ensuing days, the advance was steady against scattered resistance. The courage and fighting
ability of the French soldiers using American equipment was superb. Burned out Sherman and
enemy tanks found facing each other at close range gave mute evidence of the manner in which
the French had gone in at close quarters with the enemy and destroyed him.
Making an already bad situation worse, air power was literally paralyzing the enemy. He
did not enjoy the privilege of being able to the deploy his forces in such a manner as to halt the
Allied onslaught which was cutting his supply lines and routes of retreat. Moreover, the state of
his communications did not allow him the knowledge of where to deploy these forces.
By the 19th, the Regiment had reached a point near Exmes, west of Chambois, and taken
up positions to conform with the mission of stopping the entrapped the Germans from breaking
out. In fulfilling this mission, the battalions met with nothing but success. The enemy made
repeated fanatical surges against the line in desperate attempts to escape, but his fate was already
sealed. The end was the same – dead Germans and burning vehicles lined the roads and covered
the fields. Artillery fire was particularly effective during this operation throwing precaution to
the winds and motivated only by an hysterical desire to escape from the pocket of death, the
Germans lined up their tanks and vehicles bumper to bumper on the roads, often 2 abreast. They
were rapidly reduced to junk by prepared artillery concentrations.
By the 21st, the last sparks of resistance by the entrapped Germans were burning out.
The Regiment, having completed its job here, was relieved by elements of the 11th British
Armored Division. What had once been the proud German Seventh Army of over 150,000 men
was now undergoing the last stages of a process of complete annihilation. During this 10-day
operation, the 357th captured over 1200 prisoners, killed countless others, and destroyed scores
of vehicles. During that period, the Regiment suffered a total of only 30 casualties, including 4
dead. Besides the American and French forces, elements of a Polish Armored Brigade, as well
as the British 11th Armored Division, were operating in the immediate vicinity and had been
contacted by the Regiment. This was truly an Allied operation. It was in this manner the huge
and powerful Wehrmacht was whittled down by the Allies and finally defeated.
The German line west of the Seine River had completely collapsed. America armored
columns were lunging eastward at unprecedented speed and Allied air power was hourly raking
the wildly fleeing enemy. To some, imminent victory in the west seemed certain. It was now a
race against time.
In view of this situation, the Corps now had the mission of proceeding to Fontainbleau,
167 miles to the east, and crossing and securing the Seine River at that point.
Following the completion of this mission on the 26th without encountering opposition,
the XX Corps was assigned the famous city of Rheims as the next objective. The 7th Armored
Division was to spearhead, with the 90th and 5th Infantry Divisions clearing the left and right
flanks respectively. The 357th again was selected to spearhead the Division, and moved out on
the 28th. This drive carried through territory which had been the scene of such bloody and costly
battles during World War I. This time, however, the Germans did not see fit or, more likely,
were not able to defend the beautiful defensive terrain.
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