kohlenklau Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 I currently have a very full plate and do not ask this out of laziness but in the hope somebody might have better luck than my several tries....and might enjoy the task! pappagoat just made some nice vehicles mods and I have several ideas for some early '43 scenarios. One idea that needs some research: Kern's Crossroads February 1943. I think some US Army armored infantry and some Stuarts defended this crossroads north of Sidi Bouzid against I think a probe by DAK recon units. If anyone can route out the details I can flesh up the bones on the scenario a bit better. Thanks in advance. date, time of day, weather, units/forces, etc. Credit in the designer's notes of course and my sincere appreciation. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazing 88's Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 (edited) I found these links: (sorry if they are of no help)http://tinyurl.com/32k86w6http://www.history.army.mil/books/staff-rides/kasserine/vol-i-part_1.pdfhttp://tinyurl.com/j79rz4f Not sure if they will do you any good, worth a shot. All that I could find time for... Edited June 10, 2016 by Blazing 88's 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 I have them and have breezed through them. No paydirt yet. I guess I just need to either go slower and find more details or find new sources. Or do an "Ambrose" and just make up some cool stuff??!!! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Still finding only vague remarks. Now I know it wasn't DAK but 10th Panzer Division under Von Arnim's 5th Panzer Army. Probably this unit: 10. Motorcycle Battalion- 2 x Motorcycle Company- Half-track Company- Armored Car Company- Heavy Company (mot) ....before they reorganzied & started calling them "aufklarungs abteilung" I guess? Seems to be just after Sidi Bouzid so late on the 15th probably and while the axis command structure was working out what to do and where to go. I know the location. A crossroads. But when it started being called "Kern's Crossroads" I am not sure.... SYNOPSIS: Lieutenant Colonel (Infantry) William Bentley Kern, United States Army, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against the enemy as Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment, 1st Armored Division, during World War II. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger73 Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 some other places http://www.historynet.com/battle-for-kasserine-pass-1st-armored-division-were-ambushed-by-the-afrika-corps-at-sidi-bou-zid.htm - the prequel situation http://apps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/10151/ - Bill Kern career summary During World War II, Bill commanded the 1st Battalion, 6th Armored Infantry Regiment in the North African Campaign. On 8 November 1942, his battalion spearheaded the landing of the 1st Armored Division near Oran, Algeria. He commanded the task force that freed over 500 American prisoners of war captured in the assault on Oran harbor. According to news reports published at the time, on 3 December 1942, his first battalion was the first US infantry to engage the German Army in combat in Tunisia. In February 1943, during the battles of Faid Pass and Sidi Bou Zid, his battalion, as part of Combat Command B, was the rear guard of the 1st Armored Division. “Kern’s Crossroads” shown on the 1st Armored Division’s maps of the campaign was named for him. http://www.history.army.mil/books/staff-rides/kasserine/vol-i-part_1.pdf - start at pdf page 17 (document page 248) http://www.benning.army.mil/Library/content/Armor%20in%20Battle%20II_December%202015.pdf - small mention starting pdf page 98 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 Thanks. I will look through it for any nuggets of info. Maybe I need to go through the axis side for better info! Hahaha by the way I always see this actual Sdkfz 251/1 Ausf C (with rivets) from 10th PD. War trophy captured and brought back from Tunisia. At a nearby museum I spend a lot of time at... But now I think the mueum folks messed up the insignia as 10PD was NOT part of DAK but was with 5th Panzer Army and Von Arnim, correct? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grunt_GI Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 Outstanding picture... In Rick Atkinson's "An Army at Dawn" it describes an attack by the 10th Panzer Div, specifically saying Kern's Bn and Battery C of the 27th Armored Field Arty Bat...apparently with half-track mounted guns (I assume the 75s mounted on half-tracks) were also involved in a fight with about 20 panzers and German paratroopers (pg 227)..sorry doesn't give strength on the paras. it does mention motorcycles as well...again no OOB. It also mentions that a combined force of General Lee tanks, reinforced by five Shermans counterattacked to support Kern and were pretty much wiped out. Sorry, no specific OOB for the battle...surprised the Green Books didn't have more detail. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 Thanks Jerry. The mystery gets deeper I suppose. I have that book here somewhere... I need a young female intern! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 5 hours ago, kohlenklau said: But now I think the mueum folks messed up the insignia as 10PD was NOT part of DAK but was with 5th Panzer Army and Von Arnim, correct? Yup. I'm kind of doubtful they were painted sand yellow (Dunkelgelb?) too. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 OK, I just found my paperback copy of Kasserine Pass by Martin Blumenson. I finally have the complete story figured out and both axis and allied units. Hooray, I can make the scenario historical! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohlenklau Posted June 12, 2016 Author Share Posted June 12, 2016 @grunt_GI Jerry, I looked at that page in Army at Dawn and that was December 42. Sounded juicy to make somebody a nice scenario. But I am now way too tight on time. I will stick with the Kern's Crossroads story for now. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grunt_GI Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 39 minutes ago, kohlenklau said: @grunt_GI Jerry, I looked at that page in Army at Dawn and that was December 42. Sounded juicy to make somebody a nice scenario. But I am now way too tight on time. I will stick with the Kern's Crossroads story for now. Oops, sorry, I just looked up KERN in the index and that was all I found..my bad..should have checked the date. Don't know it would make much of a scenario..the American's got the ass handed to them. Have you got a copy of Martin Blumenson's Kasserine Pass? That is probably the best single volume study of the battle. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 6 hours ago, grunt_GI said: Have you got a copy of Martin Blumenson's Kasserine Pass? That is probably the best single volume study of the battle. I read that several decades ago and really liked it. Come to think of it, I can't recall any book by Blumenson that failed to entertain and inform me. He may require correction now and then from more recent research on some minor point, but by and large I think he gets it right again and again. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grunt_GI Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 55 minutes ago, Michael Emrys said: I read that several decades ago and really liked it. Come to think of it, I can't recall any book by Blumenson that failed to entertain and inform me. He may require correction now and then from more recent research on some minor point, but by and large I think he gets it right again and again. Michael Yea shoulda recommended a copy. I have an old paperback I found at a used bookstore 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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