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fire was now considerable, but Task Force Y was
pushing along a small road, sunk between hedgerows
most of the way, and the effects of the German
fire were negligible. The few enemy positions
met by Task Force Y were lightly held, and
only an occasional antitank gun emplacement was
encountered as the task force angled southwest
toward the big highway.
Not far north of the point where the armOr was
due to turn into the highway, the two battalions
of the II7th had nearly reached their day's objectives
by the end of the morning. The 1St Battalion,
east of the highway, had met some opposition,
but was within 200 yards of its objective
line. At Ill5 it was complaining of crossfire
coming into its zone from the left, and blaming
this on the armor of Combat Command B. On
lhe Olher side of the highway, Lt. Col. Samuel T.
CLOSE COUNTRY FAVORED THE DEFENSE. Here is all orchll/d,
Clit by ditcheSflnd flanked by hedgerows, near Hill 32. The 120tll In/afJl!"Y
(/!({s advancing hat' 9/u1y tVllen the Germans opened th"ir COltlllt'rallack.
McDowell's 3d Battalion had made rapid progress
from the start; by 0930 it reported itself 400 yards
beyond its objective and was halted there. At
II80, Colonel Kelly ordered the battalion to move
back and mop up. The 3d Battalion had no contact
on its right Rank with the 120th, and this was
causing some worry. The 1I7th expected to be
pinched out, but saw no indications on either
Rank that friendly units were getting ahead of
Colonel Kelly's two battalions.
I n fact, the I20th Infantry was having some delay
in getting started. The 2d Battalion was to
lead the attack. During the early morning hours
that battalion, holding a somewhat exposed position,
was hit by enemy fire from both Aanks and
thought for a time that a counterallack was developing.
But the Germans made no serious follow-up,
and by 1000 the 2d Battalion was taking