BATTLE OF CENTRAL EUROPE
Cleaning out the west bank of the MOSELLE was an easy task, although C Co. ran into a hot
spot at LOF. For one month the Boche had been unable to use defensive terrain positions and had only
resisted locally – from town to town. Reaching the broad MOSELLE at HATZENPORT and
MOSELKERN, where contact was made with the 5th Inf., the tankers speculated on whether the Boche
had the power and the will to use this natural barrier effectively. The orders were to cross, advance
southeast and seize a bridgehead across the NAHE RIVER between BAD KREUZNACH and BINGEN.
If the past three weeks were any indication, then all that would be met would be snipers, roadblocks and
occasionally a nest of fanatics. On 14 March the doughs went across, meeting at the outset very little
opposition. But there were still Heines with some will to win and the 1211th Regt. of the 159th VG Div.
struck the 359th at MORSHAUSEN. The situation became tense, but B Co. tanks, crossing by ferry,
rushed up and quickly routed the attackers. The engineers, working this time in comparative ease, soon
had a pontoon bridge up and the rest of the tanks, under cover of darkness but assisted by the newly
developed artificial moonlight, debouched across to join their respective regiments. What little enemy
forces there were facing A and B Cos. on the Division's right flank quickly collapsed and again the
tanks, loaded with doughs, were dashing from town to town. But on the left, where C Co. and 357 were,
it was another story. The 6th SS Mountain Division had decided to hold PFAFFENHECK and were
making the tankers and doughs pay a heavy price. PFAFFENHECK and the neighboring BUCHOLZ
were not cleared until 16 March, at which time C Co. tanks, taking the initiative and working with
masterly skill, stormed the positions and seized as booty forty-eight 20 mm., four 40 mm. and eight 88
mm. guns.
Meanwhile on 15 March “Patton's Famous Fourth Armored” passed through the Division's
bridgehead and, with B Co. and 359 attached, began to cut swathes in the German ranks, assisted by
XIX Tactical Air Command which took advantage of the first rainless days in March. The Boche was
scurrying east to the RHINE and all American units were extending themselves to prevent any
wholesale escape across that mighty river. The 87th Inf. had crossed the MOSELLE in the north and
turned northeast toward COBLENZ. The 4th Armd. had encircled BAD KREUZNACH, which B Co.
and 359 mopped up. On 17 March Task Force Speiss went on a rampage, accepted the surrender of ST.
GOAR, reached the RHINE and fired across it into retreating columns. And on the next day with A Co.
and 358 it cleaned out all territory east of the NAHE and south of BINGEN. 19 March found A Co.
with 358 and B Co. with 359 – now back under Division control – fording across the NAHE. They
carved a bridgehead 6 miles deep, only mildly hampered by scattered flurries of the limping Luftwaffe.
Then Task Force Speiss, broken down into three components – Task Forces Wagnon, Dye and Kelly –
broke loose again, making a 10 mile plunge in 6 hours and meeting only spotty resistance, with Task
Force Wagnon hauling in 500 prisoners in one day. On 20 March this Task Force was sent to block and
protect the southeastern flank which had become exposed by a widening gap as the 4th Armd. moved
southeast toward WORMS and the 90th northeast toward MAINZ. On this same day A and B Cos. ran
into snags, the danger of which was always present. While the perils of fighting were greatly reduced
from what they had been in previous campaigns, death still lurked at every roadblock and every once in
a while a savage clash would flare up. A Co. hit one of these at OBER INGELHEIM, while B Co. had
to hit with both fists at EBERSHEIM; in both instances, however, the 712th-90th team was much too
proficient and daring for the cluster of fanatics. The Luftwaffe made an appearance this day, flying 44
seemingly aimless sorties with jet propelled, FW 190 and ME 109 planes. And that night some
audacious prowling Nazis hit an A Co. platoon bivouac area and were thrown back only after a fierce
fight during which one Boche managed to heave a hand grenade down the barrel of a Sherman, inflicting
painful injuries on the occupant.
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