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James Oscar Pottenger Mary Pottenger Hurst - 10/9/2020 To all Pottengers, I was contacted by an organization in the Netherlands that has a goal to find photos of all the American soldiers that died during WW 2 and were buried there. James Oscar Pottenger was born in 1911 in Ohio. He died 8 April 1945. I hope someone can help me with this. James was a hero and gave his life that others soldiers could live. I would like to honor him this way. Sincerely, Mary

Re: James Oscar Pottenger RWP - 1/14/2021 Info I have, however no pic; Cpl. James O Pottenger of Dayton Ohio, (Dec 15, 1911- April 08, 1945) Army-World War II. He had the rank of Corporal. Service number was 35133880. Served with 355th Infantry Regiment, 89th Infantry Division. He was killed on April 8, 1945 at Gräfenhainichen, Germany. He is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Holland. He was awarded posthumously the Bronze Star for heroic action in Gräfenhainichen in April. The Army report said his squad suddenly was subjected to intense sniper fire as it moved forward over exposed terrain. When Cpl. Pottenger observed casual casualties mounting, he realized resistance was imperative and moved forward with a comrade to attack the position. Despite heavy enemy fire directed at him, he continued to advance firing his rifle to divert attention from his companion armed with rifle grenades. As he gave covering fire he was fatally wounded. His courageous sacrifice and devotion to duty enabled his comrade to continue and destroy the position thus allowing the platoon to accomplish its mission. He was killed after only two weeks overseas duty.

Re: James Oscar Pottenger Bill Reynolds - 1/14/2021 You might try Jim White, via email jim10302001@yahoo.com. Jim is the son of Susan Pottinger White, who was a registered genealogist. James O Pottenger was her Uncle. Jim might be able to find you a photo or let you know where you might find one.

Re: James Oscar Pottenger Mary Pottenger Hurst - 1/28/2021 Thank you for the suggestion. I’ll let you know what happens.

