January 1945

Western Europe

In the XII Corps area, the 7th Armored Division is still held up by strong opposition near Montfort. The 52nd Division has little difficulty in clearing the Aphove area and begins an assault on Heinsberg. The 43rd Division takes Straeten and Scheifendahl with ease.

In the VII Corps area, the 84th Division seizes Ourthe and is clearing the commanding ground between there and Beho.

In the XVIII (Airborne) Corps area, St Vith falls to the 7th Armored Division. CCB attacks southward through CCA and overcomes moderate resistance within the town. Southwest of St Vith, the 75th Division takes Maldingen and Braunlauf while the 30th Division secures Weisten, Crombach, and Neundorf.

In the VIII Corps area, CCA of the 11th Armored Division establishes liaison with the 17th Airborne Division and continues patrolling in the vicinity of the Bois de Rouvroy.

In the III Corps area, CCA of the 6th Armored Division takes Biwisch and Trois Vierges. TF Miltonberger (134th RCT, 35th Division, attached), passing through CCB, occupies Basbellain and the heights to the southeast. The 359th Infantry, 90th Division, clears the Bischent woods. The 357th Infantry attacks across the Clerf River, seizing hills on either side of the draw west of Hupperdange. The 1st Battalion of the 357th captures Binsfeld. The 28th Cavalry Squadron clears Eselborn and makes contact with the enemy at Clerf and Drauffelt. During the night of the 23rd, elements of TF Fickett attempt to take Clerf and Mecher and gain the latter.

In the XII Corps area, Fuhren falls to the 4th Division. 5th Division elements reach the vicinity of Nachtmanderscheid and Hoscheid but are unable to secure either of those. On the 80th Division front, the 317th Infantry, attacking northeastward toward the Clerf, reaches high ground just west of Wilwerwiltz and Enscherange. The 319th crosses the Wiltz at Merkols and Kautenbach and clears Merkols. The 346th Infantry of the 87th Division occupies Wasserbillig at the confluence of the Sauer and Moselle Rivers.

In the XX Corps area, the Germans, mounting strong tank-infantry counterattacks against the 94th Division, regain Berg, but the 302nd Infantry, employing an attached battalion of the 376th bolstered by elements of CCA, 8th Armored Division, captures Nennig while the 3rd Battalion, 302nd Infantry, holds Wies and helps close the gap between there and Nennig. The 3rd Cavalry Group is given a new sector between the 94th and 95th Divisions.

In the VI Corps area, the enemy forces the left flank of the 103rd Division back past Rothbach.

In the II Corps area, the Moroccan 1st Division crosses the Ill River between Illhaeusern and Illwald, to the north of the US crossing site. Supporting vehicles use the bridge at Illhaeusern, though that town is not completely cleared for several days. The US 3rd Division continues southward toward the Canal de Colmar. The 7th Infantry clears Ostheim. The 30th cross the Ill River and reaches the outskirts of Holtzwihr, but supporting armor is unable to cross and the infantry is forced back to the river line at Maison Rouge. Elements of the 254th Infantry, attached to the 3rd Division, drive to the Weiss River line near Sigolsheim.