14
By the 12th of July, the Germans had withdrawn and the Battalion, now consisting of but four
officers and 126 men in the three rifle companies, advanced some 3000 yards to the vicinity of La
Valaisserie with only slight resistance from a few enemy snipers.
In the subsequent evacuation of dead in the Foret de Mont Castre, over fifty dead of the Third
Battalion were taken from the forest and fields by Battalion Evacuation Squads. Other units were also
working in the area so that the total dead was considerably higher. According to the Regtl. GRO the
German dead were at least twice as numerous, although they had evacuated many of their dead on the
night of the 9th.
Major General Landrum, then CG 90th Division, stated to the Regimental Staff and Battalion
commanders that he believed that the breakthrough in the forest by the 3rd Battalion, 358th Infantry on
10 July 1944, was the factor which undermined the German resistance and caused it to crumble along
the rest of the Division front.
Between the 12th and 15th, the Battalion moved up to the Seves river where a defensive line was
set up. Finally, on 15 July 1944 this Battalion went into Division reserve in the town of Gorges. Here
some very sorely needed replacements were received, showers and new clothes were provided and hot
chow was served. The Companies remained here until the 19th when this Battalion relieved the 3rd Bn.
of 359 holding a line along the Seves river between the towns of NAV and SEVES. Directly across the
river from our lines was an area of land enclosed completely by two branches of the river Seves. This
received the name “The Island,” and was saturated with German defenses. This river line was held for
four days in face of very heavy artillery and mortar shellings. On the 23rd the Battalion moved back to
a reserve area [in the] vicinity of GONFREVILLE where all companies received frequent long range
shellings.
July 25th found the sky full of planes. Our bombers were returning from working over the
enemy in front of ST LO. On this day the Battalion again took over the Seves river line defense with I
and L Companies on line. It was here that we learned it was impractical to feed hot chow to front line
positions. Enemy observers evidently had perfect observation on all positions, extending to areas well
in the rear. When men gathered in one field several hedgerows to the rear of the front lines to start
serving hot chow the big guns began to roar and the entire field was pulverized with flying lead. From
that time on only K and C rations were fed the troops, except when well to the rear.
It was also in this position that the 1st and 2nd Bns. of 358th Inf., made an ill fated frontal assault
on the “Island”, while the third remained in reserve. The fighting here was so intense that soon both
banks of the river were lined with dead and wounded. Under a white flag, Chaplains Stohler and Esser
arranged a three hour truce with the Germans for evacuation of wounded. Losses for both sides were so
heavy that the entire truce was spent giving first aid and evacuating the wounded, by medics and
volunteer litter-bearers from the 3rd Battalion.
On the 26th, we continued in defensive positions while the other two regiments of this Division
attempted to encircle the “Island.” This maneuver was quite successful for in the next day our patrols
reported Jerry had evacuated the “Island”, leaving behind a maze of mines and booby traps. It was one
of these mines that was responsible for the death of Lt. Robert T. Isenberg, Battalion Motor Officer.
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