Harold R. Brigade
Harold was born and raised in Palo Alto,Pennsylvania.
He was killed in action during the battle of the Bulge.
Harold was with Troop B on January 9, 1945 when it was attached to Combat Team 9 (for 9th Infantry) commanded by Lt. Col Frank J. Britton when it was ordered to attack a deep dug in position in woods east and just south of Bastogne. Harold and eight other troopers were killed in action and another 17 wounded.
There are very few survivors left, this is their story:
On January 9th we were given a mission to become observers to watch the troop movements of the Germans. Our assignment was to get into the woods and watch the Germans on the road below the woods, before I left I asked the Colonel for at least a tank or two for protection, but he said, Don’t worry, there is nothing in those woods. I told my men if we encountered any enemy fore to withdraw at once and don’t wait for my command. As we approached the edge of the woods the Germans were in foxholes at the very edge of the woods and as we got closer they opened fire on us. Your Uncle was on my left flank leading a group of men and I was in the center column and another Sgt. Was on the right flank. I looked over to my left and saw your Uncle was shot and screamed to him to “Stay Down”, instead he jumped up and proceeded a few feet and was hit again and he did not get up. The thing that upset me so much was that before this action he was notified that he had just become a father to a son. This is all I can tell you I ended up in the hospital for four months. I was hit on the same day as Harold KIA.
Source: Antony Olivo, platoon leader in Troop B.
On New Year's Day of 1945 Troop A was assigned to CCB, Troop C and one platoon of Troop D were attached to CCA and two platoons of Troop B were guarding bridges as squadron moved 14 miles to Traimont, Belgium. The remainder of Troop D plus one light tank platoon from Company F were attached to CCA on January 3 and Troop B and another light tank platoon from Company F followed on January 5. Squadron moved 12 miles to Assenois, Belgium, where it prepared for future operations through January 11. It was during this period that Troop B, assigned by CCA to Combat Team 9 (Lt. Col. Frank K. Britton), was ordered to attack a dug-in German position in the woods east and just south of Bastogne. Denied tank support, Troop B nevertheless made its attack. 1st Lt. Clifton E. Gordon, in his first major battle with the squadron, was killed along with Sgt. Harold R. Brigade, Cpl. Irving Fabricant, Pfc. Edward M. Crosier, Pfc. Arthur A. Pregosin, Pfc. Robert G. Stevens, Pvt. Albert J. Abrams, Pvt. Howard N. Cowan and Pvt. Waiter L. Ware. Another 17 enlisted men were wounded. The attack failed and it eventually took a much stronger force to drive the enemy from the woods.
Bronze Star Awarded: Sgt. Harold R. Brigade (B) GO 56-44
Silver Star Awarded: Sgt. Harold R. Brigade (B) GO 205-45
Harold R. Brigade
Service # 33165789
Sergeant, U.S. Army
86th Cavalry Reconn Squadron, 6th Armored Division
Entered Service From: Pennsylvania
Date of Death: January 8, 1945
Buried:Plot E Row 13 Grave 47
Luxembourg American Cemetery
Awards: Purple Heart