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CHAPTER FIVE - ASSAULTING THE MOSELLE
The morning of 1 November 1944 was cold and hazy – a preview of weather to come – as the
Battalion was relieved by the 63rd Armored Infantry Battalion, 10th Armored Division. Moving by
motor, the troops passed through MARS LE TOUR, and BRIEY, finally stopping in FILLIERS. Here
for the next five days the Companies went through a rigorous training program with river crossing
exercises predominating. A few movies, church services and hot showers afforded some relaxation.
Captain Burns was transferred to Division Headquarters as assistant G-3. He was succeeded by 1st Lt.
Donald D. Benedict.
Traveling under secret orders, all companies loaded up at 1400 and moved to LUDLANGE.
From here, following a hot supper, the Battalion loaded up again and moved to SOETRICH where they
de-trucked. After a 21/2 hour March through a heavy rain and in a pitch black night, troops arrived at
some German barracks just at the southern edge of the Foret de Cattenom. It was here on the 8th that
the troops were informed that tomorrow at 0330 this Division would force a crossing of the Moselle
river with the reduction of Fortress METZ as the Corps’ ultimate objective.
Beginning at 0115 on the 9th November 1944, the Battalion moved on down to the river bank
carrying assault boats they had picked up in CATTENOM. By 0330 the leading elements had reached
the river and were preparing to cross. Enemy activity was remarkably absent. By 0347 both L and K
Companies were across – with no opposition reported. At 0409 the assault Companies had reached the
railroad tracks about ½ kilometer in from the shore. Lt. Colonel Bealke returned to the Battalion CP in
CATTENOM at 0505 with a hand wound and said that the crossing had been undiscovered but not
unopposed. Captain Spivey left immediately to take command of the Battalion. At the same time, the
Germans woke up and began throwing artillery all along the river and up and down all approaches to it.
By 0720 the crossing site was under heavy machine gun fire from a by-passed pillbox as well as intense
artillery fire.
A forward CP and aid station were established in a cement factory on the east side of the river by
1300. Wire communications across the river were established by 1655 while the A and P platoon
continued getting supplies across and wounded back using an improvised ferry.
By the night of the 9th, the Moselle had overflowed its banks and the current was now so swift as
to make river crossing almost impossible in assault boats. Wire communication was irretrievably
washed away. The Battalion had suffered over fifty known casualties and had reached a point about 3½
km in from the river. Company K on the left and L on the right were the assault companies while
Company I mopped up in their rear. During the night the Germans threw in very heavy concentrations
of artillery at all positions from the West Bank of the river clear up to the front line companies.
On the 10th and 11th, the Battalion continued the advance in face of increasingly stubborn
resistance. The Ammunition and Pioneer platoon under Lt. Elwell plus Lts. Vann and Goodman and 1st
Sgt. Polito managed to get rations and ammunition across, utilizing some power launches they had
‘scrounged’ from the Engineers. This was done in spite of a still rising river which by now was almost
250 yards wide. Carrying parties consisting of cooks, CP guards, GRO squad and all other available
personnel were used to carry supplies forward from the Battalion dump. This was necessary as there
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