James Dietz and WWII Artwork

Page 1

JAMES DIETZ and World War II Artwork

by Paul Patterson



JAMES DIETZ and World War II Artwork

by Paul Patterson


Credits & Colophon

book designer

Lindsey Hertlein artist biography

James Dietz

artwork acquisition

Travis Hertlein

chapter openers

interior spreads

number

body text

title

quotes

body text

captions

Adobe Garamond 745/849pt Flush Left tracking 0 Clarendon Regular 17/21pt Flush Right tracking +80 Helvetica Light 10/16pt Justified tracking +80 space between 1em

Helvetica Light 8/14pt FL / Justified tracking +80 Clarendon Regular 12/21pt Flush Left tracking +140 Helvetica Light / Oblique 6/10pt Flush Left tracking +30

library of congress cataloging - in - publication data

Patterson, Paul. James Dietz & World War II Artwork 82 p. : ill. (chiefly col.) : 22 cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-56898-969-1 eISBN 978-1-61689-022-1


04 08 16 54 Chapter One

Chapter Two

The Artist

The Events

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

The Artwork

The Units

Table of Contents

70 Chapter Five

The Statistics


Chapter One · The Artist

1 James Dietz


IN HIS PORTRAIT OF EVENTS IN

In 2001, Barnes & Noble Publishing

the 20th and 21st Centuries, James

released a book on Dietz’s World War

Dietz labors to achieve the rare com-

II art, entitled Portraits of Combat.

bination of historical fact with the

In 20 0 5, Jim fulfilled a childhood

romance, adventure and color of fiction.

dream when he got the opportunity for

Born in San Francisco, Jim graduated from Art Center College of Design in 1969. He had a successful illustration career in Los Angeles and New York, with a steady flow of work ranging from automobile ads, movie posters, and romantic and historical book covers. By 1978, Jim and his wife had moved to Seattle, where Jim’s work gradually shif ted away from commercial illustration to primarily historical aviation, automotive and military art. Today his work is internationally known and collected, and his style, with its emphasis on depth of story, is recognized by collectors of historical art.

a cameo role tin Peter Jackson’s (Lord of the Rings) remake of King Kong. Jim plays the role of a pilot of the Curtis Helldiver aircraft which fires at Kong while he is perched high above New York on the Empire State Building.


His Awards B e s t i n S h o w, EA A Avi a t i o n A r t S h o w, t h re e s u c c e s s ive ye a rs , 19 8 9 - 91 N a m e d M a s t e r A r t i s t , EA A , 19 9 2

Jim and his wife, Patti, live in Seattle with

Pe o p l e’s C h o i c e Awa r d , A m e ri c a n S o c i e t y o f Avi a t i o n

their dog, Sarah, who shares the distinc-

A r t i s t s , 19 8 8

tion with previous Dietz pets, of being a

B e s t i n S h o w, Fra n kl i n M i n t A r t i s t s S h o w, 19 9 2

regular in Jim’s paintings. Their son, Ian, is currently an officer serving in the U.S. Army. Jim works in a pleasantly cluttered studio that resembles a World War I avia-

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

06

tion bar, surrounded by uniforms, props and models that have made their way into paintings over the years.

B e s t i n S h o w & t h r e e B e s t o f Er a Awa r d s , S a n A n t o n i o M i l i t a r y A r t S h o w, 19 9 2 H o n o r a b l e M e n t i o n , A m e ri c a n S o c i e t y o f Avi a t i o n A r t i s t s S h o w, 19 94 B e s t i n S h o w, Flyi n g M a g a zi n e / S i m u fl i te A r t S h o w, 19 9 3 , 19 94 , 19 9 9, 2 0 0 0, 2 0 01 Awa r d o f M e r i t , Flyi n g M a g a zi n e / S i m u fl i te A r t S h o w, 19 9 5 , 2 0 0 0 B e s t i n S h o w, N ava l Avi a t i o n M u s e u m A r t S h o w, 19 94 , 2 0 0 0 F i r s t Pl a c e, N ava l Avi a t i o n M u s e u m A r t S h o w, 19 9 5 R . G . S m i t h Awa r d f o r E xc e l l e n c e i n N ava l Av i a t i o n A r t , N a t i o n a l N ava l Avi a t i o n M u s e u m , Pe n s a c o l a , FL , 19 97 B e s t i n S h o w, Wo m e n i n Avi a t i o n S h o w, C. R . S m i t h M u s e u m , D a l l a s , T X , 19 97 S t a n l ey Wa n l a s s Awa r d , f o r exc e l l e n c e i n s t r e n g t h o f design and composition, echoing the spirit of the automob i l e, M e a d o w B ro o k C o n c o u rs d’ El e g a n c e, 19 97 Fe a t u r e d A r t i s t , M e a d o w B ro o k C o n c o u rs d’ El e g a n c e, 19 9 9 Awa r d o f E xc e l l e n c e, A u t o m o t ive Fi n e A r t i s t s o f A m e ri c a s h o w a t Pe b b l e B e a c h C o n c o u rs d’ El e g a n c e, 19 9 9, 2 0 0 0 Pe t e r H e l c k Awa r d , A u t o m o t ive Fi n e A r t i s t s o f A m e ri c a s h o w a t Pe b b l e B e a c h C o n c o u rs d’ El e g a n c e, 19 9 9, 2 0 0 0 L e a g u e o f W W I Av i a t i o n H i s t o r i a n s , f o u r S i lve r C u p s


CHAPTER 1: THE ARTIST

07


2

Chapter Two · The Events


ON SEPTEMBER 1, 1939, HITLER INVADED POLAND FROM THE WEST;

T WO DAYS LATER, FRANCE AND BRITAIN DECLARED WAR AGAINST GERMANY, BEGINNING WORLD WAR II.

In April 1940, Germany simultaneously invaded Norway and occupied Denmark, and the war began in earnest. On May 10, German forces swept through Belgium and the Netherlands in what became known as “blitzkrieg,” or lightning war. The British Expeditionary Force was evacuated by sea from Dunkirk in late May, while in the south French forces mounted a doomed resistance. With France on the verge of collapse, Benito Mussolini of Italy put his Pact of Steel with Hitler into action, and Italy declared war against France and Britain on June 10. By early 19 41, Hungar y, Romania and Bulgaria had joined the Axis, and German troops overran Yugoslavia and Greece that April. Hitler’s conquest of the Balkans was a precursor for his real objective: an invasion of the Soviet Union. With Britain facing Germany in Europe, the United States was the only nation capable of combating Japanese aggression, which by late 1941 included an expansion of its ongoing war with China and the seizure of European colonial holdings in the Far East.


that will soar upwards of 250,000 per month in 1944.

The United States is thrust into war when the Japanese launch a devastating and surprise attack on the U.S. Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor. Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt will ask Congress to declare war on Japan the following day, December 8th. Then, on December 11th, Germany and Italy will declare war on the United States.

ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR 07 December 1941

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

10

British troops defeat the Germans and Italians at El Alamein in Egypt, sending the Axis forces into a chaotic retreat across Libya to the eastern border of Tunisia.

