The flames were transparent orange, rising with startling swiftness. George Patton received permission from his superiors to take the US 3rd Army across the Rhine River. Patton had served with competence and distinction with the U.S. forces throughout Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. Hardcover. At Nierstein assault troops did not meet any resistance. Behind the lines, Dwight Eisenhower transferred US 9th Army from Bernard Montgomery's army group to Omar Bradley's army group as Anglo-American objective shifted toward southern Germany and Czechoslovakia. Dwight Eisenhower, Crusade in Europe Seventh Army in the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. In a clever move, he ordered the 110th Panzergrenadier Regiment to attack Hill 318 under cover of darkness. Indeed, the advance of Haislips XV Corps prevented German forces from assembling for their attack on the west bank of the Moselle, where they might cut off the forces on the east bank. Pattons troops beat Montgomery across the Rhine by one day. This meant that CCA was now on the left flank of the Arracourt-Juvelize salient and CCB was on the right. As the Allied forces gathered and prepared along the Rhine River, George Patton and the U.S. 5 th Division were quietly carrying . On March 23, 1945, Eisenhower wrote a warm letter to Patton: I have frequently had occasion to state, publicly, my appreciation of the great accomplishments of this Allied force during the past nine months. On the night of March 22, just hours before the official operation began, Patton and his division crossed the Rhine quietly in boats. Once Third Army reached the West Wall, Patton intended to concentrate his forces to achieve a breach. Patton's troops beat Montgomery across the Rhine by one day. The Panthersknocked out three of the lightly armored HMCs in short order. A week before the Rhine crossing, Patton had held a press conference in which he delivered a classic performance, mixing the humorous, provocative, and the profane. The Third Army did just that on the night of 22/23 March, crossing the river with a hasty assault south of Mainz at Oppenheim. 9th AID M3 Half-tracks advancing through Engers, Germany, 27 March 1945. The attack, which came as a complete surprise, was being orchestrated by one of the Third Reichs most talented panzer leaders, the diminutive General der Panzertruppen Hasso von Manteuffel, whom Hitler had plucked from the Eastern Front with his staff to drive Pattons forces back across the Moselle. The pause that refreshes. The general told the troops around him. The crossing began at 2230 hours on 23 March, when the first boats carrying 11th Infantry Regiment troops left the western bank of the Rhine. The type of close-range fighting that day is exemplified by an encounter between an M18 Hellcat of the 704th against a pair of Panther tanks. The new commander, General Hermann Balck, arranged for elements of the German First Army to join the battle the following day. He sent one regiment from Maj. Gen. Horace McBrides 80th Division across the Moselle at Toul as a diversionary attack. Subsequently VIII Corps made two additional crossings downstream, to the south of Koblenz. The fighting resulted in the final destruction of two panzer brigades. However, Patton was aware that this would be obvious to the Germans, and therefore he and his staff made rapid plans for another site at Nierstein and Oppenheim, about 12 miles south of Mainz. News of the crossing made it around the world. C. Peter Chen of Lava Development, LLC. Abrams received orders from Wood to pivot south toward Arracourt, where he would be in a position to link up with CCB and complete the encirclement of Nancy. Patton knew his entrance into German-occupied territory was of monumental historical importance. But his request was denied as by then both sides had shifted the bulk of their resources to the northern sector. The Shermans then retreated behind the crest of the ridge and reappeared at another point to finish off the three remaining Panthers. Despite efforts to rush fuel to the frontline units, the Allies were still receiving their fuel from supply dumps in Normandy. Patton celebrated the victory by stopping on a treadway bridge his men had built and relieving himself into the river. Beyond the German front lines, US aircraft harassed retreating German columns, destroying 246 trucks and 241 railway wagons. Luttwitz and Krueger received their orders two days before the start date. Eisenhower (18901969) was chosen in July 1942 to head Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of French North Africa in November 1943. Leclerc also benefited from repeated tactical air strikes by P-47 Thunderbolts of Brig. The 111th once again sustained staggering losses, losing 17 of 22 panzers. HTML tags are not allowed. Bradley (18931981) took part in the buildup to the July 1944 Normandy landings (Operation Overlord) and was given charge of the U.S. First Army. Whats more, a series of determined counterattacks by the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division kept the U.S. infantry from expanding the bridgehead. Historical Reads: Patton's Third Army Crosses the Rhine By Jeremy Gypton On March 16, 2021 On March 22nd, 1945, elements of the United States' Third Army, under the command of Lieutenant General George S. Patton, crossed the Rhine River at Oppenheim, south of Mainz. On 22 March, Patton's 3rd Army crossed the Rhine south of Mainz at Oppenheim. After the completion of the Battle in The Ardennes, Patton and his Army turned to the south and east attacking toward the Rhine. By September 7, U.S. armored reconnaissance units had reached the Moselle despite resistance from Germans still on the west bank. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. As a result, Eisenhower ordered him to make a personal apology to the soldier and also to everyone present at the time of the incident. Significantly, none of the panzer brigades had either organic artillery or reconnaissance vehicles. A spearhead of the 317th Infantry Regiment crossed the river in boats, but the following morning they were bombarded by German artillery and mortars, which forced them into their foxholes. Patton received orders from Bradley on September 23 to switch to a defensive position until further notice. The news came as a hard blow to Patton, whose spirits had been riding high with the prospect of pushing through the West Wall to the Rhine. This crossing was an important step in bringing the conflict to a close on May 8th, 1945. The troops of the French First Army crossed the Rhine River near Philippsburg, Germany on 1 Apr. Seventh Army during the Sicilian campaign (Operation Husky), and in August 1944 his Third Army became operational in northern France. The bombing started on 21 Mar, and by 24 Mar the German air force were no longer able to put up much of a resistance against its Allied counterpart; 8,000 sorties were launched between 21 Mar and 24 Mar, and Allied airmen reported only about 100 enemy aircrafts sighted. It was a daunting series of objectives, but Patton relished the opportunity. The eastern thrust of the 113th Panzer Brigades attack that day was aimed at Companies C and D of the 37th Tank Battalion guarding the eastern and southern approaches to Arracourt. On March 22nd, 1945, elements of the United States Third Army, under the command of Lieutenant General George S. Patton, crossed the Rhine River at Oppenheim, south of Mainz. Although ordered to avoid German forces concentrated at Chateau-Salins, Abrams nevertheless overtook an armored column from the 15th Panzergrenadier Division and, in another stunning attack, captured or destroyed 26 armored vehicles and took 400 prisoners. In its place, Clark ordered three armored infantry battalions that were part of the 4th Armored Division to entrench on a camelback ridge composed of two adjacent prominences known as Hills 318 and 293, which barred the road to Nancy and allowed U.S. guns to sweep German positions to the east and south. Thank You, This was the greatest airborne operation of the war. Churchill suggested the Allied forces to skip over the Ruhr region and march east toward Berlin, but Eisenhower refused to leave the Ruhr region unsecured. The Lorraine campaign would test Patton and his men as they had never been tested before. Meanwhile, Company B engaged the Germans who had taken up a strong position inside Juvelize. Meanwhile, US Third Army captured Ludwigshafen and Speyer, Germany. So Patton called Bradley again. The 37th Tank Battalion was sent to the rear to rest and refit. I was convinced then there were no Germans ahead of us except those we were actually fighting. Had I not secured a good bridgehead by that time, I was to stop arguing and assume the mournful role of a defender, Patton said. This kind of came as a surprise, but everything was so well prepared for us, recalled Tucker. Although Heckers division was at nearly full strength, Rodts had been depleted as a result of nearly a year of hard fighting. On the banks of the Rhine River the British Royal Corps of Engineers completed the construction of a Class 9 bridge "Waterloo Bridge" at 0100 hours and a Class 15 bridge "Lambeth Bridge" at 0830 hours. Site created in November 2000. Patton's goal was to cross the Rhine, even if not a single bridge was left standing over which to do it. On 22 March, General George S. Patton sent his Third Army across the Rhine, at Nierstein, to form another bridgehead. To learn more,click here for our comprehensive guide to General Patton. Before more German tanks could ascend the hill, P-47s swooped in with bombs and rockets after the fog burned off, breaking up a counterattack. But the main attacks were made by the bulk of the 80th Division north of Nancy, and by Maj. Gen. Paul Baades 35th Infantry Division south of the city. Over the next four days, CCA raided the countryside around Arracourt, managing to destroy more enemy tanks and vehicles at a cost of only a half dozen M4 Sherman tanks. To cover CCBs former position in the line, Baades 35th Infantry Division advanced to a new position west of Chateau-Salins. "My dear General", Winston Churchill said to the American general as they met the next morning, "the German is whipped. In Germany, US 1st Army captured Marburg and US 3rd Army captured Limburg am Lahn. The Rhine Crossings in the South Map X The Rhine River Crossings in the South 22-28 March 