|
Troop B, 42d Squadron
20 March 1945
The town of Bingen (V)(37) is a rail, water and general communications center on the Rhine at the mouth of the Nahe river. Surrounding Bingen are the towns of Dietersheim (37), Budesheim (37) and Kempten (37).
On the morning of 20 March, the TD Platoon of F Troop, and the assault guns of E Troop, were deployed on the high ground north of the Nahe river where it joins the Rhine. They were trained on the locality of Bingen, prepared to support the attack of the 42d Squadron.
Troop B, reinforced, crossed the Nahe at Bretzenheim (37) and attacked north. This force moved toward Bingen via Dietersheim (37) and Budesheim. First enemy opposition was encountered on the outside of Dietersheim, just after we passed through that town. The enemy outposts had blown the RR trestle bridges over all roads leading to Dietersheim and Bingen. The blocking of these underpasses proved a very effective roadblock, since the RR embankment was too high for our tanks to climb. While we were held up in front of these obstacles, enemy artillery sporadically hammered our column. One of the blocks was finally cleared by alternately firing the 75mm from the light tanks into the debris and then using the beef and brawn of man power to clear the rubble. On the other side of this block was an enemy machine gun position which quickly surrendered after a fierce exchange of fire. The ground between the RR and Budesheim was as flat as a pancake, and as previously planned, the recon platoon left their vehicles behind and accompanied the tanks, first riding them and then on foot. The tanks advanced in a line across country, firing at likely enemy positions as they drove.
During the advance on Budesheim, the supporting artillery pasted the town and kept the enemy pinned down. With so much direct fire from HE projectiles flying through the town, the local civilians started putting up white flags just as the attacking force closed in. All the German soldiers, however, didn’t agree to this and there was a little excitement before the surrender was final. Pvt. Lester Wolf, for instance, had a fine game of hop scotch with a panzerfaust man before he finally ran him to ground behind a stone wall and wafted him out of this world with a well lobbed grenade.
Approximately 100 prisoners were taken at this first position. The attack was led by Lt. Sidney Zecher, with Lt. Tom Yates and Lt. Henry Lane as platoon leaders of the tank and recon platoons respectively. The 1st Platoon of B Troop under S/Sgt. Danny Roscoe was in support and the 2d, under Lt. Calderwood, in reserve.
After Budesheim was consolidated, the 2d platoon passed through town to advance on the final objective, Bingen. Here again the recon men were used to give close-in support to the tanks, now a fresh platoon led by Lt. Fowler. The force had to move on the road along the Nahe river. It reached the outskirts of Bingen and encountered blocks of trolly cars. However, these blocks had been hastily erected, and were as hastily surmounted. The panzerfaust and small arms were the enemy’s main weapons, and consequently street fighting ensued. Pfc. John P. Florio, while riding on a tank which was rolling down the streets, sighted and killed the members of an enemy bazooka team with the tank’s AA machine gun. A little later as he was walking down the street with his platoon leader, he shot and killed a sniper who was in the act of aiming his rifle at the officer. Cpl. James D. Reeves was working dismounted with a tank platoon, and during the fight in town he noticed a bazooka team to the flank of the tank he was helping to support. He charged the enemy group, firing as he ran. He succeeded in killing one German, and his furious assault caused the remaining two to turn in full flight and race off through the buildings. Many other incidents similar to these occurred, but went unnoticed due to the excitement and confusion of battle.
At the same time that part of the Troop advanced on Bingen, Lts. Lane and Zecher bypassed Bingen to the south and moved toward Kempten. Their small force moved so quickly that it over-ran enemy positions without giving them much of a chance to put up a fight. On one occasion, to the surprise of both concerned, Lt. Lane walked around the bend in a gulley and came face to face with a group of Germans manning an AA gun. Quick Yankee bluff, which included a verbal picture of advancing hordes of bloodthirsty Americans, convinced the German commander that discretion was the better part of valor, and he surrendered his entire command. By nightfall, Zecher and Lane had consolidated Kempten, and had the Burgermeister jumping around transmitting their orders to the populace. Those orders included, of course, detailed instructions for the disposal of the days crop of eggs.
While all this was going on, A Troop, in support, had swung to the right, capturing Gau Algesheim (37) and Ockenheim (37). A platoon of A Troop advancing on Gaulsheim (37) was halted a half kilometer south of the town by direct artillery fire from the high ground north of the Rhine. Advance elements occupied the forward positions and prepared to continue the attack. A total of 450 prisoners were sent back.
Back in Bingen the fight was still going on. It was larger than Kempten, and in addition, the center of resistance. By dark our Troops had taken one third of the town, and elected to hang on to that until morning. At first light they rounded up the remaining enemy in town, and by 1100 most of the excitement was over. Organized and active resistance had ceased once we had gained our first hold on the town, but there are always a few people that don’t know when they are whipped. Many frantic calls were made to Squadron Headquarters for trucks to haul prisoners to the rear. The final count went well over the 500 mark. One of the prisoners was the commander of all the troops in Bingen, and he sadly told his side of the story to our attached IPW team.
Kamerad
18 - 20 March, 1945
Bingen (V)(37) was defended by the 1st Company of the 12th Landes Schuetzen Battalion, together with some elements of the 3rd and 4th Companies. The 1st Company alone had a strength of 412 men. The men had all been drafted about three weeks before and lacked any military training whatsoever. Their equipment was rifles and one rusty light machine gun for the whole bunch. The men were all over 40 years old and fed up.
Five days before, the Battalion commander had the mission to march his Battalion towards Mainz (V)(VI)(37) and across the Rhine. But, highhandedly, he decided to defend the town. Great was, therefore, the astonishment of the CO of the 1st Company when around midnight of 18 March, a sentry reported to him that the Battalion CO had crossed the Rhine in a boat without further comments. This put the CO of 1st Company in charge. He requested further orders and was told that ferry boats would take him and his men across the Rhine after dark on 19 March.
During the morning of this same day his troubles began. All of a sudden he saw a big white flag being hoisted above his headquarters. When investigating, his guards caught a civilian in this act. He was courtmartialed and condemned to death, but the local mayor and the police, with some citizens armed with makeshift weapons, forced him to release the man. Shortly afterwards the officer went on inspection, and discovered the citizens at the entrance of Bingen tearing down the roadblocks. On the streets, he encountered some “civilians” who had discharged themselves from his Company. This was discouraging. Eventually it became time to assemble at the pier and wait for the boats to get them across the Rhine. They waited from 2000 to 0200, but no gallant navy came to their rescue. In the meantime, our Troops had penetrated his “defenses” and the men started to surrender. The officer decided that it was time he gave up. Some 600 followed him.
