November 1944

Western Europe

The US 101st Airborne Division is relieved in the Canadian II Corps sector.

In the XIX Corps area, CCA of the 2nd Armored Division finishes clearing Merzenhausen and the hills near there. The 29th Division clears to the Roer except for 2 strongpoints in Juelich. Kirchberg falls to the 115th Infantry, which attacks from Pattern, taking the Germans by surprise. Elements of the 116th Infantry make contact with the isolated forces in Koslar. The 120th Infantry, 30th Division, attacks with an attached battalion of the 119th Infantry toward Altkirch but is halted short of the objective.

In the VII Corps area, the 104th Division mops up in the Weisweiler-Frenz sector. Elements of the 47th Infantry, TF Richardson, at the Frenzerburg Castle, repel an enemy counterattack but are still unable to gain entrance. The 18th Infantry of the 1st Division extends its positions on Hill 203 to the crest but the Germans retain the reverse slopes. The 4th Division continues to consolidate and improve positions in the Huertgen Forest. Elements of the V Corps relieve the 12th Infantry near Huertgen.

In the V Corps area, the 8th Division, with increased fire support, continues its attack toward Huertgen and gains a hold on the northeastern and western edges.

In the XX Corps area, the 10th Armored Division breaks off its action toward Saarburg after laboriously clearing enemy infiltrators from Tettingen and repelling counterattacks against Borg. The Germans retain Oberleuken and Nennig. Gen Walker directs the 3rd Cavalry Group to relieve CCA and screen the northern flank of the corps and orders the 10th Armored Division to face east. The 90th Division, now well ahead of its flanking forces, halts near the Sarre and prepares for a final drive to the river. The 95th Division advances rapidly, with the 377th Infantry reaching positions within a mile of the German border and the 378th reaching Falck and Dalem. A co-ordinated drive by the 90th and 95th Divisions is ordered for the 29th. A battalion of the 10th Infantry, 5th Division, is attached to the 95th Division and takes responsibility for Bois de Kerfent, at the boundary of the XX and the XII Corps, relieving elements of the 80th Division.

In the XII Corps area, the 80th Division enters St Avold, from which the enemy has withdrawn, and regains contact near Seingbouse. The division's attack has forced a general enemy withdrawal across the Maderbach, so the 6th Armored Division remains in place. The 328th Infantry, 26th Division, occupies Honskirch and the 101st moves into Altwiller without a fight. CCB and CCA, 4th Armored Division, attack east of the Sarre, overrunning Wolfskirchen, Eywiller, and Gungwiller. CCA tries unsuccessfully to break into Durstel.

The boundary between the 12th and 6th Army Groups is moved northward through the West Wall defenses, narrowing the zone of the 12th.

Gen Eisenhower orders the 7th Army to attack northward to help the 3rd Army to gain the Saar Basin.

In the XV Corps area, the 100th Division arrives in the Sarrebourg sector and relieves elements of the 44th Division. The German threat to the corps from the north subsides, but positions are still vulnerable on this wing. The French 2nd Armored Division passes to operational control of the VI Corps.

In the VI Corps area, elements of the 3rd Division relieve the French 2nd Armored Division at Strasbourg. The French prepare to drive southward along the Rhine. CCA, 14th Armored Divison, advances southeastward through Obernai toward Barr and Erstein to block exits from the Vosges and help the southward drive of the French armor. The 103rd Division presses toward the Barr-Selestat road, with elements taking Le Hohwald. From Ste Marie, the 36th Division is driving eastward on Selestat.