Four divisions were available for the operation. While the 90th Division was to swing one arm wide
from the north, the 5th Division was to drive up from the south. The 95th Division, along the western
approaches to Metz, was to exert constant pressure eastward, compressing the trapped enemy into an
ever smaller pocket. The 10th Armored Division stood ready to exploit any breakthrough on the north
to drive into Germany itself. The 83rd Division had had the mission of driving on to Saarburg, but was
lost to the Corps on November the 11th by Twelfth Army Group order. This mission was then given to
the 3rd Cavalry Group which was reinforced.
Double-triple Bailey provided permanent approach to and from Thionville.
In preparing for the final all-out drive on the city of Metz itself and the drive eastward to the
Saar, the 1306th Engineer General Service Regiment constructed, at Thionville, the largest Bailey bridge
known to have been built in the European Theater of Operations. It was 190 feet long and of the double-
triple span type.
The 95th Division had been making excellent progress in its bridgehead in this sector of the
Corps front. Infantry of this Division captured the airport at Haute Yutz, north of Thionville and had, by
the 14th of November, taken Haute Yutz and the woods to the south, partially enveloping Fort D'Illange.
This enabled the engineers to carry on their bridging operations with a minimum of interference from
the enemy although the high waters of the Moselle still created a serious problem.
Farther north at Cattenom, the 90th Division continued to push more artillery and tank destroyers
into its expanding bridgehead as the towns of Distroff and Oudrenne were taken. Division
reconnaissance troops affected a link up with the 95th Division troops to the south.
The Corps Commander now decided to get the armored spear heads of the 10th Armored
Division rolling as fast as possible, combat Command "B" was routed over the bridge at Thionville and
then turned north on the River Road past Koenigsmacher. Combat Command "A" raced across the
pontoon bridge at Malling and moved east of the Maginot Line on the left flank of the 90th Division.
The enemy made one more desperate attempt to stop the on-charging Corps forces on the 15th of
November. The counterattack came in regimental size, supported by heavy assault guns. It was aimed
principally at an envelopment of Distroff in the 90th Division zone. To enemy battalions with tanks and
half tracks succeeded in driving a wedge between a defenders in the town, splitting them into two
groups. The tanks, tank destroyers, and infantry troops in Distroff held their ground tenaciously while
Corps artillery pounded the advancing enemy. After several hours of severe fighting the attack was
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