November 1944

Western Europe

In the XII Corps area, the 49th and 51st Divisions advance steadily toward Venlo. The 53rd Division attacks at 1930 to clear the Roermond bridgehead.

The XXX Corps makes little progress against strong enemy opposition. Efforts of the US 84th Division to reach the villages of Muellendorf, Wurm, and Beeck fail. Permission is requested and received to use the 405th Infantry, US 102nd Division, to protect the southeastern flank.

The XIX Corps begins the final phase of its drive to the Roer. The boundary between the 29th and 30th Divisions is adjusted to permit all 3 divisions to drive on Juelich. CCB, 2nd Armored Division, seizes the heights around Gereonsweiler and undergoes a strong counterattack on a hill 1,000 yards north of Gereonsweiler. Here, withing sight of the Roer, CCB halts. CCA advances to about 1,000 yards beyond both Ederen and Freialdenhoven. The 116th Infantry, now on the northern flank of the 29th Division, seizes Engelsdorf, from which the 3rd Battalion attacks for Koslar. The 2nd Battalion of the 175th enters Bourheim after the German garrison, scheduled for relief, withdraws, but is forced out when the enemy relief force moves into the town after dark. The 120th Infantry, 30th Division, assisted by the 743rd Tank Battalion, pushes quickly to Fronhoven, within 4 miles of the Roer.

In the VII Corps area, the 104th Division clears Rohe and Hehlrath and is fighting within Duerwiss. On the northern flank of the 1st Division, the 47th Infantry masses the fire of 20 battalions of weapons on Hill 187 in an effort to break resistance on Hamich Ridge and interdicts the hill with fire throughout the night. The 18th Infantry, after repelling a counterattack in Heistern and clearing the rest of the village, commits its reserve battalion and continues toward Langerwehe astride Wehe Creek until stopped abruptly at Hills 207 and 203. The 26th Infantry advances slowly toward Merode.

In the V Corps area, after a preparatory bombardment by the 8th Division and corps artillery plus some guns of the VII Corps, the 121st Infantry of the 8th Division attacks through the 12th Infantry of the 4th Diviision (VII Corps) on a plateau southwest of Huertgen, where the Germans have checked previous efforts to advance. Progress is limited by thick woods containing numerous obstacles.

In the XX Corps area, CCA of the 10th Armored Division, attacks northward through TF Polk toward Saarburg with TF Standish on the left and TF Chamberlain on the right but is soon halted by obstacles of the Orscholz Switch Line. CCB, now on the defensive west of Merzig, falls back a little under an enemy counterattack, and its sector is quiet for the next few days. The 358th Infantry of the 90th Division, attached to the 10th Armored Division, is ordered northward to the zone of CCA. As fighting continues within Metz, preparations are made for a full-scale drive toward the Sarre. The 90th Division along the west bank of the Nied, is turning northeastward. The 5th Division is ordered to relieve the 95th so the latter can make its main effort toward the Sarre to the right of the 90th Division.

In the XII Corps area, the 80th Division expands its Nied bridgehead and makes contact with the XX Corps. CCA of the 6th Armored Division and the 137th Infantry of the 35th Division, in a co-ordinated drive, take Fremestroff and Hellimer. The 320th Infantry of the 35th Division attacks toward Grening. The 104th Infantry of the 26th Division takes Montdidier and Albestroff, the latter an important road center, but elements in Albestroff become isolated and are destroyed. From Dieuze, a task force of CCB, 4th Armored Division, drives eastward to Loudrefing.

The US 7th Army permits either the XV or the VI Corps to take Strasbourg, previously the objective of the VI Corps, which is making slower progress that the XV. Both corps are to be prepared to cross the Rhine if the opportunity to do so with ease presents itself.

In the XV Corps area, one task force of CCD, French 2nd Armored Division, drives through La Petite Pierre to the Alsatian Plain at Bouxwiller, but the other is unable to clear Phalsbourg. Pushing through Wolfsberg Pass, a column of CCL emerges on the Alsatian Plain at Birkenwald. The 44th Division takes Sarrebourg, which has been outflanked.

In the VI Corps area, the 100th Division take Moyenmoutier without a fight and advances toward Senones. The 3rd Division expands its Meurthe bridgehead, taking St Jean d'Ormont. Enemy positions in St Dié become untenable as the 103rd Division gains the heights commanding the town. The 36th Division crosses the 143rd Infantry over the Meurthe at St Leonard and the 141st Infantry near Clefcy and advances toward Fraize. CCA, 14th Armored Division, which has been attached to the corps, is driving forward on the northern flank toward Schirmeck to cut German escape routes to the northeast.

The I Corps is almost halted by a violent German counterattack that forces 5th Armored Division troops from Suarce and Lepuix and severs the Delle-Basle road near Courtelevant, endangering the French forces in the vicinity of the Rhine and Mulhoust.

In the Alps Sector, the US 44th AAA Brigade takes over the area previously held by a US 1st Airborne Task Force. It will defend the right flank along the Franco-Italian border.