The part of the 3d Battalion, 359th Infantry, in the two days of fighting had been to maintain
liaison with the 5th Division on the right. Before leaving the Bois des Rappes on the morning of the 1st,
Captain Victor H. Nysewander, Company K, was killed by artillery fire. During the night of the 1st, two
companies connected the right of the 2d Battalion with the 5th Division at Aincreville, the remaining
two companies being in position with the 1st Battalion on the corps objective. On November 2,
Companies I and K entered Bois de Babiemont, a wood which the 5th Division had experienced great
difficulty in taking from the south. Patrols from these two companies explored the “punch bowl” and
took up position on Côte 216, two kilometers out of the Division sector. At night they were pulled back
to join their units.
During its two days of smashing attacks, the 180th Brigade captured eighteen German officers
and 789 enlisted men, of which number a majority of the officers and about 680 men were taken by the
360th Infantry. A considerable amount of artillery and sixty-eight machine guns were taken also during
the fighting of November 1 and 2. The 3d Battalion, 360th Infantry, captured two 77’s near Grand Carré
Farm, and a detail of artillerymen who had taken station at Colonel Price’s P. C. turned them on the
enemy immediately, there being a plentiful supply of ammunition at hand. A battery of 77’s located
south of Andevanne was abandoned by its crew after the guns had been incapacitated for further use. A
210-mm. gun was captured by Major Etter’s battalion north of Andevanne. From the firing chart of one
of the two 105’s captured on Côte 243, Colonel Price found the explanation of the bombardment of his
P. C. early the morning of November 1. It appeared that the shelter had been spotted by aerial
photography, and that the coordinates were turned over to this gun as one of its targets.
The operations of the 180th Brigade in breaking the Freya Stellung received the following
commendations:
“From Chief of Staff, 1st Army, to Chief of Staff, 3d Corps, November 1, 22h.20: The Army
Commander desires to congratulate the 3d Corps and express to you his appreciation of the work done
this date. He desires that you express his appreciation to the 90th Division. Please have this information
transmitted to all organizations as far as possible this night.
DRUM.”
General Hines added to this the following endorsement: “The corps commander desires to add
his congratulations to those of the army commander to express his appreciation of the gallant work of
your Division to-day.”
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