Combat Studies, Chapter 7 Bastogne St. Vith Campaign

7/28/2019 Combat Studies, Chapter 7 Bastogne St. Vith Campaign

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DECLASSIFIED by C1r 33, 1949

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~ " ' I l I B D I operotions or Tbirl u. s . ~ divided t h "" . l v into tvo pha... . '0 th e month began, th e A.r'fIly was advancing toward th e SIWPRlED Line in continuation of the operation whichbad opened on 8 NOVember, 8uceeeding during the early part of th e month in completing capture byassault ot remaining forts at MEl'Z (U85), a feat unprecedented in nodern history. Later i n theIIOnth, just previous to the date se t fo r a new operation designed to crash through the SlID-FRIEDLine and drive to th e RHINE River, Third U.S. A.rTq was called upon to swi ng: nor thward, and smaahin to the south (lett) flank of th e e n e ~ ARDENNES salient. Thie was accompl ished with suchsuccess that by the C10S8 of the month the was being forced to shuttle divisions from thepoint of his attack and frOlll hi s north flank to COlilbat th e growing menace of Third U.S. Arr:ty onthe !louth. CEMBER OPERATIONS


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DECEMBER (D + 178)the lavored enem;r capabili ty a t this time was tha t be would defendand de lq in Bucca.sive prepared positloZl8 in an er tor t to block the.1nI;y'. advances toward and attacial on the SIEGFRlm Line. Less favoredwas the capablli ty that the en_IllY would 1l:1plea.ent his detend and delay

tactics by eountarattacldng local..ly d tb infantry an d armor in an .ttortto contain the ! ray ' l l advances aDd delay tbe assaul t on the SI.EGFRIEDLine. There .ere DO lrxlicatioll8 a t this time t.b&t the anem;r.as plan-nill8 to launch l.1JD1ted-obJectiTe ottens!ves, his overall attitude con"t1nu1ng to be der_DalYa, However, i t was cons1dered that the 8De:JY ...capable ot reintorcing agalnat aDY. section of the AnliYfe ZOIl8 withintwBDtl-tour boun, in the evant ot which the capabili ty of a l.1m1teciobJecU"'8 otf'ensiTe would be appreciablJ enb&nefMl.Continuing h1a detensive attitude in the III Corps zone, the enemyoltered stubborn r ..1etance to the 26th Intantry and 4th Armored Did-alons. The -DeIlY bitted., . contute:i n Corpe' advance to.ard, the SAARRber and contiauecl to bold stubbornl,. to his aal lent southwes t orVOLXLl"'BH (Q)7).I I I Corps rema.1ned noD-operational a t Efil l (U47).Operatil:lg Jointl,. on XII Corps aouth rlank were the 26th Infantry

Dlv1aion and the 4th Armored Di' r1a1on. Elementa of Combat Coa:::aDd "8"(4t.h Armored D!rlaion) advanood one mile north, reaching a point twomiles east of SARRE-Uln01f (Q53) and occupied the woods northeast ofRIKSDatP (Q53) , while Combat Command A" al150 advanced north ard wasthree Idles due east or SARftE.o.trnlON (Q53) where it occupied importantbigb groum known as HILL 318 (Q5837). ,!-D the 26th Infantry Division
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the lOIst Infantry moved north four lliles trom the vicinity of IOLPSKIRCHEN (:;153) and leading element!! entered the southern part cf SABREUNION (Q53). The 328th Infantry (26th Infantry Division) reaained ini t s pooit1on a t HARSKIRCHEN (Q4J), two miles west of SARRE-UNION (Q53),and a t EHHSIr;EN (Q4J), three lIIiles to the northweat. Eight miles tothe northwest ot SARRE-UNION (Q53) the 3d Battalion, 320th Infantry(35th Infantry Divis ion) reached KAPPELKINGm (Q44). SoUd contact wsamaintained by the 35th Infantry Division with the 6th ,Armored. Dividonon i t s north and the 26th -In1'antry Division on i ta south. Continued.patrols were lll&intainod by the 6th ArIIIored Division, while In the north- "ern part of the corps zone the 80th Infantry Division maintained i tapositions, repul81Dg Ught counterattacks .

n Corps wu disposed with the 5th Infantry Division on the southflank, in contact with the OOtb Infantry Dividon (XII Corps), the 95thInfantry Division, and th e 90th Infantry Dividon dlsposed along thecorps front and the 10th Armored Diviaion on the corpa north flank. The10th Infantry (5th Infantl7 Dividon), which waa attached to the 95thInfantry Division, reverted to the 5th Intantry Dinaion . Task ForceFICKET'l' (6th CaYalr;y Group reinforced) was attached to 5th Infantry DlnaioD and began a8semb1;y in th e vicinity or CARLING (Q26), on r igh tflank of the 95th Infantry DiYision. Gains ot about one mile were II/Idebf lOth Infantry (5th Infantry Dirtaion) In the Yicinity ot CARLIOO(Q26), tour mUes north ot ST A.VOW (Q25). The reaa1Jler of the div i -aloD continued to exert IIIB.Xianlm. pressure on the IlE'l'Z (U85) torte. Justto the north, the 95th Infantry Division launched an attack supported bytank destroyers, with elements capturing BERGS (Q27), three and on&obal.!IIlilea southwest ot SAARLAtrrmH (Q28), while others were two lR1.les dueH st of that city. Straightening i t s front l ines with minor gaillB toths north, the 90th Infantry ' Diviaion cleared MONDORF (Ql9) , two lR1.les


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lIQutbwe.t ot MmZIG (Q29). The 357tb Intantr;y (90th Intant17 Divial.on)cleared Slil\SOORl' (Q28) , tour aDd one-halt ai le . north.est ot SAAR-UDTffiH (Q28), aId pushed patrol . . to REHLIIliEK (Q28) Oil the SAJR ,Ri"ertour ail.. north ot SJ.ARLAtTrilUi (Q28). OD. the IlOrtb corps boundary,Coabat COIIIII&lld "B' (10th Jnored Dhbion) took HILBRINGEll (Ql9), Just. ea t ot MmZIG (Q29), aId cont.inued to atraighten it. l inea. CODIb8.tCOIIIII&Dd '.1' re l i ....ed Combat Co.llllDaDd "B" a t the end ot the period, withCo_bat CollllaDCl liB" .oving to a concentration area north ot RElilELUG(Q09). Task Porce POLl. contiaued .cti. . . . patrol l ing OD the corps northt lank. .

xu Tactical .ur Comand new .126 aortiea in corps aupport ard aDe.cort alaeiona, aald.ng i ta beat claima aD IIOtor vebiclea, ot .hichtorty-one . ere d8etro1edJ on railroad care, de.troying aDd damaging~ t w o , and on borae-drawn "ehicle. , de.trOTing t.ent1-.even.'lbe auppl,:r aituation was aouod, a l l claasell ot 8uppUea arriving inut is tactory quanUtiee . i th the exception ot certain Clase I I ard ClanIV l t e u . t i l l on the cri t ical l.iet. On band in the Jr tq area were3,558,056 gallons or gasoline plus balanced quantities of greases aDdolla , enougb tor nearly ten dq 'e ' operationa in the case ot V-SO &&0l ine &Dd eoough tor twenty-tive day.' operation in the caee ot eng1DeoU . .uao on band were 1,263,671 rationa, plus 660,000 operational-typerationa on reaerve tor Third U.S .lnI;r in an AdnDce Section ColllllUllica-tiona Zone depot a t VERDUN (U26). Ratione on band were suft icient to r5,825 da3'a. .a. to ta l at 2,6/:1] long tons ot Cla I I &lid IV .upplie.
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REIf

Several eneav c o u n t ~ a t t a c k a .ere broken up one Idle south or .....CII:Ww.m (Q5) 1.n DI COl'pI zons. The sneJQ"'a organised resistance 1.nSARRE-UNlOB (Q5) wa. broken, tanks being used IIOStly in de!'ensive aupport of infantry atrongpointa. Bea..,. enealJ' reaiatance consisting ora u l l aJ '1U, IDOl'tar and art i l lery r i re a s . e l l as mnea was encounteredin SAARLAtrrDUf (Q28) , .here st reet righUng n a reported . Strong re aiatance also .a s ..t in the YOLlLIHGEN (Q)7) salient and determineden8IIT opposition was encountered in other parts of n Corpa zone.Co the aoutb rlank or XIi COllis, COIIbat Command " ..." (4th ArmoredDivialon) .a s righting in the vlciu1tr of DIEMERINGEH (Q6), rour alleaeast or SI.RRE-UNION (Q5). aDd one al le aouth of MACKWIJJ.Dl (Q5). COlIbat Command "B" (4tb Armored Diviaion) adnnced north and was gener&llTalong the SARRE-UNION - OOIIFESSEL Road and the bigb growxl a t (Q5539).Meanwhile, organized realstance 11'.8 broken in S ~ U N I O N (Q5) by thelOlat and 104tb Infantry Regiaenta (26th Inf'antl7' Dividon). Mopping upor S ~ U H I O H (Q5) .u progressing .aUsractor1l7 b)" the end or thisperiod. The )5th Infantry Division atarted re l ler or the 6th ArIDoredDlvbion, . i tb the l.34th Infantry t&k:1ng over positiona west or PUTTE.L..UmE (Q45) and ths )20th Illl'antry JQOving into positiona near R!lImlOO(Q44). Continuing aggretlllive patroll1ng, the 80th Infantry O1v18ion began regrouping, with the )18th Infantrr being relieved b.r eleunta orthe 6th Armored Division.T.ak Foree FICKErT (6th Cavalr,y Group, relntorced) ' occupied positiona a long the n Corpe aouth tlank atur relieving elemente or the
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d..t ropns aDd daaagifl 329 railroad cars, tor ty-ub -ator yehlelea,thirty-tlYe locomotlYee, eutt1ns railroad liDes in thirty-t ive plaC88aDd daaag1na ~ other a i l l ta ry t a rgeu. Cla1&e againat eDPI;,Y aircraf tnt 'e .....en contirlled destroyed and two dau.ged.Croning the SAAR River in tbe advance to tbe northeast, Third 0.5. I.nt;f captured BISTEK (Q27), NEtlFC!tJWLm (Q27), PIX.ARD (Q27),< ITZBACH (Q28), N1IDKRLIIiBElI.G (Q28) and Br.a.1DWUS (Q27) , wbile mopping-up began 111 S.lJ(RX..lJlflON (Q5J) aOO S.llRLAtJ'lllUi (Q28) 0 J. toDDIIgO bid tor the period 17 D e c ~ to 31 December ot 5,165too. to r dai.lT aiJ:%taDaDce &ad 116 tona tor dai.lT r08en'e, a to ta l or5,28l tone, ... eubld.tted to the Twel.tt.b 0.5. ArIV Group by Tb1rd D.S., - .

3 DECEMBER (0 + 180)ConU=ed.tud.;r or eDe:IIIT capabilities a t th1a t iao 1adicated an.crnral l ctetCWJi.... att.1tuct. in the Third 0.5. Jra't sone, although biecapAb1l1t7 to laUDCb a counterortenai'rB in the center and eouthern seetJ.one ot tho J.nI;r aone in an. ettort to halt tho J.rIVI e of'tons1Ye aDd bog

it dOR tor the winter , t i l l prna1led. lD. a determnecl ertor t to reop in a l l ot SARRB-tmIOI (Q5J) the eDh;T uaed. t.anU aDd intantry 111 b i t ter houe-to-houae figbt1.ng. The eDaI1' alIo launcbed an aggressiv.
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MAJOR GENmAL HUGH J . GAFFEY, Chief of Starf , Third U.S. An:I, departed the Headquarters to &ssume cOllllll8Di of the 4th ArIIIored Division.BRIGADI!B GENERAL HOBART R. GAY was appointed Chief of Staff on GENmALGAFFEY's departure. Former GOVERNCF. HERBERT H. LEHMAN, internationaldirector of the United Rations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration,inspected forward areas of the Third U.S. An:I zone in a study of refugees, displaced persons and rel ief problems.Third U.S. ArrIr submitted to the Twelfth U.S. Arl11 Group estimatedrequirements of 2,250 parka-type overcoats, on the basis of th ir ty perbattal ion. IlIIIIIecliate steps were taken to comply with a request forprolllpt unloading and returning ot railroad cars in order to relieve aUorte.p ot cars in the CoIIIIIunicationa Zone.


