December 1944

Western Europe

In the VII Corps area, the 104th Division withstands a determined counterattack against Lucherberg. The 9th Division is arriving from the V Corps zone and begins the relief of the 1st Division.

In the V Corps area, TF Boyer of CCR, 5th Armored Division, renewing the drive on Bergstein, pushes 3 prongs into the village and clears it but is threatened from Castle Hill (Burg-Berg) to the east.

In the XX Corps area, the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 379th Infantry, 95th Division, continue to attack toward Saarlautern-Roden and Fraulautern, respectively, without making much progress. The 2nd Battalion crosses into the bridgehead and drives through the 1st Battalion to the edge of Saarlauter-Roden, where a counterattack is repulsed. The 3rd Battalion breaks into the southern part of Fraulautern. 2 battalions of the 378th Infantry cross the Sarre at Lisdorf and drive to the edge of Ensdorf. On the southern flank of the corps, Lauterbach falls to the 5th Division without a fight.

In the XII Corps area, the 35th Division gets patrols to the Sarre. The 2nd Battalion, 134th Infantry, drives to the southeastern outskirts of Sarreguemines. CCA, 6th Armored Division, also patrols to the river line in the region north of Sarreguemines. The 2nd Cavalry Group, advancing along the Roselle River on the left flank of the corps, patrols across the German frontier near St Nicholas. CCA, 4th Armored Division, crosses the creek at Domfessel and pushes northward toward Rohrbach-lès-Bitche, an important communications center, but is halted with heavy losses short of Bining. CCB drives to Schmittviller. The 26th Division closely follows the 4th Armored Division.

The US 7th Army being a general attack northward toward the Maginot Line and the West Wall with the reorganized XV Corps on the left and the VI Corps on the right.

The XV Corps, consisting of the 44th and 100th Infantry Divisions and the 12th Armored Division, pushes forward with infantry. The 44th takes Ratzwiller and the 100th overruns Wimmenau and Wingen.

The VI Corps (3rd, 45th, 79th, and 103rd Infantry Divisions and 14th Armored Division) drives northward with the 45th and 79th Division. Elements of the 45th reach Mertzwiller, which the Germans defend stubbornly.

In the French 1st Army area, an alteration of the interarmy boundary gives the French full responsibility for the reduction of the German bridgehead west of the Rhine in the Colmar area. The French 1st Army is reinforced for the task by the US 36th Division and the French 2nd Armored Division.