What unit of the 7th US Army first entered Salzburg, Austria?

[vsadek]

Can anybody provide me info: what unit of the 7th US Army first entered Salzburg, Austria on May 1945? Was it 103rd Infantry Division? Any input is appreciated.

[Q.M]

106th Cav.

http://www.usfava.com/USFA_ArmyCorps.htm

[vsadek]

ORIGINAL: Q.M
106th Cav.

[&o] Thanx! [&o]

[WarHunter]

Added a little historical background for those interested in more about the 106th Cavalry Group and the 3rd Infantry Divison. Both were represented in the drive on and surrender of Salzburg.

The 3rd Infantry Division, entered Salzburg with elements of the 106th Cav Gp, on May 4 and accepted the surrender of the city that same day.

http://www.usfava.com/USFA_ArmyCorps.htm

The 106th Cavalry Group (Mecz), under the command of Colonel Vennard Wilson, Cavalry, with its 106th and 121st Cavalry Squadrons, sailed for France 27 June 1944. The group entered combat under VIII Corps on July 2, 1944 (D plus 26). Its baptism of fire came in Normandy with a mission of mopping up enemy forces that had been cut off during the drive of the VIII Corps down the Normandy Peninsula.

The March offensive again gave the group an offensive mission in advance of XV Corps through the Siegfried Line near Saarbrucken, across the Rhine, to Ashaffenburg (on the Main river), Bad-Orb, Bamburg, Nurnburg, across the Danube to Munich, where the group accepted the surrender of the 9th Hungarian Division. The advance continued to Salzburg where the garrison surrendered.

http://www.louisdimarco.com/106thcavalry.htm

The 106th fought continuously throughout the European campaign. After the Battle of the Bulge, they were attached to the 7th Army, 45th Infantry Division, which had entered Europe through Italy and fought their way up into France. Although comprising approximately fifteen hundred men, the unit was often given assignments that stretched it thin, and they were recognized with the award of two Croix de guerre. The unit finished out the war with the 7th Army, XV Corps.

The 106th was the first American troops to enter Salzburg, Austria. They received information from the 101st Squadron that the Germans were holding the King and Queen of Belgium prisoner in a chateau near Strobl, Austria. Captain Benning, the commander of B Troop, led some of his unit, including individuals who spoke German, on a rescue party. The group later served as Honor Guards for the King and Queen of Belgium. The 106th secured a truce from the defending German Army on 7 May, the day before the German High Command surrendered to the Allies on 8 May 1945.

http://www.ireference.ca/search/106th%2 ... States%29/

Brig. Gen. Robert N. Young, Assistant Division Commander, accompanied advance elements of the 106th Cavalry Group, which was the first unit officially to enter Salzburg. General Young accepted the surrender of the city.

Probably one of the most valued comments was made by Kesselring. The German Field Marshal, who commanded troops on the Italian Front during the entire time that 3d Infantry Division fought in Italy, and who succeeded Marshal von Rundstedt as commander of the German West Front, was asked directly by Seymour Korman, war correspondent for the Chicago Tribune:
"What was the best American division faced by troops under your command on either the Italian or Western Fronts?" Without hesitation, Kesselring named four American divisions, two infantry and two armored. The 3d Infantry Division he placed first on the list.

http://ranger95.com/3rd_id_history/chap ... _part2.htm

There were few veterans of the initial D-Day on hand for V-E Day in Salzburg and Berchtesgaden, a solemn day for both veterans and recruits alike. For during those 30 months, the 3rd had sustained 34,000 casualties -- more than any of the 60 divisions in the European Theater -- in its 3200 mile trail from Casablanca to Salzburg.

Most of the glory of the last two days of the war went to Col. Heintges' 7th Regt. Second Bn. rolled into Salzburg, while 1st and 3rd Bns., commanded by Lt. Col. Kenneth Wallace and Maj. Flynn, raced to capture Berchtesgaden.

http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_bo ... index.html

[vsadek]

Thank you WarHunter! This is really great stuff. [:)]