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MOVEMENT OF THIRD U S ARMY DIVISIONS

Nons,THE 5TH INFANTRY DJVISION CONTAINED METl fORTS WITH ON ! INFANTRY REGIMENTUNTil B DECEMSfR AT WHICH TIME IT WAS RELlEVED OF THIS MISSION BY THE 87THINFANTRY DIVISION, WHICH CONTAINED FORT JEANNf O'ARC UNTIL 13 DECEMBER,BEING RELIEVED IN TURN BY THE 26TH INFANTRY DMSJON.BECAUSE OF THE DRIVING COUNTERAITACK IN fiRST US ARMY'S ZONE, IT WAS NECESSARY TO MOVE THIRD U S ARMY DIV1SONS TO THE NORTH. THE 5TH, 26TH, 35TH AND80TH INFANTRY DIVISIONS, AND 4lH ARMORED DIVISION MOVED DURING THE PERIOD 1812 DECEMBER, WHilE THE 10TH ARMORED DIVISION MOVED EARLlER ON t6 OECEMBR,ON IB DECEMBER THE 5TH INfANTRY DIVISION RELIEVED THE 95TH INFANTRY DIVISION INTHE SAARLAUTERN BRIDGEHEAD BUT PASSED CONTROL OF THIS AREA SACK TO THE95TH INFANTRY DIVISION ON 2'J DECEMBER AT WHICH TIME THE 5TH INFAtHRY DIVISIONMOVED TO THE LUXEMBOURG AREA. UTIUZING THE 90Tli AND 95TH INFANTRY DIVISIONSAND 6T1i ARMORED DIVISION,. XX CORPS HELD THE fRONT FROM FORBACH NORTH TOTHE MOSEllE RIVER WITHOUT CHANGE DURING REMAINDER OF THE MONTH,

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"S E C

4 DECEMBER (D + 181)Mopping-up continued in S A R P ~ U N I O N (Q53) until l7)OA when the town.aa cleared. Only scattered resistance was met in the north portion ofthe XII Corps zone until mEhING (Q45) u s reached, while in the southern portion the enemy re:dsted stubbornly. A small counterattack eouthwest of SAARLOUIS RODEN (Q28) was the only aggressive enemy action inthe XX carr. zone. Stiff opposition was met in the FORET DER KARLSBRIlJIN (Q26 An Operational Directive instructed III Corps (87th InfantT,r Divi8ion) to relieve the 5th Infantry Division of XX Corps in the ~ Z (U8S)area. Mutual arrangement between III aDd XX Corps was to determine thetime of relief. III Corps was directed to contain the forts s t i l l resisting by exerting maximum pressure without assaulting directly aqymajor fortifications, to Assume command of 3dditional troops to be as8igned, ani to advance on Army order. XX Corps was to withdraw elementsof the Sth Infantry Divieion successively from the YETZ (USS) area uponrelief qy elements of the 87th Infantry Division and continue the offensive as instructed in the Operational Directive of 3 November, aslllIlended.

Elements of Combat Command "Bn (4th Armored Division) continuedtheir advance to the north in XII Corps zone and gained one ~ i l e toVQLLEF.DINGEN (Q54). two and one-hal!" miles northeast of SARhE-UfllONseized bridge intact acrnss the EICHEL kiver at V O L L E R D I ~ ~ E N


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5 DECEMBER (D + 182) /In an estimate ot enemy capabili t ies a t this tims it was considered /that a general enem;y ...1tbdr8'llal into the SImFlilED Line was in p r o g r . u ~although where the SIEGFhliD L1ne had not been reached by A:nl:t troops itwas believed the withdrawal would be aecoapanled by defetd and dela;ytact ics, iJDplectsnted by slll8li local cOW'lterattaclUl. In i ta northern zoneThird U.S, Arrq was directly against the SIEGFRIED Line positions andonly a short distance remained before the remaiDder of the Army frontcould bold similar posltiona. E n ~ covering torces withdre. rapidlybefore I I I Corpa ' advance, in which DWtSrous road blocks, blown bridgesand mine!1eld s were encountered. The 95th Infantry Division's brIdgebead across the SAAR FU.ver in XI Corps zone received heavy art i l leryf ire . Enemy resistance in the Foru:r DEli KJ.RLSBRUNN (Q26) slackened.Elements or the 87th Infantry Division closed. in tbe vicinity otMf.TZ (U85). This divideD .as the only major taot ical uni t then underIII Corps control.Combat COI2llltlOO "S (4th ArIIIored. Division) crossed the EICHEL Riverat VOlJ..DUlINGEN (Q54). while COlllbat COI!l/llaM "A" cros sed. one lillIe to thesou th a t DC64FESSEL (Q53), aDd then llIade a rapid seveo-mile advance 'tothe northeast with leading elements a t SINIfli (Q64). SCHkITfYI.Ll.E (Q54)and KULHAUSEN (Q54) . The e n e ~ offered armored resistance in force against thia advance in I I I Corpa zone. In a three-mile advance thelOlst and I04th Infantry Regiments (26th Infantry Division) capturedOERUINGEN (QS4), four miles north of SAJUiE-UlIION (QS3), wbile the 328thInfantry advanced in the vicinity of SARRALBE (Q27). Meanwhile in the


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Infantrymen Advance Through Soorlautem


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iE'TJ.naorad Division toot IELFmDIIIG (Q55), whU. other e lnts wer. 111 thevicin i t10t LIUlKi (Q46). The 80th Int&ntry Divi810n maint.a.ined i tatront l ines aDd ..nt out aggr.s81n patrols, whil. the 2d Cavalry Group688U11led the north f iaIlk proteotion and puahed patrola to FCRBACH (Q36) ,GErOO (Q46) aM DIIIDlSIIElLm (Q36).

Tast Forc. nClETT aId . l _ n t e ot the 5th In!&ntT'f Divislon II&de. . .u adTIlDCe& on n Corps .outh! lank. Farther north the RmELLKRiTer was crossed b7 .lement. ot th . 11th IDtantr7 (5th Int&ntr'7 Divi81on) in the 'rlc1nit1 ot PErITE-ROOELI..E (Q36) , whil. th . 10th Infantryreached 'lEHRDEH (Q,37J on the S.lAR ru.....r . Far to th . rear a t uxrz; (uss) ,I'ORT ST QOEll'rII( surrendered ea.rlJ' in the period to eleaent.a ot the 5thIn!antr,' DiYieion. Boua ...to-beua. fighting raged in the northern C""t iOD ot SAARLlIJrERB (Q28), with the 379th IntantrT (95th IntantrT D id ..aion) s t i l l contJmdng to clean up the town, and one Irlle to the aoutha t ERSDORF (Q37) the )78th Infantry tought agaiWlt hee."7 enu;y reaia..tance. Atter erossiog the SAAR RiYel', e l _ n t . ot the 357tb and 3S8thInfantry a .ghent . (90th Intantry Division) occupied the w..tern bal!' orDILLIlI:l.BlIf (Q28), on. and one-hal! i l l.. nortbnst or S.1ARL.lOTmli (Q28).Onii;a were rotated in the lOth .A.nlored Dirlsion and pr.paration contiD""ued tor the renewal ot i ta attack.

1I l taotical J.ir CoJmaand t l.. twentrnin. IIOrties in nine 1Ii ione,dropped 535 tona of bomba, while cODCentrat1aa: on ra.1.lroad tac1ll t iea.locoaoUTes rai lroad cars duq 'ed d.stroyed,


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9 DECEMBER (0 + 186)An additional survey of r a i l movements for the period , to 9 Decem-ber resulted in estimate ot an e n ~ buildup ot six and one-balf divi ..sioDS in the EIFEL (L,7) area. Inclelllent weather greaUy hampered de

ta i led a ir reconnaissance, but in spite of this handicap it appearedthat the nUlllber ot en8lll1 t rain sections in marshalling yards varied,indicat ing mucb rai lroad activi ty .Stree t fighting contirrued in SARRmlJEMINES (Q55) in the XII Corps

zono. Enemy troops in fort if ied houees aDd pillboxes contested the ad ..vance of the 95th Infantry Division in the SAARLAUl'.EhB (Q28) bridgehead,. b i le far ther north in the U Corps ZODe the 90th Infantry Division lIIeta t i t t res is tance.

The 87th Infantry Division ( I I I Corpa) contained FORT JEANNE D'ARC(U7S), the l as t resis t ing METZ (U85) to r t .


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In a two-mile advance to the east of SARRIDtm4INES (Q55), WOELFLING(Q55) and WIESVILLER (Q55) fe l l to the 328th Infantry (26th Infantry Dividon) in the XII Corps zone. Heavy fighting continued in GRas REDERCHUG (Q65) following a drive of the I04th Infantry (26th Infantry Divieion) into that town. The 6th Armored Division and BOth Infantry Division continued regrouping while the 4th Armored Division commenced ref i t t ing. Foot elements of the 134th and 320th Infantry Regiments (35thInfant17 D1vision) finished crossing the SAAR Rivar and while twobridges were cOllpleted a t SAAREINSMING (Q55) and IfITTRING (Q55), heavyfighting continued in the vicini ty of SARREGOEMlNES (Q55).

The 6th Cavalry Group (IX Corps) maintained positions on the southflank following i t s re l ief of the 5th Infantry Division which had re t ired to an assembly area north ot ST AVOLD (Q25). In the 95th InfantryDivision bridgehead around SAARLAUTEBN (Q28), the advance continued,while farther north the 90th Infant17 Division advanced against heavilyfortif ied positions, with the 359th Infantry crossing the SAAR River.There was no change in disposition ot 10th Armored Division on the corpsnorth flank.

Bad weather hampered a i r operations but f if ty-six tact ical Bortieswere flown as well as five reconnaissance sorties. Limited bombing andstrafing of gun positiOns and a marshalling yard were carried but.Third U.S. ArrIly advance to the northeast continued, with positionsin the bridgehead areas on the east bank of the SAAR River being im-


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- ~ """ """ ~ " . ~ ,aGn;, !'1 1" ::' :: ...": ' , \-.'" " :. L' i, . ,~ 'G 'I J"".." . I It , I' . SEC...li t.. ~ ii. thi! oJ " Q .DiTfI!liOD &DC!. the 10th irmored Div1aion r-. Jned. in thei r respectivearea

'I.Ili.rt;r-t.o sorUea .s r . . flown b7 the IU Tactical Air CollllWld. Indog-tights , there were five coDtirmed, ODO probable and tour damagedCICQ' plan to r DO l o n u . In addition, tour mareb&ll1ng ::yarde .ere a t-tacked and twenty locollOtivee de.tr01ed or dau.ged.

'fh1rd D.S. Arttq continued to ad ...nc. to the northeaat and to ia -pro.... the bridgebead areas OD the east bank or the SAAR RiYer.BT this date tho production or extended end connectors ("duckt .e t ) for tanka bad reached III peak or approxlmatel,y 3,500 d&.i.lT andMD7 addit.1onal taDJca appeared OD the hne thus equipped. Headquarters,rwelfth U.S. Arm;y Group, advised that h1gb-explol!liTe boII.ba camoutla,eedas coal were toWld in poasualon or apprehended German .aboteura and.ew e II I Boild.rue! 8upp17 pointe . e re directed to t&lte necessary precautiona. The DUlllber or tresh lMat ..&18 tor troops .u increased f r o .BoYen to ten per week, OD ordere of the Office or Chief QuarterDlaSter ,

European Tbeater of OperaUOD.III ..1 tlag-rale1Dg cereaoDJ', the t1ret bold in Geraany by pereonou.l orthe Third O.S. AnI, was beld a t :PT-HKLLElmORF (Q09) . Townepeople al l - . . tI led OutaidCl or the aU1 tary goYel'IUDent ottice for tbe reading of

proclaa.aUODfl aDd raiaiDg of the f lag of the Ollited States.


