99th Infantry Battalion (Sep) (Norwegian) Monument
Details:
The memorial is just off the road in a grassy area in front of an industrial building along with three flagpoles flying the US, Belgian and Norwegian flags.
A large, 8 foot boulder with 2 inscribed plaques attached to the front.
The 99th infantry Battalion (Separate) was a battalion made up of American citizens of Norwegian decent and Norwegians living in the US during the World War II. The group of almost 1000 men trained in Colorado with the aim of assisting in an invasion of Norway. They all spoke Norwegian and knew how to ski.
But they never invaded Norway. Instead the 99th were sent to mainland Europe in 1944. The battalion came to Normandy two weeks after the D-Day invasion. Within a year, the 99th was deployed to France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany.
In December 1944, the battalion was sent to the strategic crossroads at Malmedy to hold critical defensive positions in the face of advancing German elite units. At this monument, during the Battle of the Bulge, that the 99th never yielded to German attacks and held their position at Malmedy for 30 days. The monument at Avenue de Norvège is a symbol of their strong will and defiance. Several of the soldiers from the 99th were killed in action.
The 99th Battalion was attached to the 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, 1st Army during the "Battle of the Bulge".
Monument Text:
The text on the upper plaque is written in English and reads:
(Symbol of the 99th Infantry Battalion)
“The Norwegians”
99th Infantry Battalion (Separate)
World War 2
United States Army Ski Troopers
Activated 10 July 1942, Camp Ripley Minnesota
Ski and Mountain Training, Camp Hale, Colorado
European Theater of Operations
Campaigns
NORMANDY- NORTHERN FRANCE
ARDENNES – RHINELAND- CENTRAL EUROPE
AWARDS
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION
BELGIAN CROIX DE GUERRE
FRENCH CROIX DE GUERRE
Deactivated in November 1945
Camp Miles Standish
The lower plaque is written in France and is translated:
The town of Malmedy Recognizes
The 99th Infantry Battalion (Sep)
The Norwegians
The United States Army
For Bravery in December 1944
