KASSERINE PASS BATTLES Readings - US Army Center Of Military ...

!'"Supplement to 17 February .
- 10 -
At 0715 h . Major Pfeiffer reports to the division commander : "Ad-
vance f'rqXmx elements are still holding firm in front of a superior enemy ."
!The .. division commander decides to put off the attack until 1200 h . At 0915 h .
;the, attack is discussed with the commanders .
After a short,vigorous artillery
,preparation the tanks advance on Sbeitla in an enveloping movement to the right,
while the infantry.carry out a frontal attack . At 0800 h . JU 2 light enemy
batteries find their range and at the same time the first enemy low-flying
raids take place .,_ A reconnaissance discloses that on the right attack flank
tH~~
,there ixists a tank obstacle and on the slope behind itl about 15 enemy tanks
have concentrated Thereupon at 1015 h . in the presence of the commanders
the, .division commander decides to. -laanch the panzer attack enveloping on the
left ., Flak combat detachments ._assume the protection of the right flank. An
antiaircraft battery 8,8 moves forward in the area 7274 and takes over air
raid defense and at the same time ground commitment .
At .2140 h. Kampfgruppe Kuhn receives the order to return to Rgt.
;04,A. _ Report at 0645 . 18- Feb . by Major Pfeiffer .
Recapitulation
The enemy resistance at Sbeitla Proved considerably stronger than
' Opposing the division was
expected . An organized, tactically well planned defensive position in which
a strong,mobile armor belt took a hand (about 50 enemy tanks) T"ne 7 hours
very
tank fight was/hard . Sbeitla is firmly in our hand .
Akin body of tanks east of 7279 ; 5 batteries northeast of 7279 ;
7280 . K ~
104th A Sbeitla . Flak 60?,
The reinforced 1st Bn ., 104th moving to n3sembly position
in the area north of 7269 destroyed the remnants of the 168th in hard close
combat . Plans for 18 Feb . : Defense of Sbeitla, cleaning up of the resion
7237 - 7263 .
Spa,
Reconnaissance with point of main effort 5372 and 7716 .