November 1944

Western Europe

In the XXX Corps area, the 334th Infantry of the US 84th Division continues to clear the Prummern area and tries in vain to take Mahogany Hill. The 333rd attacks up the Wurm River valley toward Wurm, taking Geilenkirchen and Sueggerath. The 405th Infantry, US 102nd Division, is attached to the US 84th Division early in the day with the understanding that it will be committed only if absolutely necessary.

In the XII Corps area, the 51st Division takes Helden and Panningen and makes contact with the 15th Division of the VIII Corps.

In the XIX Corps area, CCB of the 2nd Armored Division repels a determined counterattack against Apweiler. CCA, reinforced by a battalion of the 119th Infantry, 30th Division, attacks in 2 columns from Setterich and Puffendorf toward a spur of high ground between Ederen and Freialdenhoven, one column reaching positions near Freialdenhoven. The 29th Division clears the rest of Setterich and an anti-tank ditch east of the village and then advances to take the villages of Duerboslar and Schleiden. The 30th Division's 117th Infantry, with powerful support of heavy weapons, easily takes St Joeris and Kinzweiler.

In the VII Corps area, the 104th Division mops up and shifts its main weight of attack to the Eschweiler-Weisweiler industrial complex north of the Inde River. On the northern flank of the 1st Division, a 47th Infantry column drives northwest along Hamich Ridge from Hill 232 to the base of Hill 187. The 16th Infantry finishes clearing Hamich and pushes to the southern part of the Bovenberger Wald. The reserve regiment, the 18th, begins an attack in the center of the division line toward Langerwehe--previously the objective of the 26th Infantry--reaching the vicinity of Wenau. The 26th Infantry, whose objectives are now Juengersdorf and Merode, commits reinforcments and advances to positions less than 500 yards from Laufenburg Castle. The 4th Division suspends eastward attacks in order to consolidate and try to close the gap between the 8th and 22nd Regiments.

The boundary between the VII and V Corps is shifted northward above Huertgen so that the 2 corps can co-ordinate operations to clear Huertgen-Grosshau area. Gen Hodges orders the corps to begin an offensive on the 21st (instead of waiting as planned until the VII Corps has broken through the enemy defenses west of the Roer) in order to assist the VII Corps. The 8th Division prepares for action on the northern flank of the corps toward Huertgen and Kleinhau. The 121st Infantry is to attack first and is ordered to move at once to the Huertgen Forest, where it will pass through the 12th Infantry, 4th Division.

The XX Corps closes the circle around Metz as the 90th, 95th, and 5th Division join hands. The 90th Division concludes its operations against Mets and halts upon order along the Nied River. The 357th Infantry drives to the Nied west of Boulay-Moselle. The 359th plugs an enemy escape route at Les Etangs. The reconnaissance troop establishes contact with the 5th Division. The 358th Infantry, resting in a rear area, is attached to the 10th Armored Division. TF Bacon, 95th Division, is clearing streets in the northeastern part of Metz. The 377th and 378th Regiments drive into Metz from the northwest, crossing the Moselle. The 5th Division continues to clear the southern part of Metz. The 2nd Infantry makes contact with the 90th Division north of Retonfey and the 10th Infantry makes contact with the 95th Division near Vallières. The 10th Armored Division, in order to speed the drive to the Sarre, withdraws CCA's Nied bridgehead during the night and blows the bridges. CCB is meeting stiffer opposition as it approaches Merzig and the Sarre. The 3rd Cavalry Group, which has been pushing into the triangle formed by the Sarre and the Moselle, is halted on the northern flank of the corps by fire from the Orscholz Switch Line.

In the XII Corps area, CCB of the 6th Armored Division begins an attack through the 137th Infantry of the 35th Division and, assisted by the 137th, takes Bertring and Gros-Tenquin. Virming falls to the 320th Infantry. The 26th Division commits its full strength to an attack against the Dieuze-Bénestroff line, meeting stiff opposition from German forces covering a general withdrawal, which is accomplished during the night. The 104th and 101st Regiments fight in vain for Marimont and Marimont Hill (Hill 334) during the day but move forward as the enemy withdraws after nightfall. The 328th Infantry, reinforced by elements of the 4th Armored Division, is committed against Dieuze and, upon German withdrawal, enters together with the 2nd Cavalry Group and takes the bridge intact. CCA, 4th Armored Division, enters the battle in the zone of the 26th Division, recapturing Rodalbe and helping the 320th Infantry of the 35th Division to take Virming.

In the XV Corps area, the 44th Division, pushing toward Sarrebourg, takes Ibigny and St Georges. The German line along the Vezouse in the Blâmont-Cirey area collapses as the 79th Division completes the capture of Fremonville and CCR, French 2nd Armored Division, takes Cirey. To exploit the breakthrough, CCL begins a drive to secure the Saverne Gap, through which the advance can be continued to Strasbourg. The 79th Division, instead of helping the 44th Division take Sarrebourg, is to exploit the success of the French armor and protect the southern flank of the corps.

The VI Corps closes along the Meurthe and prepares to attack across it. CCA, 14th Armored Division, is attached to the corps. The 100th Division, already east of the Meurthe, continues to advance in the Raon area with the 398th Infantry pushing southward across the Plaine River to gain control of the road southeast of the town and the 397th working on a quarry strongpoint at the edge of town. The division's reconnaissance troop and the 117th Reconnaissance Squadron advance to Badonviller without opposition.

In the I Corps area, the Moroccan 2nd Division, supported by the 5th Armored Division, reaches Châlonvillars, a suburb of Belfort. The 1st Armored Division tries unsuccessfully to open a route to Dannemarie so that the 5th Armored Division may driver on Cernay via Fontaine. Continuing to reconnaissance eastward along 3 routes on the right flank, gets elements to the Rhine at Rosenau at 1830. The French are therefore first of the Allied forces to reach the Rhine, but on a narrow front in a sector where the road net is too poor to support an advance in strength. Among the villages taken, Seppois is the first in Alsace to be recovered by the French.