United States Army in World War II

Three Battles:
ARNAVILLE, ALTUZZO, AND SCHMIDT

by
Charles B. MacDonald
and
Sidney T. Mathews

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF MILITARY HISTORY
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WASHINGTON, D.C., 1952


UNITED STATES ARMY IN WORLD WAR II
Kent Roberts Greenfield, General Editor

Advisory Committee

James P. Baxter
President, Williams College

 

William T. Hutchinson
University of Chicago

 

Henry S. Commager
Columbia University

 

S. L. A. Marshall
Detroit News

 

Douglas S. Freeman
Richmond News Leader

 

E. Dwight Salmon
Amherst College

 

Pendleton Herring
Social Science Research Council

 

Col. Thomas D. Stamps
United States Military Academy

 

John D. Hicks
University of California

 

Charles S. Sydnor
Duke University

 

Charles H. Taylor
Harvard University

 

Office of the Chief of Military History
Maj. Gen. Orlando Ward, Chief

Chief Historian Kent Roberts Greenfield
Chief, War Histories Division Col. Thomas J. Sands
Chief, Editorial and Publication Division Col. B. A. Day
Chief Cartographer Wsevolod Aglaimoff


. . . to Those Who Served


CONTENTS

  Foreword vii
  The Authors ix
  Preface

xi
Chapter Page

RIVER CROSSING AT ARNAVILLE

I.  THE GASOLINE DROUGHT AND THE DORNOT CROSSING 3
    The Advance Begins 5
    Commitment of the 5th Division 7
    The Terrain and the Forts 12
    Crossing at Dornot 13
    The Assault Begins 17
    The German Reaction 22
    Advance to Fort St. Blaise 23
    Support of the Dornot Bridgehead 27
    Holding the Dornot Site, 9-10 September 29
    1st and 3d Battalions, 11th Infantry 34
    Withdrawal at Dornot, 10-11 September 35
II.  THE CROSSING AT ARNAVILLE (10-11 SEPTEMBER) 40
    Battalion Preparations 42
    The Assault Crossing 44
    The 2d Battalion Crossing 50
    Counterattack From Arry 51
    The 3d Battalion Attacks Arry 54
    The 11th Infantry Enters the Arnaville Fight 55
    Counterattacks Against the 10th Infantry, 11 September 59
    Supporting the Bridgehead 61
III.  SMOKE AND BRIDGING OPERATIONS (9-14 SEPTEMBER) 63
    Smoke Operations Begin 65
    Bridging the Moselle 70
    Initial Planning and Operations 72
    Armor Crosses at the Ford 74
    Bridging Efforts Continued 75
    German Counterattacks, 12 September 76
    Plans To Expand the Bridgehead 80
    Reinforcements for the Bridgehead 81
    Supporting the Bridgehead 83
    Bridgebuilding Continues 84
IV.  BUILD-UP AND EXPANSION (13-15 SEPTEMBER) 87
    Impasse on 14 September 88
    Attack in the Fog, 15 September 90
    Objective--Hill 396 93
    The Bridgehead Is Secure 95
  ORDER OF BATTLE 96
  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 98

