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CHAPTER SIX - HERE WE GO AGAIN
At 1000 on the 4th day of December, 1944 the Battalion left Veckring Barracks and moved by
QM trucks to a de-trucking point near RAMMELFANGE. From here the troops marched to OBER-
LIMBERG, crossing into Germany for the second time at 1630. Company K continued on to outpost
the Saar river, while the rest of the Battalion was billeted in town. The 5th was spent briefing troops,
getting artillery fires coordinated and attending to all the other tasks necessary for a river crossing.
Finally at 0230 on the 6th of December I and L Companies began moving out of town towards
the river. To get to the Saar river from OBER-LIMBERG it was necessary to move along muddy
winding trails for about three miles and then down a very steep hill which ended at the edge of the Saar.
To merely call it a hill is an understatement – cliff would be more appropriate. It was approximately
two hundred yards from the top of it to the river’s edge and almost a straight drop down. Consequently
it was 0515 before the companies could begin crossing. By 0750 all companies were across and had
reached the shelter of some outlying houses in PACHTEN. As in the Moselle crossing, the assault
caught the Germans off guard. A German Officer who was captured in the subsequent battle told us that
we had caught them unaware because they had believed that an attack from this sector was impossible.
The engineers had a foot bridge over by 0845, but the Germans knocked it out with a terrific artillery
barrage at 1400. Accurate machine gun fire from by-passed pillboxes at the water’s edge plus heavy
concentrations of artillery and mortar fire forced a suspension of all bridge building activities. Hand
carrying of supplies utilizing cooks, Ammunition and Pioneer men, drivers and CP guards was necessary
for most of the night.
Early on the morning of the 7th, an enemy counterattack of 100 infantry and 3 tanks was
repulsed. The Battalion CP crossed over on this day as well all sorts of supplies which went into a
Battalion DP.
By the morning of the 8th we held a line running along the RR tracks which meant that about 3/4
of PACHTEN was now in our hands. At 0630 an enemy tank crossed the RR tracks and withdrew only
after receiving four direct bazooka hits. At 1000 the enemy attempted another counterattack of 100 men
and four tanks. This was broken up by artillery fire. By this time, the Saar river had overflowed its
banks and the water was almost to the edge of PACHTEN. In the afternoon the Battalion found intact a
75 mm AT gun with 22 rounds of ammunition. It was quickly put into use as the only AT gun this side
of the Saar.
Carrying parties continued building up the Battalion DP during the night and early morning. At
0500 an alligator brought over one of our 57's while at 0900 another was crossed complete with jeep.
Sgt. Ramey L. Allaire had meanwhile found a usable French car and was moving the first 57 around
with it. The companies cleared out the northeast corner of PACHTEN during the morning. At night
casualties and prisoners were evacuated while supplies were brought over.
Quite unlike the Moselle crossing, rations were no problem after the first day. Every house had a
good substantial cellar stocked full of canned meat, eggs, and canned fruit. Hearty meals were enjoyed
by all and the K rations were practically untouched in the Bn DP.
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