193rd GLIDER INFANTRY REGIMENT

  • Activated

Maurice G. Stubbs

The 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment was formed on December 16, 1942. It was activated at Camp Mackall, North Carolina on April 15, 1943 under the command of Colonel Maurice G. Stubbs. The 193rd GIR was immediately assigned to the 17th Airborne Division. It participated in Tennessee maneuvers in February 7, 1944 before being sent first to Camp Forrest, Tennessee on March 24, 1944, then he made one step at Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts on August 14, 1944 before From Boston on August 20, 1944 to embark on a boat to England on August 28, 1944.
Arriving in England, the 193rd was sent to Camp Chisledon, area where stationed throughout the 17th Airborne. There, they continued training with additional training and flight tactics and maneuvers at night. When the Operation Market Garden was began, the 17th was still in training, So, it served to reserve unit.

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"Gathering of troops in front of their barracks. Camp Mackall, 1943 (Kenny Cavanah Collection).
Earl 'Kenny' Cavanah was a Private in the Headquarters Company of the 193rd Glider Infantry Regiment."
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"Parade of the 193rd GIR troops in the 'streets' of Camp Mackall."
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"Glidermen of Company C, 193rd GIR."
  • Operation BATTLE OF THE BULGE - Belgium - December 1944

On December 16th, 1944, the Germans launched an offensive by The Belgian Ardennes surprising the Allied. The 17th Airborne Division was still in England. The 82nd and the 101st who were resting in Sissone, France were sent hurriedly by trucks to contain the German advance.

Between the 17 and the 23 December, the 82nd blocked the German advance close to St-Vith. Concerning the 101st, it was surrounded with the 7th Armored Division in Bastogne. To help to reinforce Bastogne, the 17th was sent to the front.

From the 23 to the 25 December, the 17th Airborne’s units were sent by plane to France, in Rheims’s area. But meanwhile, Patton’s 3rd US Armybroke the surrounding of Bastogne. Once in France, the 17th was attached to Patton’s army and got the order to take up position in Mourmelon. It insured the defense all along the Meuse River going from Givet to Verdun until December 25th then was sent to Belgium in Neufchateau, and from there, walking in the snow, they went to Morhet to relieve the 28th Infantry Division on January 3, 1945. This was where they established the HQ Division. Patton ordered to the 17th to take the city of Flamierge where the 11th Armored Division and the 97th Infantry Division met fierce resistance. The 513rd PIR and 194th GIR was leading the attack. While the 193rd and 507th were kept as reserve unit for the any counter-attacking. Once the regiment at the front, they were took under fire from mortars. 
On January 11, the 193rd was separated from the 17th to follow a unit of armored with the objective of making the town of Houffalize. 
On 16 January, it joined the rest of the division and raised the 11th Armored Division in their pursuit of the 9th and 130th Panzer Division and the 26th German Infantry Division. 
The 17th liberated Flamizoulle, Bertogne while the Germans were retreating to the "Siegfried Line".  After Bertogne, the 193rd was divided into two Task Force, the Task Force Stubbs and Task Force Bell with the objectif of making Compogne and its heights. To the east of this area, they pushed their lead with the 507th through Luxembourg to the Our River to the German border. Here, the 5th Division Fallschimjäger vainly tried to maintain a bridgehead, but the 507th repulsed. The 17th was finally relieved by the 6th Armored Division and returned to Camp at Chalons-sur-Marne in France on February 11, 1945. 
The 193rd GIR was dissolved on 1 March 1945 in Belgium when the reorganization of the XVIII Airborne Corps. The 193rd was the unit that had the greatest loss during the Ardennes campaign, the remaining men were included in the 194th GIR.

  • Awards & Decorations

United States :

1 Presidential Distinguished Unit Citations