BREAK-THROUGH AT MONTE ALTUZZO

I.  DEVELOPING THE GOTHIC LINE (10-13 SEPTEMBER) 103
    The Terrain and the Enemy 104
    The 363d Infantry Attacks 107
    Attack Preparations, 338th Infantry 109
    Confidence in the 338th 112
    Preparations of Company A, 338th 113
    Enemy Fire 117
    Advance to Hills 624 and 782 121
    Fire Fight in the Bowl 123
    Supporting Fires 125
    Company A at Hill 782 128
    Confused Reports From the 363d 130
    The Enemy Situation 131
II.  PEABODY PEAK (14 SEPTEMBER) 133
    Communication Failure 135
    Company A Attacks the Outpost Line 136
    Company B Moves Out 140
    Another Prominent Ridge 143
    Fire Fight at the Barbed Wire 148
    Ledford's Patrol 149
    2d and 3d Platoons Move Up 151
    First Counterattack 156
    1st Platoon Moves Forward 157
    Machine Guns and Mortars Move Forward 160
    Second Counterattack 162
    Third Counterattack 163
    Company B's True Location 163
    Supporting Fires 164
    Plight of the Forward Platoons 165
    Sergeant Lang Goes Down the Hill 166
    Fourth Counterattack 167
    Help From Artillery and Mortars 169
    The Day's Action 171
    The Enemy Situation 173
III.  SHELLFIRE AND A FALSE MESSAGE (15 SEPTEMBER) 176
    Preparations for Attack 176
    Gresham and Corey Move Forward 181
    Fire at Knobs 1 and 2 183
    Flanking Attempt 186
    Misplaced Shellfire 188
    Long-Range Fire and Counterattack 191
    Supporting Platoons on Hill 782 193
    Withdrawal 194
    The Day's Action 197
    The Enemy Situation 200
IV.  ADVANCE TO THE CREST (16 SEPTEMBER) 202
    General Gerow's Plans for the 338th 203
    The 2d Battalion Attack 205
    1st Battalion Prepares To Attack 205
    Last-Minute Instructions 207
    Capture of the Outpost Line 211
    Fire Fight at Knob 1 214
    American Shellfire 215
    1st Squad at Knob 2 216
    Advance to the Crest 217
    Defensive Arrangements 219
    2d Platoon Follows to Hill 926 219
    1st Platoon's Advance 221
    Advance up the Western Ridge 221
    Bypassed Pockets 222
    The Enemy Situation 223
V.  COUNTERATTACKS (17 SEPTEMBER) 226
    Assault on the Right Bunker 227
    Assault on the Left Bunker 229
    Return to the Bunker 229
    Search for Spoil 232
    Action on the Western Peak 232
    Action at Hill 926 234
    Enemy Pockets and the 3d Battalion 234
    Company K Attacks Knob 3 236
    The 3d Battalion Mops Up 238
    Break-Through on the Flanks 239
  ORDER OF BATTLE 242
  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 244

