71^st Infantry Regiment

The 71st Infantry Regiment was a New York National Guard regiment inducted on September 16, 1940, and assigned to the 44th Infantry Division. After a long training period in the United States, it sailed from Boston in September 1944 and landed in France ten days later. Its first combat came in Lorraine, where it entered the line east of Foret de Parroy on October 23 while attached briefly to the 79th Infantry Division. The regiment soon faced German counterattacks and then joined the 44th Division's November offensive toward Sarrebourg and the Saverne Gap.

On November 13, 1944, the 71st attacked from the Leintrey area with the 324th Infantry. Mud, mines, and German artillery slowed the opening advance, but after the 114th Infantry dislocated the German flank, the 71st became the division's main effort along Route N-4. It pushed rapidly toward the Rhine-Marne Canal and secured most of Sarrebourg by dark on November 20. During the Panzer Lehr counterattack, 2nd Battalion fought at Rauwiller before the regiment re-formed south of the village. In December the 71st moved into the Maginot Line battles. It took Siersthal on December 11, then led the assault on Fort Simserhof. With engineer support, its assault teams entered underground passages and surface works before the remaining defenders withdrew during the night of December 18-19.

During Operation Nordwind, the regiment held in the Rimling sector as German attacks pushed into the 44th Division's right. In February 1945 it helped eliminate the Gros Rederching salient, capturing Rimling in a limited offensive. After the Rhine crossing and rapid operations in southern Germany, the 71st entered the Alps. At Fern Pass in May, one battalion attacked frontally while another, guided by Austrian partisans, reached Fernstein and struck from the rear. The pass fell, opening the way toward Nassereith, Imst, and Telfs.