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On 16 July, the 4th and 83rd Infantry Divisions were attached to VIII Corps, and at 161830,
the 4th Armored Division was attached. The 4th Armored took over the sector of the 4th Infantry
Division, completing its relief at 172300. The 4th Infantry Division was released to the VII Corps and
moved over into that area.
The 83rd Division launched a limited objective attack on 17 July, designed to secure a foothold
on the La Varde "Peninsula" in its front. The attack was resisted vigorously from the beginning, and the
attacking elements suffered heavily from mortar and artillery fire. On 19 July, the 3rd Battalion, 331st
Infantry, effected a lodgment on La Varde, but were forced off by a heavy counter-attack.
The 90th Division was ordered to clean up the St. Germain-Sur-Seves "Island" in its immediate
front, and attacked with a 1st and 2nd Battalions, 358th Infantry at 220630. Resistance was extremely
heavy. By mid-afternoon, most of the 1st Battalion was on the island, and a portion of one company of
the 2nd Battalion. The position on the island was not a secure one, as few antitank weapons, other than
bazookas were sent over. During the night, men began to drift back from their defensive positions to
fields near the river, in spite of efforts on the part of officers to keep them up. At first light, the enemy
attacked, using infantry and three or four tanks. The 1st Battalion was squeezed into two fields near the
river where some portion, including the battalion commander, surrendered. The remnants of the
battalion escaped back across the stream where the regiment was reorganized and put into a defensive
position. The effort for the island was then discontinued by order of Corps.
On the 25th July, the weather turned favorable for air operations and the VII Corps launched its
attack to carry out the "Cobra" plan. The attack was preceded by an intensive saturation bombardment
by both heavy and fighter-bombers on the area over which the two assault divisions attacked. The attack
of the assault divisions, the 9th and 30th was successful and these were quickly followed by the 1st and
4th infantry divisions and the 2nd and 3rd Armored.
The 330th Infantry of the 83rd Division, on the extreme left of the VIII Corps, attacked at 1100
in conjunction with the 9th Division. The initial progress of this regiment was fairly rapid, but enemy
small arms and mortar fire became increasingly heavy, halting the advance at about 2000 yards. The
remainder of the VIII Corps continued preparations for the attack on the morning of 26 July.
By the plan of the VIII Corps, the 8th Division was to attack south of St. Patrice de Claids,
followed closely by the 79th Division which was to pinch out Lessay. The 90th planned to encircle the
island of St. Germain-Sur-Seves from both flanks, while the 83rd advanced Southwest. The 4th
Armored Division was to hold its present position and support the attack of adjacent units by fire.
The VIII Corps attacked at 260530 July, after artillery preparation. The enemy reacted
immediately with heavy fire from artillery, mortars, and automatic weapons along the entire front. In
the 8th Division sector, enemy strong points near Battiere were reduced early in the afternoon and the
division continued its advance to the high ground about 1000 yards further south. The 79th Division
attempted to move in behind the 8th and cut to the right flank, but experienced heavy enemy fire and had
not reached the flank position by daylight 27 July.
The 90th Division established a bridgehead across the Seves Emperor on its right. Five
German counter-attacks were repulsed, and four enemy tanks were knocked out, three by bazookas, and
one by artillery. On the left, the division made very little progress due to heavy fire, and extensive
mines. The 83rd Division jumped off at 0530. Initial progress was difficult but it succeeded in cutting
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