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11 DECEMBER (D -I- 188)The enemy continued to hold out a t FORt JEANNE D'ARC (07S) near

METZ (U8S) in III Corps zone. Lit t le enemy activity was evident in theI II Corps zone except harassing art i l lery r i re , but he placed heavysmall aPmS and art i l lery r ire on the 3Sth IDrantry Division along theBLHS River and resisted stubbornly in the SAAR RiTer bridgehead or theXI Corps zone.

An operational directive sent to the Commanding Generals or theI I I , XlI and XI Corps stated that Third U.S. Arrq would continue i t spresent mission or advancing northeast within i t s zone to seize theIIAlNZ (1I3S) - FRANKFtmT (1166) - DARMSTADT (1164) area and be prepared forfurther offensive action to the northeast. I II Corps (the 26th IDrantryDivision and supporting ~ o o p s ) was directed to assume command of the6th Armored Divisiont temporary control of the 6th Cavalry Group (mechanized and reinforced) and to assUlle command of the 42d Infantry Divisionupon arrival . The Corps was to continue i ts current mssion set forthin the operational directive of 4 December, was to maintain contact withXlI Corps on the south and XI Corps on the nol;'th, and to maintain maxi-IIUID pressure on the enemy in i t s zone. Upon completion ot the ref i t t ingot the 26th Infantry Division, the corps on Arrq order was to drive theenemy east ot the SAAR River within the corps zone and seize and secure


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The 9Sth Infantry Division continued house-to-house f ightine in theSAARLAITl'EJur (Q28) bridgehead, in the XX Corps zone, with about one-thirdof the suburb FP.AULAUTEIill (Q38) beill8 cleared. Heavy fightill8 also continued a t ENSDORF (Q}?). Ef'forts to enlarge the 90th Infantry Divisionbridgehead continued with s l ight advances being made against harassingenemy ar t i l le ry f i re . There was no change in the lOth Armored Divisicn,Task Force POLK, or the Sth Infantry Division.

Bad weather prohibited f lying.Continuing the advance to the northeast Third U.S. Arrrrj improvedi t s SAAR River bridgehead poSitions, while to the west other Army ele-lIIents contilneci FORT JEANNE D'ARC (U75).Advanoe Section Communications Zone a t V ~ U N (U26) became the basefor Class I I I supplies for Th:1rd U.S. Army. Previously the Arrrr:/ hadsubmitted. the dai ly telegram through the 24th Regulating Stat icn to theAdvance Section ComunicatioIlB Zone for fu l l requirements, includingbulk. Under the new arrangements, bulk shipments of 1,000 tons werepl.&ced on an autocatic basis and Shipped to the A.rrrr:f direct from theCommuniCations Zone, with no telegram or other request required. Requests for gasoline and al l ied products required in addition to theautomatic bulk shipllents were placed on a daily telegram basis am. submitted direct to the VERDUN (U26) depot. Additional gasoline was re


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>_1. ,.., ,__--- .:i ' ... '; .", ., ., 'V:' ,. .


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13 DECEMBER (D + 190)German reServes of armor and infantry in the northern sectors ofthe Western Front continued to be the biggest question mark in e n e ~d 1 8 p o s i t i o ~ . There were out of contact eight Panzer, three paratroopand three infantr,y divisions. Indications continued that the e n e ~planned an operation that would employ the four div1aions of the SixthSS Panzer AnII;y to spearhead a counter ofrensive, apparently in theJ.ACHEH (184) DlIHEN (PU) area. The four reconatructed divisions ofthe Sixth SS Panaer Arr:t:y remained west of the RHl1fE River in the viein-i ty of COLOOIfE ( '45) despite the growing Third U.S. Axmy threat of aSlmFRlED Line breakthrough. J. f if th SS Panzer div1aion also waa re eported out of contact and. it wu possible it II1ght be with the otherenomy armor in the dein1t , . of COLOOru; (145) . Another Certlan re3erveof two Panser divisions appeared to be concentrated north of the UOSELLERiver, close to the botlDdary of the Third and Firs t U.S. Aral&a and in astrategic position to be committed rapidly against e i t h e r ~ . I t waaconcluded tha t frOID the deter:n1ned hoardins of Sixth 55 Panzer Armyunits the e n ~ was making every effort to employ this arPOr in a coordinated eftort , homing over backward to avoid p.\ecellieal comitaent .I t appeared, therefore, that i f the Third and Seventh U.S. Andes contimJ.ed to exe r t their breakthrough threats several Panzer dlvi8iolll5might have to be comdtted againat them and i f a rapid breakthrough ofthe SIEGFRIED Line was achieved the e n ~ might have to forego offensiveplAna elaewbere and comm1 t the Six th 55 Panzer Axmy in All effort toaveM another J.VRJ.NCHES (1'21) catastrophe.


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plished. The 5th Infantry Division, 10tb A r ~ o r e d Divieion, and TaskForce POLK on the Army north flank were uncbUlged during the period.

Only three a i r IIlissions were flo1m, two of wbich were in escort ingplanes of I X Bomber COIIIJII8.nd4 In the third mission a t ra in _s attacked,the 10colllOtive damaged and twenty boxcars damaged while the ra i l s werecut .Continuing to adnnce, Third U4 5. ArIIIy iD.proved i ta bridgeheads

across the SAAR River in the SAAR.IAUT&.N (Q28) area and over the SLIESfdver in the SARfO:XjUEMlNES (Q55) area.Com=anding Generals of the Ninth U.S. Air Force, the XlX and XIITact ical Air CommaDds conferred wi th the Army COIIII4n:ier and representa-t ives of the Seventh US . Army to coordinate the proposed aer ia l b0m-bardment of the SIEGFRIED Line in connection with the at tack e_t tenta-t ively for 19 December. The a ir at tack was to include 500 to 600 medium

bombers, 1,200 to 1,500 heavy bombers supported by f ighter bombers, and600 to 1,000 Royal Air Forco bombers, am _ s to be repeated for threeor four days.Surveys by military g o v e r ~ n t personnel working in f ront l ineGerman villages showed ths t it was the e n ~ ' 8 policy to evacuate a l lcivil ians who could be induced to leave the i r homes. Health of Germancivil ians was found to be generally sat iefactory deepdte a scarci ty of


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14 DECEMBER (0 + 191)An analys t s of enemy r a i l lIIovements tor 10 to 1L Dooember. baaedprimaril y on taotioal reoonnaissanoe, l ogistioa l ly indicated a potentialinorease in the DUIIlber of enemy dividoD s in the EIFEL (L37) area to anestimated nine and one-half .Resistano e varying !'ram strong to sporad io was encountered in ineI I I Corps zone. Opposition to the at taok on DILLINGEN (Q28) in the XXCorps tone was sporadio, while the enemy oontinued to offer strong re -s istance to the expansion of the SAARLAU1ERN (Q28) bridgehead.I I I Corps took over control of part of the Army cone betweeA XIIand XX Corps. and assumed Dontrol of the 26tiJ. Infantry Division, 6th

Armored Division. Tuk Faroe FlCKETT. and the 4.2d Infantry Div is ion(upon arr ival) whioh divis ion was o(r.lple ts ly unloaded a t 'UA.TtSEILLES('141) . Front l ines were unchanged during the period . however, aggress

4til Armored 4ih

ive patrols were oontinued by the 6th Armored Division and 'lask ForoeFICKETT.Readjustment between oorps l e f t the XII Corps with the 35th, 80thand 67th Infantry Divisions . and the Division . 7b.o


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1h1rd U.S. Ar:!q oontinued to lcprove i t s SAARlAU1ERN (Q28) andENSDORP (Q37) bridgohea.dl while advancing sl0'1r1y to the northoast.

17 DECEMBER (D + 194)An a.na.lyaie prepared for the period 15 to 17 Deoember Ihorred t i tat

the .oa1e ot e n ~ ra i l ~ O T O D O n t s re=ained on the lame level ot high 80 -th1"ty .. those oovered in previoue reports . On 17 Doocmber tao t i ca lreoonnaissanoe disolo.ed tha t a. to ta l ot torty-nine t ra in . ~ o v e d IOUtha.nd _et trClifl. marshalling yards located in the pa.tha ot the n r s t and1hird U.S. Armies . obYioualy reintorcePOnts t o ~ the ellOllly thrul t in theAlIDBNJIES-(OOO) EIFEL (L37) areDlaruption of the Allied w1ntor driTtl appea.red to be the design or

the German oountoroff'endve l.a.unche'd against the Fi r . t U.S. Amy. 'lbee n ~ .pparently oommitted the bulk ot h i . Panzer a.cd infantry reserve.in the Welt. but s t i l l had .....i lable e. group of d1v1aionl to exploitgalll.1 made in the EHEL (L37) front . 'Jhreat to the SIEGFR IED Line of the'lb1rd aDd Seventh U.S. Andee oontinued an undiminished dan!er to theellOlllYaM it ... antioipated -that he IIdght attempt to dladpe,to it bylCIJdng a thrust in the north seotor ot the XX Corp. l one . Apparent oonoentration of the bull:: of tho enl't%)'"'. reserves in the off'enai"' "coant
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sion in i t s bridgehea.d uea . :Ib.ak Poroe POLK oontinued to pat rol act ively on the north t lank, while the lOth AntOl'ed D1y1Bion olosed in theL1JXD,!BQURG (PBl ) area tollowing 1ts attachment to VItI COrpl (F i r l t U.S.Anny) ..

xu 'DI.o t i o d A1r Cm:mand 1..., 356 so r t i n in 'brGnty-nine :cl...iona,with more than ninety- three tona ot high explodTe bambI being dropped.lb.ere were nuneroul dog- t ights . with the figh.ter-bClfllbers cla1llling sOTftnteen oont1nnod . three probables and one da.d.ged enemy plane U ocmparedto their 1088 ot nine planes. Among the olaims to r the day were 207ra i lroad OUI. 'brGlw locanotiTes. f i t ty-one motor vehiole . aDd f i f ty -two pm instaUat ions destroyed or damaged, nine DarsbaUiu,; yards ande l e_n toIm8 attacked. A lar,;e par t or the dayt s aotiTit ies was in theSouthern par t of Ninth U.S . Anrl.y zone eas t ot UAlllEDY (K80) . where theenemy ,.s beginniD& to ccncentrate troops to r .. h e a . ~ cOUDten.ttack..the day was tea.tured by the bOD:bing or an am.un1t1on d\D.p lilt (1.9797),northeast ot KOBLENZ (LB9) . dGitruction ot". s tee l n.i lroad bridge andan adjoining tunnel near USCB (Ll6) .

