United States. A Purple Heart to Private First Class Butler, 66th Armored Regiment, KIA at the Battle of Aachen

Purple Heart (in bronze gilt with purple, red, white and green enamels, number impressed "459 504" on the edge, engraved "JOSEPH T. BUTLER" on the reverse, measuring 34.5 mm (w) x 43.5 mm (h), original ribbon with brooch pinback, intact enamels, 36 mm (w) x 11 mm (h) ribbon bar with pinback and 17 mm (w) x 3.5 mm enamelled ribbon bar with buttonhole attachment, the latter maker marked "A.E. CO. UTICA, N.Y." on the reverse, in their hardshelled case of issue, marked "PURPLE HEART" on the lid); Army Good Conduct Medal (in bronze, engraved "JOSEPH T. BUTLER" on the reverse, measuring 32 mm in diameter, original ribbon with brooch pinback); Gold Star Lapel Pin (in bronze gilt with purple enamels, marked "ACT OF CONGRESS / UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / 1 AUGUST 1947" and engraved "A. B." on the reverse, measuring 15.2 mm (w) x 15.5 mm (h), vertical pinback). Extremely fine. Accompanied by three Photographs of his Grave Marker (color, gloss finish, measuring 151 mm (w) x 101 mm (h) each); a Letter of Condolence from Army Service Forces Headquarters First Service Command in Boston (addressed to his mother, Margarette Butler of Fall River, Massachusetts, from Lieutenant Colonel James H. Hagan, Assistant Adjutant General, dated November 13, 1944, printed in black ink on an off-white paper stock, 203 mm (w) x 267 mm (h)); along with copies of his Service Records and assorted research papers. Footnote: Joseph Thomas Butler was born on November 16, 1919 in Warren, Rhode Island, the son of Joseph Butler and Marguerette Butler, the family's religion being Catholic. Butler was a mobilized Massachusetts National Guardsman, serving with Battery M, 241st Coast Artillery Regiment, which was one of the first National Guard units mobilized for pre-war service in September 1940, entrusted with the Harbor Defenses of Boston. He officially enlisted on September 12, 1940 in Fall River, Massachusetts, at the age of 20. His brother, Private First Class William D. Butler, would later serve with the United States Army Air Forces. Butler transferred to the infantry and was sent overseas three months later. During the next four years, he would see service in North Africa, Sicily, France, Belgium, Holland (Netherlands) and Germany. Private First Class Butler was assigned to the 66th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Division of the First United States Army and would participate in the attack on Aachen, Germany. The Battle of Aachen was a major combat action of the Second World War, fought by American and German forces in and around Aachen, Germany, between September 12 and October 21, 1944. The city had been incorporated into the Siegfried Line, the main defensive network on Germany's western border. The Allies had hoped to capture it quickly and advance into the industrialized Ruhr Basin. Although most of Aachen's civilian population was evacuated before the battle began, much of the city was destroyed and both sides suffered heavy losses. It was one of the largest urban battles fought by United States forces during the Second World War, and the first city on German soil to be captured by the Allies. The battle ended with a German surrender, but their tenacious defense significantly disrupted Allied plans for the advance into Germany. By September 1944, the Western Allies had reached Germany's western border, which was protected by the extensive Siegfried Line. On September 17th, British, American, and Polish forces launched Operation Market Garden, an ambitious attempt to bypass the Siegfried Line by crossing the Lower Rhine River in the Netherlands. The failure of this operation, and an acute supply problem brought about by the long distances involved in the rapid drive through France, brought an end to the headlong Allied race toward Berlin. German casualties in France had been high, with Field Marshal Walter Model estimated that his seventy-four divisions had the actual strength of just twenty-five. The Western Allies' logistical problems gave the Germans a respite, which they used to begin rebuilding their strength. In September, the Wehrmacht high command's reinforcement of the Siegfried Line brought total troop strength up to an estimated 230,000 soldiers, including 100,000 fresh personnel. At the start of the month, the Germans had had about 100 tanks in the West; by the end, they had roughly 500. As men and equipment continued to flow into the Siegfried Line, they were able to establish an average defensive depth of three miles. Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), under the command of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, set their sights on the occupation of the Ruhr, Germany's industrial heartland. General George S. Patton's Third Army was given the task of occupying the French region of Lorraine, while General Courtney Hodges's First Army was ordered to break through the front near Aachen. Hodges had initially hoped to bypass the city itself, believing it to be held only by a small garrison, which would presumably surrender once isolated. The ancient, picturesque city of Aachen had little military value in itself, as it was not a major center of war production. Its population of around 165,000 had not been subject to heavy bombing by the Allies. It was, however, an important symbol to both the Nazi regime and the German people; not only was it the first German city threatened by an enemy during the Second World War, it was also the historic capital of Charlemagne (April 2, 742 to January 28, 814), founder of the "First Reich". As such, it was of immense psychological value. The mindset of the city's defenders was further altered by the different attitude the local population had toward them as they fought on home soil for the first time; one German officer commented, "Suddenly we were no longer the Nazis, we were German soldiers." Aachen and its sector of the front were protected by the Siegfried Line, consisting of several belts of inter-connected pillboxes, forts, and bunkers protected by extensive minefields, "dragon's teeth" anti-tank obstacles, and barbed wire entanglements. In several areas, German defenses were over ten miles deep. It was, in the words of historian Stephen Ambrose, "undoubtedly the most formidable man-made defense ever contrived." Learning from their experiences on the Eastern Front, the Germans ran their main line of resistance down the center of towns located in the defensive wall, taking advantage of narrow streets to limit the mobility of enemy armored vehicles. Despite the low quality of many of the troops manning them, the fortifications protecting Aachen and the Ruhr were a formidable obstacle to the progress of American forces, who saw a breakthrough in this sector as crucial, as the terrain behind Aachen was generally flat, and therefore highly favorable to the motorized Allied armies. For the past month, American casualties had been climbing, both from frequent German counterattacks and the cost of storming pillboxes. The Germans had spent the night of October 10th turning cellars of houses in the town of Bardenberg into fortified pillboxes; American attackers were forced to withdraw and instead shell the town into submission. On October 12th, the Germans launched a major counterattack against the American 30th Infantry Division. It was disrupted by heavy artillery fire and well-placed anti-tank defenses. At the village of Birk, a three-hour fight broke out between German tanks and a single American Sherman; the Sherman managed to knock out an enemy Panzer IV and force another one to withdraw, but was soon attacked by others. This lone tank was eventually joined by elements of the 2nd Armored Division, and the Germans were driven from the town. The 30th Infantry Division soon found itself in defensive positions all along its front; nevertheless, it was ordered to continue pushing south for its intended link-up with the 1st Infantry Division. To accomplish this, two infantry battalions from the 29th Infantry Division were attached to the hard-pressed 30th. The same day, October 12th, to the south, two German infantry regiments attempted to retake Crucifix Hill from GIs of the 1st Infantry Division. In fierce fighting the Germans temporarily took control of the hill, but were dislodged by the end of the day, with both regiments virtually destroyed. From October 11th to 13th, Allied aircraft bombarded Aachen, selecting targets closest to American lines; on October 14th, the 26th Infantry Regiment was ordered to clear an industrial zone on the edge of Aachen in preparation for the attack on the city itself. On October 15th, in an effort to widen the gap between the two American pincers, the Germans again counterattacked the 1st Infantry Division; although a number of heavy tanks managed to break through American lines, the bulk of the German forces were destroyed by artillery and air support. The next day, the Germans attempted to mount local counterattacks with the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division, but, after sustaining heavy losses, were forced to suspend further offensive action. The 30th Infantry Division, with elements of the 29th Infantry and 2nd Armored divisions, continued its push southwards between October 13 and 16, in the sector of the village of Würselen; however, even with heavy air support, they were unsuccessful in breaking through German defenses and linking up with allied forces to the south. The Germans took advantage of the narrow front to pound advancing attackers with artillery, and progress remained slow as German tanks used houses as bunkers to surprise and overwhelm American foot soldiers. General Hobbs, commander of the 30th Infantry Division, then