November 1944

Western Europe

The VIII and XII Corps have reduced the enemy's bridgehead west of the Maas to a small pocket at Blerick, across from Venlo.

In the XIII Corps area, the 102nd Division takes over the burden of the attack. While the 405th Infantry continues to fight along the Lindern-Linnich highway, the 406th drives to the edge of Linnich and the 407th clears the enemy from Welz, within a mile of the Roer. The 335th Infantry, 84th Division, overcomes the resistance within Beeck, but the Germans retain the heights to the northeast.

In the VII Corps area, the 104th Divisiion finishes clearing Lammersdorf and secures the northern half of Inden. The 8th Infantry, 4th Division, continues its costly efforts to get through the Huertgen Forest. The 12th Infantry, advancing more that 1,000 yards, reaches the edge of the woods west of Gey, but is too weak to attack the village. The 22nd Infantry, reinforced by a battalion of the 5th Armored Division, attempts to secure Grosshau clearing the forest between Grosshau and Gey in order to swing northeastward toward Dueren. Some elements reach the edge of the woods overlooking Gey, but the rest of the force suffers heavily while trying to come abreast.

In the XX Corps area, the 10th Armored Division attacks toward the Sarre on the northern flank of the corps with CCB on the right reaching the river opposite Merzig, where the bridges are down. The 359th Infantry, 90th Division, occupies Fremersdorf, on the west bank of the Sarre, without opposition. The 1st Battalion of the 357th crosses the Nied in assault boats near Niedaltdorf and pushes on to Bueren, which the enemy is defending. After consolidating positions, the 95th Division continues its attack toward the Sarre, gaining the heights commanding Saarlautern. The 377th Infantry mops up Ste Barbara on the left and advances the right wing to Felsberg. The 378th takes the hill south of Felsberg. TF Bell (Col Robert P. Bell), consisting of 5th Division's 10th Infantry, the 5th Reconnaissance Troop, and supporting units, is formed to cover the exposed right flank of the 95th Division and is attached to that division.

In the XII Corps area, positions are generally static except on the right where the 4th Armored Division gets into position for an assault on Sarre-Union with the capture of the heights overlooking Mackwiller.

In the VI Corps area, the French 2nd Armored Division and CCA, 14th Armored Division, continue southward on the eastern flank of the corps. CCA clears St Pierre. The 103rd Division, now concentrated about Epfig, south of St Pierre, follows CCA southward toward Sélestat. Elements of the 36th Division get into position for an attack on Chatenois, west of Sélestat.