appendix awards and decorations - The George C. Marshall ...

170 THE 398TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
Freudenberg. At the same time Company I on the right was under
direct fire from two 88mm guns located near Bitche. Their attack was
continued toward Fort No. 10. Company K remained at the line of
departure prepared to move forward on order. Company M supported
the attack with both platoons of heavy machine guns from the high
ground in the vicinity of the line of departure. The 81mm mortar platoon
coordinated their fire with the artillery and cannon, covering Forts
Freudenberg, Nos. 9 and 10, then lifting to other target areas on Fort
Schiesseck as the attack progressed. Bart Freudenberg and Fort No. 10
were reduced and the attack continued toward Fort No. 11. Repeated
enemy counter-attacks from northwest of Fort Freudenberg were repelled
by a rifle platoon of Company L reinforced with a section of light
machine guns placed to protect the left flank of the battalion. An
enemy machine gun located in the turret of Fort No. 11 was delaying
the attack. This was cleaned out by the aggressive action of the leading
detachment of Company L and the attack continued under increasingly
heavy enemy artillery and small-arms fire. At Fort No. 11 a steel door
was blown up by a satchel charge set off by a bazooka after it had failed
to explode. At the same time Company I was setting off explosives in
Fort No. 10. In Forts Nos. 10 and 11 the enemy was forced to withdraw
to the large subterranean tunnels. Due to heavy barbed-wire entanglements
the attack was slowed down and orders given to organize
an all-around defense and hold present positions. Company M placed
one platoon of machine guns near Fort Freudenberg to protect the left
flank and the battalion Antitank Platoon moved into positions to protect
from tank attacks from northwest and northeast. During the night
a fire fight broke Out in the tunnel five stories below ground in Fort
No. 11. Numerous casualties were inflicted on the enemy. The next
morning, 18 December 1944, the attack was continued at 0930 behind
a rolling barrage laid down by our artillery. Following this barrage at
two hundred yards Companies I and L forced their way through deep
barbed-wire entanglements. Both attacking companies were subjected
to long-range machine-gun and direct artillery fire coming from the
right rear. Fighting their way up the steep, bare eastern slope of the
hill, under constant enemy observation, the assault detachments rapidly
eliminated Units Nos. 1,7,8,6,4 and 5 of Fort Schiesseck.
During this action the company commander of Company I was
killed but the company continued forward and took Units 4 and 5.
Company L surrounded Units 2 and 3. At 1100, one platoon of Company
K moved from the line of departure and attacked Fort No.9.
This fort had been by-passed by the leading companies and was harass-