'D'l.1rd U.S . Army's a.dvance to tile northeast oontinued to p in groundd a d y , with a gradu&l imprOT"Oment shawn In the brid,;ehead ares.a .Experi.,..entl Yl'ere started to use a truok-counted IllAgnet to . -oephir;hways to r shn.pnel. Approxilll&tely 125 pounds ot shrapnel were re -Ir.oved troo II t1.ve"1!d.le strotoh ot high_y .
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18 DECEMBER (0 + 195 )Along tho VIII Corps : tront And on tile major! ty ot tho V Corp_ t ron tin tho F1r . t U.S. Army &one. the hea..,. oll8l:ly counterattaok whioh hadbeoa. developing or loveral days reaohed a.n aoute a t a ~ . 'the AttacklIII!ldo by .. atzoong toroe ot eneoy UDitt. ini t ia l ly oondattng ot apprarl..aa.tely f"ittllon di'ri.liona. in addition to those previously ident i f ied intho .seotor , _. ~ n e r a t o d by th o S1%th S5 PanUI" Army, under the gutdlUlOe or General VOll RUNDS1EDT, oOD:CaDdor o a l l oneny roreea on tho

Wostorn Front . Penetrat ions by th h t1J:ne had beon IIlIldo in to !:ono ofVIII Corp. (1Ib1Oh then oonsls:t;ed ot th o l 06th. 28th, 4th In1'&ntry D in -eiotUJ and th o 9'th Armored DIT1alon) an d in to the 99 th Inf 'antry Dirlaion&one ot V Corpa. nt is peno tra.tton ot apprax1ma.tely tor ty ml.a indepth and thir ty 11111 in width wu made a lont: th e s r VIm (P88) ... SfHUBERT (pJ6) axill, r i t h the i'lAn1ca anchored 1n th e south on ECn'lERllA.CH(Wi) ; DIEKlRClI (P64) and ET'lZLBRUCK (P84) and in the north on J.!ONSCBAU(1'91), llA.Ll&EDY (K70). SmVELOT (K']O) and HARCRE (1'29). ID1'ornation a tthis t1.ttte f'ran tho VIII Corps ns soant as to ina taotioa l dtuat ion ,bu t 'the oOllOlusion was reaobed, bowoTOr, that tile aituation was TOryt luid aDd that tile ocmbat ef'l'ioienoy o VIII Corps , oOlllllltin& _ in lyo t the dh idona ment ioned above, -.. unbla.rn . 1hh oreated a taot ioalsi tuat ion that _ a eztremoly or i t i ca l for the Allied toroea alcrng 'theWestern Front.

To oombat t h h penetration and d 1 s r u p t i ~ oounter-offenll1ye in th eF1r::t U.S. Army J:ono, the Supro:ne CQllJJander i uued orders through th eCQIOltlnding Genora l of 'fIII'elfth U.S. Ara!y Group t ha t the COIIIDlaDding Gener
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Inf'an:t2'y gaining OI:l.-haU cl le .onth or BEBELSBEUI (Q.56) and the l31thInta.ni2'y oleuin&: the .ood. loutheast or BEBEUfIEDI (Q56) and attaolc1.ngBI.IESlIERGEli (Q56), three mil.. northea.t ot SARREGUELIINES (Q55). 1heBOth Intantry Division olo.ed in tne .outh par t of tile oorp. zone in therear and prepared to mOY. out under I I I Corp., whil . the 4th ArmoredDivision wal being re l ined or i ta re.po.neibilitie. on i ta t ront . 1I1eIon. vaoated by III Corps...... assumed by XII COrpl whioh gain.d temporary oontrol ot the 6th Armored Dividon and u...k Foroe FICKETT unt i l 20December a t whioh ta o ]X Corp. took cn r operational oontrol.'lbe 378th Infantry (95th Inf'antry Division) oontinued t1tht1ng inthe BNSDORF (Q,31) bridt;eh.ad 'With no ad"f&11Oes r .ported, whil . tho 371thInfantry olo.od in 'the vioinI ty ot BARG&R'lEl'l (Q11), six miles northltfLstot BO'IJIAT-l:OSELLE (Q06). Ce&mlhllo the 5th Infantry Division 'Wa. f'i9J,t1ng hee..rlly in the bridgehead are... of' mAUIAU'IERN (Q38) and SAARLlummRODEU (


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.! landslide, a weakened bridge, enemy homb1ng and strat lng, and 118T8ralwrecks calUled detours to be deeignated, but th e troops got through andenabled the Arrrry to make i ta attaclc all achedule.In 8upport ot th e attaok, ~ enpneera WON oontrouted with anemergeDOy m&p prlntlnt; probl. . . Work . . . . bo&UD on npplpns _ p . tothroe eorp. and thirteen dirldODll tor lUI. area p.t'eTlwaly north or theArmy boUDdary. UQi12 thU8 auppllod. were I I I , VIII and XlI Corpal I.til,

5th, 26th, 28th, 35th, BOth aDd 87th lntaDtz'y Dh1810MI Ltil, 6th, lOUt.aDd 11th AnII.or04 DIThiou, and the 17th u d lOb t J.1rboZODt Di't'ie1ona.Approx1.m&w17 t1tt,...IIOTen tona or lD&p. were 1e8ued to Army and eorp.un1 t8 during the mon1h.Supply plana were r e r lud to nppor t the now taot ioal operatlcm.under 1Ih1oh 8upply r4 VIII Corpl beGuM . . !bird U.B. ~ "apon.elbU..1ty. Pl.&na were made to 8upply 'the ~ t h Armored aDd the OOth InfUtzyDirlalona or I I I corp. a t LODGI'iY (P50). ~ D U were - .de to .a

t ab lhh Cla.... I UId I I I n.11h-.d and lIapply pointe a t LONGft' (1'50) to runite or I II and VIII C ~ . th e aupply point to open Dot la ter 'than1500 19 Deoember. Stepl were 'taken to change a l l luppl,. po1nu to t i l .new f ront exoept tho.e i l l .upport ot .IX Corp.. A oCIIDplet. ren.mplD orammunlt ion Ihlpoenta was requ.ired. due in pArt to the ,.. .pon81blllt,. tor.upply ot the VIII Corp.. All poulble .blpments were dlTflrt.d to 'th.nor'th nank o ~ the Arm:y and overy oonoel.....b l . moan. o t tl 'aWiportatlon..... u.ed to rebuild . tooks in the depot nearest the northern t ront .


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III~ - " c : 8 : J m

TACTICAL SITUATION........

.... 19 DECEMBER 1944

INF OIV " ~ 125 J3580 TH I25J

c:8:J 10 1

~ 3 1 , , 7 ~ ~ __ ~ ~ _

....... - ~ ....-......:. . . . 26TH INF DIV

II I

5 TH INF 01 11 c:8:J1I 11 t- " " " " , , ~ - c:8:J '

XII

80TH INF OIV

II I

S E C


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19 DECEMBER (D + 196)Continuint; his cpunter- otfonsive on the Fi r s t U. S . Am.y t ran t , thoenemy IM.de further penetra.tions. WILTZ (P75) wal enciroled in VIIICorpa zone , but Sf VIm (PBS) s t i l l held out against strone enomyattaoks !"rom tho eas t . In tho south the onOll\y 'cllrea.tened the viaini ty ofECU'JERlIACB (1.03). Heavy fighting WIle in progre.. in the V Corps zonewith oDmy lLnI'Iored un i t . in the Tioln1ty of SrAVELOr (h./O). nte enemyoontinued hie defenaive at t i tude in tho VII Corps zone and Plve groundunder Fira t C.S. Annyls attaok in thia area. On the 'Ihlrd U.S. Armyrent . the ODeuy oontinued his re sis tance in the sovthorn portioD of XIICorps zone and inoreased hill entronohlnc aot ivi ty in the northern port ion. Considerable . n e ~ y aot i r l ty was evident in tho rear areas aIialong tho SAAR River in the.xx Corps zone. In the bridgehead areas enemy J:Cls1stanoe st i r rened. a small oounterattao k being l aunohed in thesouthern bridg$head.I I I Corps started lI:oving the 26th Infantry Division 1"ran METZ (U85)to An area northeast of ARLON (P62) while the 4th Armored DIvision andthe 80th Intantry DIvhion oontinued. movement to the violn1t1os of ARLOfI(1'62) and Lu;DIBOURG (PBl), respeotively.XII Corps, s t U l u t i l i dng the 6th Armored Dh1sion and lllsk ForoeflCKET'l' , took over teo.porary oontrol of I I I Corps .r:one in addition to


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t i l l e ry grouP. one f ie ld a r tUle ry observation bat tal ion. one l ight , onemediUlO and one heavy batt1ll1on.Bad Yeo.tiler grounded a l l planes unt i l 1400 . Atter that , hClJf9ver,

XIX 'Jaot1,cal Air Cm::mand flew 102 sor t ies . shot down ten planes 0001'1l"1lied aDd one probable while . i n ~ three planes. and e soor ted LanoasterbOtnbers over P1rst U. S . Army arca. SOQe p lanoa were Teotored to theFi r s t U. S . Army break-throush area.1hird U.S. Arrst.y r e&rouped i ta forces in preparation toaxis of advanoe tram. northeas t t o north. ohango i ta

20 DECEMBER (D+ 197)lAunohing two counterattacks agains t the 35th Infantry Dirtllion 11::XII Cor rs zone , the eneny i noreased pa t ro l act ivi ty and reaoted sharpl,..to Anny p a t r o l l i n ~ . laot ioal reoonnaissanoe obeerved heavy vehioular

t raff io on the :xx Cor ps ' no rth flank. Dle eneny r es1a;ted i n bridgehead areas n th SIl'8.11 anna. maohinlll gun and a r tU le ry t i re , an averageof 600 r ounds an hour fallinr; in the EnSDORF (Q37 ) bridgehead.
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:!he An:ly COIIIJI&llder &ave 'the variol.ls Corps Ca:ur.ande rs 'the new ru.a-sion of lhird U.S. Arr::ty. ntis direot ive s ta ted in par t :"1. a. Enemy armored OOlUllXllII penetrated the Firs t U.S. Anny

t r on t in the MAlbIEDY (X70) and BASIDG lJE (1'55) areas and threaten thevitalliAUUR (.191) - LIEGE (KW2) OCl!lJ.lWlioations oenters .b . Fi rs t U.S. Army wil l at taok south and restore the f rontin tile WAlJ,IEDY (K70) area an d destroy the enemy in zone.

"2 . lhird U.S. Army wi l l ohange direot ion an d wi l l at tack tothe north from the area LUXEMBOURG (PBl ) - ARLOIl (1'62) to destroy theenemy on i t s f ront and be prepa.,red to ohange direotion to the nor theas tand seize oroBsings of the RHINE River."3. I I I Corps (26th and 80th Infantry DivisioDS. 4th ArmoredDivision an d _attaohed troops) wil l :a . Attaok north in zone on Army order in the direot ionST VIm (PB8) an d destroy the erN'lmy on i t s f ront .b . Uaintain oontaot wi t i l XI I Corps on eas t and wi t i l VIII

Corps on west ." 4 . XII Corps (4'th and 5ti!. Infantry Divisions. 10th Armored Di-vis ion. l e u Combat CommtLnd "B". plus Con:bat Comrruui "An 91h Ar:1ored Di-vis ion. 2d Cavalry Group and at taohed troops) wil l :
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d. On re l i e f of 6th Arru.ored Division and 6th Caval ry Gr-oup(rein.Coroed ) . assemble 6Ut Armored Division in area 1'r0l:l whioh 1 t wil lbe prepared to eounterattll.Ok in any direotion in ' lhird or Seventn U.S .Army oneo. e . Be prepared to pass oontrol of 6th Caval ry Group ( re in-foroed) to I I I Corps .f . L!aintain oontaot u"1th XII Corps and Seventh U.S. A:nly.g. Proteot southeast flank 'lhird U.S . Arrsly.

"7. In the at taok. a l l corps wil l advanoe in ~ l t i p l e o o l = s ,a l l oolUtll'ls to be oomposed of tanka and infantry."6. I I I Corps wil l attaok 21 Deoember (at taok aotual ly began on22 Deoember), XII Corps and VIII Corps r i l l at taok on Army order ."9.

operation Ia . 'lhe follOJring a ir support wil l be provided to r this

(I) Heavy bCElbl!lrs by Eighth U.S. Air Foro "(2) l!edium bombera by Ninth U.S. BOI:Iber Di'rtaion.(3) Snen 1'1gh:ber-bomber groups, one tac t ioa l reoollll.-&islAnoe group and one night t i ! hwr squad!on by

-& [ C
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In OOntOna&IlO11 with verbal orders given by the Army CCIIIIlIlndllr toXX Corp. C ~ n d . r DILLINGER (Q28) in XI Corpi zone was oOlJlpletelyoleared by the 90th lnt 'antry Di'f 'ision. aDd the hea'YY .upport weapoDSwhioh wero and in the reduotl..on ot that oity _ r e terried baok aoroasthe SAAR Rif t r to be Uled in tho northern ZOllO in :l.tIXDmOURG (P81 ) .U\IIIorou. demoll t iona in the ENSDORF (Q31) area IOUth ot SAARLA.UmRlJ(Q28) werll t o t f by the 95th In!'tLntry Division. n i ch oaJIpleted terry-ing of i t . personnel fran the EUSDORF (


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lhlrd u .s. Army.A new ta.otlcal reoonna,luanoo plan, to booomo er teo t in on 21 De-oft'lber, _. adopted. 'l'bn reoonnaillsance utlaa were e.tabl1abed _noom-p a a a l ~ generally ST BUllER! (p36). COLOGIlE (F46). UAnn. (1.35) and SfAVOW (Q25). each area beIng "ppraz.1mately twenty milequare.

