conceivable means of transportation, attempting to escape from the iron jaws. From vantage
points along the rim of the bowl, the voluminous fire from TD’S, tanks, machine guns, and rifles
continuously sprayed the valley. Cub airplanes from the Regiment’s supporting artillery kept
their hawk-eyed vigilance on the meleé below – hence the classic remark by one pilot, irritated
by the delay in firing, “Quit computin’ and start shootin’”.
Now and then a temporary truce was called to allow great numbers of beaten Krauts to
surrender. One N.C.O. alone accounted for 800. Droves upon droves were herded along roads
to Prisoner of War Camps in the rear.
The Third Battalion, at the top of the trap, bore the brunt of several German attempts to
break through an escape route north of Chambois. A fierce battle raged, but though
outnumbered by far, the Battalion stood its ground.
When the smoke cleared from the valley, there was wreckage and debris strewn for miles
and only the charred ruins of those who refused to surrender remained in what was, in reality, a
valley of death. As the vaunted Seventh Army was being annihilated in the bloody pocket, there
came welcome news that American Forces had entered Paris. Upon relief by British forces in
the Falaise Gap area, the 358th Infantry assembled north of Sees and awaited further orders.
No Gas
Early in the morning of the 26th of August, 1944, the Division hit the road again and
moved eastward one hundred and seventy miles to secure bridgeheads across the Seine River
near Fontainebleau. Famous World War I battlefields, Chateau Thierry being the most notable,
were fought over again as they continued to advance to secure the bridgehead at Rheims. Lucky
“A” company guarded the bridges of the beautiful city, while the remainder of the Regiment
carried out security missions to the east near Warmersville. Due to a severe gasoline shortage
the advance bogged down and held up movement until the 5th of September when the Third
Battalion moved to the vicinty Verdun. The remainder of the Regiment followed the next
morning. Meanwhile, transport planes flew in large quantities of gas to relieve the critical
shortage.
Rout At Mairy
On the following morning the Regiment attacked again to pursue the enemy towards the
Moselle River. The situation, however, remained extremely fluid. During the night of a of the
7th of September, an enemy armored column launched a surprise attack, hit the Division
Command Post near Mont, and then turned toward the First Battalion in the town of Mairy,
where heavy fighting ensued. In spite of his formidable armor, the enemy was stopped again; the
attack was routed and the force severely beaten. The First Battalion knocked out seven tanks and
blew more than 48 armored vehicles to kingdom come. Cannon Company accounted for itself in
the meleé, taking a devastating toll of enemy personnel with direct fire of its 105’s.
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