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.. When a second strongpoint had been set up, the 116th had a forward base for effort to reach the isolated units. But the patrollirst sent out failed to get through the enemy lines. Later in the day an attempt was made to send two half-tracks, heavily loaded with supplies, through to the isolated battalions. They were to be preceded by two AA half-tracks, which were to machine gun all hedgerows as they advanced down the Martinville road. It was believed that one of two unimproved roads leading south from the Martinville road to the St-Lo...Bayeux road could be used to reach la Madeleine. The drivers found that both of the trails were clogged with debris, abandoned vehicles, and dead horses; engineers estimated a day and a half would be required to open the routes for vehicles. The attempt to send the half-tracks had to be given up. The situation on the Martinville Ridge was rendered more difficult by a heavy barrage of German artillery fire, starting at 1000 and lasting four hours. But other LA MADELEINE CROSSROADS. The perimeter defense held by the isolatcd 2d and 3d Battalions, II6th Infantry extended trom this point eastward jor 300 yards (17-18/u1y) . These roads UJere supply routes for the enemy, who attempted to recover them by counterattack. II2 plans for relief were immediately started as alarming rumors came back of tank attacks on the 2d and 3d Battalions. Colonel Dwyer had no means of reinforcing them, and the attacks of the other regiments of the 29th Division were not making headway. The 175th Infantry, attacking at 1430 to close the gap between its position and that of Major Bingham, fought a bitter slogging battle. With the 29th Reconnaissance Troop ranging to the flanks, the I75th Infantry threw in its 1st and 2d Battalions without making any appreciable advance. Lt. Col. William T. Terry, commanding the 1st Battalion, was killed early in the attack. The 2d Battalion was especially hard hit: by early afternoon Company E was down to 50 men and I oflicer, Company F had 60 men and no oflicers, and Company G had between 80 and go men and 3 oflicers. The 3d Battalion, released from division reserve and committed in an attack to the southwest, could not make any major gain, and
the regiment was finally ordered to organize for night defense and then continued its effort the next day. The Il5th Infantry fared better, but too late in the day to influence the situation at la Madeleine. At 1500 the 1st and 3d Battalions renewed their attack toward Ie Cauchais, and made little more progress than the day before. Their effort nevertheless helped a flanking attempt by the 2d Battalion, made according to a plan arranged that morning by General Gerhardt and Colonel Ordway. They had decided to move the 2d Battalion over into the II6th's zone, to the Martinville Ridge; here it would wheel west and attack across a draw toward la Planche, in the rear of the Germans defending Ie Cauchais. The first stage of the flanking movement was accomplished against only light resistance. At 1600 the 2d Battalion was 400 yards north of Martinville, and it reached the ridge line east of the village by early evening. But while waiting there during the air strike near la Madeleine, the battalion was hit by an extremely heavy mortar concentration, with losses particularly heavy in the heavy weapons units. A shortage of medical corpsmen, which existed all along the St-Lo front, was keenly felt in this sector, where wounded could not be properly cared for that evening. The 2d Battalion had run out of wire on its long march and its radios were not working. The commander of the II5th Infantry, following up to check on the battalion's progress, found the unit about midnight digging in east of Martinville and ordered it to press on without delay. The battalion started moving across the stream north of la Planche, and met almost no resistance. This night advance put the II5th in good position for the next day's fighting; it also probably contributed to the EVERY HEDGEROW WAS DEFENDED in the fighting on Martinville Ridge. Here, German positions on a line running north. Beyond the valley is the 1'idgc leading (left) toward La Planche, in the zone 0/ the /15th In fantry and taken by them on ,8 Ittly. "3
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ST-LO (7 July -19 July 1944) Americ
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WAR DEPARTMENT Historical Division
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THE JULY OFFENSIVE ST-LO, capital o
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eluded the Viro River and aimed at
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Near! y 15 miles wide at the start,
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XIX CORPS ATTACKS WEST OF THE VIRE
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units and to close quickly with the
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ASSAULT CROSSING SITE on the Vire R
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ing into Normandy in mid-June, the
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12th Paracl!t/te Regime1lt. Germall
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off, the 1St Battalion following at
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3 0
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while the 3d Battalion was hit by a
Page 51 and 52:
of the 3d Battalion were ambushed a
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1(1 Oeser! MAPNO.8 @JORCn •
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yond the Mont-Castre hills, one of
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FIXING DHIOLITIONS to blow a gap th
Page 70 and 71: corners, and spray the lateral hedg
Page 72: attack with two battalions in colum
Page 76: The 2d Platoon of Company A attempt
Page 80 and 81: Army to give it the 14/h Parachute
Page 85: Atter hard fighting, the 2d Battali
Page 89 and 90: On 13 July the claim was made that
Page 91 and 92: 35TH DIVISION, 12-14 JULY "'" MAP N
Page 93: pressed, they could retire easily t
Page 97: from the high ground across both st
Page 100 and 101: geant. In the 120th, the strength o
Page 102: supply problem. But the main ports
Page 107: mingled, and artillery fire was har
Page 110: to enemy movement or maneuver, Gene
Page 115: the battalion that night and return
Page 118 and 119: penetration. General Gerhardt did n
Page 120: manding the 3d Battalion, was given
Page 126 and 127: further was launched. The attack wa
Page 128 and 129: have the honor to announce to the C
Page 130: The I13th Cavalry Group, in corps r
Page 133 and 134: clinging to the idea of mailltamtll
Page 135 and 136: CONCLUSION A GENERAL OFFICER WRITES
Page 137 and 138: of them could be withdrawn from the
Page 140 and 141: ., Hay.-du.PuifS L8$$01 I X FIRST X
Page 142: -1 ....... --- Gr(lll/".$ (11'1' 38
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