1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 15 SEPTEMBER 1944 ]
12th Army Group: In U.S. Ninth Army’s VIII
Corps area, 2d and 29th Divs continue to make slow
progress at Brest. 8th Div launches attack to clear
Crozon Peninsula.
In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, CCB of 2d
Armd Div crosses newly constructed bridge over
the Albert S of Maastricht and finds that CCA has
finished mopping up Maastricht island. CCB TF
establishes small bridgehead across the De Geul
NW of Meerssen under fire. In VII Corps area, 1st
Div, less 16th Inf, has almost encircled Aachen;
16th Inf reaches Eilendorf and, fanning out from
there, clears surrounding heights although enemy
retains high ground near Verlautenheide village.
With its left flank secured by 1st Div, 3d Armd Div
heads E toward Eschweiler, battling second defense
belt of West Wall, called Schill Line: CCA meets
strong AT opposition near Geisberg Hill, an enemy
strongpoint, and loses 6 tanks; with assistance of bn
of 16th Inf, clears most of the West Wall fortifications
in this area. TF Lovelady of CCB crosses the
Vicht upon completion of bridge and with little
difficulty achieves complete breakthrough of West
Wall fortifications; driving through Mausbach toward
Eschweiler, the force is stopped and pulls
back to Mausbach with heavy losses in armor. TF
Mills (Maj Herbert N. Mills), former TF King, of
CCB, advances to vicinity of Stolberg but falls back
behind TF Lovelady upon meeting tank-infantry
force. 47th Inf, 9th Div, pushes through second band
of West Wall defenses; 60th Inf attacks Hoefen–
Alzen ridge from two directions, making no progress
from Kalterherberg, but getting foothold on it
N of Hoefen with elements that have driven
through Monschau; 39th Inf battles strong Scharnhorst
Line positions near Lammersdorf without
making much headway. In V Corps area, 8th Inf
goes into action on N flank of 4th Div but is unable
to advance; 12th drives NE along Schnee Eifel highway,
taking strongpoint at crossroads 655; dangerous
gap exists between it and 22d Inf; 22d, ordered
to take Brandscheid before continuing main drive,
undergoes enemy counterattack near Hontheim and
does not advance. 28th Div’s 110th Inf, assisted by
engineers who blow up roadblock, succeeds in taking
key hill (Hill 553) near Kesfeld; 109th falls
back a little under enemy attack and for the next
two days tries in vain to drive through Roscheid.
CCR, 5th Armd Div, drives through West Wall and
to edge of Bettingen; attached bn of 112th Inf clears
Biesdorf and moves on to Stockigt to protect SE
flank.
In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 90th Div
begins attacks on German fortifications W of Metz,
employing 357th Inf on left and 359th on right:
1st Bn, 357th, works forward to position from which
to attack Kellermann works (called Fort Aman-
[ 273 ]
villers by Americans) from N while 2d Bn, 359th,
attacks toward Jeanne d’Arc forts, gaining some
200 yards. CCB, 7th Armd Div, and 10th Inf, 5th
Div, CCB on right, expand Arnaville bridgehead
in preparation for northward drive on Metz; Arry,
Hill 396 NE of Arry, Lorry, Mardigny, and Vittonville
are cleared. After this action, CCB halts until
relieved by 2d Inf of 5th Div and reverts to parent
div. Other elements of 7th Armd Div are concentrating
in Arnaville bridgehead. In XII Corps area,
TF Sebree (Gen Sebree, 35th Div ADC), consisting
of troops from 134th Regt of 35th Div and 319th
Regt of 80th Div, moves into Nancy from Toul
without opposition. Germans, having assembled
strong reinforcements, begin determined counterattack
against Dieulouard bridgehead just before
dawn after intense bombardment, recovering Atton
and Ste Geneviève and thereby isolating Americans
on Mousson Hill. Both sides suffer heavily during
day’s fighting. Advance elements of 317th Inf, 80th
Div, are withdrawn from Mt. Toulon to strengthen
bridgehead, and CCA, 4th Armd Div, is ordered
to release 1st Bn, 318th Inf, for this purpose also.
35th Div and CCB, 4th Armd Div, reach positions
on or across Marne–Rhine Canal SE of Nancy:
enemy fire prevents 137th Inf from crossing the
Meurthe at St Nicolas du Port, but 320th crosses
Rhine–Marne Canal in Dombasle–Sommerviller
area; CCB forces the canal at Crevic and Maixe,
against strong opposition at latter. Elements of CCA,
4th Armd Div, are sent forward to attack enemy
rear in Maixe area. XV Corps is mopping up W of
the Moselle. 1st Bn of 314th Inf, 79th Div, maintains
bridgehead E of the river opposite Charmes.
Elements of CCB, Fr 2d Armd Div, cross at Châtel,
night 15–16.
6th Army Group: Becomes operational at 0001
and assumes control of the AFHQ forces that are
in France. At same time, operational control of 6th
Army Group and its elements passes from AFHQ
to SHAEF, a move previously agreed upon between
Gen Eisenhower and Gen Wilson. Fr Army B
acquires autonomy and is on a par with U.S. Seventh
Army. Fr Army B regroups during next few
days for drive eastward.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps
area, TF 45 occupies Viareggio. RCT 6, Brazilian
Expeditionary Force (BEF), under command of
Brig Gen Euclydes Zenobia da Costa, enters line,
relieving 434th AAA Bn of 5-mile zone between
coastal plain and Serchio valley. These are the first
Brazilians to fight on European soil and the first
echelon of Brazilian 1st Inf Div to arrive, the rest
of the div coming later. S African 6th Armd Div
continues battle for hills N of Prato, taking M.
Moscoso. In II Corps area, 338th Inf of 85th Div
gains ground on main Altuzzo ridge, as grinding