broken and the the remaining enemy troops attempted to pull back. Corps artillery thereupon lifted its
fires to cover all routes of withdrawal and inflicted heavy casualties on the retreating Germans.
In light snow and rain, the 90th Division continued slow, steady advance along the trace of the
Maginot Line to reach the high ground overlooking the town of Budling on November the 15th.
Another obstacle loomed before the leading elements here. The guns of Fort Hackenberg on the left
flank rained heavy and sustained fire. The artillery bunkers of the fort, reinforced by steel and concrete,
were proof against the guns of the tank destroyers. Even 8 inch and 240 mm howitzers failed to lessen
the volume of fire directed from Fort Hackenberg. Other infantry elements of the 90th Division drove
ahead, however, capturing Inglange and Metzervisse. From these vantage points, self-propelled guns
hammered steadily at the Hackenberg fortifications. With the aid of the 8 inch guns of Corps artillery,
the fort’s guns were finally silenced. Later inspection showed this direct fire from the self-propelled 155
mm guns had demolished the walls and turrets, torn cannon lose from mountings, and killed the
occupants of the turrets and casemates.
With the elimination of this flank threat from Fort Hackenberg, the advance made rapid progress
to reach the steep, wooded ridge that runs from Budling to Veckring.
Earlier in the morning of the 16th of November, the armor had broken out of the crowded
bridgehead and was racing toward Merzig. The full weight of the firepower of the 10th Armored
Division was now brought to bear on the enemy. A strong battle group of the 110th Panzer Grenadier
Regiment offered some opposition, but was rushed before it could fully organize. Before darkness set
in,Hargarten and St. Marguerite were wrested from the enemy.
Fighting along the ridge between the Maginot forts, the 90th Division further south kept pace
with the armor. Metzeresche, Kedange, and the wooded high ground overlooking Hombourg Budange
were overrun and occupied. An enemy strong point was set up at Klang, but a determined tank-infantry
attack broke through the prepared positions, and the Germans fled to Kemplich.
Progress was rapid on the 17th of November. The armor wheeled swiftly through surprised
enemy forces toward the important objective of Bouzonville. The bulk of the German forces had
withdrawn or were attempting to withdraw toward the Saar River. Driving ahead in the wake of a
squadron of fighter-bombers, the armor cleared Beckerholtz, raced through the Maginot fortifications
near Kemplich, and stood ready to assault Bouzonville on the morning of November the 18th.
Throughout the 17th of November, the enemy retreated in long columns along ridges of the
Maginot Line. The guns of the tanks and Corps artillery were kept busy cannonading the scattered
groups which either fled toward the Saar River line came down from the heights to surrender the XX
Corps forces.
Observing that the noose was tightening around Metz and at the enemy was withdrawing in force
to the Saar, General Walker ordered the 90th Division to drive south with all possible speed to linkup
with 5th Division coming up from the south. This swift and daring maneuver, typical of XX Corps
tactics, would trap sizable enemy groups in Metz and its surrounding forts. Furthermore, it would allow
the Corps Commander to disengage Combat Command "A" of the 10th Armored Division and send it
north toward Saarburg where they 3rd Cavalry Group was already hacking away at the fringes of the
Siegfried line in the Saar-Moselle triangle.
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