DIY History | Transcribe | World War II Diaries and Letters | Carroll Steinbeck letters to his parents, April - September, 1945 | 66th Infantry Division Order of the Day Page 1

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Carroll Steinbeck letters to his parents, April - September, 1945

66th Infantry Division Order of the Day Page 1

Headquarters 66th Infantry Division AFO 454
United States Army
Order of the Day
13 March 1945
To every member of the 66th Infantry Division and Attached Troops.
Having just returned from an inspection of our troops, I shall like to take this opportunity to reassert my pride and confidence in the officers and men of division and its attached units, Our mission of caging up 60,000 battlewise and toughened Jerries in their Atlantic Wall may not seem to be a spectacular or glamorous job, but neither is any tough job in war. We have an arduous mission here and you may be sure that history will record it as an important one in the defeat of Germany.
Those of you on the front line are well aware now of the calibre of your opponent. He is the same fanatical, hard, and adroit fighter who stands with his back against the wall in other German strongholds and who will stay there until bitter and as uncompromising as can be found on any battlefront, and you have proved your individual superiority.
The magnificent spirit with which each one of you has endured hardships, and the courage and tenacity with which you have carried on in these past two months, has filled everyone with confidence and self-assurance. Some of you have seen your friends die. You have suffered wounds and pain. You have felt the miseries of cold and hunger and you have experienced the terror and drudgery of war.
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Headquarters 66th Infantry Division AFO 454 United States Army Order of the Day 13 March 1945 To every member of the 66th Infantry Division and Attached Troops. Having just returned from an inspection of our troops, I shall like to take this opportunity to reassert my pride and confidence in the officers and men of division and its attached units, Our mission of caging up 60,000 battlewise and toughened Jerries in their Atlantic Wall may not seem to be a spectacular or glamorous job, but neither is any tough job in war. We have an arduous mission here and you may be sure that history will record it as an important one in the defeat of Germany. Those of you on the front line are well aware now of the calibre of your opponent. He is the same fanatical, hard, and adroit fighter who stands with his back against the wall in other German strongholds and who will stay there until bitter and as uncompromising as can be found on any battlefront, and you have proved your individual superiority. The magnificent spirit with which each one of you has endured hardships, and the courage and tenacity with which you have carried on in these past two months, has filled everyone with confidence and self-assurance. Some of you have seen your friends die. You have suffered wounds and pain. You have felt the miseries of cold and hunger and you have experienced the terror and drudgery of war. continued over --