After clearing Bingen in the morning, the 42d Squadron extended along the Rhine to Frei Weinheim (37), with A Troop attacking to clear Gaulsheim (37), Spotkenheim and Frei Weinheim (37), taking 101 more prisoners. Troop E, firing in support of A, knocked out a locomotive at Mittelheim (37) north of the Rhine, and placed highly effective fire on an enemy troop concentration at the railroad station in Rudesheim (37), causing an estimated 40 casualties.
The Rhineland Campaign ended on this high note of a very successful attack by the Second Cavalry. Though we were not yet across the Rhine, we were poised and ready, as we officially entered into the campaign of CENTRAL EUROPE.
Central Europe
21 March - 1 April 1945
The campaign of Central Europe was to be, for the Second Cavalry Group, a typical Cavalry campaign, somewhat on the order of the mad dash across France. Long jumps, spotty resistance, and then short, sharp, bitter fights, followed by another long jump, characterized the campaign.
The Group completed the relief of the 90th Infantry Division, between Bingen (V)(37) and Mainz (V)(VI)(37), on the 22nd of March. At 1500 both Squadrons started a crossing demonstration along the Rhine in that sector. Troops moved around, artillery fire was increased, and we indulged in the usual scrambling about trying to simulate an infantry or armored Division. The enemy showed his appreciation of our efforts by showering us with artillery in Bingen and Frei Weinheim (37).
The Group was attached to the 26th Division on the 23rd and directed to be prepared to cross the Rhine and advance to the northeast. The next day a change of orders was received. The 16th Cavalry Group was to relieve the Second on the 25th, and upon relief we were to cross the Rhine and screen Corps north flank along the south bank of the Main river.
The relief went off as scheduled. To pass away the time, while waiting for relief, Troop E, 42d Squadron, lobbed shells over the Rhine and knocked out two machine gun nests, one AT gun and one house occupied by enemy troops.
The Group crossed the Rhine (38) on the 26th. 2d Squadron relieved the 2d Infantry Regiment along the Main river from Gustavburg to Kleisterbach, while the 42d, extended a screen along the line Gernsheim (38), Waschenbach (38), Zeilhard (38), Reinheim (VI)(38), Altheim.
Movement is now becoming so rapid that new orders were received daily. On the 27th the Group was to move in with the 26th Division and ensure the security of the Hanau (VI) bridgehead. On the 28th, Group reverted to Corps control and was to screen the Corps right flank. Elements of the 42d Squadron were ferried across the Main river on the 29th. The next day A Troop took up positions on the line Wasserlos, Albstadt. 2d Squadron established contact with the 106th Cavalry Group at Oberredenbach.
XII Corps directed the Group to hold that portion of the bridgehead at Hanau below the Third Army boundry until relieved by 7th Army units, and protect the Corps right flank.
The 42d Squadron leapfrogged far to the north and located in the vicinity of Spielberg (39), with elements out as far as Udenhain (39) and Bad Soden (39) where enemy resistance was found to be almost negligible.
The 2d Squadron continued screening on the right flank of Corps pushing the screen, on the 31st, northeast to Gelnhausen (VI)(39). In this area the enemy began to show signs of active resentment at our rapid advance. S/Sgt. Sander’s platoon of A Troop in attempting to enter Eidengesass (39), engaged the enemy in an intense fire fight. The Germans were fighting fanatically from dug-in positions, and were not inclined to give up. Sgt. Sander exposed himself continuously to enemy fire in an attempt to gather his scattered force and place them in positions from which to liquidate the enemy. He drove up, in his armored car, near a German strong point and eliminated it with his machine gun. However, the Germans were well located in that area and a supporting gun killed Sgt. Sander while he was exposed in the turret of the armored car, firing the anti-aircraft machine guns.
In the meantime we had also encountered stiff resistance at Altenhasslau (39). As a platoon neared the town they encountered intense small arms fire and part of the platoon was pinned down. Lt. Roberts pulled his armored car into an open field to bring fire on the enemy, and one of the car’s crew was seriously wounded and fell from the car to the ground. Lt. Roberts leaped from the armored car and although slightly wounded from the intense fire, managed to get the wounded soldier to a covered position. In another part of the field, Corporal Bill Young noticed that a wounded man and several of his buddies were pinned down by enemy fire. He grabbed a jeep, drove through the enemy fire to the wounded soldier, placed him in the jeep, and managed to return safely. Sgt. Wendall S. Young was all over the area that day, exposing himself, directing fire, selecting better positions, and personally leading support forward to where they were most needed. His personal courage played a large part in the killing of an estimated hundred enemy, and the taking of more than 250 prisoners during the fighting this and the next day when Altenhasslau was finally secured.
As the platoon of which Corporal Law and Pfc. Thomas were members continued the investigation and last cleanup of Altenhasslau, the point vehicle, in which they were riding, suddenly came under intense mortar and small arms fire, and the driver was seriously wounded. Law and Thomas managed to carry the injured soldier to comparative safety in spite of the heavy fire, and then remained dismounted with the platoon and supported the armored cars with rifle fire. Altenhasslau was finally taken during the fight.
The same day, April 1st, 2d Squadron pushed northeast toward Bad Orb (VI)(39), where several thousand American prisoners were reported to be held. Troop A reached Hochst (39) and Wirtheim (39) and Troop B to Kassel (39) in the initial attack. In the 42d Squadron zone, enemy rifle units were encountered by Troop B on the high ground southwest of Wachterbach (VI)(39). Troop B was relieved by elements of the 2
d Squadron which had pushed that far north by 1300 after driving the Krauts from Haitz (39). Troop C with one platoon, Sam Fowler’s of F Troop, advanced southeast from Salmunster(VI)(39) through the Bad Orb forest, reaching Merns (39), and thus intercepting enemy groups leaving Bad Orb. Troop A was at the outskirts of Niederzell to the northeast and Squadron Headquarters had moved to Ulmbach.
Enemy Aircraft!
April 1 - 2, 1945
Lt. Bob McCaleb, Troop C, 42d Squadron
The Luftwaffe was not yet kaput. Just after C Troop jumped off from Salmunster (VI)(39) on the Bad Orb (VI)(39) deal, four German fighters came in out of the sun for a strafing run at the south edge of town. Our AAA half track was back in town and couldn’t fire. I remember quite plainly what a quiet sunny day it was as I stood in the road with Bancroft, watching Arno’s jeep approach with a message. There was an old man walking past us with a tiny girl of about four.