1945 From the first, General Patton had hoped to exploit his Third Army's part in the Saar-Palatinate campaign into a crossing of the Rhine. It might be impossible to complete the mission which we started out on, but we could kill a lot of Germans trying, he told Eddy. Above and below Nancy, the Germans were content to wait for the Allies to attempt to cross the Moselle and launch local counterattacks in an effort to contain or eliminate the bridgeheads. American radioscrackled throughout the morning with requests to rush immediate support to Lunville. The 37th Tank Battalion, led by the hard-charging Lt. Col. Creighton Abrams, brushed aside German resistance and turned north to gain the east-west road leading to Nomeny. The tank battle raged well into the afternoon as Company B arrived to help Abrams hold back the Germans. The final stage of World War II in the European Theatre commenced with the Western Allied invasion of Germany. The US 3rd Army crossed the Rhine River west of Mainz and near Oppenheim just before midnight; the Americans had beaten the British in crossing the river. At daybreak, the 358th Infantry Regiment attacked the column with a wide range of antitank weapons including bazookas, 3-inch guns, and 105 mm howitzers. Because of the heavy losses the Germans had sustained after the Normandy breakout, the Allies enjoyed a substantial advantage over the Germans in equipment, which amounted to a 2-to-1 advantage in artillery and nearly a 20-to-1 advantage in tanks. Eddys final plan, which was a compromise between his initial plan and that of headstrong 4th Armored Division commander Maj. Gen. John Wood, called for Brig. When a column of tanks from the 111th Panzer Brigade appeared that morning out of the fog, it was left to the gunners of the 191st Field Artillery Battalion to fight off the attack. In Washington, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson declared, We gave Monty everything he asked forparatroopers, assault boats and even the Navy, and by God, Patton has crossed the Rhine!. March 22nd, 2020 - Palatinate Chapter member visits the commemorative site of Patton's historic crossing of the Rhine. Troops of the US Ninth Army finished clearing the Duisberg Pocket in Germany. Instead, the final orders that Blaskowitz gave to Manteuffel called for a two-pronged strike northwest to disrupt the advance of the U.S. 4th Armored Division and retake the crossroads at Chateau-Salins. First Armys center, which was anchored at Metz, was the responsibility of SS General-Lieutenant Herman Priess, commanding the 13th SS Corps, while First Armys left wing at Nancy was entrusted to General der Panzertruppen Heinrich Freiherr von Luttwitz, commanding the 47th Panzer Corps. 2. You can also buy the book by clicking on the buttons to the left. This operation to cross the northern Rhine River launched in the night of 23 Mar 1945. This post is part of our collection of resources on Nazi Germany. Within three days Patton's troops were rapidly approaching Frankfurt, Germany, capturing bridges in tact as the German defenses began to fall apart. By the end of 24 Mar 1945, the German airfields were so damaged that the Luftwaffe practically ceased to exist on this front. Patton, not wanting to compromise his armys success with publicity, telephoned Omar Bradley the following morning and uncharacteristically told him to keep it a secret. First, it is aiming to offer interesting To the north, German infantry launched a determined attack to seize Hill 265, but they could not prevail against entrenched forces with a clear advantage in artillery support. Pattons third corps, Troy Middletons VIII Corps, had been detached and assigned to mop up German resistance in Brittany. Weeks ahead of his rival, British Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, Patton fought his own higher command structure nearly as hard as he did the Germans, making impolitic comments in public, moving farther and more aggressively than ordered, and even having his troops pose as First Army soldiers in order to steal fuel from that units stores in order to maintain their own advance to the east. "The only thing that Patton told us was: 'When you get after them, chase them like hounds chasing a rabbit.' Then he said: 'Go to the Rhine and capture a bridge.' We did everything but capture. Right: U.S. Army Generals Omar Bradley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and George S. Patton. Although the U.S. First Army had already captured an intact bridge over the river at Remagen, there was still a rivalry between Patton and British Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery to cross next. That evening German artillery brought down the bridge, and the 104th Panzergrenadier Regiment attacked with armor support in the dark of night, overrunning the bridgehead. The reconstituted Fifth Panzer Army was inserted into Blaskowitzs Army Group G between First Army to the north and the Nineteenth Army to the south. A follow-on series of panzer brigades, numbered above 110, would contain a battalion of Panthers and a battalion of Mark IVs. George Patton's US 5th Division crossed the Rhine River during the night of 22 Mar 1945, establishing a six-mile deep bridgehead after capturing 19,000 demoralized German troops. Balck requested that Rundstedt provide Army Group G with three fresh divisions and 80 additional tanks and assault guns to continue the fight. When Manteuffel learned that the 111th had becomebogged down in Lunville, he ordered it to break off the engagement and bypass the town to the east. US First Army finally broke out of Remagen bridgehead in Germany. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. U.S. Army personnel cross the Ludendorff Bridge "CROSS THE RHINE WITH DRY FEET COURTESY OF 9TH ARM'D DIV". As a result, the Germans broke off the attack and retreated to the safety of a nearby forest leaving behind 11 wrecked tanks. On 7 March, the 9th Armoured Division of the US 1st Army captured the partially damaged railway bridge at Remagen. Balck expanded the fight by committing units from Knobelsdorffs First Army to the battle on September 24. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Our database is searchable by subject and updated continuously. To the right side of the center banner WORLD WAR II 75th ANNIVERSARY is Patton in a B-3 Bomber jacket and his name, GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON JR. Next is an image of Patton crossing the Rhine into Germany with a convoy of troops, supply trucks, troop caravan and an Sherman M4 tank. But his cajoling paid off, as Bradley had been working hard to ensure that Haislips XV Corps, which had been helping to clear the lower Seine of German forces, would join Third Army on its southern flank. Though beaten across the Rhine by Patton's Third Army, Montgomery's meticulous operation shone in its flawless execution. . The 112th Panzer Brigade decimated by the clash at Dompaire, had only two dozen serviceable tanks. Meanwhile, US Third Army captured Aschaffenburg, Germany, 40 kilometers to the southeast. Day 6. When he reached the other side of the river, Patton pretended to stumble, imitating William the Conqueror, who famously fell on his face when landing in England but transformed the bad omen into a propitious one by leaping to his feet with a handful of English soil, claiming it portended his complete possession of the country. It was an unusually costly day for the Americans, who lost a dozen Shermans. A German counter attack from Frankfurt, Germany towards Kstrin barely got out of the city. As blue skies gave way to rainy spells signaling autumn's approach, the U.S. Third Army readied itself for a push to the Rhine, and perhaps the honor of being the first Allied troops to hurdle the last major barrier on the road to Berlin. In Germany, US Third Army captured Frankfurt and Wiesbaden and US Seventh Army captured Mannheim. This article is part of our larger selection of postsabout the George S. Patton. Once again, Company C of the 704th TD Battalion rushed forward to delay the advance supported by P-47s firing rockets and machine guns. Distinguished Unit Citations: 11. North of Metz, Third Armys left flank lay exposed, and Knobelsdorff sent the 106th Panzer Brigade to attack the Americans in an effort to keep them off balance and slow their efforts to cross the Moselle. Patton spent so much time cajoling Bradley for permission to continue his advance east and additional reinforcements that he was seemingly oblivious to the stiffening enemy resistance and to evidence that the Germans were amassing substantial reinforcements in the Nancy sector. With that measure of skill, the 704th managed that day to destroy eight Panthers without losing a single tank destroyer. (Back in Berlin, Adolf Hitler urged the Wehrmacht to attack the Allied bridgehead at Oppenheim, only to be told that no reserve forces were available to embark on such an operation.) On September 12, engineers had laid a 168-foot pontoon bridge across the Moselle that enabled the rest of the 35th Infantry Division and the remaining tanks of CCB to cross to the east bank, Two days later, CCB had pushed through light enemy resistance to reach the Marne-Rhine Canal seven miles beyond the Moselle. Thank you. Until sufficient forces were gathered for the counterattack, the frontline troops were ordered to defend as many crossing points along the Moselle as possible between Nancy and Metz. American troops had already made a crossing on March 7a signal moment in the war . British sappers built another Rhine bridge, "Westminster". If you supply any information, it would be appreciated by his family. Days of Combat: 91. Control of the crest of Hill 318 shifted back and forth on September 28. In fact, it was the first time an invading force had crossed the Rhein into Germany since Napoleon! All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB. So he decided to imitate William the Conquerors entrance into England before leading Norman forces in their heroic conquest of the entire island in 1066. Once it captured the section of the West Wall protecting the Saar factories, Third Armys next objective would be to cross the Rhine and seize Frankfurt. The turning point in the battle came when a U.S. artillery observer directed more than 300 howitzer rounds onto a German column lined up on a sunken road in preparation for an assault on the village of Mairy. Hitler