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From D-Day to V-Day

March 1945

March 1, 1945 - D-Day + 268

It was now March 1945. Just 1,700 hours remained till the end of the war in Europe, a period filled with destruction – and defiance. The American forces slowly advanced into the German interior, where they often encountered the enemy’s resistance that had even reached fanatical proportions. There were major losses on both sides of the front; the time was also nearing when the Americans would liberate the concentration and forced labor camps, learning just how monstrous the Nazi regime truly was. It was also almost time for the war, at least the war in the air, to shift to within the pre-1938 borders of Czechoslovakia. Formations of British and US bombers started to appear in the skies with increasing frequency, reducing one train station after another to rubble. The roads became more and more dangerous, with all transportation practically coming to a halt under the air assaults carried out by “hunters” in the cockpits of Mustang, Thunderbolt and Lightning fighter aircraft. These were the harbinger of the US Army’s arrival in Bohemia, now just under seven weeks away.

In the sector of the First Canadian Army’s British XXX Corps, the British 3rd Infantry Division occupied Kervenheim. At the same time, the II Canadian Corps slowly advanced through the Hochwald and Balberger woods to Sonsbeck.

The British Second Army’s British VIII Corps returned the US 75th Infantry Division back to the XVI Corps. On the northern flank of the Ninth Army’s XVI Corps, the 35th Infantry Division’s Task Force Byrne advanced 18 miles and occupied Venlo. Along the way they passed through about 20 villages, where the surprised enemy immediately surrendered. Battalions under 35th Division’s 134th and 137th Infantry Regiments which were following the Task Force mopped up the remaining area. Lt Col Robert Quinn’s 15th Cavalry Group (Mechanized), which held the defense line on the Rur River between Roermond a Vlodrop, crossed the river in Orsbeck and headed towards Venlo.

The 8th Armored Division’s Combat Command A, which did not make its appearance in Bohemia until the summer of 1945, advanced in the direction of Waldniel. In the meantime, Combat Command R halted in Wegberg and Combat Command B remained in Arsbeck. That day the 79th Infantry Division was reassigned to the XIII Corps, and early that morning launched a coordinated attack together with the 84th and 102nd Infantry Divisions. Task Force Church under the 84th Infantry Division headed out northwards from Birgen, later occupying Boisheim. At the same time the division’s 333rd Infantry Regiment conquered Dülken, went through Süchteln and advanced to Oedt, located by the Niers Canal. The division’s 335th Infantry Regiment advanced behind the 333rd Infantry Regiment to Süchteln as Col A. A. Frierson’s 11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized), assigned to the 84th Division for now, expanded its sector to Boishem.

Units under the 102nd Infantry Division’s 405th and 406th Infantry Regiments occupied Viersen and secured the bridgehead over the Niers Canal. The 5th Armored Division’s Combat Command B relieved Col Philip R. Dwyer’s 407th Infantry Regiment under the 102nd Division from its positions while Combat Command A attacked out of the Hardt region, crossed the Niers Canal and entered Anrath. Units from the 29th Infantry Division’s 116th and 175th Infantry Regiments under the XIX Corps conquered Mönchengladbach. At the same time, Major General Issac D. White’s 2nd Armored Division advanced nine miles northward. Combat Command A occupied Kleinenbroich, crossed an intact bridge over the Nord Canal and continued to the Willich – Osterath line. In the meantime, Col Sidney R. Hinds’ Combat Command B headed towards the bridge in Uerdingen and went through Grefrath and Büttgen to the Nord Canal, where combat engineers built a pontoon bridge. Throughout the night, CCB crossed the bridge and later advanced to Bovert. Col Robert H. York’s 331st Infantry Regiment under the 83rd Infantry Division occupied Erft, Holzheim, and Grevenbroich, while its sister 329th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Edwin B. Crabil launched an attack on Neuss and the 330th Infantry Regiment protected the division’s left flank.

Major General Leland S. Hobbs’ 30th Infantry Division mopped up its area west of the Erft Canal. Col William S. Biddle’s 113th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) was withdrawn and placed in the Corps’ reserve. Col Robert L. Bacon’s 379th Infantry Regiment under the 95th Infantry Division was assigned to the 2nd Armored Division that day and started to advance towards Kleinenbroich. In the interim, the remainder of the 95th Infantry Division assembled in the Jülich area.

The US First Army’s VII Corps continued with their assault from the Erft area to the Rhine River and Cologne. Together with the attached 99th Infantry Division’s 395th Infantry Regiment, the 3rd Armored Division expanded the bridgehead at the Erft Canal in the Glesch – Paffendorf area, and subsequently occupied Bergheim and Kenten. After nightfall, the 83rd Armored Reconnaissance Brigade crossed the canal in Paffendorf. The 4th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) was placed under the command of the 99th Infantry Division while receiving an order to secure the right flank of the bridgehead. Before dawn, units from the 104th Infantry Division’s 413th and 414th Infantry Regiments crossed the canal. The same units eventually conquered Quadrath, Ichendorf, and Horrem. The 8th Infantry Division aimed to conquer Mödrath and the nearby highlands.

