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The Ardennes
23 - 25 December 1944
The Group moved to Luxembourg (IV)(V) according to the plan given by the Group Commander, and by the evening of the 23rd, the CP was established in Moutfort (33) in a building which was occupied by General Blucher, the Prussian Commander, immediately before the battle of Waterloo. The 2d Squadron CP was in Costingen (33), while the 42d was located in Dalheim (33). The Troops of each Squadron were disposed in the towns around their respective CP’s. No attempt was made to relieve the elements of the 4th Infantry Division until the following morning.
As the Bulge was still bulging, in the wrong direction as far as the Americans were concerned, and likely to break out anew in any direction, the Second Cavalry was heavily reinforced for it’s mission of screening and holding the east side of Luxembourg. At the time of it’s arrival, there were attached to the Group the 808th TD Battalion, minus one Company, the 372nd Engineer GS Regiment, the 398th Engineer GS Regiment, and the 276th Armored Field Artillery Battalion; all of which comprised Task Force Reed. Additional artillery, the 255th and 775th FA Bn’s, each commanded by a Lt. Col. Shepherd**, were in direct support. It was not an extremely large force, considering that just to the left of the TF from Echternach (V)(34) to Ettelbruck (V) on the Sure river, very heavy fighting was even then in progress, and the issue was still very much in doubt. In fact, several large headquarters were keeping themselves well gathered, and it was rumored that USO girls in Luxembourg City were keeping their powder puffs packed.
(note: As a matter of interest to all Cavalrymen, the front, from the Saar river to west of Ettelbruck, was largely held by Cavalry at this time. The Third Cavalry Group was holding the Switch Line from Dreisbach on the Saar to where it tied in with the Second Cavalry on the Moselle. The Second Cavalry strung north along the Moselle to the top of the Triangle. To the northwest the 90th Cavalry Squadron, less two Troops, was attacking the Sure river line on a six mile front between Mostroff and Ettelbruck, and strung out to the west of them the remnants of the 89th Cavalry Squadron were hanging on tooth and toenail, with all personnel, including the cooks, KP’s, clerks, mechanics and the ever present eightball manning the front line.)
On the 24th TF Reed was divided into three groupings, Combat Team Hargis, Combat Team Costello and Group Reserve. CT Costello took over the northern half of the front and CT Hargis the southern half. The day was passed in comparative quiet except for one incident reported by E Troop, 2d Squadron. “Relayed guns and registered battery. During the night, Christmas Eve, were strafed and shelled. Direct hit damaged CP and kitchen.”
Christmas Day TF Reed began an extensive program of preparation of positions for defense in depth. A very active patrolling policy into enemy held territory across the Moselle was immediately initiated. Guns were registered on additional points just to add to the German’s Christmas cheer. E Troop remarked, “Fired at new registration target. Had Christmas dinner. Morale very high despite the fact that chow was partially ruined from previous shelling. Troop clerk brought several packs of mail and Yule packages.”
Group CP at Moutfort was bombed and strafed on Christmas day. The only casualty was a bomb fragment through the operations map. The 457th AAA men attached to the Second gave a good account of themselves.
Garo’s Christmas
25 - 29 December 1944
Headquarters was screaming for prisoners, and try as we would we couldn’t get any on our patrols across the river.
Suddenly , the C Troop OP above Wintrange (33) noticed two figures moving toward the river on the German side. They were tugging and falling over a heavy object, apparently a boat.
“My gosh, those jokers look too drunk to get that thing in the water”, said Sgt. Garo, “let’s go over and get them.”
Together with Saddler, Garo made his way to one of our boats and pushed off across the Moselle. They landed and caught up with the Krauts, who had given up and started for home. When Sgt. Garo’s kind invitation to dinner was refused, he proceeded to cuff the recalcitrants about the head and shoulders - whereupon they accepted with pleasure and were carried to the boats.
That evening Garo and Saddler were promoted to Brigadier Generals, and Group Headquarters wore a proud smile as Capt. Sperl of the IPW team went to work on the prisoners.
The day after Christmas the Group continued it’s active watch along the Moselle, and began the training, in the rear areas, of engineers as infantry in support of tanks. The enemy continued to display very inactive and non-aggressive attitude except for scattered artillery; we continued our mission digging and blasting strong defensive positions in the frozen ground.
Combat Team Costello dispatched two patrols on the 27th, one across the Moselle and one into Machtum (33), the enemy bridgehead on our side of the river. The first patrol met enemy resistance in the field fortifications along the east bank shortly after debarking. After verifying the presence of the enemy by a sharp fire fight, they returned without casualties. CT Hargis also patrolled across the Moselle in their zone.