By th is date s ix D8Tf supply pointe In support ot the Anny'e northern t ron t had been lo t up in thO'Vioinity ot LONGIYY ( 1'50) . with 235 .000operational-type ratioDJI and ;00 . 000 gallone ot plol ino on hand. BeOAuse of tho changed t ao t ioa l a i tuation. the dai ly reoeipt aDd decantingof 1,000 tonI or bulk gasoUne became too great .. rOllpondb1l1ty tor thoArmy and bulk ga8011ne .hipped to the reduoed to 500 toni:rrtty....dan,..

In the reor&&n1zatl.on to aupport the 'lh1n1 U. S . ArIoy 1 a new northernf ront the Arfr(y reoei w d one nodloal grouP. three medloal oolleotingOCl!:lpanioa. two lIIotor ambulanoe oonpe.niel. two evaouation hOllpltall. oneoleariDt;; O C l l l p e . ~ and one f ie ld ho.p i ta l . A 'lhlrd U.S. Army publiohealth. squad oarried food IllId medioal auppl1ea througll enemy t i re to rel i n e 3,200 Frencb r e r u ~ e . tra.pped in a quarry north of i\'ELreRDIWG(0.45) for more than three lII1teka.
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21 DECEMBER (0 + 198)Enemy adftnoea continued in VIII Corps zone, with penetrationabeing made a.a :nu- _st &8 Sf BUDERt (P36) an d MOmcy (p35) af ter tho on..

orrr::! bad bypanod BAS'l'OcrnE (1'55). Enemy eleraenta were reported in th esouth edge of BASl'OGllE (1'55), with 'the remainder ot th o ci ty "rlrtua1l7out off . ~ o entire .IX Corps f ront - .a quiet . Ene=y a i r aot1rlty took. . sudden rh o when thlrt;y-nlne airoraf t attaoked J.r:rty installations in 8.eerie. ot raida. Ant1&lroratt units ol&imed eIght planes destroyed andthree probably de.troyed.

I I I Corps, tabl1.b.d in the r to ln1ty of ARLO!J (P62). _. preparedto attaok on the south tlaDk of th e enemy .a l ient . a te in th e periodan at tack _ S la1mobed. with the 26th Ird'antry Diviaion gaining fromthree to tour mil while the 80th In1'antl':y DiThlon oaptured MERZIG(P73), and enftloped ET'lELBRUCB: (P64). Ccmb&t Ccmna.nd "A" (4th ArmoredDividon) to tile r i gh t roar of Canb&t CCllllland "B", galned three mil &t tu being he.lt .d by & blown bridge, whUe CClllbllt Ccmme.nd "B" (4th J.r .mored Division) adn..noed f'hw mil

VIII corps_ ' taotioal s1tuation .._ s t i l l Tery t lu id . w!ih enemypenetration. being made throughout th e ent ire zone. Element. 01' th e28th Intantry Dividon. honn r . oontinued to hold defendn poaitl.on.1n SIBREl' (p,5). 1_ miles aouth..". t of BAS'lOGNE (l'55). while the

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RolOOlltion or ant l -ai rorat t unite to oppose the G t ~ oti'ensi. . .rellu1ted in three major ohangell ot allaigument. ~ unit . .ssumed detense ot the Cit, ' ot LUXFllBOURG (PSI), the . t ee l m i l l. t DIFFERIlAllGS(P60) aDd Rad.io Station Lu.:embour a t JUllGLINSmR (P92).

All occmandera were ordered to take innediate and ' titorous aotiCI!D.to eutoroe rigid oClDpl1anoe n th t i re 1IIII.intenanoe lltandard. in order torelieTB the or! t ioal t i re ahoriate. VIII Corps requested supply b7 a i r -dropping to r the lOb t Airborne Di'tiaion a t BASTOGHE (P55).

22 DECEMBER (D + 199)

'Ihe tavored ency oapabllity a t th i . tillJ8 ... that he could cont1.nUlt hill advance to the weat. 1lIIplementlng thla dri 'N by attaold.1ll: to thenortil and .outil to expand the shoulder. at the BlSTOGNE (P55) sd i en t .other o&p&bil1tlea oonsidered were that the enem.;y oould oa:Q:ldt h hrema.in1ng a.mored reservea , atteuzpt to extond his penetnltion in depth"

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TACTICAL SITUATIONxxxlZU 22 DECEMBER 1944(DATE OF IN ITIALBE ATTA CK

BASTOGNE _ N N I N GVITH CA MPAIGN )

12SJ3U'19' .w..80'" INF DIV . . . .../""'1,---26-n11NF DIV .....

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-2. Boundario.1 J.. Demon !Went,. One and ln l1 ' th Army Groups rGIVEr .. PRUII: .. KOLH (All ino lud. . . to tnn ty One .Arm.Y Group) Subjeotmodification between Anrry CCCIII&nderlll conoerned.:e. BeUreon Twelfth &Dd S u t b An:ry Groupe1 .ua t pre.ent to NEUFCR!"mA.U (inoluaivu to S1.:I:th Army Group)" thon toDamASLE .. CHUFAU SALIm;.. BABONVIIJ.E .. PAULQUEKOUf (FALKENBERO) .. s rAVOLD .. CARLING (KARLIRGEU) .. BOIJSSE (BUSS).. ( a l l inoluaho to ' l n l t tbAr:rry Group, n th running l"iPltB to Sixth Army Group on the road w u t of' thh bound&ry (JlEDlfXIRC'BEN .. lANDS 7CHL .. KA.ISERSIAUmRN) a l l IDCluah.to Sb:th J..rmy Group). 1hird Army retalna running ril:btB in that area._ a t ot ..bow and nat of l'onaer botDldary whioh l iea behind t ront l ine .

-3 . A. n r a t a.nd H1nth Armi palle to operational oontrol otCcmrandllr in Chief'. 1'Ironty Ono Arl:t Group .. t onee. 'lWelf'th A:rrq Groupre ta in. rellponaiblli ty to r their supply &nil a.dmln1straticm.B. Bold along present tront line between SAA.RLAU1mUI" &Dd'rioiDity of ECHreRNACH. oontain tho enemy'. advance n a t of' th e )[EUSEJlaunch without delay a oounter-of f . I ld.. . a ga lu t th o l louthorn! ' lank or"tho 8I1my ad i en t trao general area LtlIlUBOU1I.G.. ARLOB in direot ion orS f VIm.

-4. trOOP_ I lhird Army ,,111 be all now oonllt1.tuted l e u 87thInfantry Divie10n ( to Sbth Army Group) plua: Hoadq-.rten VIII Corp4th a.nd 28th Infantry Dirle1on.a, 9 th AnnoAd DiTidon, 1 0 l d AirborneDirl.iO!l1. and Firat Anny and Corp. troops now .outh or Anrt Group bcnmdary (detaUa l a ter) .


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Ho ohango in the favored enemy oapabil l t,. .... III&de .. t 1Dh time.I t ..... believed the OtlGmy would atte l l lpt to oontinue h b adn.noe to the_st, impletnenting hie driTe byattaoklnj!: to the nor1h ud aoutil to 8'%.pe.nd the sboulder_ or the BAB'l'OGNE (P55) " U e o t and broaden i ta b u

lb . enemy oontinued to exer t he&'VY pressure on BA.S'lOGUZ (1'55),lIbi ') . bypassing the town and sending a.nnor..apearbe&ded oolUllll.8 to thew u t and northwest to ii:P.e n o l n i ~ ot s1 ' HUBERT (p}6). ROCHEFORT (P27)and B01"lOll (p38). At the.. , . , . , t1lD,o, . the enemy ahowR OODOern OftI ' thepreaaure ca r t ed from the south by I I I Corp_, oarmittinr; a dhia ion inthe 60th Inf'antry DiYi.ion .lone w h . ~ h is flank ILppea.red ne.k8at. Inth e tRIER (122) .. !dER.ZIG (Q29) ana enemy aotivity. inorea. . .d, with h8ll..,nigh t attack. be1nr; launohed. Soattered 008lllY paratroop b.Dd1nga nnmade in the are. ~ t a o e e n Ul'XEMBOURG (PSI) and the SAA.R ~ J:OOELI.S RiO'...ora and there . . . . . . sudden increase in &11' &aU,,! ty OTOr th e 'JRIER(122) .. liERZIG (Q29) U " R . 1110 4th Annored DiT1e1on encountered _ j o rreatatanoe in the vioini ty of CIIAUlIONf (P54) and the 26th In1'antl'J' DiTi ..d o n met stubborn appoal t ion i n I I I Corps sane. ':lbe enemy wi thdre . tore tom a.tter detennined aaaaults to capture BAS'l'OGnE (1'55) in VIII Corp."one were repulsed. defended stubbornly the ECRlElUlACR (LD3) bridgeheadin XII Carpi area and patrolled &oU,"l , . in XX Corp. "one. llore thaD.100 enemy planes s t rafed and bCElbed insta l la t ions In :lblrd U.S. Arr:ryarea. a n t i a i r o n t t a h o o t i ~ da-n sixteen plane. &lid o l a l m i ~ s ix more ...probables.

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in .the maintenanoe of seouri ty and the apprehension of suspeoted spiesand saboteurs. To meet this need an emergenoy issue of 1.200 fraonentat ion hand grenades was made to mili tary police.I t was learned that some 700 to 1.300 patients would need surgioaloare when the breakthrough to BASTOGNE (1'55) was aooOtlplished. Onlymedioal detachment servioe was available a t 'this time to 'the lOlst Airborne Division. inasmuoh as 'the medioal oanpany apparently had been oaptured. Medioal supplies dropped by plane to the troops isolated inBASTOGNE (1'55) inoluded plasma. dressiI1P:8 and morphine.A submarine bol t driving gun. for use in sealing the doors of pi l l -

boxes_ was prooured fran 'the British Royal Navy. Tests showed highlysatisfaotory results and twenty were prooured for the Arrtryts use.

24 DECEMBER (D+ 201)Order of Battle faots a t this time showed that while the enemy BO

fa r had oamni t ted nine Panzer and fourteen infantry divisions in hisoffensive he s t i l l possessed st ront reserves and means to transportthem. It-was considered ' that the enemy was oapable of rediaposing hisforoes and reinforoing them in an effor t to regain los t momentum or in

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Fighter-bomber- of XIX taot ioal Air ComN.nd 1 _ &".12 sor t ie s andbagj;8d mnowen enemy planes oonfi.l"t)!d and two probably destroyed. Inaddi t ion. 586 motor vehio les . 117 tanka and al"lDOl"'Od'Vehioles aod 115rai l road oar . were dtl.!rdgod or des troyed , while f i f teen rallrOCLd Unoa" r o - out a.nd twelve troop oonoentrations lI"8ro attaoked. In to'!.e daylaoperat1oD XU '!aotioal Air Camnand l os t thirteon planes and t l le_n pilots , with praotioally a n aerial aoth1ty In tho Lw::embourr; - Bolp.um.: t O M.

1h1rd U.S. Army oontlnuod the at taok to tho north, oapturing: 1405 mOFF (P94) acd ARSDORF (P64). Foro.a were reuoupod to reinforoo thoattaolc to tho nor th , while posi t ions in tho southeast par t o t sone were-..1nt:a.1Dod.

