1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 470 ]
area, 52d Div mops up Rheine, relieving 7th Armd
Div of this task. 8 Corps makes steady progress toward
Osnabrueck.
In U.S. Ninth Army’s XIII Corps area, 17th A/B
Div completes reduction of Muenster. 5th Armd Div
reaches the Weser, where bridges are down. CCB
columns advance to Bergkirchen, W of Minden, and
positions SE of Bad Oeynhausen. Bypassing Herford,
CCR columns drive NE along autobahn to the
Weser near Vennebeck, receiving surrender of Bad
Oeynhausen. CCA moves forward toward Herford,
crossing Dortmund–Ems Canal near Hiltrup. 84th
Div starts toward the Weser in wake of 5th Armd
Div. 102d Div is attached to corps and, night 3–4,
crosses the Rhine at Wesel. XIX Corps, while continuing
E into Germany, begins attack on Ruhr
pocket. 30th Div relieves 2d Armd Div of positions
in Teutoburger Wald, RCT 117 taking over passes
formerly held by CCR and CCA on left and RCT
120 relieving CCB units W of Hiddesen and clearing
part of Forst Berlebeck, which extends SE from
Teutoburger Wald. 2d Armd Div gets into position
for drive E to the Weser. CCR column drives SE to
Mackenbruch and cuts Oerlinghausen–Lage road.
One CCA TF attacks SE in evening through Osterheide
to Lage while others overrun Oerlinghausen,
assisted by CCR’s flanking movement, and clear
region about Pivitsheide. CCB advances through
Forst Berlebeck and seizes Berlebeck. 83d Div,
which releases 15th Cav Gp to 95th Div and takes
control of 113th Cav Gp ( — 125th Sq) from 30th
Div, continues to clear along Lippe R on right flank
of corps; relieves elements of 8th Armd Div in Neuhaus
and mops up that town; turns over positions
generally W of 30th N–S grid line, including Hamm
bridgehead, to 95th Div. In afternoon, 8th Armd
Div opens assault against Ruhr pocket, driving SW
with CCA and elements of CCR. CCA moves along
Paderborn–Soest highway to Erwitte area. CCR,
closing in Lippstadt area, sends TF Walker to Elsen
to relieve pressure on CCB and moves TF Artman
to Weckinghausen. 95th Div begins relief of 83d
Div and prepares to join in assault on Ruhr pocket.
XVI Corps defends current positions and prepares
to attack with 75th Div across Dortmund–Ems
Canal. Co E of 291st Inf, 75th Div, crosses the canal.
12th Army Group: U.S. First Army directs XVIII
Corps (A/B) and III Corps to attack in conjunction
with Ninth Army to destroy enemy S of the Ruhr
and E of the Rhine; VII and V Corps are to regroup
in order to continue attack to E. In VII Corps
area, 3d Armd and 1st Inf Divs maintain and improve
defensive positions. 3d Armd Div makes contact
with 8th Armd Div (XIX Corps). 413th Inf,
104th Div, takes Scherfede and Hardehausen while
415th reduces opposition in Kuestelberg. At 2400
CCA, 7th Armd Div, relieves elements of 415th
[ 3 APRIL 1945 ]
Inf in Kuestelberg and is attached to 9th Div. 39th
Inf, 9th Div, clears region W of Zueschen–Winterberg
road but falls back a little at one point; elements
of 47th Inf take Oberkirchen; 60th Inf secures Westfeld
and relieves elements of 39th Inf in Neu Astenberg.
In XVIII Corps (A/B) area, 97th Div is
moving forward to take over left sector from 78th
Div. 8th Div continues slowly NW along the Sieg.
13th Inf overcomes organized resistance in Siegen
and seizes commanding ground to NW; 121st is
still strongly opposed in Netphen but makes progress
to right. III Corps prepares to attack on 5 April
to reduce that part of the Ruhr pocket between
Lenne and Ruhr Rivers, co-ordinating with XVIII
Corps (A/B) to left. 32d Cav Sq, 14th Cav Gp,
upon relief by 8th TD Gp, relieves CCB, 7th Armd
Div, along the Eder. 99th Div starts W to
Schwarzenau area. V Corps maintains and improves
defensive positions. 69th Div completes assembly
in Naumburg area and relieves CCR, 9th
Armd Div, which assembles in Warburg area.
In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps continues
concentration in new zone for attack to limiting line
Muhlhausen–Langensalza–Gotha. 89th Div, concentrating
in Hersfeld area, releases RCT 355 to 4th
Armd Div. 4th Armd Div is transferred in place
to corps from XII Corps at 2400. In XX Corps area,
6th Armd Div crosses the Werra and thrusts toward
Muhlhausen. CCB, in the lead, crosses the Wehre
at Reichensachen, clearing that town and Eschwege;
crosses the Werra at Gross Burschla and drives to
Heyerode. CCA, unable to cross in Bad Sooden area,
follows CCB. CCR guards Eschwege and river line
between Wanfried and Heldra. 80th Div continues
lively battle for Kassel, clearing part of the city.
65th Div advances rapidly on right flank of corps:
260th Inf reaches line Reichensachen–Langenhain,
where it is held up by friendly armor with road
priority; to right, 259th crosses the Werra—3d Cav
Gp assembles in Fritzlar area. 76th Div is transferred
to corps from VIII Corps and is assembling in
vicinity of Homberg. XII Corps directive orders
advance to halt along line Gotha–Suhl. CCB, 4th
Armd Div, gains positions commanding Gotha
while CCA advances to Hoerselgau area. 90th Div
clears Berka–Vacha sector E of the Werra. 11th
Armd Div drives well into Thuringer Wald, German
small arms manufacturing center. CCB pushes
to Oberhof. CCA reaches Suhl and clears S part in
house-to-house battle. 26th Div drives toward the
Werra to rear of 11th Armd Div, forward elements
reaching Schwarzbach. Germans N of Hanau are
driven into Budinger Wald and encircled there by
co-ordinated action of first Div, 2d Cav Gp, and XX
Corps’ 5th Div. 2d Sq, 2d Cav Gp, is attached to
71st Div and intercepts small enemy parties pushing
toward Wirtheim.