January 1945

Western Europe

In the XIX Corps area, the 78th Division begins a drive southward to clear the Roer River line along the northern edge of the Monschau Forest. The 310th and 311th Regiments advance abreast with the 310th taking Konzen and the 311th gaining most of Kesternach and clearing Huppenbroich. CCA of the 5th Armored Division, attached to the 78th Division, secures Eicherscheid. The 35th Division is attached to the XVI Corps.

The V Corps enters the attack to breach the West Wall, employing the 9th, 99th, and 2nd Divisions from north to south. The 9th takes Rohren and reaches the edge of the Monschau Forest east of Alzen. The 393rd Infanty of the 99th Division advances to the Elsenbuchel woods east of Elsenborn. The 38th Infantry, 2nd Division, captures Wirtzfeld and Krinkelt and gets elements to Rocherath. 9th Infantry units gain a hill position between Wirtzfeld and Muerringen.

In the XVIII Airborne Corps area, the 1st Division captures the last of 3 enemy-held towns west of the German frontier in its zone. The 18th Infantry secures Honsfeld and Hunningen. The 26th takes Muerringen. The 82nd Airborne Division, employing he 325th Glider Infantry, the 508th Parachute Infantry, and the 504th Parachute Infantry, from north to south, continues northeastward to the Honsfeld-Losheim railroad line, clearing Eimerscheid and Lanzerath en route.

In the VIII Corps area, the 346th RCT of the 87th Division attacks Andler and Schonberg while the 345th takes Rodgen and attacks Heuem. The 4th Division makes little progress but does clear Lommersweiler and Hemmeres. Elements of the 359th Infantry, 90th Division, enter Steffeshausen and capture Auel. The 358th secures Steinkopf and in the 357th Infantry's sector, tanks cross the ford constructed by engineers at Welchenhausen.

The III Corps units push forward to clear the west bank of the Our River, meeting light resistance except in the south where the 28th Cavalry Squadron of TF Fickett and the 193rd Glider Infantry of the 17th Airborne Division launch limited attacks to establish an outpost line.

In the US XXI Corps area, the 28th Division takes limited objectives on the east-west road north of Colmar. The 3rd Division is supported by the French 5th Armored Division as its attack continues. The 7th Infantry takes Bischwihr and Wihr-en-Plaine. The 15th clears Muntzeheim, Fortschwihr, and Urschenheim. The 254th Infantry overcomes final resistance in Jebsheim but is unable to reach the junction of the Colmar and Rhône-Rhine Canals.

In the II Corps area, the main enemy body is withdrawing from the corps front. The Moroccan 1st Division clears the woods east of Illhaeusern.