At the end of the 400 meter marked trail in the woods.

Local Vosges pink sandstone, decorated with the American star representing the US Army.

A bronze inscribed plaque presenting Staff Sergeant Francis J. WAYTE of the 397th Infantry Regiment, 100th Infantry Division and the actions he carried out at this location on December 16, 1944. Several former fighting positions surround the memorial.

SSG Wayte was killed in action at this location while serving in the 100th "Century" Infantry Division also known as the "Sons of Bitche", part of the 7th US Army.

The information on the plaque is written in French

and English and reads:

On the plaque:

Top left : coat of arms of the 100th American Infantry Division

Center : logo of the Espace Mémoire du Pays de Bitche (Memory Space of Bitche area), with crossed French and American flags

Top right : crest of the 397th Regiment of the 100th Infantry Division

Title text, in the middle of the plaque:

Le Sergent Francis J. WAYTE est né le 18 juillet 1916 dans la banlieue de New York à Kearny dans le New Jersey (États-Unis).

Enrôlé en décembre 1942 dans le 397e Régiment d’Infanterie en formation, il débarque avec la 100e Division US à Marseille en octobre 1944 et prend part aux combats pour la libération de Baccarat, Raon-l’Étape, Rothbach, Reipertswiller et Mouterhouse.

Pour son courage, il reçoit la Bronze Star et la Silver Star à titre posthume. Mort au champ d’honneur ici même le 16 décembre 1944.

Il avait 28 ans.

Sergeant Francis J. WAYTE was born on July 18, 1916 in the New York suburb of Kearny, New Jersey (USA).

Enlisted in December 1942 in the 397th Infantry Regiment, he landed with the 100th US Division in Marseille in October 1944, and took part in the fighting to liberate 

Baccarat, Raon-l'Étape, Rothbach, Reipertswiller and Mouterhouse.

For his courage, he was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Silver Star. 

He died on the field of honor here on December 16, 1944.

He was 28 years old.

* Plaque center: 

Middle : photo of Francis J. WAYTE

Bottom left of photo : Bronze Star

Bottom right of photo : Silver Star

* Text on left of photo:  

Le Staff Sergent, Francis WAYTE, appartenait à la Compagnie E du 2e Bataillon du 397e Régiment d’Infanterie de la 100e Division de la 7e armée US.

Du 6 au 8 décembre 1944, il participe aux combats pour la libération de Mouterhouse.

Venant de la Melch, les compagnies E et G du 2e Bataillon mènent l’assaut qui débute le 7 décembre à 9h15. Bravant les tirs des snipers, la compagnie G réussit à entrer dans l’église par une fenêtre, tandis que la compagnie de Francis pénètre dans le cimetière devant l’église.

Elle subit alors des pertes importantes car le feu intense de l’ennemi détache des fragments de pierres tombales et les envoie ricocher sur les hommes accroupis, mais la compagnie E finit aussi par atteindre l’abri de l’église.

Francis WAYTE recevra la Bronze Star médaille à titre posthume, pour son héroïsme lors des combats de ce jour.

Après quelques jours de repos, les hommes du 2e Bataillon reprennent leur marche en direction de leur nouvel objectif : Bitche.

Repartis à l’offensive le matin du 16 décembre pour prendre les deux collines devant vous, ils essuyent le feu d’une mitrailleuse installée dans le bâtiment à l’extrémité de l’étang d’Hasselfurth.

L’attaque dure depuis plusieurs heures quand, soudain, depuis le sommet d’une des collines, l’ennemi contre-attaque. 

Avec sa mitrailleuse, Francis réussit à tenir l’ennemi en échec pendant un long moment pour permettre à ses hommes de se mettre à l’abri. Mais les tirs se concentrent alors sur lui et, d’une rafale, un mitrailleur ennemi le tue sur le coup.

Francis WAYTE recevra la Silver Star médaille à titre posthume pour son héroïsme lors des combats de ce jour.

* Text on right of photo : 

Staff Sergeant Francis WAYTE belonged to Company E, 2nd Battalion, 397th Infantry Regiment, 100th Division, 7th US Army.

From December 6 to 8, 1944, he took part in the fighting to liberate Mouterhouse.

Coming from La Melch, companies E and G of the 2nd Battalion led the assault, which began at 9.15 am on December 7. 

Braving sniper fire, Company G managed to enter the church through a window, while Francis' company entered the cemetery in front of the church.

It suffered heavy casualties as the intense enemy fire loosened fragments of tombstones and sent them ricocheting off the crouching men, but Company E also eventually reached the shelter of the church.

Francis WAYTE was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star medal for his heroism in the fighting that day.

After a few days' rest, the men of the 2nd Battalion resumed their march towards their new objective: Bitche.

On the morning of December 16, they went on the offensive to take the two hills in front of you, only to come under fire from a machine gun installed in the building at the end of the Hasselfurth pond.

The attack had been going on for several hours when, suddenly, from the top of one of the hills, the enemy counter-attacked.

With his machine gun, Francis managed to keep the enemy at bay for a long time, allowing his men to take cover. But then the fire concentrated on him, and an enemy machine-gunner killed him instantly.

Francis WAYTE will be posthumously awarded the Silver Star medal for his heroism in the fighting that day.

* Concluding text, in the middle, under photos of Francis WAYTE and medals :

Reconnaissance, Gratitude et Honneur à Francis J. WAYTE et ses frères d’armes de la 100e Division d’Infanterie ayant combattu pour notre Liberté.

Recognition, Gratitude and Honor to Francis J. WAYTE and his brothers in arms of the 100th Infantry Division who fought for our Freedom.

Bitche le 16 Decembre 2024

Bitche December 16, 2024

* At the bottom of the plaque, from left to right:

(Logo of the entities that supported the project)

Logo of the project's certification as part of the 80th anniversary of the Liberation

Logo of the Moselle department L'Eurodépartement

Logo for Establishments SCHWARTZ BITCHE Construction company 

Logo for the town of Bitche

Crédit Mutuel bank logo