FIGHTING IN EGYPT 23-24 October 1942

shipped overseas averages 50,000 per month. A number

U.S. TROOPS ARRIVE IN EUROPE January 1942

Throughout the month of March, the amount of troops


OPERATION TORCH 08 November 1942 Montgomery to defeat the German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel in Africa.

and key spots in southern Italy. Italian dictator Benito Mussolini is overthrown and imprisoned. Hitler dispatches German troops to fend off an Allied advance in what will be a series of hard fought battles. On September 9, 1943, when American troops landed on the Italian coast at Salerno, the German army, nearly drove them back into the Tyrrhenian Sea.

TUCKER’S DEVILS

under Field Marshal Bernard

Allied forces capture Sicily

July-13 September 1943

join forces with British troops

JOINING OF FORCES May 1943

General Dwight Eisenhower and General George Patton

CHAPTER 2: THE EVENTS

11


German aircraft production centers are the target of a by the U.S. Army Air Corps. Shortly thereafter, more than 600 U.S. bombers raid Berlin. Despite the devastation from the bombing, Germany is able to maintain weapons and aircraft production levels.

starts and troops in England begin their mobilization to cross the Channel, in a joint effort named Operation Overlord. Eisenhower will wait for a good weather forecast to determine the exact day of the invasion.

ALLIES CAPTURE ROME 04 June 1944

The Allied invasion of France

PREPPING OPERATION OVERLORD 30 May 1944

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

12

U.S. BOMBS BERLIN February 1944

massive bombing campaign


INITIAL COMBAT JUMPS 05 June 1944 of fortified French coastline and begin fighting on the many beaches of Normandy, including Utah and Omaha.

THE LINK UP 13 June 1944

and 30,000 vehicles are landed on a 50-mile stretch

D-DAY ASSAULT 06 June 1944

Over 160,000 Allied troops

CHAPTER 2: THE EVENTS

13


After four years of German occupation, the Allies free Paris with the assistance of

Gaulle. On 25 August, Free

French capital. Within the next month, the Allies reach the German border; by December, virtually all of France, most of Belgium, and part of the southern Netherlands are liberated.

Became the single largest airborne operation in the history of war, encompassing some 34,600 men, 1,700 vehicles and about 260 artillery pieces dropped from the skies by glider or parachute.

Hitler sends a quarter of a million troops across an 85 -mile stretch of the Allied front, from southern Belgium into Luxembourg. In the deadly cold winter weather, German troops advance approximately fifty miles into the Allied ranks, creating a deadly “bulge� through the Allied lines and defenses.

BATTLE OF THE BULGE 16 December 1944

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

14

ALLIES LIBERATE PARIS August 1944

French forces, supported by Allied troops, enter the

OPERATION MARKET GARDEN 17-25 September 1944

French resistance troops led by General Charles de


American troops have been killed, wounded, or captured. The Allied forces regain the territory they held in early December.

15

UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER 07 May 1945

HITLER KILLS HIMSELF 30 April 1945

CHAPTER 2: THE EVENTS

the Battle of the Bulge concludes. Over 76,000

THE END OF THE BATTLE January 1945

By the end of the month,


3

Chapter Three · The Artw ork


THROUGH HIS METICULOUS ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND HISTORICAL accuracy, James Dietz creates compelling images of the men and machinery that have shaped our century; recreating moments out of history and bringing to life stories from the past. According to him, a historical painting stands or falls on how well it depicts the story it is attempting to illustrate, and how convincingly it combines the people, their actions, costumes, surroundings and atmosphere in an appropriate composition. A good historical painting uses all of these elements to tell the major story and perhaps a second subtext. Both are driven by how interesting the situation is that the artist is attempting to render. How the viewer reacts to a great painting transcends its story and strikes a deeper chord, one that hopefully evolves and changes as the viewer contemplates the art over time. In this chapter, there are six of James Dietz’s artwork, the historical reference from which the image is derived, and focuses on a details of each painting to reflect Dietz’s historical accuracy.


YOU HAVE YOUR ORDERS

have YOUR

ORDERS JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

Airborne Operation into North Africa

08 November 1942

18

OPERATION TORCH

YOU



At approximately 2105 hours on 8 November 1942, the first of 39 C-47s took to the air carr y ing 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantr y into the history books by being the first U.S. A rmy A irborne Battalion to jump into combat. Before the first paratrooper ex ited the door, the Battalion f lew more than 1600 miles from YOU HAVE YOUR ORDERS

England to North Africa, completing the longest airborne invasion ever attempted.

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

20

The capture of t wo Algerian air fields, L a Senia and

w o u ld b e i n i t i ate d i f t h e F re n c h ac c e pte d t h e

Tafaraoui, during O PER ATIO N TO R CH, the Allied

Allies as comrades in arms. LTC Edson D. Raf f,

invasion of N or th Africa, was a critical suppor t-

the 50 9th Bat talion Commander, also proposed

ing role for the beach landings. S ignificantly,

t wo plans based on the French resistance. If the

both air fields were beyond the operational reach

Peace Plan was in ef fect, he would air land his

of the initial beach forces. The capture of the t wo

Bat talion at the air field at L a Senia. But, if the

air fields was critical to the Center Task Force’s

War Plan was in ef fect, he would conduct a mass

invasion plan that was aimed at the por t town of

tactical parachute jump bet ween L a Senia and

Oran. If the air fields were lef t unchecked, enemy

Tafa rao ui air f ields fo ll owe d by a si m ul t a n e o u s

aircraf t would have had the freedom to at trite the

seizure of each. One company was assigned the

exposed invasion forces.

mission to at tack La Senia and the remainder of

Eisenhower ’s A llied F orce H eadquar ters had t wo plans for the invasio n due to their lack of k nowl -

the Bat talion would at tack Tafaraoui. The day prior to the Bat talion’s depar ture, LTC Raf f

edge o n the ex tent of the French resist ance in

spoke to the Bat talion in mass for the last time.

N or th Africa . T he War Plan would be enacted

Unsure if they would be greeted with cheers or

if the French cho se to fight and the Peace Plan

bullets, he told them,


From an England airfield, on 7 November 1942 at 170 0

flight to Algeria. Af ter flying in darkness through stormy weather over Spain, with a strong easterly wind, the formation of aircraf t became scat tered during the eight hour flight. As the sun crept over the horizon of N or th Africa, the 3 9 C - 47s arrived dispersed, disorient ated and critically low o n fuel. Several planes tried to land at the L a Senia

“We’re goi n g to have a d i f f icu lt job b e c au s e some p e ople dow n there w ill want to f ight us and some won’t. If they welcome us, a nd some aut hor it ie s say t hey w i l l, we won’t f i re a rou nd . If they don’t, you have your orders!”

air field as planned, but small arms and ack-ack fire prevented them fro m landing. At this point, it became obvious that the War Plan was now in ef fect. As a result of a lack of fuel, several C - 47s were forced to land in Sebkra Doran, a dr y lake bed. O nce o n the ground, the planes and para tro opers re ceived s mall ar ms fire fro m the high ground to their nor th.