attempted to outflank the German defenses by attacking along another sector with two infantry battalions. The attack was a success, allowing the 30th and 1st Infantry Divisions to link up on October 16th. The fighting had so far cost the American XIX Corps over 400 dead and 2,000 wounded, with 72% of those from the 30th Infantry Division. The Germans had not fared any better as of October 14th, as they had around 630 of their soldiers killed and 4,400 wounded; another 600 were lost in the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division's counterattack on the United States 1st Infantry Division on October 16th. Needing most of its manpower to stave off German counterattacks and secure the area around Aachen, the 1st Infantry Division was able to earmark only a single regiment for the job of taking the city. The task fell to the 26th Infantry Regiment, under the command of Colonel John F. R. Seitz, which had only two of its three battalions on hand. Armed with machine guns and flamethrowers, the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Battalions would at first be aided only by a few tanks and a single 155-millimeter howitzer. The city was defended by roughly 5,000 German troops, including converted navy, air force and city police personnel. For the most part, these soldiers were inexperienced and untrained, and were only supported by a handful of tanks and assault guns. However, Aachen's defenders could make use of the maze of streets which occupied its historical center. The 26th Infantry's initial attack on October 13th provided important insight on the nature of the fighting; American infantry had been ambushed by German defenders using sewers and cellars, forcing the advancing American infantry to clear each opening before continuing down streets, while Sherman tanks found it impossible to maneuver to suppress enemy fire. German civilians were cleared as the 26th Infantry advanced; no Germans were allowed to remain in the Americans' rear. Success in Aachen was measured by the number of houses captured, as the advance proved to be sluggish; in order to cope with the thick walls of the older buildings in the city, the 26th Infantry Regiment used howitzers at point blank range to destroy German fortifications. The howitzer created passageways that allowed infantrymen to advance from building to building without having to enter the city's streets, where they could be pinned down by enemy fire. Sherman tanks were ambushed, as they entered intersections, by concealed German anti-tank guns. Soon thereafter, American tanks and other armored vehicles would advance cautiously, often shooting buildings ahead of the accompanying infantry to clear them of possible defenders. Pinned on the surface by Allied aircraft, German infantrymen would use sewers to deploy behind American formations to attack them from the rear. German resistance was fierce, as they launched small counterattacks and used armor to halt American movements. On October 18th, the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Infantry Regiment prepared to assault the Hotel Quellenhof, which was one of the last areas of resistance in the city. American tanks and other guns were firing on the hotel, which was the city's defense headquarters, at point blank range. That night, 300 soldiers of the 1st SS Battalion were able to reinforce the hotel and defeat several attacks on the building. A furious German counterattack managed to overrun a number of American infantry positions outside of the hotel, and temporarily released pressure on the Quellenhof before being beaten off by concerted American mortar fire. Two events then aided the final advance. First, to lessen frontline infantry casualties, it was decided to barrage remaining German strongpoints with 155 mm guns. Secondly, to assist the 1st Infantry Division, a battalion of the 110th Infantry Regiment, US 28th Infantry Division, had been moved up from the V Corps sector on October 18th, to close a gap between forward 26th Infantry Regiment elements within the city. The defensive mission of this new battalion was changed on October 19th and 20th, to closely support the urban assault, participating as the depleted regiment's missing third battalion. On October 21st, soldiers of the 26th Infantry Regiment, supported by the reinforced battalion of the 110th Infantry Regiment finally conquered central Aachen; that day also marked the surrender of the last German garrison, in the Hotel Quellenhof, ending the battle for the city. The Battle of Aachen had cost both the Americans and Germans dearly; the Americans suffering over 5,000 casualties, while the Germans had over 5,000 casualties and had 5,600 taken prisoner. Since October 2, 1944, the 30th Infantry Division suffered roughly 3,000 men killed and wounded, while the 1st Infantry Division took at least 1,350 casualties (150 killed and 1,200 wounded). The Germans lost another 