METZ – TO – SAAR
Mazierres finally fell after hard house-to-house fighting. Our Battalion remained in position near
Montois until the 1st of November when the 90th Division was relieved by the newly arrived 95th
Infantry Division, We retired to a rest and training area near Avillers. Just as it looked as though we
were in for a real training period, schedule and all, we were alerted for movement. We were ready to go,
for our motors and material had received a thorough going over, and our billets were French farm houses
with the habitual manure pile in the front yard. We felt that the war had not been going on very fast
while we rested.
Our observers were well acquainted with the Moselle River after having observed it for several
days from observation posts in the Maginot line near Thionville. Now we found that the 90th was to
cross that river and surround Metz by meeting the 5th Division 15 km east of the city. With the utmost
secrecy the 345th made a night, blackout march of 30 miles on November 5th to the vicinity of Boust.
Here the Battalion took up well camouflaged positions in the woods. Vehicles were kept in position and
movement was kept to a minimum until the morning of the crossing. At 0330 on the morning of
November 9th the assault boats started across the River. Canonneers were standing by and at 0350,
when the element of surprise was lost and the Heinie’s new that we were coming, they started firing in
support of the crossing. By six in the morning 249 rounds had been fired at Basse-Ham and the
surrounding area. Our firing continued constantly in support of the hard pressed Infantrymen who were
having to fight the flooded river as well as the enemy. The Moselle was having one all its worst floods
in years and the bridges would not stay in; the combination of high water and continuous shelling
prevented any successful bridging operation.
All ammunition and supplies had to go over in boats and the situation was critical. Some badly
needed medical supplies and explosives were flown over and dropped by our liaison pilots who flew into
small arms range to accomplish their mission. Finally a bridge was finished across the turbulent
Moselle. The approaches to the bridge, however, were underwater; and ordinary vehicles could not
make the crossing.
The 345th came to the rescue. Our tractors worked long hours night and day to tow loaded
supply trailers across the flooded bridge. The badly needed supplies were delivered to the infantry.
Major Guthrie supervised the work and was awarded the Silver Star. T/5 Veriegge received the Silver
Star; also Captain Thomas, Sgt. Ernst, and T/5's Ruiter, Hiemstra, Dougherty, and Kikoski received the
Bronze Star for their excellent work.
After super-human work by all of the members of the Division, the enemy cracked and was
forced to pull back on the high ground overlooking the river.
On the afternoon of the 13th Colonel Norris led his reconnaissance party into a boat and crossed
the Moselle through the artificial smokescreen to make a foot reconnaissance of the position which the
battalion would occupy the next day. On the morning of November 14th the 345th crossed the river and
prepared for action in the town of Koenigsmacker. Our battalion CP was in the railroad station. That
night the town was shelled heavily and the CP building received a hit and several other near misses.
One incoming shell set a Service Battery ammunition truck on fire in the rear of the building. Sgt.
Batinovich, Cpl. McDarment, Cpl. Finegan, and Private Carlson, of Service Battery extinguished the fire
and later were awarded the Bronze Star Medals for their act.
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