THE SIEGFRIED BATTLES
RACING FOR THE SAAR
On November 20th the 607th TD Battalion was relieved from attachment to the 95th Infantry
Division and attached to the 90th Infantry Division for the second time. Company A moved their CP to
Woippy. A reconnaissance company was formed at Ste. Marie aux Chenes.
On the 21st of November the Battalion, minus the reconnaissance company, marched across the
Moselle River at Uckange and moved east to join the 90th Infantry Division. The Battalion CP moved
to Monnern (eleven miles east of Thionville) with the gun companies in adjacent towns.
The following day the Battalion was ordered to rejoin the 95th Infantry Division and on the 23rd
moved back to the Moselle River, where they were joined by the Reconnaissance Company and thence
proceeded south along the river to the vicinity of Ars Laquenexy (six miles southeast of Metz). The gun
companies assembled in towns in that general area.
As the 95th Infantry Division pushed to the northeast, the enemy fought a delaying action back
through the Maginot Line toward the Saar River and the Siegfried Line which bordered on the east side
of the Saar. In support of the 377th Infantry Regiment, Company A, with 2nd Reconnaissance Platoon
attached, moved to Volmerange with two platoons crossing the Nied River and assembling in Boulay.
Company C, with the 1st Reconnaissance Platoon attached, advanced with the 378th Infantry to Macker
with platoons at Momerstraff and Zondrange. The Battalion CP plus the Reconnaissance Company, less
two platoons, moved to Coucelles Chaussy and then to Varize. Company B, in reserve, moved to
Helstrof.
Passing through the almost undefended Maginot Line, the 1st Platoon of Company C, moving
into an assembly position east of Niedervisse, was fired upon by an enemy 75 mm AT gun. The track of
the leading destroyer was knocked off but by quick action the crew destroyed the Jerry gun and took
fourteen prisoners. Later the 1st Platoon knocked out three pillboxes and destroyed three enemy 20 mm
flak guns near Momerstraff.
The following day the Battalion CP and the Reconnaissance Company, minus two platoons,
moved to a railroad station at Teterchen (five miles northeast of Boulay).
For the remainder of the month, the companies, supporting the regiments, moved on about a
seven mile front up to within three miles of the Saar River near Saarlautern.
At one point in the advance the German artillery laid down a fierce barrage from the high,
dominating hills southeast of Falck. 1st Lt. George King of Company C was charged with defending the
town pending the arrival of reinforcing infantry. Numerically superior German infantry moved down
the southern ridge onto the town as Lt. King deployed his tank destroyer platoon with the few automatic
weapons at his disposal into a defensive position. Under a further barrage of artillery and mortars the
Germans struck stealthily, endeavoring to infiltrate the American positions, but Lt. King’s platoon
fought back fiercely and repulsed them. Again and again the enemy repeated his tactics, only to find the
defense impenetrable. Credit for the successful defense of Falck against overwhelming enemy numbers
was largely due to Lt. King’s initiative and gallantry for which he was awarded the Silver Star. To the
other Company C men awarded this medal in the vicinity of Falck were Pvt. Franklin D. Monroe, for
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