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From D-Day to V-Day

April 1945

April 7, 1945 - D-Day + 235

Units from the British 6th Airborne Division and 11th Armored Division under the British Second Army’s British VIII Corps crossed the Weser River in Minden and Stolzenau, secured a bridgehead and started to advance to the Leine River.

Regiments from the 84th Infantry Division under the XIII Corps finished crossing the river and significantly expanded the bridgehead. In its advance eastwards, the 102nd Infantry Division eliminated remaining enemy units. The 11th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) took over responsibility for the sector of the Corps’ northern flank from the Weser to the Leine. The 2nd Armored Division under the XIX Corps halted at the line along the main road between Sarstedt and Hildesheim, while the 83rd Infantry Division mopped up the zone west of the Weser River. The 95th Infantry Division’s 377th Infantry Regiment mopped up Soest and, together with battalions from its sister 379th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Roberta L. Bacon, went on to launch an attack in the direction of Werl. The division’s 378th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Samuel L. Metcalf finished mopping up Hamm. Composed of units from the 8th Armored and 95th Infantry Divisions, Task Force Twaddle commanded by Major General Harry L. Twaddle was formed for the operation against the Ruhr pocket. According to orders, the task force was to coordinate its attack with forces from the XVI Corps.

Task Force Faith commanded by Brigadier General Don C. Faith, which was composed of the 95th Infantry Division’s 377th Infantry Regiment, the 17th Airborne Division’s 194th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and support units, was given the task of mopping up the area between the Ruhr and Mohne Rivers and securing the left flank of Task Force Twaddle. Tank columns from the 8th Armored Division’s Combat Command B started to advance on Werl, nearing Westonnen and Gerlinger Grund. In the meantime, Combat Command A mopped up the sector along the Mohne River southeast of Soest, and Combat Command R moved from Lippstadt to the Soest area. The 75th Infantry Division from the XVI Corps continued toward the Ruhr River. The division’s 290th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Carl F. Duffner conquered Frohlinde and Kirchlinde, while its sister 291st Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Harry S. Robertson mopped up the greater part of Castrop-Rauxel. At this time, the 35th Infantry Division’s 320th Infantry Regiment advanced to the north and relieved battalions from the Big Red One’s 16th Infantry Regiment, which was detached to the rear and designated as army reserves. The 79th Infantry Division crossed the Emser River and the Rhine-Herne Canal between Gelsenkirchen and Essen. Battalions from the division’s 313th and 315th Infantry Regiments advanced to the railroad in Katernberg. For now, the 35th Infantry Division expanded its positions eastwards along the Rhein – Herne Canal.

Units from the 97th Infantry Division under the US First Army’s XVIII Corps were still looking forward to their first combat action. The Trident Division landed at the French port of Le Havre at the beginning of March, 1945, and was composed of three infantry regiments (303rd, 386th, and 387th); four artillery brigades (303rd, 365th, 389th, and 922nd) equipped with 105 and 155 mm cannons; a combat engineer and a medical brigade; rear, maintenance, communications, and command companies; MP platoons; and a reconnaissance unit. Several additional units, mainly tank destroyer and anti-aircraft units, were attached to the division commanded by Brigadier General M. B. Halsey. Although the division was essentially in battle for just one month, 214 of its men were killed in action and another 721 were injured. Peace caught up with General Halsey’s men in Bohemia. Aš, Cheb, the foothills of the Bohemian Forest and Konstantinovy Lázně – the men from the Trident division made an appearance in all these locations.

In the course of April 7, after previous artillery support, the 97th Infantry Division’s 386th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Samuel M. Lansing crossed the Sieg River in assault boats, advanced about two and a half miles, and made contact with patrols from the 78th Infantry Division. Units from the 8th Infantry Division deflected a German counterattack near Seelbach. The 9th Infantry Division’s 47th Infantry Regiment under the III Corps occupied Gevelinghausen, Esshoff, Nuttlar, Ostwig, Bestwig, and Heringhausen, while its sister 39th Infantry Regiment conquered Altenfeld, Elpe, and Henrichsdorf. At the same time, the 9th Infantry Division’s 60th Infantry Regiment shot its way through the woods north of Oberkirchen and occupied Rehsiepen, Obersope, and Mittelsorpe. With assistance from artillery and tactical air force units, a German counterattack against the 7th Armored Division’s Combat Command B was deflected in Gleidorf. Attacking on the division’s right flank, Combat Command R conquered Holthausen. West of Schmallenberg, the 99th Infantry Division’s 394th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col John R. Jeter advanced about three miles, and the 393rd Infantry Regiment commanded by Col James K. Woolnough occupied Oberhundem. The 3rd Armored Division under the VII Corps halted along the Weser River, as the enemy had managed to destroy all of the bridges in time. To secure the area east of the Ruhr River between the operational zones of the III and XIX Corps and make contact with their units, the 1st Infantry Division created Task Force Taylor.

