90th Reconnaissance Troop was badly handled just short of AUDUN by a German tank force.
The Division gained no appreciable amount of ground on this day but it had completely
destroyed the 106th Panzer outfit and captured, intact, a Battalion of the newly committed 559th
Division. At the conclusion of the day's fight, the Division had captured or destroyed 30 tanks,
60 halftracks and an estimated 100 miscellaneous vehicles and captured 764 prisoners. PW
reports and captured documents gave strong indications that the106th was but the vanguard of a
much larger force moving South through ESCH and the Division was alerted to repel a strong
attack during the night or following day.
9 SEPTEMBER 44
The anticipated counterattack did not materialize and by midmorning the Division was prepared
for the resumption of the attack. [Page 6]
359th Infantry:
2nd Battalion cleared the woods East and Northeast of BONVILLERS and captured AUDUN
against slight opposition at 1600. 3rd Battalion, after capture of AUDUN, skirted the Northwest
edge of that town and occupied the high ground to the North. By this maneuver it had placed
itself in the rear of those enemy elements still at FILLERNS and the intervening woods. Shortly
after consolidation of its position, a force of approximately 200 Germans debouched from the
woods in front of that high ground and promptly were slaughtered by our fire. 1st Battalion in
Regimental Reserve, closed on the rear of the 2nd Battalion just Southwest of AUDUN.
358th Infantry:
3rd Battalion attacked at 1100 and seized TRIEUX. The advance was continued from TRIEUX
to FONTOY which was captured with the aid of tanks after a stiff fight. The 1st Battalion
attacked Northeast on the left of the 3rd Battalion, captured SANCY and halted for the night
astride the road connecting AUDUN and FONTOY. 2nd Battalion in regimental reserve moved
to TRIEUX.
357th Infantry:
357th Infantry was initially held in place pending developments in the left sector. After the
occupation of TRIEUX by the 358th Infantry, 1st Battalion advanced to the North and seized the
high ground vicinity of NEUFCHEF which commanded a considerable portion of the Division
zone East as far as the MOSELLE River. 2nd and 3rd Battalions remained in place at BRIEY
and AVRIL respectively.
In the south of the Corps zone the 5th Infantry Division and pushed a precarious bridgehead
across the MOSELLE River in the vicinity of CORNY but was unable to reinforce it. Further
North the 2nd Infantry Regiment and elements of the 7th Armored Division were making next to
no progress West of METZ. What was originally assumed to be stout rear guard action on the
part of the enemy soon disclosed itself as organized defense of positions. Our elements were in
fact hammering on the outer fringes of FORTRESS METZ which the enemy had decided to
hold. On our North flank the 43rd Cavalry Squadron had established initial contact with
elements of the V Corps in the vicinity of MONTMEDY.