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a high, spike-studded iron fence. The infantry withdrew to permit a 30 minute artillery preparation by
the 8 inch guns and 240 mm howitzers of Corps artillery; but little damage was observed.
To add to an already difficult situation, enemy infantry counterattacked the bridgehead forces
viciously and continuously but were, in all cases, driven back within the protective walls of the Fort.
Losses from the incessant artillery fire and close-in fighting against Nazi storm troopers and troops of
the Adolph Hitler Brigade began to mount. Snipers frequently popped up and fired at ranges as close
has 10 feet. The massive turrets of the Fort could be seen from the forward position. They were of
reinforced concrete covered with several yards of earth with natural foliage growing in the soil. This
gave effective protection and concealment. A captured German prisoner revealed that over 1500 troops
were within the Fort.
From the deep interior of Fort Verdun, the German commanders called down artillery support
from the heavy guns of Fort Driant. XX Corps casualties began to mount, and the Corps assault
elements formed a horseshoe defense with both flanks anchored on the Moselle. Six companies
occupied an area 100 yards deep and 75 yards wide. The intense shelling on the bridgehead made the
bringing up of reinforcements all but impossible. Evacuation of the wounded, where possible, was
carried on under grave difficulties. It was here that Corps infantry troops started of the famous
password, "The Wounded Don't Cry". When enemy tanks and infantry infiltrated into the Corps lines
under cover of darkness in an effort to discover the location and extent of the bridgehead, the word was
passed to the many wounded not to reveal their positions by moans or cries for medics. The wounded
did not utter a sound but waited for help in silence.
The enemy continued to counterattack viciously and it soon became apparent that the bridgehead
could not be held in such furious and strong opposition. In a period of 60 hours, 36 separate
counterattacks were beaten off. Over 1000 German soldiers lost their lives in the attempts to eliminate
the Corps bridgehead which was for a while the easternmost advance of the American armies.
The Germans advanced in waves, sometime shoulder to shoulder, yelling, "Yanks kaput." The
Yanks, for the most part, ignored the tanks and mowed down the accompanying infantry. The enemy
used every trick in his book to frighten and confuse the American forces. Shouts of "Cease firing!" By
English-speaking Germans were heard in the area. Enemy troops even feigned death and then crawled
toward the Corps positions under cover of darkness. In spite of all odds the tiny bridgehead force clung
to its toehold east of the Moselle until the 11th of September before executing a withdrawal under cover
of aterrific Mirage barrage laid down by XX Corps artillery.
The crossing at Arnaville was achieved with tactical surprise in the early morning of September
10th. The enemy was thrown off balance in this sector because of the diversionary action at Dornot.
The 1103rd Engineer Combat Group on the Corps Commanders order, gave direct support while nine
battalions of Corps artillery pounded the German fortified positions. Corps infantry, using marching
fire, quickly overran the Nazi mainland of resistance and seized the high ridge 3000 yards east of the
river.
In order to strike while the attention of the Germans was concentrated on the bitter fight raging at
Dornot, the Corps Commander ordered another bridgehead across the Moselle at a point 4000 yards
south near Arnaville.
The German forces, recovering from their initial surprise, launched the inevitable counterattack
with several tanks and companies of infantry. Harassing artillery fire from three directions pounded the
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