1st Lt. Thomas R. 'Dick' Scales

Biography and Wartime Service

Thomas Richard 'Dick' Scales was born on March 12, 1914, in Livingston, Alabama, to Nelle Cretia Stallings Scales, age 21, and John Perkins Scales, age 42.

Thomas R. Scales was drafted on July 20, 1942 (#34334937) at Montgomery, Alabama and after basic training and NCO School was assigned as a finance clerk (Technician 4th Class) to the 95th Infantry Division, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He volunteered for OCS in early 1943, graduating as a 2nd Lieutanant on July 24, 1943 (#01322718). He was then assigned to the Infantry Replacement Training Center at Fort McClellan, Alabama, first for advanced training and then as a member of the training cadre.
On July 7, 1944, Dick sailed for England on an army transport ship and landed in England on July 15, 1944. The Morning Report of August 16, 1944 listed, Scales Thomas R. #0-1322718, assigned as a 2nd Lieutenant to Company A of the 329th Infantry Regiment from the 41st Replacement Depot on August 15, 1944. He participated in the action against the Citadel in Saint Malo, Brittany, France.
On August 19, 1944, the 329th Regiment moved by motor a distance of 120 miles South East, from the St. Malo peninsula to Angers and vicinity. The new mission of 329th Combat Team was to police and defend Angers and vicinity and to prevent infiltration of the enemy north of the Loire River. 1st Battalion was given an area south west of Angers.

After leaving Angers on August 24, 1944, Lt. Scales and 1st battalion stayed in reserve, training for their next assignment in Luxembourg leaving Brittany on September 23, 1944. On September 30, at 1100, Company A in a combined effort with 1st platoon, Co A. 774th Tank Battalion (Five M4A3 Sherman tanks), started marching towards Grevenmacher, known to be occupied by the enemy. Company A’s mission was to attack Grevenmacher and drive the enemy across the Moselle River. By nightfall little progress was made due to mines and road blocks. Company still found itself 1500 yards short of the objective and the attack was continued at dawn.

For his heroic actions on the second day of the attack (then) 2nd Lt. Thomas Scales earned his Bronze Star with Oak-Leaf Cluster. The order was later corrected; this was the Bronze Star. An Oak Leaf Cluster implies a second award and this was his first.

That evening the company occupied Grevenmacher but withdrew after 10 pm because German artillery was causing casualties and the ridge above commanded the town anyway. Company A occupied and continued to hold high ground to the west of Grevenmacher. After being relieved on October 5, Company A spent the remainder of October occupying, patrolling and fighting off German patrols in the recently captured area and Echternach nearby.

The map below shows the action; his platoon went along the ridge crest in the woods after three tanks were disabled and the rifle platoon with the tanks got pinned down. The ovals show the positions at dawn.

November brought much of the same and on November 25, 1st Battalion moved to the Maginot Line where on November 28, 1944 Thomas Scales' war ended after a severe training accident. His leg was shattered by a fragment near Hettange Grande on the Thionville sector of the Maginot Line. After serving for over two years he was discharged at Fort McPherson, Georgia on February 16, 1946.

Thomas Richard Scales died, age 84, on January 27, 1999 and is buried at the Maple Hill Cemetery Huntsville, Alabama.

Thanks to his son John Scales for the story and sharing the photos about his dad.

Gallery

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