801st Tank Destroyer Battalion:

As 101st New York National Guard Antitank Battalion was federalized on 6 January 1941 and redesignated 801st Tank Destroyer Battalion on 15 December. Arrived in England as a towed battalion 11 March 1944. Landed at Utah Beach on 13 June and participated in capture of Cherbourg. Fought at Mortain in early August, reached outskirts of Paris on 25 August. Entered Belgium on 8 September and Germany on 12 September. Supported operations in Hürtgen Forest beginning late November. On the line in Ardennes when German offensive struck on 16 December. Moved to Aachen, Germany, in February 1945. Crossed Roer River on 25 February and reached Rhine south of Düsseldorf. Crossed Rhine near Wessel on 29 March and supported drive to the Ruhr and then east to the Elbe River. Transferred south and supported operations in Harz Mountains in late April. Converted to M18s in late April. Crossed Danube and reached Inn River outside Hitler’s birthplace—Brunnau, Austria—by VE Day. Attached to: 2d, 13th Armored divisions; 2d, 4th, 9th, 83d, 99th Infantry divisions.

Attained Rank of Sergeant

Received Bronze Star

Albert Rochelle