Commanded by Brigadier General George A. Taylor, it was made up of the 1st Infantry Division’s 26th Infantry Regiment and the 4th Cavalry Group (Mechanized). Task Force Laundon (the reinforced 104th Reconnaissance Company) advanced at the vanguard of the 104th Infantry Division’s 413th Infantry Regiment, and in Gieselweder it reached the Weser River. The 415th Infantry Regiment crossed the river in the Bursfelde area. Units from the 2nd Infantry Division under the US V Corps continued to cross the river in Veckerhagen and expanded the bridgehead toward Dransfeld. After construction of a railroad bridge was completed, support units followed the division. The 69th Infantry Division headed out of Hannoversch Münden toward Witzenhausen. The division’s 273rd Infantry Regiment crossed the Werra River at Laubach and conquered Lippoldshausen, Wiershausen, and the hills northeast of Hannoversch Münden. Part of the same regiment advanced along the southern bank to Oberode. Its sister 272nd Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Walter D. Buie approached Witzenhausen, where the Germans had had enough time to destroy the bridge. They crossed the river in attack boats while engineer units built a pontoon bridge.

With support from the 3rd Battalion of the 76th Infantry Division’s 304th Infantry Regiment, the 6th Armored Division’s Combat Command R under the US Third Army’s XX Corps pushed the enemy from the Werra River to Mühlhausen. The 76th Infantry Division’s 417th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col George E. Bruner continued to mop up the sector west of the river, advancing all the way to the Bad Sooden area. The division’s 385th Infantry Regiment launched an assault against Allendorf and Volkerode to the north and the east along the east bank of the Wehre River, while the 304th Infantry Regiment, presently without the 3rd Battalion, advanced to the Klettstedt – Gräfentonna line east of Bad Langensalza. The 80th Infantry Division assembled in the Gotha area, where it relieved units from the 4th Armored Division. With tactical air and artillery support from the XX Corps, the 3rd Battalion from the 65th Infantry Division’s 261st Infantry Regiment under the VIII Corps deflected a strong counterattack launched by enemy troops and tanks. The 89th Infantry Division’s 353rd Infantry Regiment mopped up the sector southeast of Eisenach toward the Wurtha – Ruhla line, while the 354th Infantry Regiment entered the town of Friedrichrod. The 355th Regiment secured the division’s right flank from Seeberg to Wölfis. The 87th Infantry Division’s 345th Infantry Regiment advanced to the Tanbach area. Meanwhile, its sister 347th Infantry Regiment headed toward Oberhof, where it met up with 11th Armored Division units. Part of the 6th Cavalry Group (Mechanized) securing the left flank of the corps broke through to the Eschwede area. The 11th Armored Division under the XII Corps launched mopping up operations in its zone and prepared to attack Bayreuth. The 26th Infantry Division moved out of the Meningen – Suhl area and started to advance on Themar and Schleusingen; meanwhile, the two towns were occupied by 11th Armored Division units. The 71st Infantry Division’s 14th Infantry Regiment commanded by Col Carl E. Lindquist secured the corps’ right flank in positions near Kaltensundheim. For now the 2nd Cavalry Group (Mechanized) mopped up the Bettenhausen – Meiningen line.

The 14th Armored Division’s Combat Command A under the Seventh Army’s XV Corps conquered Bad Neustadt / Saale, but their further advance was slowed by strong enemy resistance. Part of the 42nd Infantry Division under the XXI Corps, now reinforced by the 12th Armored Division’s Combat Command A, attacked Schweinfurt. The group advanced about nine miles and built a bridgehead over the Main River in Volkach. Battalions from the 4th Infantry Division’s 22nd Infantry Regiment mopped up Bad Mergentheim, and the 12th Infantry Regiment advanced to the Tauber River. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 100th Infantry Division’s 398th Infantry Regiment under the VI Corps slowly expanded the bridgehead at Offenau. The 63rd Infantry Division launched an attack against the Hardehauser Wald that day. The 10th Armored Division’s Combat Command A conquered Crailsheim. Part of CCA headed out westward towards Heilbronn, while Combat Command B started to advance towards the main road linking Bad Mergentheim and Crailsheim.

In the course of the day, the Czechoslovak No. 313 Squadron RAF helped provide fighter escorts to a group of 15 Lancaster bombers from British Bomber Command. As part of Operation Ramrod 1531, the crews had been sent on a mission to attack ships in the Dutch port of Ijmuiden.