Suddenly there was a roar of motors overhead and Bancroft dove for one ditch while I hit the other, as steel slugs slashed the buildings and tore into the road.
I looked up, felt myself, and noticed Arno’s jeep standing empty in the road. I ran to it and jumped on the AA machine gun as the Krauts pulled up for another pass; it never came. They ran into the fighter escort of an American bomber formation and were all shot down.
Just then Bancroft, sensing an all-clear, came crawling out of a filthy culvert under the road, and tightly wrapped around his neck were two tiny arms belonging to a very frightened little girl.
On the 2nd of April our practically uninterrupted drive continued vigorously, for a time. A and B of the 2d Squadron drove into Bad Orb by 0810, effecting the release of 6533 Allied prisoners, including 3328 Americans. Troop F received a counter-attack at Haussen (39) at the same time that a large enemy column of elements of the 6th SS Mountain Division passed through Waldensberg (39), where the 2d Squadron trains were assembled, and ran into the rear outpost of the 2d Squadron Headquarters at Wittgenborn (39). This started a day of mad, confused and bitter fighting, from which the Germans finally came off second best, though for a time it looked like anybody’s battle.
Attack From The Rear
1 Apr - 20 Apr 1945
On the night of April 1, 1945, the 2d Squadron Rear Echelon moved into the town of Waldensberg, Germany (39). At this time the Squadron Headquarters was located at Wittgenborn, about three kilometers away. During the night four guards were posted throughout the town. This seemed like more than an adequate number, as after all we were far in the rear and the German army was on the run, according to our latest papers.
The Rear Echelon had one armored car with them for the purpose of radio communication with Squadron Headquarters. At approximately 0430 the next morning, one of the guards came running to the Commanding Officer, Capt. John W. Mayfield, to report that eight German vehicles had just passed through town. It was still quite dark out, but T/5 Walter S. Wojciechowski, one of the roving guards, positively identified them as enemy vehicles. The radio operator, T/4 Marion E. Harsla, immediately radioed the information to Squadron. Runners were sent out to alert the men. The crew of the armored car hastily mounted up and stood by.
About half an hour later the guard came running to report that another German column with about 38 vehicles, led by a tank, was starting through the town. A flash message was sent to Squadron by T/5 Sidney Berg, informing them of the number and type of vehicles headed their way. Due to their lack of fire power and poor position, Capt. Mayfield ordered his men to hold their fire until they were fired upon. It was still quite dim, so that the German column went by without noticing the American vehicles parked throughout the town. About 0530 a third column, which consisted of 10 or 12 vehicles loaded with men, started through town. A German officer in the lead vehicle, which was an American jeep, noticed T/5 Dwight Gardner, 2d Squadron water truck driver, standing near an armored car which had been brought to the rear for repair. The German officer yelled, “Amerikaners!” and halted his column. Gardner jumped into the armored car, opened up on the lead vehicle with a .50 caliber MG and knocked it out. That started the big fight! The Germans piled out of their vehicles and opened fire.
The armored car crew, Sgt. Godfrey V. Dwyer, T/5 Rodney Bridges, and T/5 Sidney Berg, were ordered to move out to the edge of town and cover the flank. Berg immediately opened fire with his 37mm and .30 caliber co-axial on the enemy vehicles which had stopped outside of the town. The car commander observed some dismounted men coming up on the right flank of the armored car. Berg stopped their advance with the machine gun. By this time the Germans had an AT gun set up and were trying to knock out the armored car. One shell hit the left side but the shrapnel did not penetrate the armor. After a couple of more close ones, Dwyer ordered the driver to move back and cover the other flank.
T/Sgt. Charles A. Franz of the S-4 section was the first one in his section to find out the German column was in town. He immediately woke up all the men in his group. A few minutes later the S-4 men heard the chatter of machine guns outside. T/5 John E. Donohue was so surprised at the suddeness of it all, that he started to take his bedroll out to the vehicle. T/5 Joseph V. Ferrizzi saw him and yelled, “Get the hell out of the doorway, the streets are full of Krauts!” That sort of brought Donohue to his senses. Ferrizzi was shooting at the Germans with his M1 through the front room window. The men that did not get out of the house in time, stayed upstairs until the Germans started shelling the town and throwing grenades. They had no other choice then to take to the cellar.
T/5 Frank Veldhuis was on guard when the German column came through town. After reporting to Capt. Mayfield, he ran down to wake up S/Sgt. Mike Bellanca of the Transportation Platoon. By the time everybody was dressed the shooting had started, and Bellanca and his men were cut off from the CP. Pfc. Roland R. Guay started out the back door, but two Germans were out back, so he called Sgt. Ballanca to aid him. Bellanca killed one of them and Pfc. Ben Sowers, who just came up, saw the other one and shot him. They were all standing around in the street wondering what to do next, when they saw Pfc. William E. Roots standing by the corner of a building with the barrel of his carbine in his hand. At first they couldn’t figure out what he was up to, but then they saw a German soldier creeping along the side of the building. Roots broke his carbine over the German’s face. He had run out of ammo and was using his weapon for a club.
Bellanca decided to try to make a break for the CP and Pfc. Glenn T. Page volunteered to go with him. The small arms fire was so intense that they had to turn back. On the way back Page was hit and fell in the street. Bellanca started back up the street to get him, but two of his buddies, Cpl. Paul H. Brooks and Pfc. Harold H. Friedly, yelled at him to stay back, and said that they could get Page as he had fallen right near their house. That was the last time Bellanca saw those three men because they were all seriously wounded during the day.
After fighting from house to house, Sgt. Bellanca, with about 13 other men, made a break for the woods. After walking four hours and hiding from German patrols, they met a German Major, one Captain and two Lieutenants who wanted to surrender. They questioned the Major and he told them that there were some American troops in Budingen (VI)(39). The Major finally led them to the town, where they were picked up by the 204th Engineers, who in turn took them to C Troop of the 2d Squadron.
Meanwhile the armored car started to move towards the other flank, but was stopped by a warning shout from one of the men fighting dismounted, “There’s some Krauts coming up behind the car!”