21 CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

t i o n s , t h e pl a n c h a n g e d d ra m at i c a ll y w h il e i n

THE HISTORY

hours, LTC R af f re ceived the mes s age that the Peace Plan was in ef fe ct. A s in all c o mbat situa -


YOU HAVE YOUR ORDERS JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

22

At approximately 0 815 hours on 8 N ovember 19 42, LTC Raf f, yelled over his shoulder, “stand in the do or!� to his fellow paratroopers. The jumpers in the rear of the plane moved up until all were lock step behind their commander. As the bell rang, he led the 509th Parachute Infantry into history and validated the new tactical maneuver that we still use today, the vertical envelopment. The 509th would complete their mission and move to the Tafaraoui airfield where they linked up with armored forces moving in from the beach. The 509th would ma ke fo u r ad di t i o n a l combat jumps during World War II, which was more than any unit in the Army. Their adaptability and tenacity lives on today in all airborne units throughout the United States Army.


CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

THE DETAILS The C-47 was a military adaptation of a Douglas

This paratrooper executes the perfect

While descending to the ground, the jumper keeps

safe landing.

his feet and knees together until he lands to ensure a

left

hands holding his reserve.

position when exiting an aircraft with his chin down and

bottom left

gear for airborne operations.

DC-3 and it held up to 28 paratroopers in full combat

top left

23



eight TUCKER’S DEVILS

504th PIR prepares to save Salerno Beachhead

13 September 1943

to

Hours

GLORY


EIGHT HOURS TO GLORY

O n S eptemb er 13, 1943, 1 s t a nd 2nd Battalions were aler ted that t he y w ou ld b e p er for m i n g a pa rachute a s s au lt .

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

26

“Another dry run”, was the cynical comment of most men.

Fifth Army beachhead in Italy was in grave danger of

Nevertheless, each man gave his equipment one last

being breached and that the 504th was to jump behind

check—just in case. Early chow was eaten and immedi-

friendly lines in the vicinity of the threatened break-

ately afterward the troops fell in at their bivouac areas

through in order to stem the German advance into Italy.

in the appointed plane loading formations; then marched

Under the cover of night, the planes left for the beach

to the battered and roofless hangars where they picked

head. Flying in a column formation, they passed over the

up their chutes.

clearly marked DZ and unloaded their much needed

The first paratroopers to board the air crafts were the

support. With the exception of eight planes that failed

Pathfinders of the 504th who would be establishing and

to navigate properly to the DZ, but whose plane loads

mark the drop zone which was located in the middle of

were subsequently accounted for, there was minimal

the Fifth Army. These men devised a plan to mark the

difficulty or confusion experienced in completing the

drop zone with a flaming “T” using sand and gasoline. While the Pathfinders were on their way to the fight,

operation. The regiment assembled quickly and moved to the sounds of cannon and small arms fire within the

the rest of 1st and 2nd Battalions were hard at work.

hour. Later checks revealed that only seventy-five men

Officers were verifying maps and information in order

had suffered injuries from the jump. In exactly eight

to decipher the best course of action to help them save

hours, the 504th had been informed of the mission,

the Fifth Army and save the beach head. Soldiers were

briefed, loaded into air crafts, jumped on its assigned

hard at work issuing parachutes, loading the planes,

drop zone, and had committed against the enemy.

and performing maintenance checks on weapons. None of these troopers knew the location of this jump or of the type of fighting was expected. It was not until the men were in the planes that the mission was disclosed. In the quickest briefing of any other comparable operation of the war, men of the 504th were informed about how the


SALERNO WAS ONE OF THE BLOODIER , MORE CRITICA L OPER ATIONS OF THE SECOND WORLD WA R . FOR A TIME THE ACTION HUNG IN THE BAL ANCE AS STRONG ENEM Y COU N TER AT TACK S SM A SHED A N D THR E ATEN ED THE

ITALIAN CAMPAIGN. THE FIFTH ARMY HELD THE BEACH

27

AT S A L ER NO F OR F OU R DAY S BU T W ER E DA NGER OF L O SI NG I T T O A DVA NC I NG GE R M A N A S S AU LT S A N D NEEDED ASSISTANCE QUICK. THE ONLY CHOICE WAS TO UTILIZE THE 504TH PAR ACHUTE INFAN TRY REGIMENT, W HICH H A D BEEN PER FOR MING MOCK A S S AU LTS, IN A N EFFORT TO PROV IDE R EL IEF TO THE DW IN DL ING FORCE S OF THE FIF TH A R M Y.

CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

WAS THE OPENING STRUGGLE OF THE LONG AND BITTER

THE HISTORY

V ERY EX ISTENCE OF THE IN ITI A L BE ACH HE A D. THIS


JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

The M1 Garand rifle was a standard issue item to every soldier,

while the ammunition cans in the background were distributed to

top

This aircraft, and the one in the foreground, were used to

ensure he had the authorized combat load of 210 bullets. bottom

EIGHT HOURS TO GLORY

transport the paratroopers to the beachhead in order to secure it.

28


The Commander of 6th Corps, General Dawley, said for the unit to withdraw. Epitomizing the determined spirit of the Regiment, Colonel Tucker vehemently replied, “ r e t r e at,

h ell !­ — s en d m e m y ot h er bat tali o n !”

The 3rd

Battalion then rejoined the 504th and then the Salerno beachhead was saved. This, the first contact with the time that the regiment had been committed as a unit in

Albanella. The regimental recon platoon patrolled the

any single tactical operation, was a battle that turned

area several miles to the front and battalions also sent

the tide of the German attack on the Salerno beachhead

out reconnaissance and combat patrols of their own with

and frustrated their attempts to contain the Fifth Army

particular emphasis on the Altavilla sector. Hostile artil-

within the area of the coastal plain reaching as far as

lery fire was spasmodic and largely interdictory. The air

Altavilla. On the 1st of October 1943, the 504th became

activity was confined principally to friendly craft, though

the first infantry unit to enter Naples and 3rd Battalion

the enemy in groups of two and three would occasionally

became the first US parachute unit to receive a noble

make an appearance over 504th positions only to be

Presidential Unit Citation as a result of the fierce fighting.

driven off by intense fire from supporting anti-aircraft

in Italy. Nothing reflected this more than a diary entry of

four miles to occupy the town of Albanella, where Colonel

a German officer found at Anzio. The passage read:

hold the high ground surmounting Altavilla. The hostile artillery and mortar fire were extremely accurate and able of finding, with lethal concentrations, such vital features as wells, trails, and draws. During the three days the 504th occupied the several hills behind Altavilla, approximately 30 paratroopers died, 150 were wounded, and one man was missing in action.

