ACROSS FRANCE TO METZ
In September and October, the activities of the battalion, though varied, were not as spectacular
as some of our previous fighting. Many moves were made with comparatively little firing being done.
At the outset of this period, our positions were in the vicinity of Cormicy, Boult-sur-Suippe,
Beine, Nauroy, Suippes, Ste. Mneuhould, Verdun, Etain, Spincourt, Bouvrois, Duzey, Nouillonpoint,
Vandoncourt, and, Roudelaucourt.
On September 5th the battalion received its movement orders and began the long march from
Boult-sur-Suippe, to positions near Etain. The march itself was uneventful except for the crossing of the
Meuse River at Verdun, Verdun was interesting to all of the battalion because of its previous fame in the
First World War, in the last War 500,000 Frenchmen died between Verdun and Reims, and over 600,000
Germans were killed. The march took the battalion through hostile territory, and although there was no
contact with the enemy, the area had not been completely cleared of Germans. The French had taken
matters into their own hands and, armed with every conceivable type of weapon, they protected the route
for our motorized division.
The 345th closed into positions beyond Etain and still the 90th Division had not made contact
with the Krauts. The situation was fluid: little was known concerning either the enemy or friendly
disposition of troops.
Captain Huckaby, Battalion S2 (with his usual shrewd foresight) sent Lt. Stanley and his forward
observation party to the infantry near Spincourt. Lt. Stanley, the only observer present with the infantry,
was aroused early on September 6 with the cry “counterattack”. He wasted no time getting into action.
Baker Battery was laid on the town and went to work. From then on, it was “Katie bar the Door” and
“the Devil take the Krauts”.
It was on this occasion that the “Desert Fox”, Major Salisbury, made one of his most
characteristic statements to Div Arty Hqrs. Said the Fox, “I have just leveled the town of Spincourt, and
now I am burning it up.” The krauts were as surprised as we and took a sound thumping, withdrawing
before daylight. The enemy force consisted of tanks and infantry and was part of a German Panzer
division. Apparently they were unaware of our locations, and contacted had been accidental. From this
time on, the division was in constant contact with the enemy again.
For the assault on Briey, Lt. Ritenbaugh’s C Battery party of T/5 Ruiz and Cpl. Alonzo was sent
to the 2nd Battalion 357th Infantry to accompany the attack. A German Infantry battalion was holding
the town of Briey, which was situated between four hills. Any attempt to enter the town brought
immediate crossfire from enemy machine guns. The enemy could not withdraw from the town during
the daytime without being subject to heavy concentrations of artillery. The situation became stable with
both sides taking shots at each other whenever possible.
With the aid of several Frenchmen, the observers from our battalion, the 343rd FA Battalion, and
the 282nd FA Battalion were able to work over many of the buildings in which the enemy was located.
One of the Frenchmen managed to slip into town and learned the whereabouts of the more important
German installations. These included the location of the building in which the Germans stored their
munitions and supplies. The locations of the Battalion CP, the officer’s quarters, and the location of
several of their machine gun emplacements, was also learned.
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