Sgt. Dwyer saw them and opened up with his tommy gun. T/5 Bridges slammed open his front hatch and picked off a couple of Jerries who were sneaking up with grenades. The armored car then proceeded across the road to the other side of town. As they moved into position Dwyer observed at least 10 Germans about 500 yards away, coming up on a straight line. Berg immediately started cutting them down with MG fire. Harsla was fighting dismounted, so the driver operated the radio and gave Squadron a running account of the battle until the Jerries shot the radio antenna off.
There were about 15 men fighting dismounted around the CP. Most of them were from the Squadron Maintenance Platoon. They did everything they could to keep the Germans from coming in and surrounding them, but the odds were too great. It seemed like practically every building in town was burning from mortar and shell fire. The Germans were coming in from four sides. Captain Mayfield and his driver, T/4 Perry J. Long, were standing out in front of the CP building when a sniper opened up and killed them both. Capt. Winston C. Hill assumed command of the remaining members of the Rear Echelon. He saw that the situation was almost hopeless, so he ordered the remaining men around him to mount up on the armored car and the two jeeps that were parked nearby. Under a hail of small arms fire, these men started across the open field for the woods. After going about 200 yards the vehicles all bogged down in a creek. The men jumped out and started running for the woods. The Germans saw them and opened up with a heavy machine gun barrage. Luckily none of the men were hit and all made it to the woods. After they arrived and got their breath back, S/Sgt. Harold T. Cooley volunteered to take a patrol out and try to locate friendly forces. Harsla volunteered to crawl back out to the armored car and radio Squadron Headquarters, to bring them up to date on the latest ha
ppenings. After Harsla returned, Capt. Hill decided that the best thing to do was to try and contact a friendly unit. Luckily Lt. Matthew F. Hardee, Transportation Officer, had brought a compass and map with him. Lt. Hardee set the course and led the remaining eight men through the woods. After walking about three hours, in which time they had to by-pass a German patrol, they finally met a C Troop combat team, which took the men to the Troop CP.
In the meantime 2d Squadron Headquarters were having their own troubles. The head of the German column which had passed on through Waldensberg, ran into the rear of and promptly attacked the headquarters installation. Major Wyles hastily assembled a small group of armored cars and light tanks and moved out to repel the attack. Rapid and accurate fire soon destroyed the head of the enemy column, and with a small force the Major moved to the flank where, while part of his force kept the enemy from advancing down the road, he and his men prevented deployment by attacking the flank of the German column. Despite heavy enemy attacks and continuous fire throughout the day, the two small groups held the Germans in position until mdday, when a Battalion of the 71st Division arrived and settled the situation.
While the 2d Squadron Headquarters was having it’s hands full trying to defend itself, other units were forming and moving to the relief of Waldensberg. T/4 Chester Harmon, after his radio failed, voluntarily started out for help, and making his way across an open field under heavy fire, finally succeeded in reaching elements of an Infantry Battalion. He explained the situation to the Battalion Commander and his Squadron Commander whom he contacted a little later, and led the way back to town, personnally fighting dismounted against the enemy and leading tanks back to the survivors of the Rear Echelon. Major Steinmetz, with two tanks and the security platoon of Group Headquarters, was moving rapidly up to the relief. His group attacked the enemy on the flank and stopped their advance. Although the Major was slightly wounded, he stayed with and directed his group until they succeeded in making contact with the Infantry Battalion that was moving to the relief of the town. Both groups then moved to the attack together.
The 42d Squadron Rear Echelon, stationed in a nearby town, also sent a relief column consisting of all available men. Sgt. Peterson especially distinguished himself by killing at least 15 of the enemy and taking 18 prisoners in one house alone. Sgt. Peterson and his men traveled 3,000 yards across open fields to secure the help of an Infantry unit halted in a wood. He returned and he and his men cleared the ditches of the enemy, advancing as far as our outposts. Just at this point they were pinned down by enemy fire from a nearby hill and a stone wall. Sgt. Peterson, defying almost certain death, made a run for help and returned with a tank. With this additional fire power he and his men soon disposed of the snipers. By this time the Infantry was moving up to take the situation in hand.
Lt. Kraatz of the 42d Squadron, organized a tank platoon out of hastily gathered elements of a Headquarters platoon and quickly moved to attack a vastly superior enemy. He was painfully injured and though relieved by a friendly element, volunteered to assist in the mop-up. His unit accounted for 300 enemy dead.
In the meantime, the men of S-4 section that had remained in the cellar had no idea of what became of the rest of the Rear Echelon, or what various columns were on the way to their relief. About 10:30 A.M. they heard the rumble of tanks, then there was a terrific explosion upstairs, followed by a great deal of small arms fire. They later learned that the explosion was caused by one of the tanks attached to Group Headquarters, which was knocked out right in front of their house. T/5 William A. Stehley of the 42d was riding the rear deck of that tank when it was hit. When the attack of the Germans rolled into the area, Stehley was in an assembly area nearby distributing ammunition from his truck. When elements of the security section prepared to counter-attack for the relief of our men in town, Stehley boarded one of the supporting tanks to assist in the assault. Upon entering town Stehley was riding the rear deck manning the .50 caliber machine gun. In the course of the fight an enemy panzerfaust team succeeded in taking the tank under fire and knocking it out, killing two of the crew. Stehley was knocked from the tank and painfully wounded in the neck, but nevertheless secured a rifle, killed several of the enemy who were holding up the advance, and assisted in the capture of 40 prisoners while clearing houses.
For the next half hour the S-4 men waited, listening and praying with all their might. About 11:30 A.M., they heard the rumble of more tanks, then hell really broke loose. There was explosion after explosion, shrapnel was flying all over the house. After the shooting quieted down the men in the cellar heard a voice outside, which sounded like an angel from Heaven saying, “Give me a grenade, there’s somebody in the cellar”. There was no mistaking that voice. It was a real live American. T/5 Henry A. Harrison, one of the men in the cellar, hastily opened the door and shouted, “Hold it fellows, we’re GI’s”. After relating their story to their rescuers, who were members of the 71st Infantry Division, some of them went along with the Infantry in the mopping up operations. The rest of the S-4 men went to seek their missing comrades.
The Germans were eventually driven into the woods north of Breitenborn (39). Elements of the 71st Division were called on to pocket the German force from the south and to clear the town of Liesenwald (39). The 42d Squadron was given a new mission, following the attack, and deployed B and C Troops on the line Hellstein (39), Holzmuhl to intercept enemy groups infiltrating to the southeast. During the days operations the losses for the Group were 7 killed, 10 wounded, 20 missing, 2 tanks knocked out and 10 other vehicles missing. 40 enemy vehicles were destroyed, 150 enemy killed and 200 captured.