29

The 504th fought hard in all battles they encountered

units. On the morning of the 16th, the regiment marched Tucker issued to the battalion commanders to seize and

THE DETAILS

enemy for men of the 504th since Sicily and the first

CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

By dawn the regiment was firmly emplaced in a defensive sector three miles from Paestum and Southwest of

“American parachutists — dev i ls i n ba g g y pa nts — a re le s s t h a n 10 0 meter s f r om my out p o s t l i ne. I c a n’t s le ep at n i g ht; t hey pop up f rom nowhere a nd we never k now when or how they w ill stri ke nex t. Seems li ke

hea r te d de v i l s are ever y where...”

t he black-


D-DAY ASSAULT

Attack at Brecourt Manor to take out three guns

06 June 1944

silencing the GU N S



IN T HE MOR N ING HOU R S OF D -DAY, J U N E 6, 1944, deafening sounds of gunfire resounded across the French hills, along the Channel coast and against low- hanging clouds. A midst the fielded areas of a French farm, Brécour t Manor, a par ticular cacophony erupted as a

SILENCING THE GUNS

German bat ter y of four 10 5mm cannons shook the soil. Five miles distant,

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

32

on Utah Beach, the Brécour t bat ter y's steel rained upon American soldiers of the 4th Infantr y Division as they disembarked from their landing craf t. Within minutes of that first salvo, an ad hoc squad of paratroopers from Easy Company, 2nd Bat talion, 5 0 6 th PIR, 101st Airborne, depar ted the French village of Le Grand - Chemin with a mission to silence those guns. W ith each shot, the Brécour t cannons belied their l o c a t i o n s . T h re e o f t h e g u n s h a d b e e n d u g i n to t h e f i e ld 's h e d g e ro w s , faci n g n o r t h e a s t to wa rd t h e b e ac h e s . A fo u r t h g u n l ay to t h e we s t a n d a i m e d we s t wa rd to g u a rd t h e b at te r y 's f l a n k . A m a n m ad e di tc h c o n n e c te d e ac h p o s i t i o n. I n ad di t i o n to t h e gun crews, fif t y elite German paratroopers from the 6th Parachute Regiment defended the field's expanse. Against this opposition, Easy Company's ranking of ficer, 1st Lt. Richard Winters, led 12 paratroopers. N ormally 12 0 men strong, Easy Company had been scat tered about N ormandy that morning

Guarnere, and Pvt. Don Malarkey attacked from the gun's front-right. Winters, Cpl. Joe Toye, Cpl. Robert Wynn, and Pvt. Gerald Lorraine, a jeep driver from battalion HQ, simultaneously attacked the first gun from its front-left. While the assault teams created a pincer, the .30 -caliber machine gun crews of Pvts. John Plesha, Walter Hendrix, Cleveland Petty, and Joe Liebgott kept the Germans pinned down with fire

during the 1:3 0 a.m. paradrop.

from head-on. From the cannon's left flank, Platoon

At approximately 8:30 a.m., Winters deployed his men

Sgt. Carwood Lipton and Sgt. Mike Ranney provided

for a "double envelopment " assault on the westernmost

covering fire. Even years later, Lipton remembered the

cannon. On cue, Lt. Buck Compton, Platoon Sgt. Bill

attack's result:


THE HISTORY

“. . . t h e G e r m a n s app a r e nt l y fe lt t h at t h e y w e r e b e i n g h it b y a l a r g e for c e . T h o s e d e fe n d i n g t h e f irst g un broke and w ithdrew in d isorganization to a fa r t ree l i ne a nd t h at g u n w a s i n ou r h a nd s.”

CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

33


SILENCING THE GUNS JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

34

above

This is one of the four German

guns, a 105-mm field gun, that Easy Company soldiers destroyed. right

These canteen cups were worn

by soldiers on their hips throughout the war. They were dual-purpose by holding a canteen and also acted as a bowl with handles on it.


signifies this moment. While Winters confers with G u a r n e r e , t r o o p e r s M a l a r ke y, C o m p t o n , W y n n , a n d To y e d e p l o y t o d e l i v e r s u p p r e s s i n g f i r e t o ke e p t h e Germans on their heels. Figures representing Lipton a n d R a n n e y e m e r g e f r o m a b a c kg r o u n d h e d g e r o w to rej o i n t h e i r c o m rad e s . S o o n, G u a r n e re w ill l e ad a charge to capture the second gun. B y the engage ment 's end, E asy C o mpany, with a few reinforce ments, had captured and destroyed thre e of t h e B ré c o u r t c a n n o n s . F i ve D o g C o m p a ny t ro o p e r s , l e d by L t . R o n a ld S pi e r s , a r r i ve d af te r t h e t h i rd g u n had been taken; they then captured and destroyed the four th gun. F or valor displayed at B ré c our t, the 5 0 6 th PI R de c orated the bat tle's par ticipants. During the days following the D - Day invasion, in a field in N ormandy, General O mar Bradley personally awarded Winters the Distinguished Ser vice Cross, the militar y's 2nd highest award, in recognition of Winters' actions and leadership in the silencing of the guns at Brécour t Manor.

35 CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

the tea m." Ja mes D iet z's painting S ilencing the G uns

THE DETAILS

H aving s acked the first canno n, W inters "re organized



THE LINK UP

Units converge after assaults on Utah and Omaha beachheads

13 June 1944

y HaPP

we

few


G enera l Om a r Brad ley, c om m a nd i n g t he First U.S. Army, had waited anxiously for the linkup of O maha and Utah beachheads before declaring success in the A merican sec tor following D - Day. He considered this final event critical before t h e A lli e d i nva s i o n of Eu ro p e c o uld b e p u t i nto f ull s w i ng. H is c o ncern over t he linkup delay was c o nfir m ed w hen he re ceived a n U l t ra f l a s h f r o m B r i t i s h i n te l l i g e n c e a t B l e tc h l ey P a r k i n d i -

WE HAPPY FEW

c ating t h e G e r m a n high c o m m a nd was awa re of a ga p ex isting

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

38

bet ween the A merican V and VII Corps. They ordered the 17th S S Panzergrenadier Division to counter at tack and split the t wo forces. I t is inte re s t ing to n ote t hat t his wa s o n e of t h e few t i m e s t hat information obtained from the German Enigma Code breaking was deemed so critical it was passed to a tactical co mmander. Such intelligence had previously be en withheld for fear of tipping the Germans to the fact their secret code system had been broken.

F o r d ay s t h e A m e r i c a n P a ra c h u t e I n fa n t r y h a d b e e n e n g a g e d i n c o m b a t w i t h t h e G e r m a n A r m y ' s 6 t h Pa ra c h u t e R e g i m e n t i n t h e v i c i n i t y o f C a re n t a n . I t w a s n o w D +7, J u n e 13 , 19 4 4 .

".. .w h at a w onder f u l s i g ht it w a s to s e e t ho s e t a n k s p ou r i n g it to t he G er m a n s w it h t ho s e heav y 50 - c a l ib er m ach i ne -g u n s a nd ju st plow i n g st ra i g ht f rom ou r l i ne s i nto t he G er m a n he d gerow s w it h a l l t hose f re sh i n fa ntr y sold ier s ma rch i n g a lon g be side t he ta n k s," r e m e m b e r s t h e n LT R i c h a r d W i n t e r s w h o c o m m a n d e d E a s y C o m p a ny, 5 0 6 th R e g i m e nt o f th e 101s t A i rb o rn e D ivi s i o n , " th e b a n d o f b ro t h e r s ." I n f a n t r y f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l G u a rd ' s f a m e d 2 9 t h D i v i s i o n h a d ra c e d f o r w a rd t o re l i e ve t h e a i r b o r n e t ro o p s fro m th e 8 2 nd a nd 101s t A i rb o rn e D ivi s i o n s s e izi ng a nd h o ld i ng g ro u n d s i n c e t h e i r h i s t o r i c j u m p o n t h e e ve o f D - D ay.


