On the east side of the road.

During World War II, the 304th Infantry Regiment and the 76th Infantry Division were reactivated in 1942 and deployed to Europe under the Third U.S. Army in November 1944. Once in Europe, the 304^th Regiment participated in the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of the Rhineland, and the Battle of Central Germany. When hostilities ended during April-May 1945, the 304th Regiment was given the task of governing the Altenburg and Rochlitz districts in Germany. The regiment was disbanded while still in Germany on 31 August 1945.

After the peaceful surrender of Schmölln on 13 April 1945, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment assumed occupation duties there under the command of Captain Donald Katz. Since Katz was often called to Regimental Headquarters, his Executive Officer, 1st Lieutenant Richard Keefe, was responsible for routine oversight of the city from May 1945 until the U.S. transferred the sector to Soviet control in July 1945.

Frank Mucedola, Technical Sergeant in Company I during the occupation and later acting Historian ofthe  76th Infantry Division Association, commissioned the upper plaque in 2002. Local officials, alongside 76th Infantry Division Veterans and family members, participated in a ceremony to dedicate the memorial on 13 April 2003.

Source of information: https://wege-der-befreiung.org/de, www.patreon.com, https://www.jimkeefe.com/archives/10439, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8B-2IQxrNc&t=1s, https://76thdivision.com

Source of photos: www.patreon.com

Upper plaque inscription:

[76th Infantry Division patch]

THIS PLAQUE RESPECTFULLY
PRESENTED TO THE PEOPLE OF

SCHMÖLLN, THÜRINGEN, GERMANY
BY THE 76TH INFANTRY DIVISION
AND COMPANY I, 304TH INFANTRY REGIMENT

[304th Infantry Regiment unit insignia]

UNITED STATES ARMY

WHO SERVED IN THIS CITY FROM MAY TO JULY 1945

THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING US

76TH INFANTRY DIVISION ASSOCIATION

APRIL 13, 2003

Lower plaque inscription:

Am 13. April 1945 übergaben an dieser Stelle Bürger Schmöllns

die Stadt an ein Vorauskommando der 76. amerikanischen

Infanteriedivision und 6. Panzerdivision. Die Kompanie I vom 304.

Infanterieregiment 76. Division diente hier als Besatzungstruppe

bis zum Abzug am 1. Juli 1945.

On 13 April 1945 at this location Citizens of Schmölln

surrendered the City to advance elements of the 76th Infantry and

6th Armored Divisions. Co. I, 304th Infantry Regiment later served

as occupation force until their departure on 1 July 1945.