promptly caught in the massed fires of 5 Battalions of artillery. For the remainder of the day the
enemy was quiet in this sector. Shortly after dark he again attacked I Company on the extreme
right of the regiment, but made no impression on our defenses.
In our first mission in 10 days a group of fighter-bombers blasted JEANNE D'ARC with
negligible results.
At a unit Commanders' conference, called by the Commanding General, plans were discussed for
the thinning out of our position areas in order that more men might be made available for assault
training and for rehabilitation. Construction was initiated on shelters for front-line troops with
the primary objective of providing for them a drying and warming place. [Page 16]
29 SEPTEMBER 44
Division issued a long-range plan for the ultimate capture of FORT JEANNE D'ARC,
visualizing the coordinated efforts of the 358th and 359th Infantry. Training in a assault tactics
was accelerated. Support aviation was particularly active during the day in the Division zone
engaging targets at LA FOLE FARME, LEIPZIG FARME, SEMECOURT and MAIZIERES.
The Boche played possum, firing only a scattering of mortar, artillery and anti-aircraft.
30 SEPTEMBER 44
Except for patrol activity and sparodic artillery exchange, there was no activity in the Division
zone. The 358th and 359th worked on preliminary plans for their joint participation in the
capture of JEANNE D'ARC. 357th Infantry made plans for the capture of MAIZIERES LES
METZ. In all regiments the training and the rotation of front-line units was continued.
At 2000, 358th Infantry was placed on a one-hour alert status for movement on order to the zone
of action of the XII Corps.
The end of August had found the 90th Division, as part of a larger force, racing pell mell across
France hot on the heels of the shattered German Armies of the West. But at this point logistics
had tempered strategy and slowed the advance while supplies, the wherewithal for the
continuation of the pursuit, were rushed forward. Given thus a breathing spell, the Germans
slowed, stopped, turned and began to present something approaching a uniform front of
resistance. At the end of September, therefore, we were, from the Division standpoint, at a
stalemate. But elsewhere the shape of the final blow was developing.
McLAIN
COMMANDING
OFFICIAL:
STILWELL
G-3
[Page 17]