Company B fired at German positions across the Rhine and Company C moved its CP and one
platoon to Metternick, just across from Koblenz and fired on the enemy in the southern part of the city.
On March 18th Company C moved across the Moselle to Lay and sent their platoons into
Koblenz with the 354th Infantry. By evening they had fired at Fort Constantine.
As the regiments moved south the Division boundary also moved south. Company B was
attached to the 28th Infantry Division and moved to Plaidt in Division reserve.
Within the next two days Koblenz was completely taken, Fort Constantine being one of the last
points to surrender. [Figure 6-3] The third Platoon of Company C fired 29 rounds of APC and HE and
the second Platoon fired 13 rounds APC and 27 rounds HE into the Fort. Immediately, 14 officers and
85 men surrendered the fort to the 345th Infantry. Then the infantry moved into the city proper
knocking out two enemy machine gun nests. During this action Sgt. Thomas C. Johnson, Company C,
was awarded the Silver Star for repairing his gun from the outside of the turret in face of vicious enemy
fire, putting it into action again in a very few minutes.
On March 22nd, after Koblenz had fallen, the companies assembled preparatory to moving.
Company B was relieved from attachment to the 28th Division.
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