Pfc. Raymond Earl Hayden

37579843

Hq Company, 1st Battalion, 331st Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division

December 26, 1924 - December 7, 1944

Pfc. Raymond Earl Hayden

37579843

Hq Company, 1st Battalion
331st Infantry Regiment
83rd Infantry Division

Biography

Raymond Earl Hayden was born December 26, 1924 in Erskine, Minnesota to Leon Hayden and Margaret Sisk. He was one of ten children, five boys and five girls: Richard, George, Robert, Margaret, Raymond, Gertrude, Wilbur, Doris, Mary and Barbara. Raymond was registered for the draft on December 30, 1942 shortly after his 18th birthday. He would eventually be drafted the following year and entered the service on October 18, 1943 from Mckenzie County, North Dakota. It is unclear where he received basic training. On July 11, 1944 he would join Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion 331st Infantry Regiment from the 92nd Replacement Battalion, together with his close friend Mack Schonhaut.

Military Service

Because Raymond Hayden was member of Hq Company, 1st Battalion, 331st Infantry Regiment it is possible to reconstruct his journey through Europe. When he joined his unit as a replacement on July 11, 1944 the 331st had received its baptism of fire just a few days prior. Pfc. Hayden and his friend Mack Schonhaut became part of the Wire Section of 1st Battalion, 331st Infantry Regiment. On July 20, 1944 both men would receive a promotion from Private to Private First Class. July would prove a very tough month for the 331st Infantry Regiment and by the time they were able to break out of Normandy 240 of the regiment had been killed and over 1800 wounded in the heavy fighting through hedgerows and marshes.

After the Allied Breakthrough out of Normandy, the 331st Infantry Regiment was part of the 83rd Division's drive through Brittany. While being on the left flank of the division, 1st Battalion of the 331st Infantry Regiment would eventually reach their objective on the Atlantic Coast at St. Lunaire on August 17, 1944. A few days later, on August 20 the Regiment moved to the area around Rennes where it took up positions along the Loire River. The remainder of August and much of September was spend sending out patrols, training and accepting German prisoners. On September 24, 1944 the 331st completed another move, this time it brought them 300 miles towards Luxemburg. 1st Battalion, took up positions along the Moselle River defending the 3rd Army's flank and sending out patrols. Much of the following two months was spend alternating between this mission and additional training at the Maginot Line area.

Battle of the Hurgen Forest and Death

On December 5, 1944 the 22nd Infantry Regiment (4th Division), who had arrived the day before, started relieving the units of the 331st along the Moselle River. This move was completed without issue of enemy activity. The next day, December 6, the entire 331st Regiment left in the morning for the Hurtgen Forest sector arriving in the vicinity of Gressenich at about 1900. The 331st Infantry Regiment would be in the middle of the 83rd sector with the 329th on its left and the 330th on the right. On December 7 the regiment moved towards Gey and started taking over positions previously held by the 12th Infantry Regiment (4th Division). This move was completed by 1600. It was the duty for the members of the Wire section to lay wire between the new positions, a duty they had been doing most of the day. The After Action Report for the 331st mentions heavy shelling which killed one soldier at about 2340, it is very likely this was Raymond Hayden. The wounds as described in the IDPF are consistent with artillery fire. Mack Schonhaut was with his friend and often spoke of Ray to his son who shared the following: "My father said he was on the reel and Ray was pulling the wire. After awhile the pulling stopped. My father followed the wire and his friend was dead, hit by a shell"

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