Camp Myles Standish, Massachusetts
February 2, 1944

On February 12, 1944 the 30th Inf. Div. leaves the Boston Harbor aboard the SS Argentina, SS Brazil and SS John Ericsson. Ten days later they arrived in Liverpool, England and travelled by train to South England. From February until the Allied Invasion of Europe the 30th Inf. Div. went through intensive training.

The 30th Inf. Div. landed at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France on June 8-15, 1944. On June 15 the 30th Inf. Div. went into combat south of Isigny, relieving elements of the 101st Airborne Div. and the 29th Inf. Div.

On July 7, 1944 the 30th Inf. Div. liberated St. Jean-de-Daye, the 1st major town in Normandy to be liberated by the 30th Inf. Div. On July 12-13 the 30th Inf. Div. was d esignated as the lead unit in Operation Cobra, to spearhead the breakthrough at St. Lo, France. On July 24 the 30th Inf. Div. was bombed by the 8th Air force, in error, killing 25 men and wounding 131 men. The jump-off was delayed for one day. On July 25 they were bombed again, in error, by 8th Airforce, killing 111 men, including Lt. Gen. Leslie Mc Nair, and wounding 490 men. Operation Cobra took off despite these two tragic errors and losses.

Infantrymen of the 30th Inf. Div. in France

On August 14, 1944 the “Rat-Race” across northern France started. On August 23 the 30th Inf. Div. liberated Evreux. First elements of the 30th Inf. Div. crossed the Seine River at Mantes-Gassicourt, France on August 27. On the first of September the first Allied troops entered Belgium. On September 3 the City of Tournai was captured and liberated, the first city liberated in Belgium. One week later the Division crossed the Meuse River at Vise and Liege, Belgium. On September 12 the first Allied troops entered The Netherlands and liberated the city of Maastricht 2 days later as first city in The Netherlands.

Then the first troops started to enter Germany the evacuation of Kerkrade started on the 24th of September. On October 2 the attack on Seigfreid Line at Aachen, Germany began. After 2 weeks of fighting the City of Aachen, Germany, was captured on October 16, 1944 in conjunction with the 1st Inf. Div. Aachen was the first liberated city in Germany.

Siegfried Line, Germany

On December 17, 1944 the 30th Inf. Div. started it’s combat in the Battle of the Ardennes at Malmedy, Belgium. The Division stopped the penetration of the 1st SS Panzer Division at Stavelot-Stoumont-La Gleize. On January 13, 1945 the 30th Inf. Div. launched a counteroffensive to return the front line to original position as of December 16, 1944, which they succeeded in 17 days later.

On February 2, 1945 the 30th Inf. Div. returned to their original Roer River positions in Germany. The Roer River was successfully crossed near Julich, Germany on February 23, 1945 and the unit headed for the heart of Germany. On February 28, 1945, soon after the Roer River crossing, Private Stephen A. Tobias Jr. died. He was a non-battle casualtie and died at age 27 in Germany.

ASN: 36119182
Awards:
Buried at: Plot G Row 9 Grave 14
Netherlands American Cemetery
Margraten, Netherlands

Adoptant of Pvt. Stephen A. Tobias Jr ’s grave, Rik Hermans, is searching for more information about Pvt. Stephen A. Tobias, Jr. Every kind of information is more than welcome. You can contact Rik at: rik_hermans@hotmail.com