The Boche not only fought defensively; strengthened by the addition of various paratrooper units
he made frequent and ferocious counterattacks. The 712th did not withdraw her tanks at night but held
them out on the perimeters with the doughs, guards kept their bolts back and their safetys off. Foxholes
were being subjected to both friendly and hostile shelling and frequently engaging in hand to hand
fighting. On this same day B Co. drove to the SEVES RIVER. And on 13 and 14 July A Co. working
with the 8th's 13th Regt. struck rapidly forward. Resistance was beginning to crumble although it had
not yet been shattered as one platoon discovered when encouraged – by success – it pushed well out in
front of the infantry and avoided encirclement only by speedy and skillful maneuvering.
The MAHLMAN LINE was broken. For 9 continuous days and nights the 712th had fought
without respite against a determined and entrenched enemy and its wounds notwithstanding had
emerged victorious, seasoned and high-spirited. The Americans were pouring men and equipment onto
the peninsula, building up the momentum and power for Operation “Cobra” – the break-through.
Already the 712th had made great contributions to the preliminaries. But the big picture meant little or
nothing to the tanker. To him each field mirrored the entire battle area; each hedgerow gained had been
a campaign in itself. He had learned to sleep in the tank half on the alert; to sleep when the chatter of a
burp gun seemed only several hundred yards away. He had developed almost a 7th sense in detecting
the approaching accuracy of Heine artillery. He had become familiar with death and mutilation. And
slowly he was grasping a tank-infantry technique which in time functioned with a precision unparalleled
in the ETO.
On 14 July the Battalion was reassigned to the 90th and spent the next seven days in
maintenance, reorganization and briefing for the next onslaught. Despite enemy shells which continued
to harass the area, for the first time the tankers had a real rest-time to read and write letters, take
showers, change clothes, rehash experiences with members of other platoons. The dead horses and cows
which littered the entire combat area were swept away and buried. The telephone lineman could finally
rest assured that for several days their wires would not be clawed up by tank tracks. The few hardy
Normans who had managed to survive the struggle emerged from their cellars to gaze aghast at the ruins
which once formed a cozy home and to offer the various drinks they had distilled from the apples which
grew in abundance everywhere in this area.
Early in the morning of 22 July the 90th launched its attack on the SEVES ISLAND, with A Co.
supporting the assault troops of the 358th and B Co. and Hq. 105s firing indirect. The approaches to the
ISLAND were barren and much depended on a rapid overrunning of this area. The Boche was well set
for this move and blocked the advance of our troops with accurate and heavy fire of all types. For 5
days and nights the battle raged. At times footholds would be gained on the ISLAND, only to be lost
again. A Co. attempted to cross the swamp and stream but was forced to withdraw. B Co., performing
its own surveying and operating its own fire direction center, fired 5560 rounds of HE into vital spots.
Every energy was directed toward reducing the unexpectedly strong position so that “Cobra” could be
initiated. And finally the tankers and doughs slogged forward, immeasurably assisted by the more-than-
welcome dive bombing P-47s. The pressure they exerted could not be withstood and the ISLAND was
stormed and taken on 27 July. On that same day D Co., supporting 359, exploited the victory and
overran the key town of PERIERS bumping into several Heine tanks which were quickly dispatched
with the help of one platoon from B Co.
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