16-160 Garand Picture of the Day
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In October, 1944, the 101st Airborne Division was in Holland, after the failure of "Operation Market-Garden," on what became known as "The Island." The German forces were mostly to the North of the Lower Rhine, with good observation of the American troops on the Southern bank of the river. At the time, little was known of the exact disposition of German forces across the river so General Higgins ordered Lt. Hugo Sims, commander of the I&R Platoon of the 501st PIR, to conduct a patrol across the river and capture a German prisoner for interrogation. Lt. Sims meticulously planned an extended patrol deep behind German lines to capture a prisoner and gather intelligence about the enemy forces across the river.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Infantry), [then First Lieutenant] Hugo S. Sims (ASN: 0-1314557), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as S-2 of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, in action against enemy forces from 29 to 31 October 1944. Captain Sims voluntarily led a five-man patrol on a round-trip mission of twenty miles through enemy occupied territory. The patrol having reached a main highway, he organized and set up an observation post for the daylight hours, radioing back information on enemy movements. By his willingness to face great risk, he established the identity of several units facing the airborne division across the river, located artillery targets, determined the disposition of the enemy strongpoints, identified the type of military traffic along the main enemy route of communications, and returned with thirty-two prisoners for detailed questioning.
General Orders: Headquarters, European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army, General Orders No. 23 (February 23, 1945)
Action Date: October 29 - 31, 1944
Service: Army
Rank: Captain
Company: Headquarters and Headquarters Company
Regiment: 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment
Division: 101st Airborne Division
Not a man of the patrol was wounded or killed and only two shots were fired (into the air) while subdueing the German Captain during his escape attempt. None of the prisoners were harmed.
