January 1945

Western Europe

In the XIX Corps area, the 78th Division gains its objectives and makes contact with the US 1st Army at Widdau. The 311th Infantry takes the rest of Kesternich and the 310th captures Imgenbroich. CCA of the 5th Armored Division, after clearing southward from Eicherscheid, is released by the 78th Division.

In the V Corps area, the 9th Division clears Widdau and drives into the Monschau Forest to a bend in the Monschau-Schleiden road. The 99th Division makes progress in the Monschau Forest east of Elsenborn. The 2nd Division completes the capture of Rocherath and continues northeastward.

The XVIII Airborne Corps advances well into the Buchholz Forest, where the German border is crossed. The 1st Division gets almost through the forest near Neuhof. To the south, the 82nd Airborne Division clears a large portion of the forest, reaching positions a little short of the line Neuhof-Losheim-Manderfeld.

In the VIII Corps area, in the 87th Division's sector, the 346th RCT captures Andler and Schonberg. The 345th takes Amelscheid, Heuem, and Alzerath while the 347th occupies Laudesfeld. The 4th Division clears Elcherath and Weppeler. The 90th Division makes contact with the Germans east of the Our River. The 359th Infantry advances through Bei Auel and Auel, and engages the enemy in positions around Winterspelt and Wallmerath, then bypasses them to advance on Gros Langenfeld and cut the main road from Winterspelt to Pronsfeld. The 358th Infantry captures Heckhalenfeld.

In the VI Corps area, the 36th Division opens an attack at 2100 on the Oberhoffen-Drusenheim axis to clear the region west of the Rhine to the south.

In the US XXI Corps area, the 3rd Division is still assisted by the French 5th Armored Division. The 7th Infantry overcomes resistance at Horbourg, on the outskirts of Colmar, and the French armor continues beyond the town. The 15th Infantry is unable to take Durrentzen. The 254th Infantry reaches the Rhône-Rhine Canal west of Beltenzenheim. An attack of the 75th Division through the 3rd Division, scheduled for this date, is postponed.