PW statements indicated that the attack of the 6th SS Mountain Division on our rear was almost entirely an accident, as the Division had split up and was merely trying to escape. One PW stated that the Division was 26,000 strong when it left Finland, and was considered the strongest and best equipped fighting unit among the SS Divisions. After having been engaged in the fighting along the Mosel river, the Division assembled and reorganized in Usingen (VI), where approximately 8,000 men were loaded on German and American trucks. There was also enough gasoline captured to carry the remnants of this Division into the central part of Germany. On the route of this column, stretching for miles, they traveled only by night, by-passing any towns or larger villages. They reached Osrossbach the first day, and after a few artillery engagements, arrived at a point 2 kilometers west of VI>Bad Nauheim (VI). In spite of casualties on the way, the Division strength increased on account of more stragglers being picked up from various reserve and training Battalions as the Division moved along. On 1 April, the column was split at Kefenroth in two columns, of which the larger one headed southeast while 12 vehicles with 80 men traveled due south to Waldensberg. There, after a short engagement, about 200 men were liberated from an American PW cage. Then the column turned southwest, heading for the Budingen woods where they were surprised by five American vehicles plus one assault gun. One PW stated that these were knocked out and the personnel killed, while they themselves, suffered minor losses in men and vehicles. The officer in charge decided to go ahead without vehicles, and selected a new route to Gelnhausen (VI)(39) by circling the woods in a northwest direction, then bearing south along the edge of the woods.
Two Frenchmen of the SS, members of the French contingent of the Division, stated that it split into three columns the night of 30 - 31 March in the vicinity of Butzbach (VI), with the mission to move southeast, break through the American rear lines and try to reach the German lines. The three columns followed one another on the same route. The spearhead column consisted of 400 men with two American tanks, two anti-tank guns, 8 jeeps and twelve 2 1/2 ton trucks. All the spearhead column was equipped with captured American vehicles. After the fight on April 2, the elements of the Division still intact received orders from Division Headquarters, then in Liesenwald, that the Division was dissolved as such that the men were to make their way through the American lines in small groups.
Shortly after this order was issued, we attacked the remnants of the force at Liesenwald and dispersed it.
On the 3rd of April, 2d Squadron was attached to the 71st Division for operational control. They intercepted small enemy groups infiltrating to the south toward Wirtheim (39). 42d Squadron sent Troop A to Rommert, screening between Flieden, where the 121st Cavalry was contacted, and Dorfborn.
2d Squadron was attached to the 17th Armored Group on the 4th, while the Group, minus 2d Squadron, was ordered to protect Corps south flank from Fulda (VI) to the Ulster river. The next day 42d Squadron moved to Hofbieber and established a screen along the line Bockeis - Batten. Group moved to Hofbieber, 2d Squadron moved to Bermutshain, A Troop patrolled the MSR while B, C and F Troops cleared a woods of enemy forces.
On April 6, 2d Squadron minus, moved to vicinity of Schlitz (VI). In this vicinity the Germans tried to counter-attack with about 100 men on one of our platoons. Sgt. Charles D. Turner and T/5 Joseph A. Mitchell, with two other men, established themselves on the flank of the platoon. Every German effort to turn that flank and drive the platoon out of position was repulsed, and the attack soon petered out. The Group less the 2d Squadron was relieved of it’s mission and assembled in the vicinity of Hofbieber, Langer and Eschwisbach.
The screen established by the 42d Squadron on the 7th was soon uncovered by advancing elements of the Seventh Army. The 8th brought another long jump. 42d Squadron moved to Henneberg and Troop C had forward elements as far as Exdorf (40). B Troop was held up at Nordheim (40) where an enemy Company supported by two AT guns resisted strongly.
Troop B jumped off at 0700 the morning of the 9th and cleared the town of Nordheim by 0900. Troop C captured Rentswerthuasen (40) and took two 280mm railroad guns intact. The attack continued on through Queienfeld (40) and Wolfmannshausen (40). Troop A attacked at 0730, and by 1120 had pushed as far as Romhild (VI)(40) and Dingsleben (40). By 1700 the Troop was in Bedheim (40). To the north the 2d Squadron was echeloned slightly to the rear, with A Troop at Borsch and B Troop at Mannsbach.
On the 10th A Troop, 42d Squadron, ran into resistance at Seidlingstadt (40), and an organized position running along the woods to the northeast. Troops B and C reinforced, were committed, B pushing to the south from Linden (40) and meeting resistance at Huabinda (40). One kilometer to the NW Henry Lane’s platoon mowed down a fanatical German force that attacked until they were destroyed. C moved south from Gleicherwiesen (40) and met resistance in the woods. However, with one platoon of Troop E in close support, the vicinity was cleared by 1630. Troop A was still unable to enter Seidlingstadt and lost one M24 tank to AT fire. The platoon of which Pvt. William V. Wood was a member, approached the town in a heavy ground fog that sharply curtailed visibility. They engaged the enemy entrenched in the town in a sharp exchange of small arms fire. While attempting to deploy their vehicles to more advantageous positions, the unit was suddenly hit on the right flank by point-blank AT fire from Hill 344 (40) in the adjacent woods. The fire knocked out one of the light tanks, killing three of the crew and wounding the fourth. Caught in this cross-fire, a prompt withdrawal was indicated, but the enemy AT fire made this impossible. Seeing the perilous predicament of the entire platoon, < b>Pvt. Wood, disregarding his own personal safety, directed machine gun fire so effectively upon the enemy gun emplacement as to pin down its crew. He maintained his fire until his entire platoon had effected a safe withdrawal. Troop A partially surrounded the town to seal it in and sent a platoon on to Holzhausen (40). Troop B pushed on to the south taking Gompertshausen (40) at 1715.
Another long jump on the 11th. By evening the 42d Squadron had pushed to a line Coburg (VII), Haarth, Gleussen. The next day Troop C reached the Main river again and pushed reconnaissance east looking for possible crossing sites. A bridge site was located at Miehelau, where Sgt. Quinn of C Troop Maintenance Section went to work. Meredith blew some steel stringers hanging in the way, and by winching and floating on logs, some ten jeeps and a force of men were crossed to the south bank and established a bridgehead. Company C of the 285th Combat Engineer Battalion had a bridge in by 2100. Squadron Headquarters moved to Miehelau. B Troop maintained contact with the 5th Infantry Division. Elements of the 2d Squadron were still patrolling the MSR, occasionally meeting slight resistance. During the 13th, the 42d Squadron made a 20 mile jump to the south, reaching Thurnau (41).