III Corps steadfastly advanced to the east toward the Rhine River. Maneuvering on the Big Red One’s left flank, the division’s 18th Infantry Regiment occupied Wissersheim, Rath, Pingsheim, and Dorweiler, while its sister 16th Infantry Regiment to its right took Eggersheim and crossed the Neffel River. That evening the division’s 26th Infantry Regiment crossed through the positions of the 16th Infantry Regiment. The 9th Armored Division’s Combat Command B occupied Müddersheim, Disternich, and Sievernich early that morning. The 9th Infantry Division’s 39th Infantry Regiment later took control of the area while Combat Command B continued to move towards the Roth River. The 9th Infantry Division advanced forward with the 39th Infantry Regiment on the left and the 60th Infantry Regiment on the right flank, subsequently mopping up Froitzheim, Ginnich, Thuir, Muldenau, and the hills west of Embken. The 9th Armored Division’s Combat Command A moved to Berg and later advanced towards Wollersheim, where the enemy’s dogged defense stopped them in their tracks. The 78th Infantry Division’s 311th Infantry Regiment attacked to the south along the east bank of the Rur River to secure the bridges. It later mopped up the area between Abenden and Blens, defeating the defense in Hausen and advancing to positions north of Heimbach. Late that afternoon, battalions from the 78th Infantry Division’s 309th Infantry Regiment crossed the bridge over the river in Blens.

Throughout the day, the US V Corps reinforced its current positions. Col Cyrus A. Dolph’s 102nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) prepared to cross the Rur River south of Schmidt and sent recon patrols from Major George S. William’s 2nd Rangers Battalion, which was attached to the group, across the river to secure space on the east bank. The 2nd Infantry Division set up Task Force S, whose main force was the 38th Infantry Regiment. The men from the 38th Regiment were given the mission of being at the vanguard position in the crossing of the Rur River. Units from Col Henry B. Margeson’s 271st Infantry Regiment and Col Charles M. Adams’ a 273rd Infantry Regiment under Major General Emil F. Reinhardt’s 69th Infantry Division continued to do battle for the hills east of the Prether River. The regiments went on to occupy Hescheld and the hills near Schnorrenberg.

Despite strong enemy resistance, the VIII Corps under Patton’s Third Army advanced along both sides of the Prüm River. To protect the left flank of the 87th Infantry Division, the 11th Armored Division’s Combat Command A was attached to the 87th and fought the fortified enemy positions on the Corps’ northern flank. CCA went on to occupy Ormont. During the day the 4th Infantry Division made slight territorial gains at the eastern bridgehead over the Prüm River. The division’s 12th Infantry Regiment later crossed the bridgehead. The 6th Armored Division’s Combat Command B conquered Matzerath while improving its positions to the south by sending out strong reconnaissance patrols. Combat engineers completed a Bailey Bridge in Lunebach. On the southern flank of the Corps, in Waxweiler, the 6th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) finished crossing a recently completed bridge over the river. The 6th Reconnaissance Squadron conquered Lascheid while the 28th Squadron occupied Lambertsberg and Hargarten. The attack against Plütscheid was unsuccessful, though. The XII Corps continued to advance to the north between the Prüm and Nims Rivers. The 80th Infantry Division’s 317th Infantry Regiment occupied Oberweiler and Schleid while its sister 318th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col James S. Luckett advanced southward to the 76th Infantry Division’s zone. In the sector between the Nims and Kill Rivers, the 4th Armored Division’s Combat Command B received direct aerial and artillery support and conquered Sefferweich and Malbergweich. The 5th Infantry Division held positions along the western bank of the Kyll River. The 76th Infantry Division mopped up the area southwards towards Trier. The division’s 417th Infantry Regiment occupied Mohn and Newel, and advanced to the Kill River near Kordel. Its sister 304th Infantry Regiment took Olk and the 385th Infantry Regiment crossed through the village. The 304th then continued southward.

In the operational sector of the XX Corps, tank units from the 10th Armored Division’s Combat Command A, reinforced by infantry units from the 94th Infantry Division’s 376th Infantry Regiment, entered Trier that afternoon. The city was a major communications center and at the same time represented a gateway on the path from Luxembourg to Germany. As Trier was a valuable booty, mopping up operations were launched immediately. At around midnight the units even managed to occupy an intact bridge over the Mosel River. Combat Command B later joined the battle for Trier. The 94th Infantry Division, presently reinforced by the 5th Rangers Battalion and Task Force Polk under the 3rd Cavalry Group (Mechanized), expanded the bridgehead at Saarburg while securing the 10th Armored Division’s right flank and blocking enemy escape routes out of Trier. On the division’s left flank, the 94th Division’s 302nd Infantry Regiment advanced to the northeast towards Hentern, Schömerich, Paschel, Lampaden, and Obersehr. During the day, the 26th Infantry Division continued to defend the sector at the bridgehead by Saarlautern. Major General Stanley E. Reinhart’s 65th Infantry Division was attached to the Corps. In the area between Emmersweiler and Oberhoffenem-sur-Moder, forces from the Seventh Army’s XXI, XV, and VI Corps held their defense positions on the line along the Saar, Rothbach and Moder Rivers. The French Fist Army remained in defense positions along the Rhine River and secured the Seventh Army’s right flank.

In the course of the day, airmen from all three Czechoslovak fighter squadrons RAF took part in a fighter escort of 151 Lancasters from Bomber Command which were on a mission to attack and destroy an oil refinery near Kamen, a small city to the northeast of Dortmund.

One of the first of dozens of dramas to take place in the skies over Bohemia took place today, its unwilling actors being the men from the US Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The US Fifteenth Air Force’s 14th Fighter Group took off that day to “hunt down” trains in the area around the border with Austria and Moravia. The P-38s also attacked a target near the Pouzdřany train station in the district of Břeclav. The attack proved fatal for 2nd Lt Fred G. Clifgard, whose wings got snared in power lines as he was approaching the target. His Lightning went straight to the ground and exploded upon impact. The pilot did not have the slightest chance of surviving the crash.