Counterattack At Distroff
While other forces dealt finishing blows to Metz the 358th Infantry continued its thrust southeast
with the Second and Third Battalions leading. The renowned “K” Company, “Kraut Killers”, so named
because of their reputation for killing five Krauts each, led the Third Battalion in the capture of Inglange
while the Second pushed through to Valstroff, later capturing Distroff.
After the capture of Distroff the Second Battalion was subjected to a fierce counterattack by
elements of the crack 150th Panzer Brigade. After a fierce battle, climaxed by the entry of the attached
armor of Company “B” of 773rd TD battalion and Company “A” of 712th Tank Battalion the attackers
were severely beaten and dispersed. Wrecked tanks and armored cars were everywhere to be seen and
in a field in “F” Company’s area 120 enemy dead were found. This was the punch that failed and broke
the enemy. As German forces withdrew, the Regiment was placed in Division reserve and assembled in
three towns, Luttange, Metzereche and Metzervisse.
The Gate To The Siegfried
Attachment to the 10th Armored Division on the 19th of November had the outfit retracing it
steps toward the Moselle where it turned north towards Sierck and Borg, to find the armor waiting for
the doughboy to tear down all the pillboxes, blow up all the mines and booby traps, and install a
swinging gate on the Siegfried line. Until the 27th November, the Regiment butted against the steel and
concrete Siegfried line while the armor waited for its breakthrough, and the enemy poured in fresh
troops to man the fortifications. The task proved too great for one Regiment, however, and the 358th
Infantry was withdrawn and returned to the Division in the vicinity of Veckring, France – stopping off
place before the Saar River.
Supporting Artillery of the 344th Battalion
Loading Supplies on the flooded Mozelle in Cattenom, France
near Koenigsmacher
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