5,100 casualties during the fighting in Aachen itself, including 3,473 prisoners. In the process of the battle, the Wehrmacht lost two complete divisions and had another eight severely depleted, including three fresh infantry divisions and a single refitted armored division; this was largely attributed to how they fought, as although an equivalent of twenty infantry battalions had been used during various counterattacks against the 30th Infantry Division alone, on average each separate attack only involved two infantry regiments. During the conflict, the Germans also developed a respect for the fighting ability of American forces, noting their capability to fire indiscriminately with overwhelming amounts of artillery fire support and armored forces. Both the 30th Infantry and 1st Infantry divisions received distinguished unit citations for their actions at Aachen. However, German resistance in Aachen upset Allied plans to continue their eastward advance. Following the end of fighting in Aachen, the Western Allies' First Army was tasked with the capture of a series of dams behind the Hürtgen Forest, which could be used by the Germans to flood the valleys which opened the road to Berlin. This would lead to the Battle of Hürtgen Forest, which was to prove more difficult than the Battle of Aachen. 20122632 Private First Class Joseph Thomas Butler, 66th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Division, First United States Army was Killed in Action in the fighting to capture the city of Aachen, Germany, on October 12, 1944, suffering a shrapnel wound to the head, which caused his skull to fracture. He was buried in his uniform and wrapped within a mattress cover, interred in Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery in Plombières, Belgium, Plot G, Row 1, Grave 9. In a letter dated June 7, 1945, the Army Effects Bureau contacted his acknowledged next-of-kin, his father, Joseph Butler, to inform him that a check was enclosed in the amount of $1.00, as they had received additional property belonging to his son. His mother, Marguerette Butler, returned the check to the Bureau, as her husband had been confined to Massachusetts State Hospital in Taunton since February 26, 1934, having been declared "legally insane". A second check in the same amount was later issued to her. In addition, Private First Class Butler's effects, consisting of his wrist watch, "souvenir money", division patch and five shillings were later sent to her. In a letter dated March 3, 1947, from the Office of the Quartermaster General in Washington, D.C. and addressed to her husband, Joseph Butler, it stated that two pamphlets had been enclosed, entitled "Disposition of World War II Armed Forces Dead" and "American Cemeteries". The Office was asking for direction from him, in what he would like to do in regards to the final resting place for his son. His mother would once again take the lead, as her husband had been committed to a mental institution, stating that she was actually now the next-of-kin and that the Office should be dealing with her. She inquired as to whether her son's remains would be sent home and was anxious to have his remains returned. She was told that she needed to prove that her husband had been declared "legally insane", in order to be legally declared the next-of-kin. An "Order of Commitment" was subsequently attained. By the Fall of 1947, little had been acted upon in regards to having his remains sent back to the United States. In a letter addressed to President Harry S. Truman in Washington, D.C., written by a Miss Lillian Brogan of Fall River, dated October 15, 1947, Brogan asked for help in this matter on Mrs. Butler's behalf. Private First Class Butler's remains were soon disinterred and placed in a casket, on October 31, 1947. As the winter season was now approaching, the decision was made to have the remains returned to the United States in the Spring. The remains were shipped from Liège, Belgium via barge in March 1948, arriving in Antwerp and forwarded to New York via ship. The okay was given by his mother to send his remains to D.D. Sullivan and Sons Funeral Directors in Fall River. His remains left New York by train on April 9, 1948, and after arriving at D.D. Sullivan's, were re-interred in Saint Patrick's Cemetery in Fall River, Bristol County, Massachusetts, his parents later buried next to him upon their deaths. His grave marked is inscribed "JOSEPH T. BUTLER / MASSACHUSETTS / PFC INFANTRY / WORLD WAR II / NOV 16 1919 L 317 OCT 12 1944". Private First Class Butter was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Army Good Conduct Medal. His mother, Marguerette Butler, was awarded the Gold Star Lapel Pin, which had been designed and created in 1947, for family members of those service members who had died in combat. A road was later named in his honor in Swansea, Massachusetts, near Fall River: "Private Joseph Butler Road".