General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

of its menbere and the esprit ae corm of the orgaditlos reflecting the
highest traditiws of the military service. (Genera Orders 260, Headquarters,
100th Infantry Division, 20 September 1945.)
2. The Pd Battallon, 897th Infantry RegiFat, is cited for outstanding accomplishment
in combat during the period 4 to 12 April 1945, at Heilbronn, Germany.
On 4 April the &d Battalion launched its frontal assault against Heilbronn,
key German rail center and defensive bastion of the Xeelrar River line. Ferrsing
assault forces across the Kecknr under intense concentrations of artillery
and mortar shelling as nlcli as small-arms flre, ndrance elements overran entlenched
enemy pasitions on the east bank, inflicted heavy casualties, and established
a precarious bridgehead. For I consecutive days, the 8d Battolion
then fought its may fnrwxzcl street-by-strcet, bonse-bs,-house, and even roamh5--room,
overcoming fanatical enemy resist:tnee and repulsing caunierattilck after
counternttack as the enemy struggled dcsBerately to hold Heilbronn at all costa.
Encmy artillery fire on dominating- hills snrrounding the city pounded the river
~.rossill:: site with unnhated savagery, prercnting the bridging of the Rtrerrln
nod making it necessary to ferry supplies and casualties across the Kerkar
throll8hout the bottle. Attempts to float armor across the river failed whm
improvis?d rafts capsized, and lacking tank support, the Zd Battalion doggedly
inched its way forward until, on 11 April, flnal remnants of the defending forces
were routed from high grauud behind the city. Thus the Zd Battalion, 397
Infmtru Eeoimeflt, by dint of resolute, unfaltering courage displayed by every
ma.u and the perft2ct coordination of all elements, crushed fanatical enemy re-
Sisllnce, brmched the formidable Necltar defense line, and made possible the
aulwwent drive into Austria. (General Oracrs 260, Headquarters lOOth In.
fantr? Division. 29 September 1345.)
BY ORDER OF mi: SIICRETART or W*B:
O~ICIAL: DWIQBT D. EISENHOWER
H B. LEWIS Chief of fiat
Brigadier Gmeral
Actinfl Tke Adjutant ffmeroz
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