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By morning of the 10th, we had three 57's across as well as five jeeps and a platoon of tanks.
The situation was definitely looking better. However, the Germans continued to shell crossing sites so
heavily that it was impossible to build a bridge. Two ferries continued to operate most of the time
covered by a thick smoke screen. The Battalion remained in a perimeter defense during the 10th and
11th while the artillery dueled.
On the morning of the 12th there was still a group of five pillboxes preventing us from making
contact with 359 on our left. To reduce these a German civilian volunteer was found. He went out
under a white flag and talked to the occupants of the main box. After much involved conversation, they
finally came out – 34 men and one officer. That night three enemy tanks were immobilized by our
artillery fire and completely disabled by tank fire in the morning. An attempt to use the same civilian to
talk the Germans out of the pillboxes to our front had to be postponed due to darkness.
At 0730 December 14 the Battalion attacked across the railroad tracks with Company L on the
[left] and Company I [on the] right. By 0830 the objective had been taken. The attack was perfectly
coordinated, combining tanks, artillery and infantry. Everything dovetailed perfectly and we suffered
only one casualty while taking 75 prisoners and reducing 5 pillboxes. The pillbox defenders were so
badly shaken up by our intense fire that some couldn’t even talk.
At 1830 Company K moved over to DILLINGEN to outpost the Regimental right flank along the
Prims river. The rest of the Battalion went into Regimental reserve on the 15th, infiltrating into an
assembly area in the NE corner of PACHTEN. The troops looked like gypsies on the move with most
men carrying multi-colored comforters, packages, etc. No sooner were we settled down than Regiment
ordered us to move behind 1st and 2nd Battalions who were on a line north of the railroad tracks in
DILLINGEN. Everyone got ready to move out when a gap developed in the Regimental left flank and
we were ordered to remain in position.
During the 16th the Battalion moved over to DILLINGEN occupying an area behind 1st and 2nd
Battalions. Photographer Capa of Life magazine came to visit the Battalion in the afternoon and wound
up staying for three days. Capt. Bryan reported to Battalion Headquarters for duty as Executive Officer
and Lt. Carraway took command of Company L.
On the 18th Company L moved up to protect 2nd Battalion’s right flank while I and K
companies remained in position. At this time higher headquarters informed us of the German Ardennes
counter-offensive, and that there was a possibility that this Division would be pulled back across the
Saar to help contain the German drive in the North. The Battalion AT platoon was disbanded and all
personnel transferred to the three rifle companies. Reconnaissance was initiated on the 19th in
preparation for a probable attack on the 20th. Our attached tanks and TD’s withdrew during the night
and moved up north to bolster 3rd Calvary’s line along the Saar. At 1600 20 December, the Regiment
S-3 informed us that we would be pulled back across the Saar river during the night. And so at 2300 the
Battalion moved down to the foot bridge site where all the troops crossed over within 55 minutes.
From here the Companies went to WALLERFANGEN, site if Franz von Papen’s’ home, and
spent what was left of the night. On the 21st the Battalion returned to OBER-LIMBERG occupying the
same positions as before except that Company L was now out posting the river. Here Major Spivey
became a Lt. Col. In all, we were across the Saar river a total of 15 days during which time the
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