February 1945

Western Europe

In the XIX Corps area, the 78th Division passes to the operational control of the V Corps, 1st Army, in place.

In the V Corps area, advance elements of the 9th and 2nd Divisions emerge from the Monschau Forest and head toward Dreiborn and Schleiden, respectively. The 9th Division's 60th Infantry, assisted by the 39th, reaches the high ground southwest of Dreiborn. The 47th Infantry clears the heights near Hammer. The 2nd Division's 9th Infantry takes Schoneseiffen and Harperscheid. The 23rd Infantry, to the rear, continues their northeastward attack in the Monschau Forest. The 99th Division is transferred to the XVIII Airborne Corps but remains in place.

In the XVIII Airborne Corps area, the 1st and 82nd Airborne Divisions, jumping off at 0400, overrun pillboxes, dragons' teet, and other fortifications at the West Wall. The 1st Division emerges from the Buchholz Forest near Ramscheid. Attacking through the 505th Parachute Infantry, the 325th Glider Infantry of the 82nd Airborne Division breaches the West Wall and takes Udenbreth and Neufof. The 504th Parachute Infantry, following, gets about 2 miles southeast of Neuhof. The 30th and 84th Divisions are detached from the corps.

In the VIII Corps area, the 87th Division gains its assigned objectives in attacks that continue during the night of the 2nd. On the division's left, the 347th Infantry takes Losheim during the night. The 346th attacks on the division's right at night and secures Krewinkel before dawn of the 3rd. The 8th Infantry, 4th Division, drives to the high ground west of Radscheid. The 12th Infantry gets elements of the 2nd Battalion into Bleialf. The 90th Division patrols and consolidates.

In the XII Corps' 80th Division zone, TF Oboe (4th Armored Division) clears Hosdorf, on the west bank of the Our River, in a local attack.

In the XX Corps area, elements of the 1st Battalion of the 302nd Infantry, 94th Division, continuing limited attacks, clear the rest of Campholz woods.

In the VI Corps area, the 36th Division continues the fight for Oberhoffen and attacks Rohrweiler. Helped by tanks and tank destroyers, the 142nd RCT clears the southern and southeastern part of Oberhoffen. CCB of the 14th Armored Division pushes northeastward from Bischwiller to assist in Oberhoffen but is held up by enemy fire. Elements of the 143rd and 142nd RCTs wade the Moder to make a co-ordinated attack on Rohrwiller. The town is captured as also are the bridges to the southeast. Farther south, the 141st RCT prepares to attack Offendorf and Herrlisheim. Its movement along the Weyersheim-Gambsheim road is slowed by floods.

In the US XXI Corps area, the 7th Infantry of the 3rd Division, with tank support, drives southward through Artzenheim astride the highway between the Rhine-Rhône Cand and the Rhine River toward Biesheim, northeast of Neuf-Brisach. The 75th Division overruns Andolsheim and moves southeastward toward Neuf-Brisach. Upon reaching the edge of Colmar, the 28th Division pauses to let the tanks of the 5th Armored Division enter first. The city is captured but mopping up continues.