Kaiser joined Item Company – 60th Infantry Regiment on 10 February 1945, and took over the 2nd rifle platoon. The regiment is then around the German town of Dreiborn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. After leading his platoon in Germany, the division arrived in Remagen where the Old Reliables fought for the famous Bridge at Remagen, and establish a bridgehead. On 6 March, Kaiser’s platoon is tasked to hold positions on roadblocks in Röttgen, between Bonn and Remagen.
On 12 March, Item Company commenced an attack to the North, toward Hargarten, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Progress was made till forward elements came within 75 yards of the town. At this point, enemy tanks and infantry opened fire. The company was forced to withdraw.
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2nd Lieutenant John G. Kaiser was killed that day, during the fight for Hargarten. 1st Lieutenant Joseph Hewitt, 1st Platoon leader who’ll be wounded in action six days later, will work a lot to honor the memory of his friend Lieutenant Kaiser, and eventually, the baseball pitch at Fort Jones in Ingolstadt will be renamed « Kaiser Field », after John G. Kaiser.
Service Coat of 2nd Lieutenant Kaiser
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