a fierce German counter attack the day previous. The German dead littered the fields, as well as many of
their vehicles and field pieces.
We moved the next evening to Beiler, in a well-regulated convoy carried out at dusk. There was
a full moon, which enabled us to move into position fairly easily. We were only a few hundred yards
from the front lines, and experienced sporadic shelling by the Krauts.
We received a truck from Ordnance the next day – and really welcomed it – as it simplified our
moving. We moved again on January 31 to Weweler, again in Belgium. The division was occupying
holding positions, protecting the right flank of the VIII Corps, to which we had been newly assigned
from the III Corps. Everyone was tense – listening and reading of the Russian gains on the Eastern Front
– and waiting for a blow to fall from the powerful forces in the West – directed against the crumbling
Wehrmacht. We received one remaining truck from Ordnance – and the Communications section was
enthused and proceeded to again install the radio equipment. We were again up to strength in vehicles
and ready for what we hoped would be the final phase of the War.
We remained in our positions at Weweler while the division built up strength to affect a crossing
of the Our River. The crossing was made and on February 5 we moved across the river to the vicinity of
Bleialf where we set up a defense around the railroad station. The weather was cold and we had
continual rain. The roads were in very poor shape, in some spots impassable. Pvt. Canavey rejoined us
on 7 February. He left us in August at St. Hilaire. On February 9 we moved up again. This time through
the Dragons Teeth barriers to the Siegfried Line town of Brandscheid. The town had been captured by
our doughboys, after a hard fight, and many pillboxes had been destroyed by direct laying of our assault
guns. The Battery C. P. was set up in a bunker, and several of the sections were using them for shelters.
We remained in these positions until 17 February, while the division was preparing to flank the
Siegfried defenses in a daring move to the South then turning to the East. We slipped to the south a few
thousand yards to set up in the vicinity of Habscheid. It was another Siegfried line town; full of
pillboxes, and the ever-present line of Dragons Teeth at its Western side. The weather had cleared
considerably – and we saw great numbers of our aircraft operating in our area. They were mostly
heavies with escort, and some German installations were certainly taking a terrific pounding. On
February 20, three replacements joined us. T/4 Campion, Pfc. Sorter, and Pfc. Sanderson. Campion went
to the Communication section, Sorter to B7 and Sanderson to B2, The 21st of February marked the start
of our drive which was to eventually take us to the Rhine. It meant constant movement, but we
welcomed it. We moved first to the vicinity of Ober Uttfeld, a small town in the midst of the Siegfried
defenses. B1 was shelled by a self propelled gun when they arrived, and Pfc. Gaudet, and Pfc.
Kostanczuk were wounded when a shell hit on the parapet of their machine gun pit. They were both
evacuated, but we were assured that they would recover. We moved the next day to Binscheid. The
following day we went to Arzfeld, where we were relieved by the 6th Armored Division and placed in
Corps reserve. On 25 February we moved to the rear in the vicinity of Walimerath. The 2d Platoon set
up a defense of the area, and the 1st Platoon went into Bivouac. We were out of range of enemy artillery
fire for the first time since mid-August. We had several movies, the men all had a chance to visit, play
cards and clean up. All the guns were checked, and the equipment was cleaned and organized. Everyone
had a shower at an army shower set-up a few miles from our position.
On March 1st, the 1st Platoon relieved the 2d Platoon in the defensive positions at the rest area.
Everyone was enjoying the change, and we tried to take full advantage of the rest, knowing something
big was in the wind. On March 2 three of our old men, previously evacuated, were returned to duty.
They were Pfc. Bruce, Pfc. Knight, and Pvt. Culp. On March 4th we started on our offensive designed to
carry us over the Prum and Kyll Rivers and to spring our armor loose to the Rhine. We left Wallmerath
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