On the morning of the 14th, the 42d Squadron jumped off at 0700 to make a run for the south side of ery/album18/Map_overlay_VII>Bayreuth (VII)(41) to cut off German columns passing through the city ahead of the charging 11th Armored. Troops A and B reached the Busbach (41), Bayreuth highway by 1100. By 1450 the autobahn south of Bayreuth was cut just south of Gesees (41) by A Troop.
Troop B passed through A Troop and pushed east across the autobahn, penetrating to Weidenberg (41) and setting up a screen which cut off relief from Bayreuth as well as sealing the routes of withdrawal. During the days action 444 prisoners were taken. 2d Squadron continued to patrol the MSR, Squadron Headquarters moving to Mistelgau (41).
The following morning Troop C pushed into the south part of Bayreuth and aided the 71st Division in mopping up the town, taking 580 prisoners. Corps directed the Second Cavalry Group to assemble for a 48 hour maintenance period, which we sorely needed. The next two days were spent in maintenance, and of course, patrolling the roads and sending small groups here and there to investigate reported enemy activity. 2d Squadron continued it’s MSR security mission.
On the 18th the 42d Squadron moved far north to Hof (41), Troop A going into the lines between Viedenberg (42) and Passack, between the 28th Cavalry of the 1st Army on the north and the 338th Infantry on the south, and patrolled to the Czech border. The 2d Squadron was returned to Group control this day, and moved to Hof on the 19th. Troop A of the 42d moved out at 0700, clearing the woods north of Rehau (42). At 1300 Troop C moved into it’s zone and began pushing east from Rehau, encountering road blocks and small arms fire. Troop B moved up in preparation for a move to the south around Asch (VII)(42) to cut all escape routes. Advance elements of the Squadron closed on Asch and prepared to assault the town.
Attempts to force an entry into the city before dark failed, so on the morning of the 20th, C Troop was sent to work around the north and B to the south of the city. About noon, S/Sgt. Garo’s reconnaissance platoon plus S/Sgt. Joseph Carpenter’s section, supported by the tank platoon led by Lt. Samuel Fowler, entered the city from the north.
Asch
20 Apr - 27 Apr 1945
Lt. Bob McCaleb, Troop C, 42d Squadron.
After considerable interception of German vehicles of all types outside of the city, the 2d platoon, part of the 1st, and one platoon of tanks proceeded into the town from the north, with the remainder of the 1st platoon under Lt. Williams on the left flank heading for the tower on the high ground called Hill 752.
As we entered the town our AAA half-track started the works by destroying a motorcycle with 3 men on it, killing two and seriously wounding one.
One tank proceeded up the street and we cleaned out the houses as we went.
Major Andrews was manning the .50 cal AA MG on the tank, when there suddenly appeared three Krauts, who for some peculiar reason walked jauntily up to within 50 yds of the tank. They were talking and joking among themselves, with their rifles slung on their shoulders, before realizing what they saw before them; a platoon of men and a fully manned tank with the gun looking down their throats. Surprised and puzzled, they slowed their pace. I was standing on the right of the tank and waved my pistol invitingly, calling “kommen Sie hier!” With this they tried to dart to the left and get under cover.
Major Andrews ripped out a burst which knocked two down on the curb. The gunner of the tank cut loose immediately with an HE shell, which promptly ended their suffering in a puff of dirt and smoke, and spattered them in small portions all over the front of the buildings. The third Kraut crossed over and disappeared into a driveway which later was the nemesis of the tank. Another burst of fifty, at Capt. Harris’ yell, went after him as he disappeared. The gunner pleaded to let another shell go at him. By this time the houses were cleared up to the tank, and the unit started to roll forward slowly but surely.
Just prior to this, a disgruntled old bald-headed man paused to give a very definite Bronx cheer to the men by the tank, ignoring my order to get in the house. After the third order moved him only a few paces and drew another Bronx cheer, I snapped a .38 short over his head and he promptly disappeared.
About 100 yards forward, as we attempted to locate some burp guns which were firing overhead from a position off to the left, a burst of smoke from a loading platform, a quick shadow through the air, and the group around the tank was enveloped in smoke. Helmets flew as the concussion momentarily gripped and shook the men. Major Andrews flew off the tank without much effort on his own part. Later, I discovered my combat jacket and pants both front and rear were sliced neatly as by a handfull of razor-like claws, yet not one scratch did I have on my skin.
Capt. Harris later found that he was more seriously wounded than he knew. He was walking on the left side of the street and received the full ricochet effect of the blast on that side of the tank.
Unknown to those on the ground at the time, the driver, gunner and tank commander were dead as the tank stepped up its speed and cut in a long diagonal to the left and rammed into the corner of the building at the entrance of a driveway. The same driveway up which one of the escaping Krauts had previously run. Here another blast rocked the forward part of the machine.
Disorganized by the sudden turn of events and the unknown locations of the burp guns, the troops withdrew and after reorganizing, plunged through to contact B Troop as it entered from the right. Troop C followed behind B Troop until the next intersection was gained, and then the Troop cut to the left and took up a defensive screen on the high ground at the east side of the town, covering more than 3 miles.
Capt. Harris had been evacuated for the remainder of the war and I took over the Troop at this time.
Lt. Harry A. Lanes platoon attacked, supported by Jerry Hann’s assault guns. Then the rest of B Troop entered from the west and continued through the city to the high ground commanding the eastern approaches. The city was far from being cleared, snipers remained active, and there was still considerable street fighting to be done.
S/Sgt. Magnum of Troop A led his platoon in a thrust through the city in an attempt to prevent the enemy from bringing up reinforcements. When they reached the further edge of the city, they found that the railroad lay in such a position that it could be easily defended because of the many boxcars and railroad buildings. The platoon took positions and opened fire on the enemy. A terrific firefight resulted. Sgt. Magnum left part of the platoon to occupy the enemy from the front, and took 15 men with him to covered positions on the enemy’s flank. Upon his signal they charged, so surprising the Germans that they were unable to swing to meet the new attack, and soon surrendered. This ended the heavy fighting in that immediate vicinity. Sgt. Hinman’s section forced it’s way up the streets, ducking sniper fire and occasional machine gun bursts. At one place, in order to keep advancing, he had to secure the surrender of a large number of enemy in a building to which the only approach was over the open ground. Hinman picked two men to accompany him and instructed the remainder of his section to cover them during the dash to the building. Zig-zagging through heavy machine gun and rifle fire, they somehow made the gauntlet, and arrived at the edge of the building. Sgt. Hinman threw grenades in the lower window, and rushed into the building firing his sub-machine gun as he went from room to room. The Germans who were not killed or wounded soon realized their plight, and surrendered. Asch (VII)(42)was finally cleared by 1830 with 90 to 100 enemy killed and 250 prisoners taken. And so fell the first city in Czechoslovakia to American troops.