Art i l lery Ulmwdtion supply boolU!le increasingly ori t ioal in OODIOqueno. ot the mOTOmGnt ot tho groa.t bulk or 'lhird. u.s. Army to theDorth. Supply un! ta to l lond 1f1 th lI1&XiJnulD speed but delay in the i ropening in th o northern area 11"&8 inesoapable in Tift" of tile gNlat dis-tance. and grellt amount ot .uppl ies inTOlwd. For a . w r a l days only oneUIt:Iunition supply point wall an i l ab l e to I I I , VIII an d XI I COrpll 110 that. t00k8 beeame e::Etremoly 10lIl'. th . n.a.rellt Ca=Wlioati.onll Zone d.pota" , i l ab le inTolw!! appro:diD&telya tor ty-hour round t r ip to r the anauDition t ra in . a td wall oo()&sionally ut11i l .d in _.rgellOioll . AD. ~ u -ni t lon dump oontainl ns 8,400 tona, 'llhioh . . . . in the Sewnth U.S. Amy' .aone aa the r u u l t or the revil l lon ot boundar ie . , was turned OTer tot ha t Army. Byap-e8lft8ut, or i t ioa l iteme _re i removed to r 'the usa ot

~ i r d U.S. AnAy toroe. unt i l 21 Deohlber.

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25 DECEMBER (D+202)']he Army CCX\ll'IAudorla Chrisbne.a gre()t1ne to h h off icers an d Gnlill-ta d Jr.en was issuod on this date, &s follows ; "Xo eaoh of.fioer andsoldio r in th o Third Unitod States Anny. I wish a Merry Chris.s. I ave full oonfidenoo i n your courage, dovotion to duty. and skil l inba t t l e . We lC8.rch in our tli ch t t o c ct!pl e te vic to ry . May Godls b lollSlne re s t upon eaoh of you on this Chrlsmaa DtLy. "

\ ., r\, , ,.t. '., , ;,.'- - '" \." ... . , ,,,,

.., . . ....

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No o b ~ in enemy o&p4lb1l1 tiell was oonsidered 11ke1y ..t th ! .t1Ite. B1 tiler f ir ;htiDg spread throUl;b II I Corps .lone . .. the enotty 6trOTOdeaperately to prevent ! 'urther enoroaohment on the 80Uth flam: ot hlepenetra t ion and it WILli beU.Ted the eamy planned to make .. major standalong the SURE Rif t r . Launohing two heavy at tao ks 1n VlII Corps .tone.tho .nOln)" Increa.ed h h effor ts to oapture BASTOGNE (P55) . At the A m 8ti.. . . enemy armored apearhead. oontinued to 1\\n out to the _at andDorthYeat. ' lb. en.lIlY _lnta lnod an aggressh' . deten and ilDproved h i .derenal,. . poalt1ona n or th of the S.lUER Rif t r in tho XII Corps aone.whUe h i . FOund toroes retll.lned on the defend TIl in the XX Corps .cODe.Vlo1onoo ot . ~ &ir aot1Tity on tho northern h o o t deoreased. butntt, . n.1d. _ r o ma.de by 103 planes. ot 'Which eleven ro deatroyed and

. l ~ n more probably d troyed by a.ntiairora1't t i re .1he l04th aDd 328th Infantry Reg1Jnents (26th Intantry Dh1.eion)oontinued to dr i f t north e.breut in I I I Corps zone wi t i l the 32Bth 1n

!'autry tald.ng ESCIlDOlU' (P74) before beine rel ieved by the lOlet In1'antry. l!eanwhile, the 317th and '19 th Infantry Rogitnenta: (BOth InfantryDi"l'hion) made l imited progress in capturing RINGEL (P74). !he 4th Az-Eored DiTidon oontinued to drive alO'lfly again . t atubborn reahtanoo ontho eorp . west flank. Ccabat Cora;:a.nd "A" reached a point . awn mile.south or BASl'OGUE (1'55) and oaptured tIlltI.NGE (P54) . while Ccmba.t c ~catd nB" . reoehill{; direot aupport i'ro:::l. the 318th Intantzoy (80th Intan-t ry Dirta1on). adnnced to a pcint five m11e. south of that o i ty . Re
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1h1rd U.S. A.nIy'...ttaok oontinuod,oaptu:r1nr; RINGEL (nb), ESCH-DORF (1"/4). RElJIC!!AL!PAGJiE (1'55). CHA""OIlT (P54). HOLWIGE (P54) . . . . TIND.NGE (1'54). POSltiolU in the .outhealltern part of th . Army .one remained . tabil ised. A .urgeon who Tolunteered for the m i u i o n " . fiown into BASroGUE (1'55) in an 1.-5 plano, taking r i th him a bUio lIurgiOal inlltrum.entc ..t

&Del modioal .uppUell, inoludillr;, whole blood. peniollUn, pla.... morphine ud. drelll l in&

BTary mO&l1ll wall ua.d by th e IIDft1y to dt . rupt lIupply a.nd oa:!!l!l\IDioaticm. in tb e r . a r ..r . . . . of ti!.e!ntt:r. A delay 1n th e deUTer")' ot Cla . . . . I and I I I .uppl ie . to the I I I Corps. . . . OILU.ecS by ubotage. the ra i l l ine be tnen LOlJG1fY (P5Q) and. A R L m (1'62) haTing been out in tiTO place..

26 DECEMBER (0 +203)Drhin& northward to rel ieve BASroGtlE (1'55), .t1dJ,tinr: of t de.perate el1ftl)' .. ttempts to . . . .1 ort i t s oorridor by .. t tacks on both tl.anlca and hampered by IInow, ioe and bi t t e r oold, the btil Armored DiTill1cm made oontact with the garrleOl1 on th t . d&te. ']he enemy h i l ed to preTOnt the a r r h a l or rein!orolr.llents . . . he had railed to reduoe th e p I l a n t der.u,derll or the town. Contaot _. made a t ASSENOIS (1'55), two mile. 10Util or RAS1'OGNE (P55), by elements or tho diTill1on'l Cccbat Cett=t.nd "B" and
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SIBRET (P45) and lIORHET (P45) in an unsucoessful attempt to out t."le BASTOGUE (P55) corr-idor in VIII Corps .tone. '!he enemy offered spot ty re -silltanco to the 5th Infantry Division in XII Corps zone, whilo only th eellemy a i r resisted a.otivoly ovol' xx. Corps area . Th.e German A ir Foroestruok on the northern f ront with a violence not experienced since th ee..ttaoka on the AVRANCiiES (121) oorr idor and the MANlES GASSICOURT (R65)orossing of tho SEI11E River . In 110 ra ids made by 2;4 planes, tho enemy Attaoked ocmmu.nicatiolUl, supply route s e..nd ins ta l la t ions , an d highwayt raf ' t io . Anti-alrora.t uni ta shot dO\lJZl 'brenty-aix of the nidal 'S a.ndclaimed t n 8 n ~ o n e as probably destroyed.

'lhe Amy Ccn:rnander s8nt Amendment No 1 to the Opera.tiollfl.l Direotivedated 21 Deoember to the Callnl\nding G e n ~ r e . l s of I I I , XII an d xx: Corps.'lhe ftroluubent provided that I I I Corps pass oontrol of th o 80th Inf'antryDivision and attaohed troops to XII Cor pa e:fi 'eotive 2000 26 Deoember.'the oorps wae to assume temporary oontrol of CctIlbat COI:ir.I8.Ild "An (9th Ar-mored Division) effeot ive immediately, re ta in temporary oontrol of tile3l8th Infantry unt i l canplet lon of i ts clss ion. and. aSS\D:Ie oontrol o f'the 35'th Infantry Division an d at taobed troops.

XlI Corps was to assume oontrol of the SO'th Infantry Division andattaohed t r o o ~ s effeot ive a t 2000 26 Deoomber. It was to mOTe CombatCocmand "An (9th Armored Division) to I I I Corps area immediately, passoontrol of the 35th Infantry Division an d attaohed t roops to I I I Corps,pass oontrol of the 10th Armored Division and at taohed troops to XXCorps, a.nd assume cont ro l o f the 6th Armored DiTision and at taohedtroops.

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DIvision would Inrlne 811ghtly to the east in nI Corps zone and Ie!l."the 35th Infantry DIvision under oontrol of I I I Corps. 'lhe 41:h InfantryDivision continued to auor.ble and prvparo 1'or renewal of ' i ta a t taok.Continuing to at taok. the 5th Infantry Division's 2d Infantry reaohedBERDORF (I.D3). 'bra cl les _st of ECll'IERNACII (L03). and the 10th Infantryreaohine; the outski r t s of ECH'lERllACH (103) . BEFORT (P93). s ix miles totho north'l'fOst of' ECH'lERNACH (1.03) . was oaptured by the 11th Infantry.

On the l test bank of the SAAR River and in the SAARLAU1ERN (Q23)bridsehead. the 90th and 95th Infantry Divisions raintalned their posit ions . lbe lOth Armorod Division was enroute to XX Corps zona, i t s e le -tlents moving f'r()!;l the XII Corps zone as Goon as rel ieved by elements orthe 6th Armored Division.

XIX la.otioal Air Comn&nd had another heavy day with 558 sor t ies intif'ty-n1ne missions and dro?pod 157 tons of' bombs and esoorted ~ d i u mand heavy ba:tbers . Four hundred and vntlve motor Tahioles, th i r ty...tour ar.corod vehioles, twenty-six gun posit ions, s i x ~ o n o builuings,two bridges, two supply dutlps, and eighty-three staoks ot ar:::nmitionwere destroyed, with throe marshalling yards hi t and tourteen 1"&11 l ine.out . Claims for the day wel'9 brenty-trro enemy planes destroyed, oneprobable and eleven d,acaged. XIX 1):I..otioal Air COlll>lRnd's 1038es to r 'theday were f i t teen planes .Alnmunition shipcents oontinued to be diverted from tile- originalsouthern t lank to tile origioal northern flank of the Arrly, with a steady


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Five hundred and forty-four so r t ies wore flOl'fD in f i f ty-sown masions by XIX 'n\.ctioa.l Ai r COl1:D.nd f ighte r -bomber.. Cla,iJna for the dayworo irlpres::ive. wi til 434 motor vehio l e s , ni nety- sewn tanks and IIU"-cor ed vehio l e . , 336 ra i l road oua , fiftxlen locCR:Iotives, three bridge. ,f'or ty-bro CUll instal la. t io:1 ' and eleven su?p ly dlJlllp. destroyed or dan.!I.ged .

'lhir d U.S . Army continued i t s advanoe to the north during the dayflhile the oorridor to BASTOGllE (P55) was strengthened and widen e /BOULAlDE (P04) . BASC"


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zone, while there was an inorease in enemy patrol l ing and ar t i l le ry firein XX Corps zone. For the f i r s t time sinoe 15 Deoember, enemy a i r ac-t iv i ty came to a vir tual s tandst i l l . After sufferine; heavy losses fora week, the enecy sent over only eight sor t ies .

~ e Army Commander issued the following orders to th o Corps Cor.lmanders: 1hey stated in part :

ale a. Fi rs t U.S. Army on the north is containing the enemy oni t s t ront .b . Seventh U.S. Army on the south wil l continue to defendpresent sector .

"2. ~ i r d u.s. Army will :a . Seize HOUFFALIZE (1'67) and oontinue the attack north-eas t in the direct ion of ST VIm (paa). ,b . Cross the S.A:UER River in the vicini ty of ECIIlERltACH

(L03) and drive up th e PRUM Valley in the , direct ion of BOnN (F53)."3. I I I Corps (26th and 35th Infantry Divi'sions, 6th ArmoredDivision and attached troops) wil l :

a . Assume c o ~ ~ n d of 6th Armored Division and attaohedtroops. b . Pass 4th Armored Division and attached troops to XII


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a . With minimum force continue to hold present sector in -cluding SAARLAUTERN (Q2B) bridgehead.b . On Army order advance north and clear enemy from thearea between MOSELLE and SAAR Rivers.o. Be prepared to follow XII Corps to the northeast.

