Veterans Day 2022- A Tribute to Lieutenant Colonel Peyton C. Hartley

 

Peyton Hartley fought in WWII as part of the 82nd Airborne Division, 504 Infantry Regiment.  He fought in Italy, [1] Holland, the Battle of the Bulge in Belgum, and entered Germany with his regiment in 1945.  The 82nd Airbourne participated in the famous and harrowing crossing of the Waal River, Holland as part of Operation Market Garden [2] and the bloody battle to block the German General Joachim Peiper from pushing out of the north side of the pocket in the Battle of the Bulge.  By the end of the battle that stopped Kamphegruppe (Battle Group) Peiper, my father was in command of his company as only officer to have survived [3].  He was awarded two Purple Hearts.

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[1] Frank van Lunteren, Spearhead of the Fifth Army: The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Italy, from the Winter Line to Anzio, Casemate Publishers, 2016.

[2] Frank van Lunteren, The Battle of the Bridges: The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Operation Market Garden, Casemate Publishers, 2014.

[3] Frank van Lunteren, Blocking Kampfgruppe Peiper: The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in the Battle of the Bulge, Casemate Publishers, 2015.