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9th ID History

39th Regiment, 9th Infantry Division:



    During World War II the regiment fought as part of the 9th Infantry Division. The Fighting Falcons of the 39th became the first unit of United States combat troops to set foot on foreign soil when they stormed the beaches of Algiers in November 1942.

    During fighting in Sicily, Italy, the regiment came under the command of the legendary Colonel Harry A. "Paddy" Flint who gave the regiment its famed triple A- Bar Nothing slogan: Anything, Anywhere, Anytime - Bar Nothing. The regiment took great pride in the AAA-O slogan, displaying it on their helmets and vehicles, even in combat. When questioned about the soundness of the practice, Colonel Flint confidently declared, "The enemy who sees our regiment in combat, if they live through the battle, will know to run the next time they see us coming." General George Patton commented upon Colonel Flint in the following manner: "Paddy Flint is clearly nuts, but he fights well."

    Later in the war, the 39th landed at Utah Beach and fought through France. The Fighting Falcons joined the 47th Infantry Regiment in capturing Roetgen, the first German town to fall in World War II. The 39th fought valiantly through the Battle of the Bulge, helped secure the Remagen bridgehead and roared across Germany as the allied forces finished off the last of the German resistance.

    When the dust settled following VE day, the 39th Regiment held campaign streamers from some of the bloodiest and most hard fought battles of the war - Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily, Normandy, Northern France, The Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. It was cited twice by the Belgians for valorous actions and awarded the Belgian Fouragerre. It also received two French Croix de Guerre with Palm, the French Fouragerre, and three Presidential Unit Citations. It was while fighting in France that the regiment's commander, Col. Flint, was killed in action.




The Medal of Honor is the highest medal awarded for extraordinary gallantry above and beyond the call of duty against an enemy.


Recipient:

Peter J. Dalessondro: Technical Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company E, 39th Regiment,9th Infantry Division.

Place and date: Near Kalterherberg, Germany, 22 December 1944.
Entered service at: Watervliet, N.Y. Born: 19 May 1918, Watervliet, NY GO No.: 73, 30 August, 1945.

Citation: He was with the 1st Platoon holding an important road junction on high ground near Kalterherberg, Germany, on 22 December 1944. In the early morning hours, the enemy after laying down an intense artillery and mortar barrage, followed through with an all-out attack that threatened to overwhelm the position. T/Sgt. Dalessondro, seeing that his men were becoming disorganized, braved the intense fire to move among them with words of encouragement. Advancing to a fully exposed observation post, he adjusted mortar fire upon the attackers, meanwhile firing upon them with his rifle and encouraging his men in halting and repulsing the attack. Later in the day the enemy launched a second determined attack. Once again, T/Sgt. Dalessondro, in the face of imminent death, rushed to his forward position and immediately called for mortar fire. After exhausting his rifle ammunition, he crawled 30 yards over exposed ground to secure a light machinegun, returned to his position, and fired upon the enemy at almost pointblank range until the gun jammed. He managed to get the gun to fire 1 more burst, which used up his last round, but with these bullets he killed 4 German soldiers who were on the verge of murdering an aid man and 2 wounded soldiers in a nearby foxhole. When the enemy had almost surrounded him, he remained alone, steadfastly facing almost certain death or capture, hurling grenades and calling for mortar fire closer and closer to his outpost as he covered the withdrawal of his platoon to a second line of defense. As the German hordes swarmed about him, he was last heard calling for a barrage, saying, "OK, mortars, let me have it--right in this position!" The gallantry and intrepidity shown by T/Sgt. Dalessondro against an overwhelming enemy attack saved his company from complete annihilation.


Visit these websites for a more complete 9th Infantry history including the 39th Regiment!

U.S. 9th Infantry Division website

9th Infantry Division Society

Lone Sentry: 9th Infantry Division









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