THE HISTORY CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

39

left

1LT Richard Winters before

demonstrating a jump for General Eisenhower in England. above

Floyd Talbert (left) and Walter

Gordon (right) visit with a few French farmers following D-Day.


left

The vehicle is a High Mobility

WE HAPPY FEW

Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle or a

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

40

humvee. The markings depict the unit and who the vehicle belongs to. below

This German MG-42 fired

7.62mm rounds in succession.


Clearly there was a dif ficult task ahead. Tragically many of the joy-

we happy few." T he su f fering a nd s acrifice of the past we e k was behind them, and they could briefly pause to enjoy a moment in time. This ver y historic moment, previously not depicted, is captured here in dramatic detail by the ar tist whose works continue to capture the A merican soldier in the best of times and the worst of times.

G enerals Eisenhower and B radley were greatly relieved with the news of the successful linkup. At no o n o n the nex t day, J uly 14 , 19 4 4 , XIX Corps, co mprised of the 2 9 th and 3 0 th D ivisio ns, was formed and ordered to at tack south to St. Lo, while protecting the critical area bet ween V and VII Corps. V Corps with the 1st and 2nd D ivisio ns would link up with the B ritish and co ntinue at tacking south, while VII Corps with the 4th and newly arrived 9 th and 9 0 th D ivi s i o ns wo u ld c o nti n u e we st to captu re C h e rb o u rg. A ny chance for the G ermans to split the corps' seam had been elimi nate d. T h e A l lie s we re b eyo nd th e b e ac h h e ad, a nd G e rm a ny' s fate had been sealed by American soldiers like those depicted in We Happy Few.

41 CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

Germany finally surrendered. But for a moment, they were " We few,

THE DETAILS

ous A merican soldiers depicted in the print would not be there for another happy day, M ay 8 , 19 4 5, so me eleven m onths later w hen


Field Artillery units providing fire support and counterbattery

OPERATION MARKET GARDEN

17-18 September 1944

GUNS H E A V E N

f rom



GUNS FROM HEAVEN JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

44

The 376 th Field A r tiller y Battalion, which landed by parachute assault, prov ided counter battery fires against German position.


the intense barrage of German artillery fire and small arms fire over the L Zs. While the landings were taking place, the Luf t waf fe also managed to strafe the L Zs. This image depicts the actions of the men from the 319th and 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalions, and the 376th and 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalions at LZs “N” and “T” in Holland. The title Guns From Heaven was chosen by the 319th AFAR Association as the official print title after soliciting suggestions from the troopers of the Regiment.

THE HISTORY

delivered 51 howitzers, 117 jeeps, and 10 6 trailers despite

45 CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

According to historical data, gliders with these soldiers


JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK 46

GUNS FROM HEAVEN


CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

THE DETAILS The nose of these Waco CG-4A Gliders were the main entry and exit point This glider was lightweight, but could hold 13 men and equipment like a Jeep, The 75-mm pack howitzer were the main guns used during this operation. They have a range up to 8,700 meters and were used to fire back at the enemy.

right

howitzer, or trailer. Generally, a C-47 was the tow aircraft.

left

for men and equipment during operations.

far left

47



BATTLE OF THE BULGE

Bastogne

17 December 1944

D C STOPPE OL


STOPPED COLD JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

50

O n 17 D e c e m b e r 1 9 4 4 , the ar tiller y bat talions of the great 101st

Airborne Division were aler ted and given 24 - hour notice to move to positions in Belgium to assist in halting an enormous

Fighting, not only the mad Germans but

German of fensive through the rugged

severe cold, lack of protective clothing, food

terrain of the Ardennes region. Hitler's last

Parachute Infantry Regiment who were heavily

and constant ammunition shor tages, the

western Offensive, with the final plan being

engaged along the northeastern perimeter of

ar tiller ymen waged a desperate struggle in

to seize the por t facilities at A nt werp,

Bastogne. Not fully refit ted from the Holland

providing a protective ring of steel around

would be known as the Battle of the Bulge.

Campaign, the 321st marched the 107-miles

the besieged encirclement. Firing from the

The acting Division Commander of the

from Mourmelon, France to the small village

open field positions to gain the 3 6 0 - degree

101st Airborne Division was the Division

in Belgium where they reported ready to fire

view, the artillery battalions of the 101st fired

Ar tiller y Commander, Brigadier General

by 1330 on 19 December. The battalion would

thousands of rounds into the Nazi juggernaut.

A nthony C. M cAulif fe. H e would lead the

occupy this position for 25 days providing

On Christmas, three German tanks broke

Screaming Eagles to Bastogne and, later,

intense fire suppor t to all areas of the encir-

through the Western line of defense and

earn the division a place in American

cled Division perimeter.

reached the woods 500 meters from the firing

militar y lore.

During the siege, the 321 battalion endured

batteries of the 321st. Bursting through the

Depicted in this ar t work is the 321st

constant enemy shellfire and was strafed and

wood line and into the open fields the tanks

Glider Field Ar tiller y Bat talion firing from

bombed by aircraf t. Minimal casualties were

came spraying a hail of tracers. In just sec-

their positions near the town of S av y,

sustained by the battle-hardened cannoneers

onds, the enemy armor was put out of action

approximately one kilometer nor thwest of

due to excellent dispersal and well dug in

by a combined effort of American artillery

Bastogne, in direct suppor t of the 50 6th

howitzer positions.

and tank destroyers.


In a Christmas greeting to the soldiers of his div ision, Brigadier General Mc Auliffe stated: “ . . .W e h a v e S T O P P E D C O L D e v e r y t h i n g t h a t has been throw n at us from the Nor th, East,

straight we st for key poi nts when t he Eag le Div ision w as hur r ied ly ordered to stem t he a d v a n c e . How ef fe c t ively t h i s w a s done w i l l be w r i t t e n i n h i s t o r y, n o t a l o n e i n o u r D i v i s i o n ’ s g l o r i o u s h i s t o r y b u t i n w o r l d h i s t o r y. . .” T h e fol low i n g d ay elements of t he 4t h A r more d Div ision broke through from the South and broke the encirclement of Bastogne.

51 CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

t he l a s t de sperate G er ma n lu nge, were headed

THE HISTORY

S out h a nd We s t . E nemy u n it s , s p e a rhe ad i n g


left

A M101 towed howitzer

STOPPED COLD

fired high-explosive semi-

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

52

fixed rounds with a range of 11,000 meters.


CHAPTER 3: THE ART WORK

THE DETAILS During this attack, the U.S. forces fired at

The 105-mm rounds, measured based on the

a certain amount of firing powder and explosives.

howitzer. Its length is determined because it stored

diameter, not the length, were those used in the M101

left

these German tanks, the Panzer MK-4.

far left

53


4

Chapter Four · The Units


ONE OF THE WAYS James Dietz prepares mentally and creatively for his paintings is to understand the dynamics of the units

he is featuring. When his paintings are printed for sale, each one has the unit’s regimental insignia below the artwork crediting them for their efforts and actions. These are not pictured in the ar t work presented in the previous chapter. Inside this chapter is the main unit’s historical background during World War II is highlighted and provides yet another insight into the artwork’s inspiration.


JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

101 s t A i r b o r n e D i v i s i o n S c r e amin g E a g l e s

56

While at Fort Bragg, the 101st Airborne Division

crashed, and numerous soldiers of the division

continued to train and perform various airborne

were killed, including Brigadier General Don

demonstrations for visiting officials until August,

F. Pratt, the assistant division commander.

when it received orders for transfer overseas.

A second glider landing at dusk that day pro-

Arriving in England, the 101st was quartered in

duced even more casualties.

Wiltshire and Berkshire, where it continued to

The men of the division, however, persevered

train. The early months of 1944 were a time of

and proceeded with their assigned missions

change for the 101st Airborne Division in prepa-

as best they could. There efforts enabled the

ration for D-Day.

division to successfully participate in each of

On 6 June, 1944, the assault force approached

the major battles and operations that took place

the French coast, and they encountered fog

in Europe during World War II. The units were

and antiaircraft fire, which forced some of the

decisively engaged during town seizures such

planes to break formation. Paratroopers from

as St. CĂ´me-du-Mont, Carentan, and Brevands

both airborne divisions missed their landing

across the Douve River. On 17 September 1944,

zones and were scattered over wide areas. For

in

many the first struggle of combat was to find

soldiers through land and air in ef for ts to

operation market- garden ,

the division placed

their units; 1500 soldiers from the division were

secure Holland and advance Allied forces.

killed, wounded or captured in their attempts

Later in December, during the Battle of the

to re-assemble. Eventually, the soldiers and

Bulge in Bastogne, the Screaming Eagles

units finally linked up. The paratroopers of the

defended the line, capturing and destroying

101st were guaranteed backups in the morning,

the German forces as they broke through the

when 51 of the division’s gliders were supposed

defensive lines.

to land. However, the majority of the gliders, had problems of their own. Several aircrafts


On 1 March 1945, the new organizational structure for airborne divisions reached the 101st, and the 506th PIR became an organic element of the division. Two weeks later, General Eisenhower visited Mourmelon and awarded the

scre aming e agles

the

Distinguished Unit Citation for its stand at Bastogne. The division went back to train, this time for a proposed air assault on Berlin. Instead, the division, minus the 501st PIR which remained at Mourmelon, moved to positions near the Rhine during the first week in April. During the last days of the war the 101st Airborne Division was in Berchtesgaden, Adolph Hitler’s vacation retreat. The airborne soldiers spent their days hunting members of the Nazi leadership that had gone into hiding. The division was deactivated 30 November 1945 in France after the Japanese surrender.

CHAPTER 4: THE UNITS

57

below

U.S. Soldiers organizing the Poles and Czechs

Men from the 101st Airborne Division moving

on Utah Beach before being shipped to England.

right

ashore at Utah, late afternoon, 6 June.


left

2nd Battalion officers at Kaprun, Easy Company officer leadership

Austria in Hitler’s Eagle Nest. above

right

Officers receiving the Distinguished

during field training in the states, 1943.

Bradley in June 1944

Service Cross from Lt General Oman N.

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK 58


The 506th PIR was attached to the 101st Airborne

From D - Day until November, 19 4 4, the men of

Division on 1 June 19 4 3. L ater that month

the 50 6th became familiar with such names

the regiment moved west to participate in the

as St. Oedenrode, Veghel, Uden Koevering,

Tennessee maneuvers. After executing these

Nijmegen, and Opheusden, as they fought

maneuvers, the 506th crossed the Atlantic on

from town to town and repelled ever y coun-

the during September, arriving at Liverpool,

ter-at tack the enemy launched. The end of November found the unit at a former French ar tiller y garrison just outside the village of

jump at 010 0 hrs, 6 June 19 4 4. In the pre -

M ourmelon. H ere they rested, reorganized

dawn hours of D - Day a combination of low

and received replacement soldiers.

clouds, and enemy anti-aircraf t fire caused

As the war in Europe was nearing its end, the

the break-up of the troop carrier formations.

5 0 6 th moved to the Ruhr Pocket on 2 April

Even with missing their designated landing

to help in clean - up operations. W hile here,

zones, the men who survived fought valiantly

the 50 6th went on the line facing the Rhine

in small groups, and as others joined them,

River south of Dusseldor f, Germany. On the

they moved towards their objectives.

4th of May, the 5 0 6 th received and carried out its final wartime mission — the capture of

50 6 t h P a r ac hute I n f a nt r y R e g i me nt C u r r ah e e

Berchtesgaden, Hitler’s Eagles Nest. On 8 May, Colonel “Bounding Bob” Sink accepted the surrender of the German L X X XII Corps, commanded by Lt. General Theodor Tolsdorf. The 50 6th established its command post in Zell Am See, and it remained there until the end of July, when it moved to Joigny, France.

59 CHAPTER 4: THE UNITS

England, on 15 September 1943. T he 5 0 6 th PI R to o k of f fo r their first c o mbat


50 9 t h P a r ac hute I n f a nt r y R e g i me nt G e r o nim o T he bat talion was the first U S airborne unit to ship to England early in 1942, and assigned to the British 1st Airborne Division for further training. The 5 0 9 th carried out the first US

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

60

combat drops during the invasion of N or th Africa ( o p e r at i o n

t o r c h)

the M edal of H o no r and the B at t alio n was awa rde d t h e P re side ntial U nit Cit ati o n fo r holding critical ground despite being overrun by a fierce German counter- of fensive.

flying on transpor t

In 19 4 4, the unit was par t of the 1st A irborne

planes all the way from England to the African

Ta s k F o rc e f o r t h e i n v a s i o n o f S o u t h e r n

coast. The first operation was a fiasco, with

F r a n c e (o p e r at i o n

planes widely scattered. Elements of the bat-

along the French coast to the Alps along the

talion later made t wo m ore co mbat jumps

French and Italian border. The 50 9 th saw its

d r a g o o n ),

fighting up

as par t of the N or th African campaign and

final actio n during the B at tle of the B ulge

operated as par t of the Tunisian Task Force

where the bat talion fought a desperate

bat tling back the forces of Er win Rommel’s

bat tle against t wo elite Panzer Divisions in

famed Afrika Korps.

the small village of S adzot. Vastly outnum -

T h e 5 0 9 t h’s n ex t o p e rati o ns include d a dro p behind enemy lines to help save the beach head during the initial invasion of Italy ( o p e r at i o n

ava l a n c h e )

bered, the 5 0 9 th held their ground earning the unit ’s second Presidential Unit Citation. The bat talion entered the bat tle at full strength

and were later utilized

(a b o u t 7 5 0 m e n) b u t w h e n t h e u n i t w a s

a n d e li te m o u n t a i n i n fa n t r y i n t h e I t a li a n

pulled from the action in the end of Januar y,

mountains. The bat talion later spearheaded

only 4 8 enlisted men and 7 of ficers were still

the amphibious invasion of Anzio ( o p e r at i o n

actively fighting. At this time, the unit was

s h i n g l e ).

disba nd e d a nd t h e m e n u s e d a s replac e -

D u r i n g t h i s c a m p a ig n, C o r p o ra l

Paul B. Huf f was the first paratrooper to earn

ments for other airborne division.