"7. l1ming.a . VIII Corps wil l seize high ground in the vicini ty of

H C U F F ~ I Z E (Q67) early 30 December; prepared to continue attaok northeas t eoheloned to the l e f t rear of I I I Corps.b. I I I Corps will attack on A ~ y order in the direction ofS T VI ill (P88).c. XII Corps will cross SAUER River in the vicini ty ofECRn!:ID1A.CH (L03) and on Army order attack north in the PRUM Valley toseize orossings of the RHINE River in the vioini ty of BONN (FS3).d. XX Corps wil l clear area between MOSELLE and SAARRivers south of TRIER on Army order.

"B. a . 'lhe .followine; a ir support wil l be provided for thisoperation:

(1) Heavy bombers by Eighth U.S. Air Force.(2) Medium bombers by Ninth U.S. Bomber Division.(3) Seven .fighter-bomber groups one tac t ical reconnaissance group and one night f ighter squadron by

-6 ( C
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Dividon. Y6ammlle. the 6th A.n:lored Di...h ion began to i l ion i t s unitefrOID corpa anemb1y area t o 1he front l ines .

Continued orgaciut ion and improvement of derend.,.. position.l' _ _oonducted in XX Corps by the 90th and 95th Infantry Di...i doD. and by the10th Armored Division.

Wea:ther oondi t i ou were le88 re....orab1e than a t any time during tilepreoeding ei&ht daya. Nenrthe1el8. 196 so r t i n were flown by XIX nLo-t ioa l Air COIIIDlnd. , wttil a1zty-two ton. ot bOltbs beinr; dropped. Speoialattelltion 1I"&S given to rol1int; atook, with f i f t y - au 1oocmotins aed 325railroad oars destroyed or d&l!'fl.ged. Ran. were out in three plaoe. andtwo large o il tank. were de.troyed. ]here wa. no enemy a ir aoti"fity inthe ' lhird U.S. AmyIS zone .

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111ird u.s. Army during the day oontinued to advanoe and widen theoorridor to BASTOGNE (p55). NOmuM (1'65) was oaptured. while in thesoutileastern portion of tile Army zone positions were maintained.

Emphasizine seouri ty . a oheck was made of the Forward Echelon ofArmy Headquarters and of a l l supply points. Additional counter- inte1l igenoe oorps personnel was requested for II I Corps. An investigation wasmade of the possibi l i ty of enemy agents using pigeons as a return meansof oommunioation.29 DECEMBER (0 + 206)

Determined enemy resistanoe oontinued in I I I Corps z ~ n e . wi th an, increase in ar t i l l e ry shell ing noted. Enemy tank and troop oonoentrations observed by tao t i ca l reoonnaissance in tile HOUFFALlZE (1'67)-NOVILLE (p56) area indioated the presenoe of an unidentif ied Panzer-typedivision reinforcing tile BASTOGNE (p55) area. In VIII Corps zone tilere"I8.S no aggressive enemy aotion. while in XII Corps area the enemy engaged in patrol l ing and laid harassing ar t i l le ry and mortar t i r e . 111eenemy att i tude remained'defensive in the XX Corps zone.

Eighty-eight enemy planes made sixty-one raids over 'lhird U.S. Armyarea. Antiairoraft shot down ten planes and claimed seven as probab1es.In tile I I I Corps zone the 26th Infantry Division advanced approximately one mile a l l along i t s front . nearing the WILTZ River. Meanwhile, tile 35til Infantry Division advanced about two miles, witil the


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In support of the attaok on th o northern f r ont , two speolal trainaor operational rat ions , total1nr; 260,000 , and one t ra in of V-80 gasol ine . tota linr; 206,000 ge.llons . were dispatched from the Ad:nooe SeotionCO!:VllunioatioD8 Zone depot a t VERDUN (tT26) t o arr ive a t LONCl'iY (P5Q)early on 30 Deoember. In addi tioD, 194.000 gallons of gaaoline weretransfsrred from the Army" mobile reserve a t VALLEROY (066) to LOIIC>.fT(P50) .

Hand l ing of Arrlerioan dead a t the oemeterie. ns hindered by th e re -oeip t of German bodies o l o ~ e d in AlDerioan unlfoMnl and we&rill AmerioanIdenti! ioation t a ~ s ~ In oases where identi ty oould not be establishedby nOn.1Al J:lethods photograph . were taken as an addit ional aid to ident i -f ioation . A salvage repair oa::ape.ny began the m&nufaoture ot .oaw ou:ouflar;e .u i t s from 5 ,000 lIl&ttreaa oovars delivered on th is date .

30 DECEMBER (D+207)Ylhile continuift to bui ld up hh forcee 00 the eas t flank of UteBAS'l'OGUE (P55) aal ient in IU Corps area. the eo_y launched .. oounterattaok by an es t l_ ted two battal ions ot infantry and torty tank. and

.uooeeded in reoapturint; wmBOIS (1'54) . Other a t t aon again. t the
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'!he 90th Intantry Dirlalon oontinuod aun.. i , " patrolling 111. theXX Corp. SODlh In the 95th lntantry Dhh lon , the 377th and 378th Infantry Rep,menb _ re "voup ing and - ' i n t a l n 1 ~ their poll t ion. , 'Whilethe 379th Inta.c.try launobed a l tJdted objeo t i" attaok in the SAARI.lUT-ERR (Q28) bridgehead atd .e i l .d about two 01 ty' blocks.. Revouplng andtraining ft. oontinued b,. the 10th AnrIor.d Dhielon.

Fpur bundred nlnot,.-bro . o r t i e . _ re flown b,. XIX laotio&1 Air Can_nd. Among naneroul other olalma 165 motor ....hlol1xty-t-o taDlaIand al'lllor.d TOhiol.a, twent:,.-two looomotins, and h6B railroad car . _ redamaEOd or de.troyod.

~ l r d . u.s . ~ r . ad"t"AMe oontinued duriDl: the perIod. Sne",1h.a.". eDnly oounterat taon . .re repule.d and .OlRCY (p35 ) WUI oaptured,whil . a 11mi bid ad'9aQO. wal Ja&d. In the S.uRlAU1ERlJ (Q28) brldgob_d ..A new ayatem to r bandllll1 Alf'OLS through lllilltary polioe ohann.la_. plao.d Into . t r eo t . Under the new a,..tem eaoh 111111 tal ' ) ' polloe bat-

tal lon IIII.1ntain.d a oolleotll l l center through whioh AWOLS ..re r. turnedUDder r;uar4 to corpa unl ta . AWOLe tram ~ , . troop. . . re beld to r un! ttuard. lIblle AWOLa rrca oth . r Anale., Air Foro. a:od Coanmloationa ZODIIJuaJ.ta were oleared throop the Itrm,. AWOL oolleotl l l l o.nter , near theArrtrf HeadqUlU'tera Rear Echelon, to the CClllllunlcationa Zone AWOL o.nter .

~ 1 a ayete. ..a upeoted to be aore en lo1 . n t than th . tOrDIr method atbandlllll AlroLa throup "'plaoement channell. whIch trequoo.tly per.1ttedthe ort .nd. r to renew bla aba.DO. w1 tbout l . a n betore b . oould be re

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f'oroe LUmEBOIS (P55). In the VIII Corp. tone the ene=y tailed in wooO\mten,ttaob on the north. portion ot the BASTOGllE (1'55) u l1en t . ']heenemy oontinued a deten.iTe atti tude in the X II Corpe 1:0011 exoept to r ab&ll-.o.ale attaok .outh ot L!AClI1W (LOl) ldIicb w.. broken up . Enemydr ao t in ty inorea.ed .harply. with eir;hty-nine planGs in Sixty-tourraidll IItrikin,; a t Anrrt ins ta l la t ions . lhree ot the n,1dinr; plane I werede"troyed and tour probe.bly destroyed.

Appreoia.ble gUn. in I I I COrpll _ r e made by the 6th Amored Din -Ilion which h i t on the e.. tern parblewr at the oorridor leadins toBASroGNE (1'55). Adn.ncu ot two m1lOll 'WOrG made. l'lARDIN (r65) &nd llEFFE(1'55) being captured. 1be 26th Infantry DiT1sion was e nga.ged in heavyt id l t inr; a l l during the period. althoul'11 there wall l i t t l e change in i t .t ront l ines . A heaT)" ooun:bera.ttaok Ialmohed aga. iut the 35 th In1'antzoyDiYillion wall beaten back and the 35th Infantry Dhhion rellumed . i t .at tack. 1I:1e 13hth Inta.ntry reoaptured LU'lREBOIS (1'55) while the L37thInfantry Wall ti&ht1ng one-m1.1e northeast or lIJJU.A.NGE (F64). Support orthe 35th In fantry Dh"ll1ion ....s oontinued by the 4th Armored Divillion.In and around BASl'OGNE (1'55) f ight ing wa_ oontinued by the 10I . t AirbOl"'Dll DiTi i i i on.

AdftnOoll ot tiro c i l.. were - .do by the 11th Anlored DiYiaion ' inVIII COrpll &one which drew up to .. l ine nmnint;; direot l r ' " ' l i t !'romBAS1'OGNB (1'55). &nd captured BOIDIonT (PhS) and CBElWOJm (P45)' 111e 87thIntantry DiYi.ion tought agalnllt u:treJ:le11 haa.". re .htanoe aroundKOIRer (p35). the 345th lDf'l.ntry adTlUlOing to JENNEVIIJ.E (p3S) while the

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~ e bth. 5th and BOth In1'antry Dh1.aiou lIl&intained their pod ..tiOn.l. Aoti r l t le . in the XII Corp. area were limited to patro1lln,;alon!; the llOSELLE. SURE aDd SAUER R!Terl.

To the lOUth, the 95th Infantry Dhiaion (XX Corp.) took t.ro morec i ty blook. in the SAARLAU1ERN (Q2B) brld,;ehead area. Rehabili tationand 'fn.1ning were continued by the 90th Infantry Dhidon and the 10thAnnored Div idon . One motorized ba t ta l ion" .a aent to ..eie t the 1061hCavalry Group (XV Corpa).

XIX taotio&l Air CCIII:IIlDd t1 _ 296 aortl88 and dropped 128 t a u f4hitP e, .p losh. beaba. the eMmy . .a apparently Tery oautioua about put-t int ' tar,;ete In the open at ter the heavy l oue l be hAd auatalned in thepreoedin day. . !be tit;bter-beabera l ia ted .....on& other 01a1E.8 to r thedaYI 125 motor , ,"ebioln. sb:ty... idJ,t raUroa.d oar tour brid!;O:. andunn t een building. ~ g e d or destroyed -.hUe Dine mr.rlbaUlng ,..rd.were attaoked and rai18 were out in .ewnteen ,p1ao WO l oue . lr9reaUltained.

'lbird U.S. An:J.y fought be....Uy and a.d:ftnced in ear.. zone. durln&the day. with CHENOGllE (plO). WlRDIN (P65) &D1 m:FFE (P55) beIng oap'"tured.Approz1m&tely thir ty ..t iTe 'battal1ona ot t ie ld ar t i l le ry put lo1..pated in the opera.tion to rdin. and t ab lhb ...011d oontaot with the


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CRt '*

REINFORCEMENTS RECEIVED BY THIRD U S ARMY


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DAILY

DECEMBER33323130

2 '

222120IS 100

U ) 18 lOIS (I)ee 17 104 zI r"' 10 103e I. 102 :JZ 0::> I ' :I::I: I-13

12"0

CUMULATIVE FROM AUGUST

2,

3 4 6 1 8 9 10 ". ' , . 12 13 14 16 11 '8 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 ,.,


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104,000102,000

~

COMPARATIVE CASUALTY CHARTTHIRD US ARMY 6 THE ENEMY

LEGEND

I I ENEMYI , THIRD US ARMY

NOTE: TOP OF GRAPH ENEMY CASUALTIESeOTTOM OF GRAPH THIRO US ARMY CASUALT1ES

,'"

4 b 0: ' .,

99,020

100,000 98 ,000 96 ,000 94 ,000 92 ,000 90 ,000 88 ,000 86 ,000 84 ,000 82,000 80 ,000 78,000 16 ,000 74,000 72 ,000 70,000 68 ,000

66,00064,00062,00060 ,00058 ,00056,00054 ,00052,00050,OCO48,00046,00044,00042,00040,00038 ,00036 ,00034,00032,00030,00028,00026 , 0 0024,00022,000 20 ,63420 ,000 18,000 16,000 14,000 12,OCO 10,000 8 ,000 6,000 4,000 2,OOg

, .0 ."o1 1


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THIRD U.S. ARMYMAIN SUPPLY ROADS

OPERATING RAILROADSood,.


