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The Commanding General of XX Corps Artillery, Brigadier General Julius A. Slack, had 18 2\3
field artillery battalions available to supplement the normal division artillery, plus the eight 100 mm
French guns of the captured fortress Guentrange and captured German ordnance.
Because the two areas of initial assault for the encirclement of Metz were separated by 40 to 45
miles, the Headquarters Battery was placed in charge of XX Corps Artillery which was disposed to
support the attack of the 5th Infantry Division in the southern bridgehead. The XX Corps artillery
allocated its 18 2/3 Field artillery battalions to support the 90th Infantry Division attack. One field
artillery group in the field artillery battalion, manning captured enemy guns, reinforced the 95th Infantry
Division in the area selected for its demonstration in force in the vicinity of Uckange.
Security was of paramount importance in the movement of XX Corps artillery to the new
position areas. Deceptive measures were adopted. Artillery, remaining in the old positions, increased
the rate of fire to match the volume normally fired by all the artillery. Radios and observation posts
were left in old position areas to maintain normal traffic and patrol. Reconnaissance of the new
positions was restricted.
During the movement of the 90th Infantry Division to the Malling-Cattenom area, all vehicle
markings and shoulder patches were changed to correspond with those of the 3rd Cavalry Group, which
had been operating for several weeks in that area. As an additional deceptive measure, the 23rd Special
Troops were assigned the job of maintaining the pre-existing artillery picture. Under cover of darkness,
they moved with their dummy rubber guns into the abandoned positions. Gun positions, camouflage,
motor traffic, and radio communications of the old setup were maintained. Flashes of chemical powders
were set off simultaneously with a firing of the one group of XX Corps artillery that had remained
behind to reinforce the 95th Infantry Division.
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