The following day the 42d Squadron extended it’s screen south from Asch as B Troop advanced to Libsten (42) and Hohenberg (42). Troop C pushed patrols to Gurth (42). 2d Squadron moved to Selb (VII)(42) and established a screen to the east. On the 22nd the 2d Squadron extended the screen as far south as Schirnding (42), while the 42d extended to the north to take Thonbrunn (42) and Rossbach (42). At Schirnding a Kraut ambush hit a B Troop platoon, capturing Joe Goviet and killing Fred Johnson . Wheeler, Staton and Donovon broke in a Purple Heart in that action.
On being relieved by the 303rd and 386th Infantry Regiments, the next day, 2d Squadron moved further south to positions at Seetort and Schotzenhof with the CP at Konnersreuth. The 42d in it’s turn passed below the 2d and established a connecting screen east of Tirschenreuth (VII), into which town Group Headquarters moved.
The 24th was another day of leapfrogging, the 2d moving south to Hottenhann, Flossenberg (43), Waldkirch (43) and Rehberg (43). The 42d also shifted slightly south. The enemy began to come to life again in our area. Near Arzberg, Sgt. William Tate, leading a patrol from Linden (40) to Arzberg, passed a hidden patrol of 15 enemy. On the return trip his armored car and jeep were disabled by mines laid on the road by the enemy. The driver of the jeep and Sgt. Tate were both injured, the driver very seriously. The Sergeant organized his group and engaged the enemy in a sharp firefight while the wounded man was being carried to safety. Help was sent from the platoon CP and the enemy detachment soon defeated.
Another southward move on the 25th. the 2d moved to the line Losimtal (43) - Waidhaus (43), and the 42d to Pfrentsch (43) - Eisendorf (43). The following day both Squadrons pushed forward in their zones, crossing the Czechoslovakian border in several places. Troop C of the 2d was ordered to move through the woods to their front and cross the border. Because of enemy road blocks and mine fields, progress was slow at first, but after securing engineer help to clear up the obstacles, the Troop continued on it’s mission. About half way through the woods, more road blocks were encountered. These the enemy defended with small arms fire. After a sharp fight in which T/5 Chatterton and Pfc. McFarland were wounded, the enemy was driven out. As darkness was fast approaching, the Troop withdrew till the following morning.
In the meantime, Capt. Ferdinand P. Sperl of IPW Team No 10 received information of a German staff group with highly valuable documents located within the enemy lines. He volunteered to secure the capture of the staff and the documents. Taking a prisoner as a guide, he managed to pass through the outpost lines of an SS outfit, reach the German staff commander, and convince him of the advisability of surrendering the documents undamaged to a task force. Then, under the necessity of producing the task force to which the staff would surrender, Capt. Sperl returned through the SS lines, secured a task force, and led them back to secure the German staff and the documents.
The morning of the 27th, C Troop of the 42d returned to the woods from which they had withdrawn the night before. The 1st and 3rd platoons finally worked their way through, and in attempting to spread out after clearing the woods, caught the enemy forces completely by surprise. A sudden rush, a sharp fight, and the enemy lost approximately 100 dead and 20 prisoners. The attack carried through to the town of Schonwald.
The same day Sgt. Duch Marich of the 42d also took heavy toll of the enemy. Leading the point of his section toward Dehetne (43), an important junction town in Czechoslovakia, he entered the town of Babice (43) where only scattered resistance was met. But he learned that in Dehetne, a large force of the enemy was well armed and prepared to offer resistance. He left his section to outpost Babice while he went with the Mayor of Babice to offer surrender terms to the enemy garrison at Dehetne. The enemy commander not only would not surrender, but boasted that he had sent for reinforcements. Sgt. Marich returned to his section, told them the situation, moved up into position and laid a heavy and accurate concentration of fire on the stubborn enemy garrison. His 10 men killed and wounded 15 of the enemy. The rest changed their minds about resisting and the section collected 20 prisoners.
The 42d Squadron pushed forward with Troop C capturing Bel n Radb (43) and Vjezd Su Krise (43), 416 prisoners were taken and 150 Allied prisoners released.
Hostau break-through
26 Apr - 8 May 1945 VE-Day
Lt. Bob McCaleb, Troop C, 42d Squadron
The night of 26 April, two British and one American escapee were picked up by one of the outposts of Sgt. Carpenter’s section, 3rd platoon.
Their information stated that there was a moving prisoner group of about 350 British and American prisoners in a town on the plain in front of and between us, and some 10km to the right.
At first under suspicion, they were thoroughly questioned. They then requested we try to release the prisoners. They offered to guide us and also act as intermediaries to get the Krauts in charge to surrender.
After talking it over with Col. Hargis and getting his permission, C Troop, reinforced with one platoon of light tanks, prepared to dash out to their task. Sgt. Carpenter requested to point the attack, as he had made the original contact. This granted, the attack was launched through the wooded strip along the ridge and poured into the first town. The people seemed to be completely surprised and unaware of the previous proximity of the Americans. This helped to chase away the last lingering doubt as to the integrity of our “guide”.
I followed Carpenter’s vehicle until he was just outside of his objective, the entire distance being covered without incident. I went back and consolidated the rest of the command so as to cover the open route of the “spearhead”. Due to a small town being passed through which did not show on the map (and therefore was mistaken for a different town farther along the route) Carpenter was delayed an hour under direct orders of Col. Reed, pending arrival of additional forces in the form of A Troop, which was heading for one of the greatest prizes of the Squadron’s experience. This objective was unknown to C Troop at the time, and the Sergeant was literally champing at the bit with impatience to be on his way. Finally he did get the go-signal upon identification of his location as being one town west of what was understood originally. He then sped forward and was highly succesful in accomplishing his mission and completing a dash of 12 kilometers into enemy territory to the town of Bela n Radb (43).
A Troop then passed through C Troop and captured the great horse breeding farm of Hostau (or Hostoun) (43), one of the most outstanding in Europe**.
In the meantime Headquarters sent up all available trucks to help evacuate the exceptional load of 670 Allied and German prisoners. All night long the trucks droned by with the shipment of “sour” Krauts.