OBJECTIVE: SCHMIDT

I.  ATTACK ON VOSSENACK (2 NOVEMBER) 251
    The 112th Makes the Main Effort 257
    The 2d Battalion Attacks 259
    Company G on the Left 259
    Company F on the Right 262
    Company E Mops Up 266
    Artillery in the Vossenack Attack 268
    The 1st Battalion Attacks at H Plus 3 Hours 268
    109th and 110th Infantry Regiments Attack 271
    Air Support 272
    The Enemy Situation 274
    Summary for 2 November and Night of 2-3 November 274
II.  THE MAIN EFFORT CONTINUES (3 NOVEMBER) 276
    The Spearhead Advance of Company K 277
    Company L Also Advances 281
    Company I Follows in Reserve 282
    Company M Moves to Schmidt 282
    3d Battalion Medics 282
    The Greene Hornets 283
    The 1st Battalion Follows the 3d 283
    1st Battalion Medics 285
    Artillery Support 285
    Vossenack 285
    The Engineers and the Kall Trail 286
    The Night in Schmidt 290
    109th and 110th Infantry Summaries 291
    Air Support 292
    The Enemy Situation 292
    Summary for 3 November and Night of 3-4 November 293
III.  ACTION AT SCHMIDT (4 NOVEMBER) 295
    Tanks Try To Cross the Kall 295
    Action at Schmidt 297
    Struggle With the Main Supply Route 303
    The Battle for Kommerscheidt 305
    The Kall Struggle Continues 309
    The Engineers 312
    Command and the Kall Trail 313
    893d Tank Destroyer Battalion Joins the Action 314
    Air Support 315
    109th and 110th Infantry Summaries 315
    The Enemy Situation 317
    Summary for 4 November and Night of 4-5 November 319
IV.  MORE ACTION AT KOMMERSCHEIDT (5 NOVEMBER) 321
    Tank Destroyers Try for Kommerscheidt 323
    Another Enemy Attack 323
    Events Along the Kall Trail 324
    The Tanks 324
    Action Again in Kommerscheidt 325
    Company B, 112th, Moves Up 326
    The Tank Destroyers 326
    Command in Kommerscheidt 327
    The Engineers 327
    The Greene Hornets 328
    Tank Supply 328
    Infantry Supply 329
    Tank Destroyer Supply 330
    The Medics 331
    Formation of Task Force R 332
    The Engineers 333
    The Situation in Vossenack 334
    Armor in Vossenack 336
    Artillery Support 338
    109th and 110th Infantry Summaries 339
    Air Support 339
    The Enemy Situation 341
    Summary for 5 November and Night of 5-6 November 342
V.  ACTION AT VOSSENACK (6 NOVEMBER) 344
    Armor in Vossenack 345
    Engineers in Vossenack 348
    The Situation in Kommerscheidt 348
    Task Force R 349
    Tank Demonstration in Kommerscheidt 350
    The Planned Attack on Schmidt 352
    A New Defense Attempted in Vossenack 352
    Was There a German Attack? 354
    The Armor Builds Up a Line 355
    The Engineers Act as Riflemen 357
    The Command Level 362
    The Night in Vossenack: Armor 363
    The Night in Vossenack: Engineers 363
    Medics and Engineers Along the Kall 366
    Supplies Cross the Kall 368
    Artillery and Air Support 369
    109th and 110th Infantry Summaries 371
    The Enemy Situation 371
    Summary for 6 November and Night of 6-7 November 372
VI.  ACTION AGAIN AT KOMMERSCHEIDT (7 NOVEMBER) 374
    A New Commander for the 112th 378
    Along the Kall Trail 379
    Company A, 1340th Engineers 379
    Colonel Peterson's Return Trip 380
    Attack To Retake Vossenack 381
    Task Force Davis 386
    The Tank Destroyers Try To Cross the Kall 388
    Armor in Vossenack 388
    Command 389
    Air Support 389
    The Enemy Situation 391
    Summary for 7 November and Night of 7-8 November 392
VII.  WITHDRAWAL ACROSS THE KALL (8 NOVEMBER) 393
    The Day at the Kommerscheidt Woods Line 394
    Along the Kall Trail 396
    Vossenack 397
    Withdrawal 398
    Medical Evacuation 401
    12th and 110th Infantry Summaries 404
    Artillery and Air Support 404
    The Enemy Situation 405
    Summary for 8 November and Night of 8-9 November 406
VIII.  CONCLUSION (9-20 NOVEMBER) 407
    Evacuation 409
    Summary of Closing Action 413
    The Enemy Situation 414
    Relief of the 28th Division 414
  ORDER OF BATTLE 418
  BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE 420
 
GLOSSARY 423
BASIC MILITARY MAP SYMBOLS 427
INDEX 431

MAPS

1.  Dornot Bridgehead, 8 September 1944 24
2.  Crossing at Arnaville, 10 September 1944 45
3.  Arnaville Bridgehead, 11 September 1944 58
4.  Smoke Generator Operations, 10-15 September 1944 64
5.  Bridging the Moselle, 11-14 September 1944 71
6.  German Counterattack, 12 September 1944 78
7.  Expanding the Bridgehead, Attack of 15 September 1944 91
8.  Advance Toward Mt. Altuzzo, Company A, 338th Infantry, 13 September 1944 116
9.  Artillery and Air Support Area, 13-17 September 1944 126
10.  338th Infantry Plan of Attack, 14 September 1944 133
11.  1st Battalion Attack, 14 September 1944 137
12.  "Peabody Peak," Company B on Western Ridge, 14 September 1944 152
13.  Advance to Knob 2 and First German Counterattack, Morning, 15 September 1944 180
14.  Knob 2, Situation Before Second German Counterattack, Afternoon, 15 September 192
15.  Plan of Attack, 16-17 September 1944 205
16.  Capture of Mt. Altuzzo, 16-17 September 1944 212
17.  Assault on the Bunkers, Morning, 17 September 1944 226
18.  Situation on Mt. Altuzzo, Morning, 17 September 231
19.  Company K Attack, Afternoon, 17 September 1944 237
20.  28th Division Front, Evening, 2 November 1944 270
21.  Drive on Schmidt, 3 November 1944 278
22.  The Kall Trail 287
23.  3d Battalion, 112th Infantry, Night 3/4 November 290
24.  Tanks on the Kall Trail, 4 November 1944 296
25.  The Switchback 312
26.  Intervention of German Reserves, 4 November 1944 316
27.  Situation at Dawn, 6 November 1944 340
28.  Company C, 1340th Engrs, at the Kall Bridge, Night 6/7 November 1944 367
29.  28th Division Front, Dawn, 7 November 1944 370
30.  28th Division Front, Dawn, 8 November 1944 390
31.  28th Division Front, Dawn, 9 November 1944 402
32.  Along the Kall Trail, 9 November 1944 408
33.  Plan for Closing Action, 10 November 1944 412

