THE BRIDGEHEAD
A tremendous job now lay before the Division. Two barriers were in their path; namely, the Saar
River and the Siegfried Line. This portion of the West Wall lying in front of the 95th Division was as
thick as any point on the western front.
The Division continued to close on the Saar, meeting small arms, mortar, artillery, and direct
fire. If the roads were not blocked by anti-tank ditches, they were blocked by mines and AT guns.
On December 1st a tank held up the infantry at Ste. Barbara (three miles northwest of
Saarlautern). The tank was situated so that direct fire could not be brought on it without suicidal
exposure to its fire. A bazooka team, under Sgt. Roy E. Holcomb, crawled toward the enemy tank.
Covered by friendly small arms fire, the team moved to within 75 yards of the tank and opened fire, but
without effect. Sgt. Holcomb approached from another direction and when he was 50 yards from the
tank he again opened fire, partially disabling it and causing it to retreat. As he made his way back to his
platoon, another enemy tank moved into the position previously occupied by the one he had damaged.
Thereupon, armed with a bazooka, he again crawled toward the tank and fired four rounds at it and
partially disabled it but was killed by return fire. His courageous determination and his heroic devotion
to duty were of the highest order. In recognition of his heroism he was awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross. Further attempts to destroy the tank by bazooka fire failed. Lt. Knapp, the platoon
leader, then directed Sgt. Rollins, destroyer commander, to fire several rounds of 90mm through the
buildings in the direction of the tank. S/Sgt. Schoessler (then Cpl.), gunner, dismounted from the
destroyer and made a foot reconnaissance to determine the gun-target line through the buildings. He
reentered the destroyer and fired several rounds into the building adjacent to the tank. Again
dismounting and going forward through heavy enemy mortar and small arms fire, Sgt. Schoessler
ascertained the effect of his fire, returned and fired four additional rounds in the direction of the tank.
This firing created a smoke-dust cloud which enabled the destroyer to be moved to a more advantageous
position to bring direct fire to bear on the tank. Four more rounds fired through the smoke-dust cloud at
the tank caused it to burst into flames. For his initiative and outstanding bravery S/Sgt. Schoessler was
awarded the Silver Star.
Saarlautern, a city of some thirty thousand people, lies mainly on the west side of the Saar River,
with the suburbs of Fraulautern and Saarlautern-Roden just east of the river. When the 95th Division
reached the outskirts of the Saarlautern two of the three bridges crossing the Saar in the city had been
blown; the one still intact being in the center of town.
The plan of attack was to occupy part of Saarlautern and then with a reserve force shoot across
the bridge and establish a bridgehead before the enemy could blow it.
Company A supporting the 377th Infantry Regiment, was the first to reach the Saar. On
December 2nd their 1st and 3rd Platoons moved to Beaumaris (just north of Saarlautern) and prepared to
support any crossing of the river.
Company B sent its 3rd Platoon with the 2nd Battalion 379th Infantry Regiment in their assault
of Saarlautern and the 1st Platoon moved to the rear of the assaulting Battalion of the 379th and
prepared for an early crossing.
On the night of December 2nd, the 379th sent the 1st Battalion across the river in boats, killed
the guard on the northeast end of the bridge and cut the wires to the demolition charge. It consolidated
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