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39
CHAPTER TEN - HERE DO WE GO FROM HERE
On 18 April the Battalion set off on a seven day chase which covered a distance of 123
kilometers and netted over 500 prisoners.  We passed through OBER-WEISSENBACH, BRAND,
FALKENBERG, ELLENBACH, WALDTHURN and ESLARN.  During this chase the Battalion
encountered only negligible resistance while moving through terrain ranging from open and solid to tree
covered swamps.  The German concentration camp at FLOSSENBURG was liberated on the 23rd with a
mere 1163 of the original 16,000 prisoners still there.  The others had either been moved away or killed. 
Among the more important personalities held here were Joseph Stalin’s son, a British General, the
former Prince of Bavaria, and a large number of French officers.  A Messerschmidt factory was also
found on the camp grounds.
During the morning of the 25th the Battalion assembled in ESLARN and watched the 359th Inf.
roll past.  Companies I and K moved out in the afternoon and set up six road blocks along the Czech-
German border while Company L and the Battalion CP moved to DIETERSDORF.
The 42nd Cavalry Squadron relieved Company K on the morning of the 26th and they went into
Battalion reserve while Company L left to set up three road blocks south of Company I.  A patrol
encountered 50 Germans in SCHWARZBACH.  The patrol withdrew under fire and then issued the
Krauts a 15 minute ultimatum, which was refused.  So, the town was leveled and 97 Krauts taken
prisoner.
The 1st Battalion relieved us on the 27th and we assembled in the vicinity of HILTERSRIED as
Regimental reserve.  Here the Battalion stayed for three days during which time troops saw a USO
show, movies, attended church services and generally rested up.
May 1st the Battalion was motorized and moved out to a de-trucking area just short of
HASELBACH, Czechoslovakia.  Our mission was to break through nearly 8 kilometers of woods and
thereby secure a dominating mountain ridge.  From the de-trucking point, I and K Companies moved up
to an LD passing through elements of the 2nd Battalion .  Then with Company K moving along the north
side of the WALDMUNCHEN-DOMAŽLICE road and Item Company moving along the south side the
last hard fight of the Battalion began.  The enemy strongly defended the road knocking out two of our
tanks and inflicting 34 casualties, including six dead.  By dark, I and K had reduced three road blocks,
destroyed one Mark IV tank, taken 110 prisoners and cleared six kilometers of extremely dense woods. 
As it was impossible to form any kind of a defensive line along the road two companies buttoned up in a
perimeter defense around CAPARTICE.  Striking out at 0735 the next morning the companies
encountered no resistance as they advanced to KLENTSCH – our part of the Regimental objective. 
Company K then proceeded to outpost the town while I relieved the 2nd Battalion in CHODOV and
outposted that town.
The 38th Inf., 2nd Division relieved us the next morning and the Bn. moved to an assembly area
some 20 miles to the south.  From here the Battalion struck out toward KIRCHAITNACH on the 4th. 
The area around KIRCHAITNACH is one of widely scattered single buildings, resulting in the Bn.
being spread out over nearly 12 square miles.  Here Major Bryan received his well earned Lt. Colonelcy.
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