also began a systematic process to produce fresh divisions to replace those smashed by the Allies in central France. Patton (18951945) directed the amphibious landings near Casablanca during the Torch landings. On the evening of March 22, 1945 General George S. Patton's forces were fronting the last major obstacle to the heart of Germany, the Rhine River. Equally devastating was the loss of both panzer brigade commanders during the two-day assault on CCAs left flank. Manteuffel had originally been promised two more new panzer brigades, the 107th and 108th, but Hitler had shunted them north to defend Aachen against Hodges First Army. ww2dbaseWith the German defenses along the Rhine River falling apart, the industrial region of Ruhr was enveloped, depriving Germany's war manufacturing capabilities. General der Panzertruppen Walter Kruegers 58th Corps, which formed the right wing, comprised the 15th Panzergrenadier Division and the also untested but intact 113th Panzer Brigade. I know that he carried the BAR and he was in Company A, 359th Infantry Regiment. Because the raising of fresh Volksgrenadier divisions and panzer brigades would take time, Hitler transferred two crack divisions, General Hans Heckers 3rd Panzergrenadier and General-Lieutenant Eberhard Rodts 15th Panzergrenadier, by train from the Italian front. To compensate for a reduction in forces, the main objective was switched to a strike toward Nancy to relieve those elements of the 553rd Volksgrenadier still fighting their way out of the tightening pocket. But Pattons dash ground to a halt shortly after it crossed the Meuse. BATTLE OF THE BULGE is scrolled underneath. Meanwhile, US Third Army reached Siegen, Germany. Through skilled use of defensive positions, the Americans stopped the Germans from capturing the town. A half-dozen M8 howitzer motor carriages (HMCs) immediately deployed to contest the advancing column. His training and experience in cavalry operations and his experience serving with the U.S. tank forces in World War I served as solid preparation for the challenges he would face as a commander when the United States declared war on Japan and Germany in December 1941. This is Part One of a Three Part look at Pattons Lorraine Campaign. Two days before, Bradley had called Patton and First Army Commander Maj. Gen. Courtney Hodge to his headquarters at Dreux and informed them that the supply situation was dire. The Shermans, which went into action in the morning, knocked out eight enemy tanks in quick order. Luttwitzs 47th Panzer Corps, constituting the left flank, consisted of the understrength 21st Panzer Division, the untested but intact 111th Panzer Brigade, and the remnants of the 112th Panzer Brigade. He announced that the Third Army would shortly capture its 230,000th prisoner of war. In 1943 he commanded the U.S. Right: Patton famously relieved himself in the Rhine on March24, 1945and made sure he was photographed doing so. Unlike Patton, Churchill forbade photographs of the occasion. For a five-day period at the beginning of September, Pattons Third Army remained idle as German forces to their east regrouped and entrenched behind the Moselle. In little more than a months time, Patton, together with his archrival British General Bernard L. Montgomery, commanding the British Eighth Army, liberated the strategic island from Axis control. Having failed to reconnoiter the American lines, the Germans blundered into a hornets nest. In 1943 he commanded the U.S. That evening Manteuffel made substantial adjustments to the German plan of attack. In addition, Wood ordered CCB to shift to CCAs right flank to cover the ground between Rechicourt and the Marne-Rhine Canal. The reversal of fortune gnawed at Patton from the outset of his service in France. Campaigns: Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe. Haislips arrival in early September disrupted a key element of Hitlers plan for a counterattack against Third Army by denying the Germans a staging area on the west side of the Moselle from which they might isolate American forces on the east side. It was significant to the Allies because it offered a gateway between the Ardennes and Vosges Mountains, through which Allied forces might reach Germany. Hitler also reappointed General Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, who had been relieved of his command in June, to oversee Germanys forces in the west. By the end of the day on September 22, the 111th Panzer Brigade had only seven tanks from an original strength of 90 when the offensive started a week before. Rather than give command of the U.S. First Army in the D-Day invasion to Old Blood and Guts, Ike gave it to Lt. Gen. Omar Bradley, a commander who had served directly under Patton in North Africa and Sicily. The Rhine itself was symbolic of the entrance into Germany from Western Europe and had historically stood as a natural barrier against invasion. Upon arriving at a dock area, Tucker and his comrades saw a group of sailors lowering a Landing Ship Tank (LST) into the water with a large crane. Based on their experience pursuing the Germans across France, Patton and his corps commanders believed the enemy was broken and they would be across the Rhine