The 28th and 29th were passed in the same manner. Friendly and enemy air was active over the area. The assault guns were getting in a great deal of shooting on many juicy targets.
Life Of An Assault Gunner
December 1944 - January 1945
E Troop, 2d Squadron
The area was constantly bristling with patrol activity, friendly and enemy. Movement was curtailed to a minimum, and mostly in the hours of darkness. The gun positions were under enemy observation, and particular attention was paid to activity about the battery position. Trees and brush were transplanted to camouflage tanks. Ammunition stores were carried several hundred yards through the forests and prepared for readiness.
Guns were manned perpetually, 24 hours a day. Intensive training, received in England, paid off here. Every man, including drivers, was capable of manning guns, sights, instruments etc. In spite of snow and bitter cold weather, fires were unauthorized for fear of revealing positions to the enemy. Chow was delivered to gun crews through back trails to avoid detection.
The guns averaged many missions daily in supporting A, B and C Troops along the river. Missions were also received from area FDC (Fire Direction Center) to support other units. In many cases, fire was controlled by Piper-cub observation planes. During the night constant H&I (Harrassing and Interdiction) fire was delivered on various enemy strongpoints. Intensive fire was also laid to cover advancing friendly patrols. Targets were numerous and various. On one occassion Cpl. Eugene Fink scored 23 direct hits out of 24 rounds fired. Target was enemy observation post and machine gun nest. Both were destroyed although they were deeply imbedded in reinforced emplacements. Later in the day, a building serving as a kitchen for the enemy was detected by A Troop.
Concentrated fire soon disrupted Jerry’s kitchen, and forced them to evacuate. This in some measure repaid us for our own shell damaged Christmas dinner. Fire adjustments were accurately computed by FDC, and in one case an enemy mortar emplacement was annihilated with a single round.
Not to be outdone by the recon Troops, our own patrols were organized daily to comb the surrounding forests for enemy. An enemy patrol, on one occassion, tripped warning flares 100 yards from the gun positions. A counter-patrol was immediately formed by Lt. Woodrow Hansen and the 2nd platoon. There was some shooting back and forth for a few minutes and then contact was lost. The heavy snowfall obliterated footprints and our men had to abandon the pursuit. During the following days enemy patrol action was intensified, and to avoid infiltrating patrols discovering the battery position, guards were doubled, booby-traps set in the surrounding areas and additional outposts organized.
Heavy snow settled in, along with bitter cold weather. Vehicles were whitewashed to avoid silhouetting against the background. Snow capes were issued, the Second Cavalry being the first unit in the XII Corps to use them. Weather was so cold that water froze on contact when the gun tubes were swabbed, so we had to use alcohol whenever the guns were cleaned.
Some of the incidents along the Moselle might be classed as amusing, depending of course, on the viewpoint and the sense of humor among the participants. Patrolling and screening activities, like war as a whole, really consist of a vast number of practical jokes, played by each side on the other. The greatest difference being that, in war, the man who isn’t quick to get the point soon gets the cross.
Oh For The Life Of A Mortarman
28 Dec 1944 - 10 January 1945
Cpl. Tom Myers, B Troop, 2d Squadron
Grevenmacher (33) hill, with three feet of snow and more snow in sight, a few days after Christmas, provided the setting for this never-to-be forgotten battle experience. The Troop mission was to screen the west side of the Moselle river for approximately five miles. And that we did. We were set up along the edge of a forest a little to the left of the town of Grevenmacher, overlooking the Moselle and two towns on the other side of the river, Wellen (33) and Nittel (33), that were securely held by the Krauts. We were supposed to act as teams, which is a ten man unit; we only had six men, but what is the difference? At that particular period, Von Rundstedt and his gorillas were raising hell, while the sun refused to shine. Remember?
As any Cavalryman will tell you, screening is a monotonous job at the best. You take your position and must stay on the alert day and night, just in case. Generally you operate for a period of from one day to a week. But this particular assignment lasted for 41 dreary days.
It was our second week on the hill and everyone was practically bugeyed from watching the Krauts through field glasses and telescopes as they carried on across the river. They strutted around as though they owned the place. Well, at the time, they did, but it still burned us up. Just to make us a shade hotter under the collar, the only warm place we had, we had to sit by and watch Herman go into nice warm buildings to spend the night while all we had was a cross between a lean-to and tepee. In other words, our home would have been a disgrace to the Indians, although it was home sweet home to us.
