Pfc. William H. Guterding

Biography and Wartime Service

William H. Guterding was born in 1924 in New York to Anna (Annie) L. Weber (1883-1929) and Fred August Guterding (1882-1952).

He entered active service on 18 February 1943. Promoted to Private First Class, William was shipped to Europe with the 330th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division. On 7 July 1944 William was seriously wounded near Saint-Georges-de-Bohon, Normandy, France. His wounds would have given him the possibility not to return to frontline duty. However, after convalescence he opted to return to his former unit.

On 3 December 1944, after having participated in the liberation of France and Luxembourg, William´s unit entered the Hürtgen Forest, Germany, where they took positions east of Grosshau. The infantry men had to find some protection living in foxholes and log-covered dug-outs. Artillery, mortar, tree-bursts, AP-mines and the cold took a heavy toll on troops exposed to these elements.

On 8 December 1944 the 4th platoon, in which William was a member of the Light Machine Gun squad, received a heavy mortar barrage near Schafberg. The platoon withdrew to reorganize and it was discovered that William was missing. Investigation did not disclose his whereabouts. T/Sgt Ketner believed that Pfc. William Guterding may have been wounded as he was not one to shirk hazardous duty. William was than officially reported MIA as of 14 December 1944. His father, was notified on 2 January 1945.

On 13 May 1946 the body of William was found by Forrester Stöffels in the vicinity of Brandenberg. The area was full of anti-personnel mines. The deceased was lying on the ground. The bodies of Frederick Danielson (MIA 9 Dec.), John O´Malley (MIA 8 Dec.), Algie Young (MIA 10 Dec.) and Ralph Sundy (MIA 9 Dec.), were found in the immediate vicinity. After thorough investigation at the Laboratory of Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, a severe wound of head was determined as cause of death.

On 16 May 1946 William was buried in Plot P, Row 3, Grave 67, Neuville-en-Condroz, US Military Cemetery, Belgium. On 8 July 1948 Mr. Fred Guterding, the father, agreed to have his son buried permanently at the US Military Cemetery of Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium. On 12 April 1949 the Flag was sent home to the father. Disinterred from Plot P Row 3 Grave 67 on 8 April 1949, William Guterding was reinterred on 5 May 1949 at Plot B Row 35 Grave 27 at this site.

I met his niece, JoAnn Falcone Ryan, and her husband Sam Ryan, for a walk in William's footsteps in the Hurtgen Forest and a visit to his grave at the Ardennes American Cemetery and Memorial in Neuville-en-Condroz, Belgium, May 2014. I met JoAnn and Sam again at there home in Pinehurst, North Carolina, July, 2014, together with Wayland Hicks C/330 and his son.

Thanks to Willem 'Wim' Doms, Belgium, adopter of William´s gravesite at Neuville-en-Condroz, and 83rd ID VAEC member for the summary of William Guterding's IDPF. contact: willem.doms@telenet.be

Gallery

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