February 1945

Western Europe

The British XXX Corps continues the battle of Goch, where the Germans are resisting street to street.

In the V Corps area, the 99th Division reverts to 1st Army control from its attachment to the corps.

In the VIII Corps area, the 358th Infantry of the 90th Division seizes Masthorn and a hill west of Pronsfeld. The 359th Infantry takes Ober and Nieder Uttfeld and heads for the hill north of Houf. TF Gassman (the 90th Reconnaissance Troop and tanks) is organized to cover the right flank of the 357th Infantry and moves toward Binscheid. CCR, 11th Armored Division, captures Herzfeld and mops up in the Leiderborn area. Many more pillboxes are reduced. The 6th Cavalry Group crosses a platoon of the 28th Squadron over the Our just north of Vianden and constructs a footbridge at the crossing site. The 6th Squadron reinforces its bridgehead between Gemund and Biewels.

In the XII Corps area, the 80th Division, coninuing northeastward toward the Prüm with the 318th and 317th Regiments, clears Hommerdingen, Freidlingerhohe, and Nusbaum. The 319th Infantry begins the envelopment of the enemy remaining within West Wall positions as elements capture Niedergegen. The 5th Division, employing the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd Infantry, clears Stockem. The 11th Infantry if withdrawn to reserve upon relief by elements of the 385th Infantry, 76th Division, and the 10th Infantry. The boundary between the 5th and 76th Divisions is adjusted. On the southern flank of the corps, a task force of the 2nd Cavalry Group crosses the Moselle at Ehnen under cover of darkness and captures the road center of Wincheringen.

The XX Corps opens an attack to clear the Saar-Moselle triangle. After an intense artillery preparation, the 94th Division attacks with 3 regiments abreast (376th, 301st, and 302nd with the 5th Ranger Battalion attached, from left to right) at 0400 to clear the initial objective, the Borg-Munzingen highway and ridge. The attack, closely supported by air and artillery, goes well, breaching West Wall switch line defenses on a broad front on the left and overrunning the towns of Oberleuken, Keblingen, Faha, and Munzingen. At 1800, the 376th RCT is attached to the 10th Armored Division, which is assembling in the Perl-Basch area to attack through the 94th Division. The 26th Division and TF Polk continue an aggressive defense of their current positions.

In the XV Corps area, the 276th Infantry of the 70th Division breaks into Forbach and begins street fighting there. The 253rd Infantry, 63rd Division, recovers Auersmacher and takes Kleinblittersdorf.

In the VI Corps area, the 14th Armored Division relieves the right flank elements of the 103rd Division.