One cold morning right after breakfast, we were all in a huddle, our feet stuck in the stove, when the guard informed us he had received a buzz on the phone that they were going to send up some mortars from a position about 500 yards to the left of us the next day. The next morning every man woke up with a gleam in his eye, and with more energy than was customary. The mortar crews set up, and a brief discussion was held as to what target should draw top priority. All agreed that the first target would be a house that observation had indicated was being used as a CP. So we began to tear the place down, brick by brick, with lots of HE mixed with a little white phosphorus. It didn’t take the Krauts long to get the idea that we were intent on breaking up their happy little home. They soon shagged their tales across the street, headed for another house. This hurried move drew a big grin from the gunners. After a short pause to prepare more ammo and to sight in on house number two, we cheerfully took up the task of knocking out Jerry’s new home. The second target proved more difficult than the first, until we hit on the idea of using some more white phosphorus. Jerry evidently didn’t care much for our way of amusing ourselves, for after the first few puffs of white smoke, out came the Krauts, once more seeking new lodgings. This time they thought it wise to scatter, or maybe they were just in an unusual hurry, for they zoomed off in all directions like a covy of quail, although less gracefully.
For our part we would have proceeded to tear down every house in town, but to our sorrow we discovered we were completely out of ammunition and couldn’t get more until the next day. So with grins a yard wide and a foot long, we went back to our posts considering our time well spent.
The very next morning Herman blew reveille for us with 120mm mortars. The 18 holes we found in the roof of our domicile proved that they were a little peeved about our jolly party of the day before. Some people have no sense of humor.
December 30th a small patrol, dispatched by CT Costello, moved into Machtum (33) and captured one prisoner, thereby identifying in that locality one platoon of the 1st Company of the 44th Machine Gun Battalion. The patrol had some little difficulty as the Germans were alert and sensitive to probing in that particular area. Vincent Michal, attached to Troop A from the French Army for liaison and interrogation work, volunteered to precede the patrol alone to a barbed wire entanglement to clear it of booby traps. Although he was slightly wounded in the ensuing fire fight, he continued in his efforts until he was successful in his mission. One member of the patrol fell seriously wounded and Pfc. William Feiner crawled forward under intense fire in order to reach the man. The fire became so furious that his platoon leader ordered him to return rather than take a chance on losing another man. In the meantime T/5 Paul Neffke attempted to crawl to the man from another direction. Although he was hit about the head he persisted in his attempts, until his platoon leader was able to attract his attention and order him back. For their fine example of selfless devotion to duty and to the welfare of a fellow soldier, Pfc. Feiner was awarded the Bronze Star and T/5 Neffke the Silver Star.
The first few days of January were relatively quiet, that is if constant patrolling and counter-patrolling can be considered quiet. The officers and men of the Second Cavalry became completely familiar with the methods of launching small boats and rowing silently across the river. However, at the same time, the Germans became quite proficient at discovering patrol activities, due to the immense amount of practical experience we were giving them. For instance, on 1 January three of our attempts to cross the Moselle near Ahn (33) were driven back by small arms and machine gun fire. The next day a 15 man patrol from A Troop, 2d Squadron, got into Machtum, but after a short fire fight was forced to withdraw without prisoners, and fortunately without casualties. Two of our six man patrols crossed the river near Wies(3) with the same result.
On the 3rd, two small ambush patrols from CT Costello set up on the far side of the river but were unable to entice any Jerries into their trap. The next day patrols in the vicinity of Machtum and across the river reported no contact, but sounds of vehicular activity were heard some three or four kilometers back in from the river.
Patrols to Machtum and across the Moselle on the 5th reported no enemy contact, but on the 6th a five man patrol from Troop C reported Machtum reoccupied. The enemy sent two small patrols into our area south of Machtum, and two members of the attached engineers were killed and one wounded.
Troop B, 42d Squadron sent a six man combat patrol to Chateau Thorn (33) across the Moselle on the seventh, and after a sharp fire fight during which they killed an estimated ten to fifteen of the enemy, withdrew without casualties. Patrols the next two days reported no contact, but an attempt to enter Machtum on the tenth was met by sharp small arms and mortar fire. Colonel Reed, becoming tired of the game of button, button, who’s got the button, that we were playing with the Jerries around Machtum, issued orders that it would be cleaned out the next day. C Troop of the 2d Squadron was selected for the task.
Machtum
11 - 18 January 1945
Troop C, 2d Squadron
The Troop rested, except for a five man patrol under Cpl. Holtz that went out to go over the route that was to be used in the attack. All during the day Capt. Morrison and his officers planned the attack, looking over the terrain and coordinating with the supporting artillery Battalion and our own E Troop. The mission was an important one and knowing this, all possible precautionary measures were taken.