CHAPTER 4: THE UNITS

61


left

Paratroopers exiting their aircrafts in These paratroopers await in the belly

preparation for their future jumps. right

of a C47 prior to conducting inspections and get ready to stand at the door.

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK 62


Division. The U.S. Army adopted and develo p e d t h e a irb o r n e c o n c ept , a nd t h e 8 2d would be the first U.S . division to receive

seaborne forces would land to gain control

this designation. MG Ridgway would lead the

of roads and communications. The 82d fought

Division to Nor th Africa in May 194 3, where

for 3 3 days without relief or replacements,

it intensely trained for the airborne assault

and once again successfully completed

onto the island of Sicily for

o p e r at i o n h u s k y.

the mission.

In September 19 4 3, General Mark Clark, Fif th

The final airborne assault for the 82nd Airborne

Army, requested MG Ridgway send the 82nd

Division during World War II was into Holland

to drop onto the Salerno beachhead to help

in September 194 4,

secure the Italian foothold established by the

would have the All Americans per form a day

Allies.

consisting of t wo,

time jump into Nijmegen. Led by their new

consecutive night jumps accomplished the

co mmander, B G James M . Gavin, the 82d

mission and eliminated any doubt the Allies

captured and held the key bridges at Grave

would be pushed back into the sea.

and Nijmegen, as well as some subsidiar y

o p e r at i o n ava l a n c h e

W hile the 5 0 4th stayed in Italy to fight, the rest of the 82nd headed for England to prepare and train for assault of

o p e r at i o n n e p t u n e ,

the airborne

o p e r at i o n o v e r l o r d ,

o p e r at i o n m a r k e t g a r d e n

bridges over a canal to the east of Grave. The All- A mericans briefly rested af ter Holland, but the final German of fensive in December

the Allied

19 4 4, t he B at tle of t he B ulge, ended a ny

of fensive into N ormandy, France. Joined by

reprieve. After being rushed into combat with

the 5 07th and the 5 0 8th Parachute Infantr y

lit tle food, ammunition, and winter clothing,

R egim ents, the 8 2nd as s aulted N o r ma ndy

the 82d held their ground against German

w i t h 12, 0 0 0 Pa rachu te a nd G lid e r t ro o ps ,

t a n ks a nd a r t ill e r y, b e ga n to p u s h b ac k ,

6 June 19 4 4. T heir mission was to destroy

a nd by F ebr ua r y 19 4 5 were pus hing into

vital G ermany supply bridges and capture

Germany. World War II ended in May 19 4 5,

causeways leading inland across the flooded

and the 82d Airborne Division would receive

areas behind the N ormandy beaches where

the honor of Occupation Dut y in Berlin.

63 CHAPTER 4: THE UNITS

nize d a nd d e signate d t h e 8 2 nd A irb o r n e

82 n d A i r b o r n e D i v i s i o n A l l Am e r i c an ¡ A l l t h e Way

O n 15 August 19 42, the D ivision was re orga -


JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

64

On 1 May 1942 The 50 4th Parachute Infantr y

After the success at Salerno beachhead, the 504th

Regiment (PIR) was activated at Fort Benning,

prepared to fight in D-Day. However, as D-Day

Georgia and was later attached to the newly

approached, it became apparent that the 504th

designated 82nd Airborne Division under the

would be held back. A lack of replacements

command of General Omar N. Bradley.

prevented the Regiment from participating in

The 504th was quickly sent overseas and were

the invasion, so only a few dozen 504th troopers

assigned to the efforts in Italy. At 0330 on

were taken as pathfinders. The Regiment was

9 S eptember 19 4 3, the amphibious land -

utilized during

ings at Salerno began. The Allied hold on

their motto, “Strike Hold,” had never before been

t h e b e a c h h e ad b e c a m e te n u o u s w h e n ,

more forcefully demonstrated on the battlefield.

on 12 September, the Germans launched a

The 504th, tired yet determined, had gallantly

successful counterattack. In order to guide

kept its commitment to accomplish ever y

oper ation m arke t gard en

where

the C- 47 pilots to the shrinking drop zone,

mission without ever relinquishing any ground

oil drums filled with gasoline -soaked sand

it had once occupied.

were ignited every 50 yards when signaled.

The 504th PIR distinguished themselves as being

On the night of 13 September, 1300 504’rs took

a force to be reckoned with. They succeeded

off and parachuted on to a drop zone that was

where others failed. They fought the toughest

a mere 1200 yards long and 800 yards wide

battles. They became one of the most deco-

south of the Sele River near Salerno. The days

rated parachute units of the War. All things

that followed were, in the words of General Mark

considered it is safe to say that the legacy of

Clark, Commander of the 5th Army, “responsi-

the “Devils in Baggy Pants” will live on forever.

ble for saving the Salerno beachhead.”

50 4 t h P a r ac hute I n f a nt r y R e g i me nt S t r ik e Ho l d


CHAPTER 4: THE UNITS

65

Generals Ridgway (left) and Gavin (right) confer in preparation for the advance through the

above

Jumpers preparing to exit the aircraft.

HĂźrtgen Forest, February 1945. right


left

A self-propelled 155mm “Long Tom” pounds enemy targets to

the east. By early 1945, American gunners often fired ten shells or Alpha Battery, 320th GFAB, fires in support of the ground

more for every one fired by the enemy.

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

offensive during the Battle of the Bulge.

above

66


31 9 t h & 320 t h Gl i d er F ie ld A r t i l ler y B at t a l ion s G u n D ev i l s ¡ W i l l in g & A b l e 319th and the rest of the small ranger force

t he 3 2 0 t h a nd t he 3 21st, was under t he

held out for over 10 days before being rein-

regimental leadership of Col. H. C. Williams.

forced by the United States.

Organized initially as horse - drawn ar tiller y,

The 320th GFAB continued offensive operations

the 319 th was authorized four six-inch how-

suppor ting the 325th throughout the early

it zers while the 32 0 th was authorized four

campaign of

three-inch guns per battery.

1944, the Battalion reinforced the fires of the

o p e r at i o n ov e r lo r d .

On 13 June

On September 14, 1943, the 319th landed by ship

319th Glider Field Ar tiller y Bat talion in sup -

near Maiori, Italy and hauled their 10 5mm

port of the crossing of the Douve River, made

howitzers up the mountain roads in the early

by the 508th PIR. It was relieved from action

morning darkness. Af ter quickly establish -

on 11 July 1944 and sailed for the base camp

ing their firing position, the 319 th bat teries

in England on LST No. 532 on 13 July 1944.

opened fire against the Germans in support of

As a result of their actions during

o p e r at i o n

the Ranger infantry forces becoming not only

ov er lo r d,

the first glider unit to see combat in W WII but

Presidential U nit Cit atio n and the French

also the first glider artillery unit to fire on the

Croix de Guerre with Palm.

enemy. Although outnumbered by as much as 8:1 by bat tle hardened German forces, including the Hermann Goering Division, the

the Bat talions were awarded the

67 CHAPTER 4: THE UNITS

The 319 th, along with its t wo sister regiments,


37 7 t h P a r ac hute F ie ld A r t i l ler y B at t a l ion G u n s l in g e r s As part of the 502nd Regimental Combat Team

to reinforce the battalion. On D+5 the 377th

on D - Day, the 377th PFAB was tasked with

PFAB, now at St. Oedenrode, also supported

destroying a German battery of four 122mm

the 501st in addition to their original assign-

howitzers and other installations in the rear

ment to the 502nd.

of the northern sector of the beach near St. Martin-de-Varreville. However, the loss of two planeloads, the 377th lost all but one 75mm pack howitzers. The soldiers continued to fight

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

68

as ground soldiers during

oper ation n ep tu n e .

