February 1945

Western Europe

In the Canadian II Corps area, the British 43rd Division continues southeastward along the Rhine on the left flank of the corps. The Canadian 2nd Infantry and Canadian 4th Armored Division deepen the penetration into the Hochwald and between there and the Balberger Forest. The Canadian 3rd Division, followed by the British 11th Armored Division, advances to the Balberger Forest.

The XVI Corps' 35th Division gains 3-1/2 miles. The 137th Infantry takes Rogden, Wildenrath, and Station Vlodrop. The 134th seizes Ophoven, Steinkirchen, Effeld, Birgelen, and Rosenthal. The 320th Infantry task force (TF Byrne) prepares for a motorized drive on Venlo (Holland) some 200 miles to the north. CCA of the 8th Armored Division, pushing northward past Wegberg, overruns Merbeck and Tetelrath. CCB and CCR, upon relief by the 15th Cavalry Group, cross the Roer at Hilfarth, with CCB sending a task force to the north that captures Arsbeck and CCR moving to the Wegberg area.

In the XIII Corps area, the 84th Division, against stiffer resistance, gains about 2 miles. One 334th Infantry column begins clearing Waldniel while another drives to Birgen. The 102nd Division continues northward with the 406th taking Hardt and the 405th clearing Hehn and Vorst. The 5th Armored Division remains in position as reserve and protects the right boundary of the corps.

The XIX Corps overruns numerous towns and villages during a rapid advance. The 29th Division drive quickly toward Munchen-Gladbach with the 175th and 116th Regiments. In a 5-8 mile advance from the Otzenrath-Garzweiler region, the 2nd Armored Division reaches positions within 5 miles of Neuss and 6 miles from the Rhine. The 30th Division improves its positions in limited attacks and is pinched out by the 2nd Armored Division.

In the VII Corps area, the 3rd Armored Division expands the shallow bridgeheads at Glesch and Paffendorf and crosses armor over the newly completed bridge at Paffendorf. A tank-infantry counterattack on the Paffendorf bridgehead is repelled. The 395th RCT of the 99th Division is attached to the 3rd Armored to help expand the bridgehead. CCA, relieved at Sindorf by the 104th Division and at Kerpen by the 8th, moves to the assembly area. TF Kane relieves the 83rd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in Zieverich and the latter moves back to Grouven. The 104th Division mops up west of the Erft and prepares to cross. While the 3rd Battalion of the 121st Infantry, 8th Division, mops up stragglers in Kerpen, the 1st and 2nd Battalions attack for Mödrath, wading the Erft Canal to reach the western edge.

In the III Corps area, the 18th Infantry of the 1st Division clears several towns along the Neffel River. The 16th Infantry takes Gladbach by noon and Luxheim in a night attack. The division gives TF Davisson the mission of screening the northern flank of the corps and attaches it to the 18th Infantry. The 32nd Squadron, 14th Cavalry Group, is attached to the 1st Division to protect the division's southern flank. The 39th Infantry, 9th Division, clears Berg and the heights between Berg and Thum. The 60th Infantry assists in the capture of Berg. The 47th crosses the Roer and clears Abenden. Elements of the 60th and 47th Regiments clear the rest of the east bank of the Roer within the division's zone. The 311th Infantry, 78th Division, crosses the Roer in the 9th Division's zone and drives southward to secure crossing sites for main division crossings. The 9th Armored Division crosses the Roer. CCB attacks southward from the assembly area at Soller in the afternoon.

In the V Corps area, the 69th Division clears the rest of the objective heights east of the Prether River from Honningen to Rescheid.

In the VIII Corps area, enemy opposition to the 87th Division is unabated but the 345th Infantry gains Neuenstein. To the south, the corps attacks across the Prüm in force, starting before dawn. The 4th Division's 8th Infantry takes Kleinlangenfeld while the 22nd captures Dausfeld. The 6th Armored Division enlarges its bridgehead. Crossing near Lunebach, CCB outposts Pronsfeld and captures Lunebach, Lierfeld, and Merlscheid. The 9th Armored Infantry Battalion expands its bridgehead and is passed through by the 44th Armored Infantry Battalion, which takes Dackscheid and Eilscheid. Elements of the 6th Cavalry Group cross at Waxweiler and clear that town. Enemy opposition to the crossings at first light becomes heavy later in the day.

In the XII Corps area, the 317th Infantry of the 80th Division, drives northward between the Prüm and Nims Rivers, taking Liessem and Niederweiler. The rest of the division is out of contact with the enemy. CCB, 4th Armored Division, attacking toward Sefferwich and Malbergweich, is halted by the enemy in the woods north of Nattenheim. CCA patrols and establishes contact with the 5th Division. The 5th Division clears to the west bank of the Kyll River within its zone. Bitburg and Irsch fall to the 11th RCT; Roehl and Scharfbillig to the 10th RCT; Suelm, Dahlem, Trimport, and Idenheim to the 2nd RCT. The 76th Division continues southeastward between the Prüm and Kyll Rivers toward Trier, clearing Hofweiler, Ittelkyll, Idesheim, Helenenberg, and Eisenach.

In the XX Corps area, continuing northward toward Trier, CCA of the 10th Armored Division, followed by CCB, breaches a mine field near Pellingen and clears Paschel and Obersehr. The 94th Division's 376th RCT, still attached to the 10th Armored Division, and the 301st and 302nd Regiments continue to clear pillbox resistance and expand the Ockfen-Serrif bridgehead to the northeast, protecting the 10th Armored Division's drive on Trier. The 26th Division, maintains and improves its positions in the Saarlautern bridgehead.

The US 7th Army regroups as the XXI Corps takes over the zone on the left flank. In accordance with the orders of 25 February, the 63rd and 70th Infantry Divisions, 12th Armored Division, and the 101st Cavalry Group, all formerly within the XV Corps zone, pass to control of the XXI Corps in their current positions.

The XV Corps holds a defensive line with the 44th and 100th Divisions and has the 106th Cavalry Group in reserve.