With everything planned and everyone rested, the three recon platoons and the CP moved out before 0030, dismounted, and moved to the woods north of Machtum (33). After a short halt to get reorganized, we moved close to the town and waited for 0300, at which time a 15 minute barrage from the supporting artillery fell on the objective. The Troop was so close to the barrage that the men were showered with stones and dirt from the exploding shells. Immediately after the barrage stopped, the 1st and 3rd platoons assaulted the town, the 2nd platoon and the CP close behind. The enemy was waiting for us and two MG’s opened up at once. The 2nd platoon swung around to flank the position. S/Sgt. Walter McMillian began moving out towards the guns, firing his weapon and deliberately exposing himself in order to attract their attention, while a part of the 1st platoon under Sgt. Gates maneuvered around to get into position from which to launch an assault. Sgt. Gates crawled forward, trying to pick off the enemy with his rifle. This proved unsuccessful, as he could not find a spot from which he could fire into the MG nest. He organized his team and moved farther out toward the flank of the guns. Seeing that it would be too dangerous to move his whole team forward from that location, he instructed Cpl. Holtz to cover him with fire and again crawled toward the machine gun nest, closely followed by Holtz. He wriggled into cover, got a bead on the nest, and killed one of the enemy with his rifle. Then his gun jammed. Holtz quickly shot and killed another and Sgt. Gates leaped forward and disposed of the rest with a hand grenade.
Moving on into town, the 3rd platoon slowly progressed from house to house. They found the enemy very stubborn. By 0930 half the town was taken, but the enemy was still in commanding positions with his light machine guns.
Not only was the enemy tough, but also the weather. It was cold and miserable, and with the Germans putting up a stiff fight, time went slow. With all the small arms fire going in, and mortar fire coming in regularily, and the enemy looking down our throats from high ground on the far side of the river, it seemed for a while as if we wouldn’t clear the town.
After establishing a line, a slight change of plans was made, and at about 1500 the final assault was made, using the entire Troop. The enemy started falling back, and by 1600 they were pushed to the last few houses in town. They made no attempt to withdraw across the river, but continued to fight hard. Finally we arrived at the last house. The platoon leader and five men started to rush it. They failed to see a machine gun that was still in action at the corner of the building, waiting to mow them down when they crossed the open. T/5 Joseph Civitello spotted the gun and shouted a warning that caused the others to drop to the ground, and although in the direct line of fire of the gun, he remained standing and hurled a hand grenade into the position, demolishing the gun and disrupting the crew. Our men quickly surrounded and charged the house, and to all practical purposes, enemy resistance in the town of Machtum collapsed. However, we were receiving considerable small arms and bazooka fire from the high ground on the other side of the river.
By 1630 the town was cleared. We captured 14 Germans and found 10 dead; more may have been under the rubble. Although we had outnumbered the enemy three to one, their positions were good and they made a stubborn defense. However, good planning and clear, on the spot thinking made it possible for us to take the town with only one casualty of our own.
The prisoners were taken from town after dark, because it was impossible to move about freely in the daytime with the Germans occupying the high ground on the far side of the river.
Thirty men were left to outpost and the rest of the Troop withdrew. We needed a rest!
(note: PW’s captured at Machtum stated that the artillery concentration fired prior to our attack caused all five MG posts to seek shelter in cellars of adjacent houses, one man being wounded while doing so. At the same time it brought about the loss of contact between the four different groups defending the town, thereby preventing a coordinated defense. The concentration demoralized the Germans greatly. Although it gave away the impending attack, its size impressed them with the fact that the odds were heavily against them.)
The next few days were spent in strengthening all positions, and in continuing patrol activities. The Task Force now held the entire Moselle river line from the vicinity of Remich (33) to the vicinity of Mertert (34), and was well readied for any crossing in strength the enemy would chose to try to make. The entire river line was overlooked by observation posts and dug in three inch AT guns of the 808th TD Battalion. The attached engineers were in supporting positions all tied together by a double communication system of radio and telephone.
Our patrol activities resulted in a minimum number of casualties to ourselves and a maximum amount of irritation to the enemy. However, the night of January 12, the God of Battles had a good laugh at our expense. One of our patrols had spent some time on the far side of the Moselle, with the usual number of hair raising experiences and narrow escapes, and had returned without a scratch. As one of the members, T/5 Elwood Rogers, returned safe and sound from his evenings adventures, walked into the door of the CP to make his portion of the report, a German sniper shot him through the knee! Such are the fortunes and mischances of war.
