Captain Oren R Reichelt | New Mexico State University

Oren Richard Reichelt was born July 3, 1920 to Gus Rockett and Hazel Reichelt. His father worked as a section foreman for the railroad and they moved first to Separ NM and then to Anthony NM where Oren graduated from Valley HS. He enrolled at NMAMC in the fall of 1938 to study Biology in the Agriculture College. He was a strong athlete, playing center for the Aggies at 135 pounds. He graduated in May 1941 and was commissioned into the US Army. After training, he was assigned to the 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Infantry Division. The 90th was a division made up primarily of men from Texas and Oklahoma. Several Aggies would serve and die in the course of the war while assigned to the 90th ID. In 1942 he married Nancy Cameron from Abilene. By 1944 he was serving as Commander of Company D, 1st Battalion, 359th Infantry. In March of 1944 the division shipped to England to prepare for the invasion of France. The 1st Battalion of the 359th was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division and landed at Utah Beach on June 6th. After two days of combat they were reattached to the 90th ID on the 9th of June. Over the next ten days they were engaged in constant contact and combat with German forces.

On June 19th combat operations slowed and the division was placed in a defensive posture below Mont Foret de Castro. This 400 foot hill, also known as Hill 122, has historically served as a defensive stronghold, even going back to Roman times when legions occupied the hill to fight off attacks by the Gauls. The Germans had created a veritable fortress in the rocky terrain, choked with thick undergrowth that reduced visibility to 5 yards at spots. On July 3rd, 1944 the 1st Battalion of the 359th launched the attack on the hill and faced some of the most withering fire of the war. At some point during the day’s action, Captain Oren R Reichelt was killed in action. By the time Mont Foret de Castro would eventually be taken, the 90th ID would sustain some of the highest casualty figures of the European conflict. Captain Reichelt was initially buried at the Blosville Carentan Cemetery. In 1949 his body was reinterred at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. Captain Oren R Reichelt turned 24 years of age on the day he was killed in action.