T he h owit zers of the 37 7th P FA B a nd 3 21st were the first cannons to arrive in suppor t of the division during the Holland operation. The 377th set up their firing positions and supported the 1st battalion of the 50 6th PIR during a fierce counterattack by the Germans o n D+ 3 n o r t h of t he c a nal ne ar t he Zo n bridge. The same day, t wo bat teries of the 377th suppor ted the 502nd at Best as they tried to advance toward St. Oedenrode. Later that same day Bravo Bat ter y encountered heavy flak but still managed to jump in order


CHAPTER 4: THE UNITS

4 5 6t h G r o u n d In f a n t r y R e g i m e n t

9 0 7t h G r o u n d F i e l d A r t i l l e r y B a t t a l i o n

3 76t h P a r a c h u t e F i e l d A r t i l l e r y B a t t a l i o n

3 2 1s t G r o u n d F i e l d A r t i l l e r y B a t t a l i o n

1 8t h F i e l d A r t i l l e r y B a t t a l i o n

2n d A r m o r D iv i s i o n

69


5

Chapter Five ¡ The Statistics


WITH EVERY WAR OR BATTLE, THERE IS LOSS. Loss of life, loss of equipment, and loss on the

battlefield. Throughout this chapter, there is information surrounding the amount of effort, strength, and coordination World War II took on the United States and the rest of the world. James Dietz’s knowledge of World War II allows him to accurately recreate the scenes found in his paintings. He does not begin to understand the severity of loss that took place throughout World War II, but the following information provides another view into the lives of the men and women in his art.


Battles

Throughout all of World War II, there were devastating losses. These charts depict the losses compared to the fighting forces between the Allied and Axis forces during the operations mentioned previously. Additionally, the map to the right shows the Allied forces movements and advances from 1942 to 1945.

Operation Torch

D-Day

Allied Forces

Allied Forces

Axis Forces

Axis Forces

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

72

0

50,000

100,000

Total Soldiers

150,000

0

200,000

40,000

80,000

Total Soldiers

Casualties

Operation Market Garden

120,000

160,000

Casualties

Battle of the Bulge

Allied Forces

Allied Forces

Axis Forces Inconclusive Data

0

10,000

Axis Forces

20,000

Total Soldiers

Casualties

30,000

40,000

0

150,000 300,000 450,000 600,000 Total Soldiers

Casualties


1945

1944

1945 1945

4

194

45

19

4

194

1945

1944 5

1944

194

4

194

42

19

42

1943

1944

19

CHAPTER 5: THE STATISTICS

73

19 1942

43

194

3

1942


671,278 wounded in action COMBAT out of 1,000 SURVIVABILITY

8.6

KIA

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

74

3

FROM OTHER CAUSES

NON-FATAL

COMBAT WOUNDS

33

17.7 AVERAGES

16

months of service months overseas


Personnel Active Military Personnel, 1945

Casualties by Branch in WWII

4% 1%

6%

1%

15%

Army & Air Force

Army & Air Force

Navy

Navy

Marines

Coast Guard

Coast Guard

68%

78%

Women’s Service in WWII

Minority Service in WWII

4% 5%

17%

3%

2%1% 1%

42% Women’s Army Corps

African American

Coast Guard Reserves

Japanese American

Navy WAVES

6%

Puerto Rican

Marine Corps Reserves

American Indian

Army Nurse Corps

3%

Chinese American

Navy Nurse Corps

28%

75

Marines

Filipino American

88%

CHAPTER 5: THE STATISTICS

27%


7,031

A I R P L A 9,585 TANKS demolished N E S

Logistics

JAMES DIETZ & WORLD WAR II ART WORK

76

L O 49 S SHIPS destroyed during Pearl Harbor T


CHAPTER 5: THE STATISTICS

77

20 BILLION BULLETS USED


A historical painting stands or falls on how well it depicts the story it is attempting to illustrate, and how convincingly it combines the people, their actions, costumes, and surroundings in an appropriate composition. A good historical painting uses all of these elements to

tell the major story and perhaps a second subtext. Both are driven by how interesting the situation is that the artist is attempting to render.


How the viewer reacts to a great painting transcends its immediate story and

strikes a

deeper chord , one that hopefully

evolves and changes as the viewer contemplates the art over time. In his portrait of events in the 20th and 21st Centuries, he labors to achieve that rare combination of historical fact and the romance, adventure and color of fiction.


Index

B E O D G M Battle of the Bulge, 14, 50, 56, 60 Bradley, Omar, 35, 38, 41, 58, 64

Eight Hours to Glory, 24-29 Eisenhower, Dwight, 11, 20, 39, 41

D-Day, 13, 30, 35, 38, 56, 59, 68 Dietz, James, 4-7, 17, 55, 71, 82

Guns from Heaven, 42-47

Montgomery, Bernard, 11

Operation Overlord, 12, 67 Operation Market-Garden, 14, 42, 63 Operation Torch, 11, 18, 20, 60


R S W Y # Rommel, Erwin, 11, 60

Salerno, Italy, 11, 24, 27, 29, 63, 64 Silencing the Guns, 30-35 Stopped Cold, 48-53

We Happy Few, 36-41

You Have Your Orders, 18-23

2nd Armor Division, 69 18th Fires Battalion, 69 82nd Airborne Division, 38, 62, 63 101st Airborne Division, 32, 38, 50, 56, 57 319th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 66-67 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 66-67 321st Glider Field Artillery Battalion 67-69 376th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, 44-45, 69 377th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion, 68 456th Glider Infantry Regiment, 45, 69 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 24, 27-29, 63-65 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 32, 35, 38, 50, 57-59, 68 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 20, 22, 60, 61 907th Glider Field Artillery Battalion, 69


from his personal collection

James Dietz in a classic things he enjoys in his daily life.

car, continuously finding inspiration for his artwork in



A historical painting stands or falls on how well it depicts the story it is attempting to illustrate, and how convincingly it combines the people, their actions, costumes, and surroundings in an appropriate composition. A good historical painting uses all of these elements to

tell the major story and perhaps a second subtext. Both

are driven by how interesting the situation is that the artist is attempting to render. How the viewer reacts to a great painting transcends its immediate story and

stri kes a deeper chord , one that hopef ully

evolves and changes as the viewer contemplates the art over time. In his portrait of events in the 20th and 21st Centuries, he labors to achieve that rare and combination of historical fact and the romance, adventure and color of fiction.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.