Re: James Oscar Pottenger Bill Reynolds - 1/21/2022 I use to take care of this website for about 20 years and most of the people that attended the Pottenger-Pottinger Reunions have passed away. This is all the information I have on James Oscar Pottenger. I do not know of anyone personally that has a photo of James Oscar Pottenger and the only photo I have is of his tombstone in Netherlands American Cemetery. I'm sorry I could not help you. About James Oscar Pottenger... Nickname is Red, because of his red hair. James was never married, full of fun and could make everyone laugh. Military record shows enlistment date as March 12, 1942 at Ft Thomas, Newport, Kentucky as a private. Also shows him single, with one year of college and is 5'8" and 130 pounds. James, an uncle of Susan Pottenger White, served in World War II as a Corporal in the 355th Infanty, 89th Division and was killed in Grafenhain, Germany, April 8, 1945. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star medals. He is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten, Holland. The Cemetery is the only American military cemetery in the Netherlands and is located near the southeast limit of the country in the village of Margraten, 70 miles east of Brussels and six miles east of Maastricht, on the main highway to Aachen, Germany, which is 14 miles farther east. (Information from "Our Pottenger Family" by Susan Pottenger White and from Ancestry.com "World War II Veterans Interred Overseas"). In a letter to the editor of the Pottenger to Pottinger newsletter, Susan Pottenger White writes: "My uncle, James Oscar ("Red") Pottenger, was at Maxwell Field, Alabama for what he seemed to consider "forever". (Editor's note: Maxwell Field was a training base for bomber pilots, navigators and gunners during the early part of World War II). The only letter that I've ever been able to find that survived that time period was one that he wrote to my parents and to me, in February of 1945. At that time he was stationed at Camp Howze, Texas. (Editor's note: Camp Howze was an infantry-training camp). "Red's" writing left a bit to be desired. On the return address of the envelope he had written: Cpl J O Pottenger Co A 41st AI7, B.... (unreadable) In that letter he said that they were on special orders, in the infantry and that they would go to Camp Meade after Howze for two weeks plus. I do remember that he came home prior to going to Germany." The 89th Division embarked at Boston, Massachusetts on January 22, 1945 on LSTs heading for France. Sometime around the first of March, Cpl James Oscar Pottenger also boarded a LST headed for France. After arrival, there was a six tortuous hour trip by open truck in near-zero weather to Camp Lucky Strike near St Valery-en-Caux. There, he was attached to the 89th Division and after receiving his basic allotment of ammunition, he was ordered to move out to Mersch, Luxembourg in preparation for going on the line. By March 19th, the 89th Division had advanced to Lauzenhausen, Germany and because their progress was so rapid, XII Corps ordered the Division to halt until the "Red Ball Express" caught up with them to supply them. Cpl James O Pottenger was to join the 355th Infantry Regiment about March 23rd when the 89th was transferred to the VIII Corps, 3rd Army, 12th Army Group. In the prior ten days, the 89th had opened a vital supply route over the Moselle River, taken more than 5,000 German prisoners, cleared more than 100 towns and several hundred square miles of territory, while suffering less than two hundred casualties. On March 25, VII Corps ordered the 89th Division to cross the Rhine River at 0100 on March 26th at St Goar and Boppard. At this time the 354th and 353rd Regiments attacked while the 355th was to be held in reserve, but because of a gap in the center of the 353rd, the 355th was needed to help close the widening gap. At 1500 hours, the 355th crossed the Rhine at Oberwesel and drove northeast to capture Rittershain later on that night. On Easter Sunday, April 1st, the 89th Division received an extended rest period. Most memorable was the issuance of a bottle of re-liberated french champagne to every soldier. Late April 2nd, the 89th was ordered to move North to Hersfeld in Central Germany as soon as possible, continuing the advance to the east, using the four-lane Autobahn, to an assembly area near Hersfeld. After arriving, they were to advance eastward toward Eisenach and across the province of Thuringia. The terrain consisted of broad open valleys alternated with hills and forest areas. Ruins of old castles loomed darkly on the heights. On April 4th, the 89th Division was the eastern-most United States Infantry Division in Germany and the one closest to the Russians. The 89th joined the 4th Armored Division outside of Gotha. As the 3rd Battalion, 355th, joined with the tanks in an assault on the ancient city, Gotha surrendered. Next was the town of Eisenach and surrender negotiations were undertaken by the 1st Battalion. The surrender was going along smoothly when a German officer, believed to be a three-star General, appeared and declared he was under orders from Berlin not to surrender the city. The next morning, April 6th, at 0200, five battalions of field artillery let loose and by 0630, 2,100 rounds had been thrown on the town of Eisenach by division artillery. In support, Corps artillery fired some 3,000 additional rounds. At 0700 the two battalions attacked and four hours later Eisenach was cleared and 400 prisoners taken. The next two days, April 7th and 8th, produced stiff opposition at Wutha and Farnroda to the southeast. Crawling 400 yards through heavy enemy machine-gun fire, the 355th infantry helped clear ten villages and took 730 prisoners, including a hospital at Wihelmstahl, at a cost of but 21 wounded and nine killed. One of those nine soldiers killed in the Thuringian Forest near Grafenhain, Germany, on April 8th, 1945, was Corporal James O Pottenger, 35133880. For his heroism, James O Pottenger was posthumously awarded the bronze star. The Army report from the European Theater that appeared in the Dayton, Ohio newspaper stated that "Corporal Pottenger's squad was subjected to sudden intense sniper fire as they pushed forward over exposed terrain. When Corporal Pottenger observed casualties mounting, he realized resistance was imperative and moved forward with a comrade to attack the position. He continued to advance despite heavy enemy fire directed at him, firing his rifle to divert attention from his companion armed with rifle grenades. As he gave covering fire, he was fatally wounded. His courageous sacrifice and devotion to duty enabled his comrade to continue on and destroy the position, thus allowing the platoon to accomplish its mission. Corporal Pottenger was killed only two weeks after he arrived for overseas duty. Corporal Pottenger was the son of Mrs Sarah Pottenger, 2223 West Second Street, (Dayton, Ohio). His sister, Mrs Claire Unger, also lived at that address." ************************* James Oscar Pottenger was the son of James Archibald and Sarah Jane Loop Pottenger of Dayton, Ohio. Information for this story came from Susan Pottenger White, niece of James Oscar Pottenger and from the website: www.89infdivww2.org Netherlands American Cemetery Margraten, Netherlands JAMES O POTTENGER Corporal, U S Army Service #35133880 355th Infantry Regiment 89th Infantry Division Buried : Plot E, Row 15, Grave 2 Information for this story came from Susan Pottenger White, niece of James Oscar Pottenger and from the website: www.89infdivww2.org (This article written by Bill Reynolds appeared in Volume 6, Number 2, April, 2005 issue of Pottenger to Pottinger newsletter). Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial, 9,000 graves in Margraten near Maastricht.

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