Monument Details

First Army Memorial

Details:

The memorial is located on the northeast side of the Malmedy cathedral. It is situated between the actual cathedral and the sidewalk which runs around the perimeter of the building. Monument The memorial is a large dark field stone whose surface lists in bronze letters units of the Unites States Armed Forces as well a Belgian unit who fought at Malmedy. The top half of the memorial lists the units who fought for the liberation of Malmedy in September of 1944. The bottom half of the memorial lists the units who fought to defend Malmedy during the Battle of the Ardennes in December 1944. This half of the monument is organized by date.

The reference to Norwegians is the result of the fact that the 99th Infantry Battalion and the part of the 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion that was attached to it was largely composed of Norwegian-Americans or Norwegians who fled their home country after it fell under German occupation. The 5th Belgian Fusilier Battalion was a unit of Belgian soldiers organized after the country was liberated in September 1944.

Monument Text:

"1ST US Army

1 Sept. 1944 Liber tion

de Malmedy

4TH Cav lry

Reconnaissance Squadron

CIE B 625TH Tank

De troy r Battalion

Batterie C87TH rmored

Field rtillery Battalion

Bataille des Ardennes Dec. 1944

Defense de Malmedy

17.12 C E 291ST Engineer

Combat Battalion

18.12 T sk Force 99TH INF BN

CIE 825TH Tank Destr yer

Battalion Norvegiens

80TH Infantry Division

120TH Infantry Regi ent

21.12 110TH Anti Aircraft

Gun Battalion

740TH Tank Battalion

5261H Armored Infantry Battalion

5EME Battalion Fusiliers Belges"

English Translation:

"1ST US Army

1 Sept. 1944 Liber[a]tion

of Malmedy

4TH Cav[a]lry

Reconnaissance Squadron

COM. B 625TH Tank

De[s]troy[e]r Battalion

Battery C 87TH [A]rmored

Field [A]rtillery Battalion

Battle of the Ardennes Dec. 1944

Defense of Malmedy

17.12 COM [ ] 291ST Engineer

Combat Battalion

18.12 T[a]sk Force 99TH INF BN

COM [ ] 825TH Tank Destr[o]yer

Battalion Norwegiens

80TH Infantry Division

120TH Infantry Regi[m]ent

21.12 110TH Anti Aircraft

Gun Battalion

740TH Tank Battalion

526[T]H Armored Infantry Battalion

5TH Belgian Fusilier Battalion"

Commemorates:

Units:

110th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Gun Battalion

120th Infantry Regiment

1st US Army

291st Engineer Combat Battalion

30th Infantry Division

4th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron

526th Armored Infantry Battalion

740th Tank Battalion

825th Tank Destroyer Battalion

87th Armored Field Artillery Battalion

99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) (Norwegian)

United States Army

Wars:

WWII

Battles:

Battle of the Bulge