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From D-Day to V-Day

January 1945

January 3, 1945 - D-Day + 211

Counterattack

The US First Army launched a counterattack against the northern flank of the German breakthrough in the Ardennes. Tank groups from the VII Corps' 2nd Armored Division launched an attack on the Corps' right flank to the southeast against Houffalize, followed by troops from the 84th Infantry Division, while the 3rd Armored Division and the 83rd Infantry Division advanced on the Corps' left flank. In the course of the day, tank units from the 2nd Armored Division conquered Trinal and Magoster, and destroyed enemy positions in the Bois de Tave. They also successfully occupied Freineux and Le Batty, in the end taking up positions near Belle Haie. The 3rd Armored Division defeated the defenses of Malempré and Floret, and continued to advance to the southeast from the road leading to Lierneux to Groumont Creek. The 75th Infantry Division continued with mopping up operations south of Sadzot. The XVIII Corps' 82nd Airborne Division advanced to the southeast, improving its position. Units from the 30th Infantry Division advanced south of Malmédy, thus evening out the front line.

Part of the 87th Infantry Division from the US Third Army's VII Corps found itself surrounded in the forest east of St Hubert, but was soon freed. In the afternoon the 17th Airborne Division launched an attack to the north in an area about five miles northwest of Bastogne. The 101st Airborne Division's 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment under Col Julian J. Ewell mopped up the Bois Jacques. During the day, Task Force Higgins under Brigadier General Gerald J. Higgins was created. Composed of units from the 101st Airborne Division and the 10th Armored Division, its mission was to hold back any potential enemy attacks headed towards Bastogne. In the meantime, the 4th Armored Division's Combat Command B continued to protect a vitally important corridor to Bastogne. The 28th Infantry Division occupied the defense line on the Meuse River from Givet to Verdun. The 6th Armored Division under the III Corps deflected enemy attacks in the zone west of Michamps and deployed its artillery around Arloncourt, Michamps and Bourcy. It later attacked the hills near Wardin and occupied the highway intersection south of the village. The 35th Infantry Division occupied about three quarters of Lutrebois and the highway intersection west of Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, but it was unable to take Harlange. South of Harlange, units from the 26th Infantry Division continued to attack in the area north of Mecher-Dunkrodt and Kaundorf.

The command of the newly deployed Fifteenth Army moved from Le Havre to Suippes, while the 6th Army Group took over the defense of Strasbourg.

The Seventh Army's XV Corps held up to additional pressure from the enemy and slightly improved its position. In the course of the day, the Germans deepened their breakthrough in the sector between 44th and 100th Infantry Division units and penetrated all the way through to Achen, but in the end were pushed back by a US infantry counterattack. The French 2nd Armored Division's Combat Command L broke through to Gros Réderching, but was unable to mop up the village. The men from the 44th Infantry Division attempted to help the French, but without any major success. The 36th Infantry Division, presently without the 141st Infantry Regiment, gathered together near Montbronn. In the zone of the VI Corps, the Germans occupied Wingen-sur-Moder and Philippsbourg, and were thus able to expand their salient south of Bitche. The 45th Infantry Division resisted enemy pressure on Reipertsweiler in the area northwest of Wingen and deflected attacks in the Sarreisberg – Meisenthal area. Units in the center and right flank of the corps finished withdrawing to positions on the Maginot Line.

Due to an unfortunate accident, Private Alexandr Paták, a member of the Transportation Sector that was part of the Czechoslovak Independent Armoured Brigade, sustained injuries that proved lethal. Alexandr (b. 1920), a native of Bratislava, Slovakia, was buried in Cassel, France the following day.