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~ ) C-l/NQY, O-liNW

...

SUPPLY INSTALLA TIONS1-17 DECEMBER 1944

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LEGENOo OPENE()C - CLOSED

/J DEC

193

L SECRE t

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'lIiE !.IOlim IN REVIEWFollawinr; 111 .. br ief lUIII!lary of operationa tor Deoeober:

Operationa of th e 'third U.S. Army an d the enemy during Deoertberten in to bra ph a : 'Dle purlu1t of the enelllY in h il oontinued r e t r _ tin to Gernany. and the enemy'l AI".DEtrNES o t t end_ whioh by th e en d ot thelIIonth ' lhlrd U.S. ~ " l laahlng t l&nk attaok ha d " r i r ~ l l y brou(;bt to ..ha l t .

During th e t i n t rU'taen days of December th e enemy oontinued tot i r ;ht .. delaying aotion an .. l o ~ th e Army'. t ron t extending !'rca theMOSELLE Rin r near IEtTINGEN (too) OD the Dorth to SARRE UllION (Q53) onthe south. XII and XX Corp. were oontinuing the ir . . . . . .u l t of' the Genll.l:l;Welt Wan whioh had .tarb!lld OD 8 TlovEtlflber. Advanoe. by a l l unltll intoSIEGFRIED posi t ion . oontinued. with the towne: of SAAR tmIO}1 (QS3) a.ndSARREG!.JE1IINES (Q55) helDr; taken. Aided by inclement _a th e r . whlohr u t r l o t e d movement to road, and prlT8nted . treotive -.ir aotion. theenea)" suooeeded in prennt inr ; .. III&jor br. . .kttlrouDt . fiOlll'8Ter. under oon-t inuou. pr .ssure frOID. the Army's foroes, h . slawly wi ttldreow in to theIrAl58 iTO SIEGFRIED Lin. def .ns . , behiDd th e SAAR Rh . r . Despi t . hisstubborn resistanoe and oontinuoull oounterat taokl . the ene::ty wa, unableto prevent t i l lI tabllltunent of t h r_ Army b r 1 d ~ h e a d s aoro.. the SAAR.1n the SAARLAU'!ER!' (Q28) - DILLlt:GEU (Q28) ar. . . . betwe.n 3 ..nd 6 Deoem-bel" . Bit ter f igh t in t oontinued in the bridgehead are .. s un t i l the relaxation of the Army's attaoks in order to deal with the eneoy's ARDElj-)XS offensive. During hie wi thdrawal in to the SIEGFRIED Line the .nenwlIustain.d heavy loslllls as a r esu l t of whioh h l l strenr;th on the 'lhird


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ern at tack, involving in i t ia l ly two Panzer, one paratroop and five in-fantry divisions. was intended as tile major e.fi 'ort. Both drives in i -t ia l ly metw1th suooess, the northern spearhead driving ahead despiteheavy losses a t S'm.VELOT (K70), ST VIm (P88) and MAIMEDY (K70) and th esouthern spearhead by-passing BASIDG1'E (1'55) and penetrating into th e STHUBERT (p36) - SMUID (1'26) - mLLIN (P16) - ROCHEFORD (1'27) area.

On 18 December ihird U.S. Army was direoted by higher headquarter!!to take over a l l 1'oroes south 01' tile enemy sal ieri t , oonsisting 01' ele-ments o VIII Corps, and to drive north into the south lank ~ thatsal ient . Atter turning over a portion 01' i t s zone to Seventh U.S. Army.

~ i r d U.S. Army transterred most o i t s uni ts north. Almost overhiOltthe 8 i tuB. t ion ohanged 1'ram. a three-corps ba t t le l ine running !'rom nor'thto sou'th to a four-corps batt lel ine running !'rom eas t to west in thenor'thern VIII and II I Corps zones, and !'rom north to sou'th in tile XIIand XX Corps zones.Th.e ottensive movement neoessary to thr"'" ~ i r d U.S. Aruryts s t r ik-ing power to th e nor'th was a gigantio and complioated operation involving a sw i ta h 01' th e Dll.jori ty ot ~ i r d U.S. Army's divisions and their

supporting troops. Sane 01' the most rapid troop movements in th e his-tory 01' wartare were required, but they had to be combined with a highdegree 01' preoise timing and ooordination. Not only did the taot ioaluni ts have to be faoed a t r ight angles to -the Western Front but the ent i re supply organization had to 011"", in support. By 17 December thelO'th Armored Division was in LUXEMBOURG (P81), having been direoted toleave XX Corps to r VIII Corps (Fi rs t U.S, Anny). In the early mornine;hours 01' 19 Deoember the 4th Armored Division, located a t EPPING-URBACH


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" ! fEe


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covered the withdrawal ot troop. across the SAAR .To rel ieve 8erious s h o r t a ~ . ot certa in or i t ioa l itellls ot lIign&l8upply. governT.lent oontrAota were awarded to looal French i ndustrie J.algnal repair OOlllp&ny III&Du1'llotured during the month lIIore than 13.500

i t e m . s ~ including radio tune balle m.odificationl and adapters . bat ter iesto r rocket launcher8 acd tlame throwers. IIIIlst seotiona. And radar alipr ing brushes. During the Ronth 274 mi l 08 of f ield wiro and 636 mi le8 ot. p i n l -four oable were l aid by 'lbird U. S. Array troops . who also p laoed306 lllile. ot open wire over fi f teen mile. ot pole l ine. ~ e Antsy "11-s a ~ oenter handled 12.696 rDOuase8 by eleot r ioal Man. and l I l e 8 S a ~ S inoode required the un of 6 7 4 ~ 0 4 5 oode groupa. thirty-tour radio relayOiNu! ta waN astabl is hed dw-ins the Ronti:l. ooveriQ4 a to ta l d1atanoe ot1.045 mile 'Dle 0'YIIrrunn11l& ot many un! ta by ti:le Genoan o t tena i_ and the greatnU!Dber ot ouual t ieG. including a dhproportloDAtaly a r ~ number ormisai1l(; in ILOtion. plaoed a he&vy burden on the reoord maintenaDOe .faoi l i t i e s ot HeAdquarter. . Heavy oasu&ltie. amoQ4 pe r sonnel ott ioe . . . .personnel sergeants major aDd olerks r8lulted in delays in 8ubmiGsion of


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battle ouua l ty re port . from oanbat uni t . . During the JI10nth batt le oasua l t ies a.nd ohan&es i n oa'UAlty statua reporta pertt .1nint to 20,070 in -dividuals were processed, an aTOrage o f 61:$ per day.

Durinr; th o JI10nth the engineer. oonstructed 20,000 foot of bridge ' ,JI10st of ,m,ioh Were bull t O"rOr the major wa.ter obstt.oles Itet durlnt thef i r a t f i f teen days of Deoember, th e SAAR, IIlEO and BLIES RiTer l'/henthe ohanged t t .otical I1tuation required !IIlU troop JI10..,'III;IOOta to ttlen orth . bridges previoully oonstructed were a'9ll11&ble. l'lhen XII Corpstroo ps encountered stream. ra1eed to f l ood stll ,;e . by inoessant rains andawava t ed by a-.11 lakea fonned by !LACIUOr Line dams, englneera d. . .atroyed the da:lla as they were captured in order to al leviate fiood oondi t ions .

War oorreapODdonta and aoleUer writers in the field with oanbatunite aubaitted 3.801 a tories total ing ;'00,652 words to o ' n s o r ~ l p a tAraJy l ew l . OVer th e )!aok:a.y Radio f luhed 343.L43 worde desoribing theAncy'l operations, while voioe broo.doa.t . . . . ma.intaiood with the Brit ishBroadoasting CtGpany in LO ;mO N' to r the us. ot radio oorreapendente.


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,

New Type Medlcol Personnel Identification Vest

197

&[ eR t i '


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TOWNS CAPTURED DECEMBERDATE DATE DATEPLACE CORPS CAPTURED PLACE CORPS CAPTURED PLACE CORPS CAPTURED

AACHEN XlI 8 December HOLLANGE II ! 25 December RICHELlNG XlI , Decembe rBISTEN 2 HALLER XlI 25 ROUHLING XlI 5"''' II ! REDERCHINGEN, GROSS XII I .ETfRING XII 3 HOMPRE 27BOIS DE BLEIS BRUCKEN XII I . HOUMONT VIII 31 , RIMLINGEN XIIBIGONVILLE II I 23 ITZBACH XX 2 " RINGLE II I 25BEFORT XII 26 IPLINGEN XII 5 RIESDORF XII 3.BAV IGNE II I 27 KAPPELKINGER XII I REMiCH AMPAGNE II I 25BOULAIDE II I 27 KRElITZ.WALD XX 3 SIERSDORF XX ICHAUMONT II I 25 KULAHUSEN XII 6 SARRE-UNION XII 3CHENOGNE VIII 31 KAUNDORF II I 27 SAARLOUIS XX 3DREISBACH XX 2 LAUTERBACH XX 3 SINGLlNGEN XII 6*Dl EBLING XII 4 (7 Dec.) LlSDORF XX 3 SARRALBE XII 6DILLINGEN XX 2. LlVARCHAMPS II I 26 SAAREINSMINGEN XII 8ERNSTWEILER XI I 4 LlEFRANGE II I 26 SAAREGUEMINES XII 9EBRINGEN XII 4 LUTREBOIS II I 29 SAARLAUTERN-RODEN XX 16ElTINGEN XII 7 MEDELS HEIM XII 18 SAINLEZ II I 26ElDER-GAILBAQ-I XII 15 MERZIG II I 21 SURRE II I 27ERCHINGEN XII 16 MECHER-DUNKRODT II I 27 SIBRET II ! 27ESCHDORF II ! 25 MARVIE II I 29 SALVACOURT II I 27F r, ST. QUENTIN XX 6 MO IRCY VIII 3. TENTELINGEN XII ,FORBAQ-I XII 7 NIEDERLIMBERG XX 2 TADLER II I 23FT, PLAPPENVILLE XX 7 NEUFORWEILER XX 2 , WILHELMSBROWN XX 3 "FUERSTENHAUSEN XX 7 NOlHUM II I 28 WALLERFANGEN XX 3Fr , DRIAN T XX 8 NEFFE II I 31 WILLERWAW XII 5FOLPERSWEILER XII I I OERMINGEN XII 5 WO LFERDINGEN XII 6Fr . JEAN D'ARC II I 12 OBERGAILBACH XII WADGASSEN XX 7CERSHEIM XII 16 PIKARD XX 2 WEHRDEN XX 7"ILBRINGEN XX I PUTfELANGE XII 3 WIESWElLER XII 8HAMBACH XII 5 . PACHTEN XX 6 WOLFLlNGEN XII 9HOSTENBACH XX 7 REHLlNGEN XX 2 WARNACH II I 23HABKIRCHEN XII 12 WALDBILLIG XII 25 "HANVILLE II I 23 WARDIN II I 31 ..

'Orlgiaally captured " Dec., recaptur ed ' Dec.

* * * *


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"ZfKQfl~ Q. "'IIU ../J II

.UP THIRD U.S. ARMY

MAIN SUPPLY ROADS. AIRfiELDSOPERATING RAILROADS

"dSUPPL Y INSTALLATIONS

18_31 DECEMBER 1944

I !\ .. IZ_\ . ! J c u ~

~ . --o,,- NULEGEND'

0- O " ~ N E Dc- C L ( } S ~ Q 199

Documents

Combat Studies, Chapter 7 Bastogne St. Vith Campaign