FIRST TASK FORCE

Following the crossing of the Rhine River, German resistance crumbled to such an extent that it was essential to form a hard-hitting, fast moving armored unit to reach into the German rear areas, disrupt communications, cut up German administrative units and installations. Such a force was organized and placed under the command of Lt. Colonel Harold S. Sundt and was to be known as Task Force Sundt.[Figure 7-1, Figure 7-2, Figure 7-3] Units comprising the Task Force were the 607th TD Battalion, less A and C Companies, plus Company A of the 735th Tank Battalion, the 87th Reconnaissance Troupe, K Company of the 346th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Platoon Company C of the 312th Engineer Battalion and supported by fires from the 155 mm howitzers of the 335th FA Battalion. The Task Force was divided into three hard hitting companies plus a CP group. Each company consisted of a platoon of tanks, platoon of TD’s, platoon of infantry, riding on the armored vehicles, and a platoon of the 87th Reconnaissance Troupe. The CP group contained the remaining forces. It crossed the Rhine at Boppard on a pontoon bridge and assembled six miles to the northeast at Dachsenhausen which was the limit of the Division advance.

The Task Force’s first objective was Nastatten, 12 miles southeast of Boppard. At 0545 March 27th the Task Force took off for Nastatten, the plan of attack being to advance along the high ground to Ruppertshaffen. and thence to Nastatten. By 0830 the Task Force had reached Ruppertshaffen, three miles west of Nastatten, where it assembled and regrouped.

The third Task Force Company, under the command of 1st Lt. Glen J. Doman, 346th Infantry Regiment, made the attack on the town at 0915. The first Company, commanded by 1st Lt. Frank W. Jones, Jr., 735th Tank Battalion, and the second Company, commanded by Captain J. Laverne Nicklas, 607th TD Battalion, supported the attack by fires from the hills west of the town . The third Company’s armor was stopped at the Muhl River when the bridge was blown in the face of the advancing reconnaissance elements. The infantry under 2nd Lt. Robert L. Picher, 346th Infantry Regiment, swept through the town and cleared all enemy resistance.[Figure 7-4, Figure 7-5] The Pioneer Platoon commanded by 2nd Lt. Caesar Merlo prepared a ford across the Muhl River. By 1300 the armor of the Task Force crossed with the mission of continuing to the east.

The 2nd Company heading northeast for Holzhausen received heavy 20mm fire, small arms fire, and AT fire coming from the vicinity of the Holzhausen. The third Company attempting to bypass to the north was slowed by darkness and enemy fire. The Task Force assembled for the night one and a half miles northeast of the Nastatten at Buch. During the day they had captured 47 prisoners and advanced eleven miles.

Behind and to the flanks of the Task Force, combat teams of the infantry regiments advanced, the TD platoons being in small task forces. Company A advanced to Bad Ems, passing through Ober-Lahnstein and meeting some resistance and roadblocks. To the south of Company A, Company C advanced with the 345th Infantry to the vicinity of Miehlen, two and one-half miles north of Nastatten, meeting light resistance and some AT and 20mm fire.[Figure 7-6]

The next morning, 28th of March, the Task Force took off again with a new objective, Hahnstatten, 15 miles away. The 2nd Platoon of Company C, 312th Engineer Battalion was attached and the 335th FA Battalion was relieved from direct support. At 0830 the attack on Hollzhausen was renewed by approaching it from two directions. No resistance was met and the Task Force headed northeast toward Katzenelnbogen meeting small arms and artillery fire 1500 yards west of the town. The town was enveloped from three sides in conjunction with the 6th Cavalry Group which was advancing from the northwest. It was entered at 1540 after destroying two 88mm AA-AT guns. With the new objective, Kirberg, the Task Force pushed on reaching Hahnstatten a 1810 and Kirberg at 1900, the only delay being a few abatis roadblocks. The 1st Company pushed east three miles to Daudon-Eufinger and cut the north-south autobahn. During the day two 88mm AA-AT guns were destroyed, 1 prime mover destroyed, 99 prisoners captured and an advance of 18 miles was made.[Figure 7-7]

Company A had advanced with the infantry along the Lahn. River to Limburg, six miles northwest of Kirberg, and Company C had pushed a Hahnstatten meeting no resistance.

At 0930 March 29th the Task Force began their advance to the new objective of Grossen-Linden, 40 miles distant. They reached Niederselters, where a column of the 345th Combat Team, with Company C attached was met. The Task Force bypassed them and pushed through Ober-Brucken, Munster, Wolfenhausen, Weilmunster, and Kraftholms where elements of the 9th Armored Division going to Giesson via Grossen-Linden were met. Changing objectives, the Task Force moved south at Oberwetz, to Oberkleen, then to Niederkleen, Lang Gons and Holzheim, arriving at the latter place at 1500. Instructions were received to defend a line – Grosson-Linden, Lang Gons and Pohl Gons. Patrols sent into the woods in that vicinity met little opposition and took numerous prisoners. During the day 210 prisoners had been taken and an advance of 40 miles had been made.[Figure 7-8]

Company A advanced along the Lahn River to Giessen where they met the 9th Armored. Company C in a Task Force with a company of tanks and a battalion of the infantry headed for Butzbach but at Niederseltzer, three miles northeast of Kirberg, they ran into heavy resistance and were held up all day. At 1900 they launched an attack in which Sgt. Sue of Company C destroyed one 75mm AA gun. By 2100 all resistance had ceased.

Captured enemy documents and statements of prisoners indicated that the area in the vicinity of Butzbach was an assembly area for stragglers of the Rhine defenses. Accordingly, on March 30 the Task Force received a mission of securing Hoch-Weisel, three miles southwest of Butzbach, and sweeping the woods to the north and west. At 0800 the 3rd Company moved there and the 3rd Reconnaissance Platoon and the Pioneer Platoon occupied positions between Butzbach and the woods to the west. The day was spent sending patrols through these woods. During the day the Task Force destroyed nine 20mm AA guns, eight 37mm AA guns on 21/2 ton trucks, one 40mm AA gun, three 105mm guns, seventeen 75mm AA-AT guns, four 88 AA-AT guns, and twenty-three vehicles. 519 prisoners were taken.

Company C advanced on Brandoberndorf, ten miles west of Butzbach.

On March 31st the Task Force continued to clear the large woods to the west of the Butzbach by first showing their armor and then by the use of combat patrols picked up the disheartened stragglers. 418 prisoners were taken.

April 1st found all missions assigned accomplished, the Task Force dissolved and the Battalion assembled near Kleeberg. During the Task Force’s operation, it had taken 1485 prisoners and had advanced 76 miles.