That is, they did until a road block of heavy logs was placed across the road through the woods between the C Troop CP and the 1st platoon at about 0230 hrs. The 1st platoon was cautioned by radio to be on the alert, and a pre-dawn check proved the block unmanned. It was left till daylight to commence to remove the block due to the danger of booby traps, plus the fact that the day’s action had well established there was no longer an organized force before us of any size to be a threat.
**Troop A, reinforced, passed through on the 28th to seize Hostau (Hostoun) and Cecin (43). The enemy tried a counter-attack at Hostau, but A Troop beat them off. When the opportunity arose to capture a valuable horse breeding depot intact, near Hostau, Capt. Thomas M. Stewart, accompanied by a German guide, proceeded on horseback through the mountains at night, evaded outposts of SS troops along the border, made contact with the commander of the depot, and by tactful presentation of the strength of the American forces, persuaded the depot commander to surrender if the border outposts of the SS troops could be overrun. Later, Capt. Stewart returned with a task force, attacked and disposed of the outposts and received the surrender of the depot. Upon being counter-attacked he organized a force of liberated Allied PW’s, and with them and his small task force, not only repelled the attack but also captured 200 prisoners. In addition to the human prisoners, which were getting to be a drug on the Cavalry market, 670 horses and 750 new aircraft engines were captured.
In accordance with a Corps Directive which directed the Group to secure the pass northeast of Regen (VII), and protect the Corps flank, the 2d Squadron and Group Headquarters moved far to the south to Zwiesel (VII)(44) on the 29th. The following day 2d Squadron established a screen to the northeast and received the surrender of 4,696 White Russian troops. 42d Squadron moved south of the 2d to Grafenau, contacted the 5th Infantry, and established a screen facing generally northeast.
On May 1 the entire screen moved toward the Czech border. In the 42d zone there was no resistance. The 6981st Rifle Co (Prov) was attached to the Squadron and designated Troop D. The 2d cleared Eisenstein Pass against moderate small arms fire and reached Prokop (44) with Troop F. Troop C cleared the woods near Lindbergmuhle (44). 42d patrols the following day reported no enemy encountered except small groups of deserters. The 2d was established with Troop A north of Zwiesel, Troop B at Rabenstein (44) and Ragenhutte (44), Troop C at Ludwigsthal (44) and Eisenstein (VII)(44), and Troop F at Mestys Zelezny Ruda (VII)(44) and Hotprokop (44). Thus disposed, the Squadron lined the entire Eisenstein Pass, keeping the gateway into Czechoslovakia open. 463 PW’s were taken during the day.
The following day we continued to work our way through the forests and mountains into Czechoslovakia, some slight resistance was met by elements of the 2d Squadron as they pushed out to the flanks of the Eisenstein Pass.
Resistance stiffened on the 4th. The 42d Squadron started Troops forward to cross the Czech border in difficult terrain. 40 prisoners were taken during the day, and some fighting occured where Troop D was pushing northeast through the forests. There was also a defended road block at Hohenrohrn.
The situation was a little rougher in the 2d’s zone. 1st platoon of A Troop, attacking Zejbis, was forced to withdraw when the Germans suddenly and violently came to life and almost enveloped them. Troop C had one of it’s worst days. The 3rd platoon, under Lt. Capewell, was with the A Troop platoon attacking Zejbis, and had to fight their way back when they found the enemy had moved to their rear. The 2d platoon lost an armored car and had Pvt. Lubus and Pvt. Williams wounded. The unlucky 1st platoon, under Lt. Gannaway, had reached and set up a strong point in Paseka, Czechoslavakia. The Lieutenant had reported to the Troop CP and was on his way back to the platoon when his jeep was fired on by bazooka and small arms. The enemy had surrounded and set on the 1st platoon in strength. The platoon leader, sizing up the situation, abandoned his jeep, which had fallen in a ditch and was stuck, and returned to the CP for help. The 3rd platoon and a platoon of tanks were dispatched to the aid of the beleaguered 1st. As they neared the town they ran into determined resistance and killed ten enemy and captured two. An officer PW informed them that the platoon had been captured and was already gone, so the woods were held for the night and the enemy area well watered with artillery.
The survivors of the 1st platoon were rescued by B Troop of the 42d a couple of days later. Sgt. Bonte, T/5 Corell, and Pfc. Hancock were wounded, and Pfc. Buttron and Pvt. Ashley were killed in the fight. These were the last two men of the Second Cavalry to die in action. Troop C of the 2d Squadron, who lost the first man back in Normandy, France, on August 3, 1944, lost the last two on May 4, 1945, in Czechoslovakia.
A PW captured shortly after this fight stated that he was in the reserve squad which attacked the reconnaissance platoon. The attack was well planned the day before when, under a Captain, 50 men observed the platoon from a hill to the northwest of their position. The Germans decided to attack the next day if the platoon was still there, and it was, by breaking up into three groups and encircling the village from the north, south and southeast. The prisoner belonged to the squad in reserve which was located on the southeast side of the village. To the prisoners knowledge, one American was killed and 22 captured. The prisoners were taken away in two jeeps.
The 2d Squadron pushed to Klatovy (VII)(45) on the 5th of May, and there 936 Germans surrendered without resistance. The 42d continued to push through the mountains, meeting some resistance north of Mouth at 1400. Troop D reached Praisly (44) after cleaning up one small pocket of resistance. B Troop moved through the 2d Squadron zone and then swung east and south to meet our Troops advancing from the south. Troops C and E were combined into Task Force Welsh to make a drive to the north on the flank of the 5th Division, independent of the Squadron. The 6th still found the 42d meeting spotty resistance, though nothing of a serious nature. Troop D met small arms fire from the forest south of Praisly. B Troop, which had moved far to the east, was contacted by enemy officers who wished to arrange the surrender of a Regimental size unit. The 2d Squadron continued north and east of Klatovy. Group Headquarters moved to Klatovy.
The following day the 2d pushed A Troop to Zinkovy (45) and Stibrin (45) and B Troop to Nepomuk (45). The 42d Squadron accepted the surrender of OCS Rotekan, an officer candidate unit of Regimental size.
On the 8th, A Troop, which had been left in Hostau to guard the depot there, rejoined the 42d Squadron. Task Force Welsh dissolved and Troops C and E rejoined the Squadron. The remainder of the Group held their positions as the European campaign ended officially at 0001 9 May 1945. | |
