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

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THE 398TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
b. The enemy defending the area were SS men and Hitler Youth.
They fought with a fanatical determination and refused to surrender no
matter how desperate their plight. They had been warned by their commander
that any men who withdrew or any civilian who hung up a
white flag would be shot immediately.
d. During most of the action the weather was warm and clear. However,
during the night of 11 April there was a heavy rain storm.
e. The action took place between 5 April 1945 and 11 April 1945.
5. a. Six hundred men assigned to the 2d Battalion took part in the
actIOn.
b. Six of our men were killed, three taken prisoner and fifty-two
wounded.
c. The battalion was supported by one platoon from the 824th
Tank Destroyer Battalion, one platoon from the 781st Tank Battalion
and the 375th Artillery Battalion. During the actual river
crossing the artillery rendered very effective suPPOrt, but during the
fighting for ]agstfeld our forces were too close to the enemy for any
thing except mortar fire. The armored vehicles were used extensively
within ]agstfeld, but they were of little value during the river crossings
as it was impossible to get them over the streams until bridges had
been built.
6. a. Five German rifle companies were definitely identified within
the battalion sector. It is estimated that they numbered between seven
hundred and seven hundred fifty men.
b. The enemy occupied positions on the high ground in from of
our forces and had excellent observation over the entire area. The line
companies were subjected to mortar fire, small arms, machine guns,
rockets and flak. The village of Duttenberg, where battalion headquarters
was located during most of the action, was subjected to direct
fire from a self-propelled 155mm artillery piece.
c. This line was the enemy's last defense positions in Central Germany.
They intended to hold us back as long as possible in order to
enable the final completion of their last defense line farther south.
d. During the entire engagement eighty enemy were captured, an
estimated two hundred killed, a flak wagon destroyed and an undetermined
number wounded.
7. I have personal knowledge of the facts stated in this recommendation.
ROBERT M. WILLIAMS,
Colonel, 398th Infantry,
Commanding