Maps I-XI Are in Inverse Order Inside Back Cover

I.  XX Corps, Situation, Noon, 6 September 1944  
II.  Reaching the Moselle South of Metz, 6-7 September 1944  
III.  Allied Front in Italy, 12 September 1944  
IV.  Situation in Mt. Altuzzo Area, 0600, 13 September 1944  
V.  The Aachen Front, 1 November 1944  
VI.  28th Division Objectives, 2 November 1944  
VII.  Attack on Vossenack-Jump-Off, 2 November 1944  
VIII.  Attack on Vossenack-Completion, 2 November 1944  
IX.  German Counterattack on Schmidt, 4 November 1944  
X.  Defense of Kommerscheidt, 4 November 1944  
XI.  Fight for Vossenack, 6-7 November 1944  

ILLUSTRATIONS

1.  Dornot Bridgehead Site on the Moselle 10
2.  Congestion in Dornot 15
3.  Approaching the Moselle Under Enemy Fire [1] [2] 18
4.  River Crossing Near Dornot [1] [2] 19
5.  Infantryman at Footbridge Over Railroad 33
6.  Arry 43
7.  Objectives of the 2d Battalion 48
8.  Truck-Mounted Smoke Generator in Operation 66
9.  Arnaville Crossing Site 68
10.  Double Treadway Span Across the Moselle Canal 73
11.  Treadway Bridge at River Site 2 82
12.  Heavy Ponton Bridge Across Moselle 85
13.  The Battleground 104
14.  Infantrymen in Full Field Equipment 108
15.  Relaxed Foot Soldier 114
16.  Monte Altuzzo Area 118
17.  Infantry Approach Over Open Field 120
18.  Howitzer and Tanks Moving Forward [1] [2] 127
19.  81-mm. Mortars in Position 134
20.  Jagged Crest of Western Ridge 144
21.  Camouflaged Log Bunker 145
22.  German Trench and Observation Post 161
23.  Peabody Peak 172
24.  Command Post at Paretaio Farmhouse 177
25.  Taking a Break 182
26.  Camouflaged Tank Destroyers (M-18) Moving Up 199
27.  Painting of Monte Altuzzo Area 202
28.  Enemy Casualties 209
29.  Artillery-Shelled Area 218
30.  German Matériel [1] [2] 235
31.  Break-Through 241
32.  The Schwammenauel Dam 256
33.  Vossenack 260
34.  Objective: Pillboxes [1] [2] 273
35.  Huertgen Forest 280
36.  Kall Trail Supply Route [1] [2] 298, 299
37.  German Prisoners of War 302
38.  Tank Destroyers M-10 322
39.  Immobilized Armor 351
40.  Corduroy Road 358
41.  Remains of Church at Vossenack 383
42.  Supporting Fire [1] [2] 395
43.  Cargo Carrier M-29 (Weasel) 405
44.  Evacuation of Wounded 410

All illustrations are from the files of the Department of Defense. The photograph on p. 202 is from the Department of the Army, Collection of Combat Paintings, World War II.



Transcribed and formatted by Jerry Holden for the HyperWar Foundation