On the 14th we supported the attack of the 94th Division with artillery fire. The next day we received 225 rounds of artillery fire in Remich as a repayment for our courteous gesture. The enemy evidently had the impression that the attack was launched from that town.
Combat Team Costello sent a patrol on the 16th to Wincheringen (33), and it reported the town still strongly outposted.
TF Reed received the mission of making a demonstration to lure enemy forces away from in front of the attack of the 94th Division on January 18. The demonstration, a feint at establishing a bridgehead near Kreuzweiler (33) included: increased activity around OP’s, increased traffic, (emphasis on bridging equipment) combat patrols, and an artillery preparation on the proposed bridge site. All this was against a background of armored vehicle noises played by the 12th Army Group Special Effects Detachment. The result was a marked increase in artillery fire, as well as tanks observed on our front looking for our combat patrols. Our artillery support of the attack was successful in taking under fire an estimated 300 enemy infantry near Thorn (33). Patrols were sent to Kollig (33) with no enemy contact, and from CT Hargis to v
icinity of Castle Thorn, where they engaged in a sharp fire fight with an estimated platoon of enemy. Our patrol withdrew without casualties. This day the 94th Division identified our old enemies, the 11th Panzers, in the Triangle across from TF Reed.
Thorn
18 January 1945
Troop C, 42d Squadron
After as much preliminary observation as our occupied area would permit, the 3rd platoon, under Lt. Pridgen, and about two sections of the 2nd platoon crossed the river well after dark, and proceeded to carry out their combat patrol plan of a frontal attack against Thorn (33) by the 3rd platoon, covered on the left by the 2nd platoon.
Crossing over and scrambling down a high R.R. embankment, the 2d platoon proceeded to extend a screen as planned, the last two men placing themselves in an old shell hole, some 30 yards from the road which ran along the high ground parallel to the river.
Lt. McCaleb placed himself, after careful scouting of the empty house to his left, at the fence corner just off the road. An excellent field of vision was afforded, and he was soon able to see an occassional dim light move about the darkened and battered town. He wondered if it could be the 3rd platoon in the town so very soon and without a fight. As minutes dragged by, several more lights, including one inside the house, moved freely from room to room and floor to floor as a person might who was searching for something.
It suddenly and positively dawned upon him that he was watching Krauts move about - not GI’s, they moved too freely - and there had not been a single shot. Plus that, too much time had elapsed. As he turned to go to his nearest men for a messenger to contact the other platoon, a sudden and heavy fire fight burst out below him. A machine gun or B.A.R. and rifles appeared to be firing from the R.R. in the vicinity of the beached boats, and was being answered by two or more MG’s, or B.A.R.’s and rifles from this side of the tracks and on the high ground. The slugs from the guns near the R.R. tracks were snapping viciously close, and singing in ricochet all around him and the men nearby.
Under the conditions it could not be determined which were enemy, and which were American guns. In order to establish that fact the screen withdrew to the tracks, the Lieutenant covering the withdrawal and following his men under cover of the embankment. They found the force on the shore to be the other platoon, part of which was already in the boats and trying to return. About the time that the 2nd platoon pulled in its screen, the MG’s set up on the American side of the river started throwing their welcome overhead fire into the ground above us, and between us and the town.
Much chagrined to find that the Jerries had been actually trapped between our two forces, a circling movement was suggested by Lt. Pridgen. About this time two very heavy explosions, either set charges or mortar shells, went off on the far side of the tracks and down in the ditch. All we got was a blast and a scattering of stones and debris. Upon trying to reorganize for the next attack it was found that so many men had already returned to the other side, plus the fact that one B.A.R. had been lost in the first crossing, that it was considered unwise to push the circling movement.
During this scuffle Sgt. Arno, manning a boat on the river, found himself in the pattern of enemy MG fire. Without a moment’s pause he promptly dove into the frigid dark water and struggled to the other shore. He was almost unconcious when pulled out and was revived only after great effort. One boat was completely lost and the others all punctured.
The two Lieutenants, the last to leave the enemy ground, found their boat to be very “holy” and unmanageable. They were carried some distance from their desired landing point and on several occasions were almost capsized by ice flows. It was only by great effort that they managed to get ashore over the shelf of ice extending along the waters edge. By lying flat and working across the ice, they and the one man with them made the shore (after their arms and legs had gone through the ice several times).
The only great satisfaction out of the deal, to the small group concerned, was that an intercepted Kraut report on the action said that they had repulsed the attack of an estimated Battalion. | |
