Home by Christmas 1944 seemed a real possibility. It seems foolish now in retrospect but then it was a
very comforting and happy thought. And the stay here was prolonged as the 3rd Army became
immobilized when the increasing gas shortage assumed critical proportions. Air supply alleviated the
situation to some extent and by 6 Sept. full scale operations were resumed. The 3rd Army, with orders
to secure crossings of the RHINE from MAINZ to KAHLSHUHE, advanced “Corps abreast”. XII
Corps on the right or southern flank had NANCY as its immediate objective. XX Corps on the left
drove for METZ. The 712th and 90th, as part of the XXth, were to advance northeast of VERDUN and
cross the MOSELLE at THIONVILLE, while the 5th Inf. Div. and the 7th Armd., further right, were to
make straight for METZ. The Battalion rolled 95 miles through World War I sites – VERDUN and
ARGONNE FOREST – and on 7 Sept. reached a bivouac area near MAIRY just as an ME 109 swooped
in at tree-top level. All Cos. were within 1000 yards of each other and, still somewhat complacent, set
up only light security outposts. At 0300 the Boche struck, hitting the 90th Div. Arty. CP which was out-
posted by a section of A Co. tanks. He struck with a full column and the A Co. tanks accepted the
challenge. The resulting explosions and tracers alerted the whole area and no sooner had all men in the
area jumped to readiness than 5 Mark V tanks, 1 half-track and a reconnaissance car broke through and
came down the road between A and B Cos., neither being able to fire for fear of damaging the other. C
Co. tanks were quickly dispatched to guard the 90th Div. CP, just adjacent to the Arty. CP. By daybreak
all units in the area were ready to smash this Heine effort and, through the coordinated activities of
tanks, doughs, artillery and TDs, did. C Co. and Hq. 105s inflicted particularly devastating blows, while
A and B Cos. did their share of damage. Even an engineless Serv. Co. tank was manned and fired. (See
Chart p. 27 for details of the engagement.) By the day's end the newly formed and equipped 106th
Panzer Brigade was completely destroyed. Captured documents later revealed that its mission had been:
“Annihilate armored spearhead of 90th Inf. Div.” But the tables had been turned and the score showed:
30 tanks, 60 half-tracks, and over 100 miscellaneous vehicles captured or knocked out, and 764
prisoners taken. From this date on the 712th was known as the “Armored Fist of the 90th” and Lt. Gen'l.
McLain had not overestimated the strength of his attached tanks when, in rejecting an offer to use a
Combat Command of one of the Armd. Divisions, he had with conscious humor replied: “No, thank you.
I have the 712th Armd. Division.”
“They Parteed Beaucoup Quick”
The 712th Would Finally Travel 3,750 Miles in Combat
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