizing all personnel who were classified as limited service.  However, we did ship out to other units some 1,500 men who were below the standard set for combat troops by MR 1-9.  The Division did utilize many men below the standard MR 1-9 in positions other than rifleman. 

He dental classification of the command on arrival at Camp Atterbury was poor; only 30% were in Class IV.  Despite the huge turnover in personnel, the percentage increased to 99.98% at the time the Division left Camp Atterbury for the Boston Port of Embarkation.  This is a tribute to the amount of work the Dental Department can do when necessary. 

During the period at Camp Atterbury, the Division Neurophchiatrist gave over a hundred talks on mental health.  All enlisted men and officers of the command were contacted. 

In September three weeks prior to the Division�s departure to the Boston Port of Embarkation, 29 new medical officers arrived.  These men came from the Air Corps, General and Station Hospitals.  Under direction of the Surgeon, a two weeks school was held for these new officers.  Inclosure #7 outlines the courses presented. 

Again as always in the past, ten of the medical officers were ordered to other units five days before departure.  The Division left the Boston Port of Embarkation and arrived in the United Kingdom ten officers short of T/O. 

Two Infantry Regiments sailed from the Boston Port of Embarkation and one Infantry Regiment and the Division Troops sailed at different dates from the New York Port of Embarkation.  The first elements sailed October 17 and the last November 10.  The Division closed in the United Kingdom, through Glasgow and Liverpool on November 18.  The trans-Atlantic voyage was uneventful. 

The stay in the United Kingdom was brief.  The first elements left England via Weymouth and Southhampton on 28 November and the final elements arrived on the continent 6 December 1944.  All units spent several days in the channel waiting for an opportunity to disembark.  Some Division units landed in the vicinity of Rouen, France and others at LeHavre, France. 

The 7^th and 8^th of December saw a wet, muddy, cold motor movement across France and Belgium to the Schnee Eifel sector of the front.  The Division closed on the morning of 9 December in the vicinity of St. Vith. 

On 10 December 1944, Division Units began relieving units of the 2d Infantry Division.  The 422d combat team went into the line on the 10^th of December, the 423d on the 11^th, and the 424^th on the 12^th.  All Collecting Companies serviced their respective Infantry Regiments.  �A� Company, in addition to the regiment, also supported the 14^th Cavalry Group, which was attached to the Division.  The 106^th Division Clearing Station began to function of 12 December in St. Vith, Belgium.  The Division occupied a 28 mile sector. 

The German offensive began early on the morning of 16 December.  By 17 December, ambulances of Company �A� could not contact the 422d Infantry Regiment, and Company �B� was unable to evacuate to the Clearing Station.  By evening of the 17^th, the enemy had pushed in, in force, between the Collecting Company and 422d Infantry Regiment and had sealed Company �B� in with its regiment.  The 422d and 423d Infantry Regiments and their organic medical detachments were cut off by the enemy and are considered missing in action.  The 589^th and 590^th Field Artillery Battalions, Company �B� of the 331^st Medical Battalion, two Engineer Companies, and the Reconnaissance Troop, shared the same fate. 

The remainder of the Division continued to hold its position until the early morning of 19 December.  On 19 December, the Division Clearing Station and Medical Battalion Headquarters closed in Vielsalm, Belgium.  Company �A� accompanied the Medical Battalion Headquarters to Vielsalm.  Combat Command �B� of 9^th Armored Division attached to the 106^th Division, was serviced by �C� Company, which was reinforced with one-half an Ambulance Platoon from �A� Company.  The 424^th Infantry Regiment received continuous support from this Collecting Company. 

The flow of patients into the Clearing Station which began on 16 December continued.  The Clearing Station was situated and close to all combat troops in the area, and as s result cleared personnel from the 106^th Division, 9^th Armored Division, 28^th Division, 7^th Armored Division, and many Corps units. 

Because of the XXXXXXXXXXXXXX German move, the rapid retrograde movement of Evacuation Hospitals, and therefore, the long ambulance hauls to these places, the Clearing Station was having difficulty in having patients evacuated.  Organic trucks of the Medical Battalion, Quartermaster trucks of the Division, and Division Collecting Company ambulances were used to help Army clear the Station.  Repeated requests on the 19^th, 20^th, and 21^st for supplies, blood and a Field Hospital were sent by radio, messenger, and telephone.  Help in the form of a few ambulances and some supplies finally arrived on the 22d of December.  Some 300 blankets were taken from Division personnel to give to the wounded. 

Meanwhile on the 19^th, a platoon from the Clearing Station was ordered to La Roche, Belgium, pending a further rearward move.  The enemy, however, by-passed Vielsalm and struck at La Roche on the 20^th.  He station personnel and patients at La Roche, less those killed, managed to leave La Roche.  Equipment was necessarily abandoned. 

The enemy had completely surrounded our troops except for a narrow zone to the northwest.  Since the combat troops were ordered to set up a perimeter type defense in vicinity of Vielsalm and hold, the decision was made that the medical people would stay with the troops at this location. 

On the 22d a route Northwest was opened and kept open by the 82d Airborne Division.  The Clearing Station moved that evening to vicinity of Verbomont, Belgium.  The flow of patients continued on the 22d and the 23d. 

On the 24^th, the Clearing Station opened at Banneux, Belgium.  Collecting Company �C� still supported troops of the 424^th, which as of this date was attached to the 7^th Armored Division and fighting at Manhay and Grundimeul. 

The Medical Battalion moved to Esneux, Belgium on the 28^th to reorganize and re-equip.  The Clearing Station functioned as such throughout. 

December 31^st found the Division closing in the vicinity of Anthisnes, Belgium, to reorganize and re-equip � the Division less two Infantry Regiments, two Field Artillery Battalions, one Collecting Company and two Engineer Companies and its Reconnaissance Troops. 

For a further summary of Medical activities for month of December see inclosure #7.