December 1944

Western Europe

In the II Corps area, the Germans breach the dyke area on the Neder Rijn near Arnhem and flood the region to the southwest, forcing the corps to withdraw the Waal River bridgehead to the rail line running west from Elst.

In the XIII Corps area, the 334th Infantry of the 84th Division takes Leiffarth and the high ground northeast of Beeck and Lindern. The 407th Infantry, 102nd Division, makes a co-ordinated effort against Roerdorf and Flossdorf, taking the former.

In the XIX Corps area, the 116th Infantry of the 29th Division continues its struggle for the 2 strongpoints in the Juelich area.

In the VII Corps area, the 104th Division finishes clearing Inden and its entire zone west of the Inde. At 2300, the 415th and 414th Regiments, supported by fire from the 413th, start across the river at Inden, taking the enemy by surprise. The 1st Division is ordered to straighten the line by clearing Luchem and then to prepare for relief. The 1st Division has gained less that 4 miles during 15 days of hard fighting. The 22nd Infantry, 4th Divison, repels a counterattack from Gey with the help of artillery.

In the V Corps area, TF Hamberg of CCR, 5th Armored Division, attacks down the Kleinhau-Brandenberg highway under fire from the Kommerscheidt-Schmidt ridge but is stopped by a mine field. Interdictory fire is placed on the enemy during the night while the mines are being cleared.

In the XX Corps area, the 10th Armored Division, with the capture of Dreisbach before dawn, finishes clearing its zone west of the Sarre. CCB is then held in reserve while CCA outposts the west bank of the river between the 3rd Cavalry Group and the 90th Division. The 90th Division, during the night of the 2nd, begins extending southward in preparation for an attack across the Sarre in the Dillingen area. The 95th Division is again supported by aircraft as it fights for a crossing of the Sarre in the Saarlautern area. The 2nd Battalion, 379th Infantry, drives into Saarlautern and begins a house-to-house battle in the western part of the town. St Barbara falls to the 377th Infantry. The 378th forces the enemy from Pikard. An artillery observation plane spots a bridge intact leading into Saarlautern and the 379th Infantry prepares to seize it. The 3rd Battalion of the 11th Infantry, 5th Division, joins the 10th Infantry in an attack through the southwestern part of the Forêt de la Houve.

In the XII Corps area, the 101st Infantry of the 26th Division finds the enemy in possession of Sarre-Union and is obliged to clear it once more. 104th Infantry elements move forward to strengthen its hold on the town. The 4th Armored Division cuts roads extending eastward to Domfessel and to Voellerdingen from Sarre-Union and with air support, defeats the enemy's efforts to reopen these escape routes. Gen Patton orders the division withdrawn as soon as possible after its relief by the XV Corps. The 35th Division relieves CCB, 6th Armored Division, near Puttelange during the night. The 6th Armored Division extends northward to take over part of the 80th Division's main line of resistance.

In the XV Corps area, the 44th Division takes Waldhambach. The 45th drives into Engwiller and clears Meitesheim.

In the VI Corps area, the French 2nd Armored Division drive comes to a halt in the Kogenheim-Freiseheim region and the division reverts to the French 1st Army. The 103rd and 36th Divisions begin clearing house-to-house opposition in Sélestat.

The French 1st Army is reinforced the by the US 36th Division. Gen de Lattre orders converging drives against the Colmar Pocket from the north and south at the Rhine at Neuf-Brisach.