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Remember Chambois? This town at the end of the "Balcony of Death" was taken by the Second
Battalion and held despite stiff resistance by enemy armor and infantry. Remember the streams of prisoners
in this town? They were flowing to the PW cage day and night.
We will never forget the historical dash across France, as we struck out across the highways toward
Germany. "Attack" and "Move Forward" was the only thought of G.I. Joe. Remember the cheering throngs
of Frenchmen, women, and children, as they gave us green apples, wine, and cognac and we gave them
cigarettes, chocolate, etc....? Such things as liberating a whole nation are not easily forgotten. Every man
had a certain amount of pride in himself and in his buddies, and many weren't ashamed to shed a few tears to
see other people made hysterically happy.
Few will forget the dust of the unpaved roads, the mud and the sweat, the aching feet in the swollen
eyes, the lack of rest. Few want to forget those things. As miserable as they were at the time, each man has
pride in himself for doing a good job under trying conditions. We were all concentrating on keeping the
Heinies on the move -- backwards! As long as we kept them on the run they couldn't fight back very
effectively, and we kept pushing, until that day in September when we ran into strongly fortified positions
just outside Metz. Metz was a fortress that in all history had never been taken. We showed the Germans that
there are was no impenetrable fortress as far as we were concerned. Although we had to dig in outside of
Metz and wait for our thin supply lines to build up, we struck through the enemy's main defense line and
onto the Moselle River, the crossing of which was considered one of the finest and most efficient military
operations in history.
Crossing the Moselle on November 9, 1944 was a complete surprise to the Germans. The initial
assault by the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 359th was followed by stiff resistance. The situation became
extremely difficult for bringing men and supplies across. By smooth and brave maneuvering in the enemy
was held off until our reinforcements arrived, and the beachhead across the Moselle was securely and
definitely won.
Remember the Siegfried Line? The 90th Division had to fight for every foot of ground to the Saar
River at Dillingen. Fighting through one of the thickest belts of pillboxes in the Siegfried Line was probably
the most difficult battle the 359th Infantry went through. Enemy weapons of all kinds were zeroed in on the
entire area. Cold, sleet, snow, frostbite, frozen feet and hands, as well as terrific enemy small arms and
artillery fire, made this campaign one of the bitterest ever fought. Remember how the companies, battalions,
and regiments, fought desperately for their strategic positions? Enemy troops would infiltrate in recapture
pillboxes we had once fought for and won. It took the combined efforts of our biggest and best guns,
including the 240, to neutralize the pillboxes. Then came the "Bulge", and the 90th was ordered to shorten
its lines drawback to protect its flank. Remember?
Moving to the southern side of the "Bulge" on the 7th of January 1945 the 90th went to the assistance
of our beleaguered troops, who were disorganized by the sudden fury of the "Bulge". On the morning of the
9th the 359th Infantry went into the attack. Hampered by snow and cold, as well as by seasoned enemy
troops the forward progress of our regiment was somewhat impeded. The fanatical hopes of the enemy to
reach the sea, had to be beaten out of him slowly but surely. In spite of heavy losses, the regiment drove
ahead through the rolling, forest matted Ardennes. The towns that fell behind one by one were: Berle,
Longvilly, Troisvierges, etc.... finally after three weeks of sweating, freezing, and fighting under the most
difficult conditions and terrain, the "Bulge" was gone. The final effort of the German Army had been
stopped, and bleeding and dying, Germany knew she would never rise again. She knew now that she was
fighting against a superior army, and her resistance had slowed down considerably after the "Bulge".
Remember when we went back to the Siegfried Line again on the 6th of February? The difference in
enemy resistance? In most instances it was lighter and weaker, but we caught heavy artillery and tank fire.
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