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Life and Career of Brigadier General William Thaddeus Sexton.
As part of his career as a Colonel, W. T. Sexton, had served in Washington as an Assistant Secretary, War Department General Staff. W.D.G.S.
He was highly qualified in matters to do with ballistics and artillery for this reason he was chosen to accompany Lt General Jacob Loucks Devers on a mission to examine the operational theatres the US Army were engaged in during the North African campaign and the build up of American forces in Great Britain. On this mission he observed at first hand the logistical, manpower, airpower and weaponry needs of the modern army in conflict.
During World War II, the Division Artillery served with the 3rd Division in nine campaigns throughout North Africa, the Mediterranean, Italy, Southern France, and Central Europe. It was awarded campaign streamer arrowheads for amphibious landings at Sicily, Anzio and Southern France.
The Division Artillery was also awarded the Presidential Unit Citation and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm for actions in the Colmar Pocket, and the Fourragere, French Croix de Guerre, for service in WWII.
At this time the Division Artillery were attached to Sixth Army Group under the command of General Jacob Loucks Devers. Colonel Sexton was promoted and joined Devers’ team for the second time as an artillery commander coinciding with Sixth Army’s invasion of Southern France.
Southern France In August of 1944, Brigadier General William T. Sexton commanded the 3rd Divisions’ Artillery. The Division was ordered to execute an amphibious landing in Southern France. On August 15th, the 3rd Division, with an Airborne task force and French Commandos and two additional Infantry Divisions, stormed ashore and quickly eliminated the German defences. The next day, the port cities of Toulon and Marseilles were captured. The 3rd Division, under the command of the 7th Army, began their drive north into France. The Germans were in full retreat and on September 11th, the 7th Army linked up with Gen. Patton's 3rd Army.
The 7th Army continued its drive into France and then turned for its next objective, the Rhine River. The 7th Army and the 1st French Army under the command of General LeClerc drove east and reached the Rhine at Alsace. Because of logistical problems, the 7th Army was ordered to hold their positions and dig in. The next month, the Germans launched their Ardennes Offensive. The 7th Army was ordered to remain in place to ensure that the German units facing them at the Rhine could not be pulled out to reinforce the German offensive. For four months, the 3rd Division and the rest of the 7th Army conducted patrols and numerous raids along their front at the Rhine River. The 3rd Division enters Germany Finally, at the end of March 1945, the 3rd Division crossed the Rhine and broke through the German lines. After the breakthrough, the 7th Army was assigned to the 6th Army Group and ordered into the south-east areas of Germany. Retreating Germans were planning on staging a final defence in the Alps of Southern Germany and Austria. The 3rd Division got there first and the retreating German forces were eliminated. By the end of April, the 3rd Division was capturing town after town after German units surrendered wholesale. Finally on May 8th, 1945, Germany surrendered.
In 1945 Brigadier General W. T. Sexton and a Soviet Major General V. S. Askalepov famously negotiated a Czechoslovak Border agreement which enabled the United States Forces to travel on a rail link in Soviet territory for a few kilometres. This arrangement was officially and appropriately called: ‘The Sexton-Askalepov Agreement’.
Sexton ~ Askalepov Map
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