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

182 THE 398TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
Farms. Slowly it went about the process of cleaning out Hill 215.8
after a furious fight with the defenders entrenched in caves. At the end
of the day the two hills were secuted by Companies A and B. Company
C dug in between them in the draw. Casualties were heavy. Ammunition
and Pioneer Platoon and also Antitank Platoon of Headquarters
Company were called on to act as riflemen and fill in the gaps
left by the wounded and killed. What was left of the tank and tank
destroyer platoons took up positions atop the hills and fired round upon
round into the entrenched enemy. Company D set up its 81mrn
mortars in batteries behind the hills and lobbed shells into the area before
the lines. The numerous enemy positions were heavily pounded
with high explosive shells.
The next morning Companies Band C attacked, supported by
the heavy weapons of Company D, and with the mobile power of the
tank destroyers and the remaining tanks, but again met with furious
and unrelenting artillery and small-arms fire. Company B advanced two
hundred yards, but C was held in the draw after a valiant attempt on
the enemy's dug in positions along the side of the road. Patrols missioned
to feel out a weak spot in "the enemy's defense could nor get as
far as sticking their heads OUt of foxholes without inviting fire from all
directions to the front.
It was evident now the defenses of Heilbronn extended to this area
and the enemy at this point intended to hold the sector at all costs. The
1st Battalion had to get through not only to relieve the pressure at Heilbronn,
but rolling up the enemy's flank at this point would eliminate
the entire defense system along the Neckar River, permitting a breakthrough
into southern Germany. The enemy was keenly aware of the
situation and fortified the sector with approximately a regiment of 55
troops determined to hold, kill or be killed.
It was impossible to get through any farther. Time artillery fire was
called for to eliminate the positions along the road to the front. All
day and the following night the 375th Field Artillery Battalion engulfed
the stubborn and determined enemy with concentrations of time
fire. On the third day continuous patrolling was carried on, but despite
the severe shelling some enemy units remained at their posts to combat
the patrols.
On 10 and 11 April the battalion, well below strength, was ordered
to attack and secure a line along the north bank of the Kocher
River. With Company A continuing its mission of protecting the battalion's
flank, Company B started out to the left of Hill 210.9, and together
with tanks and tank destroyers, swept across the enemy positions
along the road and continued on into the open terrain toward the