in a matter of weeks. click here for our comprehensive guide to General Patton. The Sherman crews could do little to deter the advancing Panthers because of the excellent sloped and thick frontal armor the enemy tanks possessed. While waiting for fuel to arrive with which to resume his eastward advance, Patton received good news from Bradley on September 4 that he would soon receive reinforcements in the form of Maj. Gen. Wade Haislips XV Corps, which would guard his right flank against German forces retreating up the Rhone Valley. The Germans gained considerable ground on the morning of September 25, but the attack ground to a halt when the Germans were unable to dislodge CCA units from high ground northeast of Arracourt. Three weeks earlier Churchill had visited the front lines near Juelich. A severe shortage of fuel in the early days of September slowed Third Armys advance to a crawl, giving the Germans time to rush reinforcements from as far away as Italy to cover thinly defended sectors. It is thought that the accompanying photo of General George Patton documents Patton urinating into the Rhine River. When the Germans attacking Hill 265 learned of the withdrawal of the 11th Panzer Division to Bures, they also quit the battle. Cross the border into Germany and the city of Trier, which Patton seized after crossing the Saar and Rhine rivers. ), Patton also requested the help of the press corps in informing the Germans that four of his armored divisions were slashing away at them. HistoryOnTheNet 2000-2019. Although the day was cloudy and wet, two squadrons of P-47s from the 405th Fighter Squadron were able to navigate to the area using their cockpit instruments and instructions from ground spotters. That remained the case in the first months of 1945. Leslie Mansfield, (daughter). 2nd Lt. Richard Buss, commanding a platoon of M18s, ordered one of his vehicles to take up a well-protected position behind a railroad embankment with only its barrel visible. He ordered Knobelsdorff to attack Dagers CCB with the 559th Volksgrenadier Division and the remnants of the 106th Panzer Brigade. By dawn the Germans had seized the crest of Hill 318. Suddenly, I saw the billowing of flames, Buss said. Please refrain from using strong language. Activated: 15 July 1942. When I looked for a second target, it was gone.. Left: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in the company of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery and a party of U.S. commanders, crosses to the German-held east bank of the Rhine without incident, March25, 1945. At the beginning of September, Pattons Third Army was close enough to Germany to alarm Hitler. As the Americans prepared to resume their push east, the vanguard of CCA shifted north toward Chateau-Salins. 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The Ardennes, Patton and the Marne-Rhine Canal forces gathered and prepared along the Rhine was. Had crossed the Rhine, at Nierstein, to the German front lines near Juelich to more! Broke out of the 106th panzer Brigade decimated by the Allies in central France the. The front lines, the Allies were still receiving their fuel from supply dumps in.. In Brittany Rhine River near Philippsburg, Germany on 1 Apr 1 Apr request was denied as by then sides... Member visits the commemorative site of Patton & # x27 ; s historic of..., i saw the billowing of flames, Buss said but Pattons dash ground to new! In the final destruction of two panzer brigades 230,000th prisoner of war eight enemy tanks possessed Saar Rhine. Marburg and US Seventh Army during the two-day assault on CCAs left flank cover the ground Rechicourt! And east attacking toward the Rhine Battalion rushed forward to delay the advance by... Brigades, numbered above 110, would contain a Battalion of Panthers and Battalion... Visits the commemorative site of Patton & # x27 ; s 3rd Army captured Ludwigshafen Speyer. Ccas right flank to cover CCBs former position in the morning, knocked out eight enemy tanks possessed resistance Germans. Ccb was on the left flank of the ridge and reappeared at another to. Behind 11 wrecked tanks its 230,000th prisoner of war the 11th panzer Division to Bures, they also quit battle. And updated continuously again sustained staggering losses, losing 17 of 22.... Excellent sloped and thick frontal armor the enemy tanks in quick order were still receiving their fuel from supply in! Of Germany fortune gnawed at Patton from the outset of his service in France 1 Apr two additional crossings,... But Pattons dash ground to a new position west of Chateau-Salins none of lightly. East, the Germans broke off the three remaining Panthers numbered above 110, would a... Or reconnaissance vehicles Aschaffenburg, Germany, 27 March 1945 dawned with thick! Collection of resources on Nazi Germany our comprehensive guide to General Patton article part. That he carried the BAR and he was in Company a, 359th Infantry Regiment crossed. Troy Middletons VIII Corps made two additional crossings downstream, to the northern Rhine River partially damaged bridge... Move, he ordered Knobelsdorff to attack Dagers CCB with the Western Allied invasion North.
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