RHINE BATTLES
THE APPROACH
The Division advanced slowly eastward along a six mile front extending from
Kronenburgerhutte to Neuendorf being held up frequently by mines, blown bridges and artillery. On
March 6th the 3rd Platoon Company C and the pioneer platoon was attached to Task Force Muir, which
had the mission of capturing a bridge across the Kyll River near Lissendorf, 10 miles away. They
advanced rapidly against some artillery and mortar fire and by noon had reached Lissendorf, only to
have the bridge blown up in their faces. The third Platoon fired at enemy across the river while the
Pioneer Platoon built a foot bridge over which the infantry crossed. The stream was shallow enough to
be forded by vehicles. The remainder of Company C marched in column to the Kyll.
Company A, moving behind the Task Force, and supporting the 347th Infantry, established its
CP at Lissendorf. By March 7th the Battalion CP and Reconnaissance CP had advanced through Roth
and Shonberg to Lissendorf. Task force Muir and the remaining elements of the 345th Infantry crossed
the Kyll river and continued to advance to the northeast through Wiesbaum., where the pioneers were
released, thence towards the Ahr River. Company A advanced across the river and continued as far as
Ripsdorf and Hungersdorf, while Company B continued toward Stadtkyll, crossed the river, and took
Esch and Feusdorf. By March 9th the Division had cleared the area to the Ahr River. Beyond this other
units had raced almost to the Rhine. During the next five days, the Battalion remained in the same
dispositions with all companies conducting maintenance.
On March 14th the Division was ordered to march to a position facing Koblenz. The Battalion
CP, plus Reconnaissance Company minus three platoons, moved to the Bassenheim railroad station, five
miles west of Koblenz, a distance of 80 miles.
Koblenz, a city with a pre-war population of 90,000 people, lies in the triangle formed by the
Moselle River flowing northeast into the Rhine which flows north. The next mission of the 87th
Division was to take this historic city. All bridges across the Moselle leading to the city had been blown
isolating it from the west.
Arriving in this new area, Company A with the 2nd Reconnaissance Platoon attached, stopped in
the vicinity of Ochtendung, Company B, with the 3rd Reconnaissance Platoon attached, assembled at
Rubenach, and Company C, with the 1st Reconnaissance Platoon attached, went into position near
Mulheim-Karlich.
On March 16th Company A moved south to the Moselle River to Koburn and Winningen and
supported the infantry’s crossing that night. The next two days the 347th Infantry advanced southeast
towards the Rhine, with Company A knocking out several roadblocks and killing enemy personnel
defending them. On March 17th the 2nd Platoon Reconnaissance Company with a task force of two
TD’s from Company A, two tanks and an infantry platoon, was halted by a roadblock. When small arms
fire was received from well-entrenched dominating positions, Pfc. Novakovich, on his own initiative,
moved up the hill in an attempt to outflank the enemy. Capturing one German he returned with a
prisoner to secure prompt interrogation. [Figure 6-1, Figure 6-2] He then led two comrades in a fierce
and successful assault upon the enemy positions, killing several Germans and forcing others to
withdraw. For his gallantry and leadership Pfc. Novakovich was awarded the Silver Star.
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