McLain issued orders for the nearest infantry regiments to converge on the enemy column. Once Third Army reached the West Wall, Patton intended to concentrate his forces to achieve a breach. Crossing the Rhine 24 -31 March 1945: C-47 transport planes release hundreds of paratroops and their supplies over the Rees-Wesel area to the east of the Rhine. Two days before, Bradley had called Patton and First Army Commander Maj. Gen. Courtney Hodge to his headquarters at Dreux and informed them that the supply situation was dire. We are now fairly started on that phase of the campaign which I hope will be the final one. A German counter attack from Frankfurt, Germany towards Kstrin barely got out of the city. While waiting for fuel to arrive with which to resume his eastward advance, Patton received good news from Bradley on September 4 that he would soon receive reinforcements in the form of Maj. Gen. Wade Haislips XV Corps, which would guard his right flank against German forces retreating up the Rhone Valley. Click here for parts Two and Three. Before more German tanks could ascend the hill, P-47s swooped in with bombs and rockets after the fog burned off, breaking up a counterattack. Bradley told General George S. Pattonwhose U.S. Third Army had been fighting through the Palatinateto "take the Rhine on the run". . The strike destroyed five Panthers and 20 half-tracks. Pattons rapid advance across France came to an abrupt halt at Metz, due to fuel shortages, deteriorating weather conditions, and increased enemy resistance. After some confusion as to the location of their target, which was Maj. Gen. Raymond McLains 90th Division of Walkers XX Corps, the Germans regrouped on the evening of September 7 and advanced after midnight in two columns through the village of Briey toward the American position. Wietersheim ordered the battle group to break off its attack until the following day so that reinforcements could be sent to Bures. BATTLE OF THE BULGE is scrolled underneath. The plan called for a diversionary attack at daybreak by elements of the 11th Panzer Division against the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion atop Hill 265, another key position held by the Americans. 6731 Whittier Avenue, Suite C-100 McLean, VA 22101, Stay up to date with all of our latest news, The fight that began that morning touched off an 11-day running tank battle that raged across the hills of southern Lorraine and tested the resourcefulness of two of World War IIs most gifted practitioners of the art of mobile warfare. Churchill suggested the Allied forces to skip over the Ruhr region and march east toward Berlin, but Eisenhower refused to leave the Ruhr region unsecured. By September 10, Baades 35th Infantry Division was in force along the western bank of the Moselle south of Nancy. Eddy planned to isolate Nancy in a double envelopment. National Interest Newsletter. I know that Third Army will be in at the finish in the same decisive way that it has performed in all the preliminary battles. Against light opposition, he had secured Morocco during the opening phase of Torch and ably led the U.S. II Corps when selected to replace Maj. Gen. Lloyd Fredenhall after the debacle at Kasserine Pass. March 22nd, 2020 - Palatinate Chapter member visits the commemorative site of Patton's historic crossing of the Rhine. Although his unit was spearheading the attack toward the river, he assumed there would be a pause to get organized for the crossing. As the troops of the French First Army crossed the Rhine River near Speyer, Germany, they became the first French troops to attack across the river since Napoleon Bonaparte. Even Hitlers closest supporters like Heinrich Himmler and Joseph Goebbels could clearly hear the clanging bell. The 134th was fortunate to find a bridge intact and threw a battalion across the river. But the main attacks were made by the bulk of the 80th Division north of Nancy, and by Maj. Gen. Paul Baades 35th Infantry Division south of the city. The very notion was unpalatable to Old Blood and Guts. To their credit, the RAF despatched fifty specialist within twelve hours and promised that a further 300 volunteers good be made available if required. Brad, dont tell anyone, but Im across. A surprised Bradley responded, Well, Ill be damned. U.S. Army personnel cross the Ludendorff Bridge "CROSS THE RHINE WITH DRY FEET COURTESY OF 9TH ARM'D DIV". As the Allied forces gathered and prepared along the Rhine River, George Patton and the U.S. 5 th Division were quietly carrying . After two days of hard fighting, the two sides braced for more of the same. Brad, for Gods sake tell the world were across. After the war Eisenhower was appointed Military Governor of the U.S. The crossing was led by a heavy artillery shelling and supplemented by an airborne operation (Operation Varsity) by the American 17th Airborne Division and the British 6th Airborne Division. The Commanders: The Leadership Journeys of George Patton, Bernard Montgomery, and Erwin Rommel. It controlled the majority of American forces on the Western Front in 1944 and 1945: the U.S. First Army under Gen. Courtney H. Hodges, the Third Army under Gen. George S. Patton, the Ninth Army under Gen. William H. Simpson, and the Fifteenth Army under Gen. Leonard T. Gerow. After the completion of the Battle in The Ardennes, Patton and his Army turned to the south and east attacking toward the Rhine. However, such a strong resistance was not encountered as elements of the 21st Army Group and Ninth Army crossed the river in the north in the Ruhr River region. All of these units suffered serious armored and antitank deficiencies. Meanwhile, British 2nd Army began an offensive towards the Elbe River. Patton told Wood to strike east the following day in the belief that it would keep the Germans off balance. The German troops knew that the Allied forces were only taking a short time to gather up strength before the invasion into Germany would commence. The German armored column continued south, hoping to stampede the American soldiers into abandoning their positions. The next morning, elements of the 3rd Panzergrenadier Division overran the bridgehead, killing 300 Americans. Patton would now report to Bradley. The 111th and 113th Panzer Brigades boasted two tank battalions, one of 45 Panthers and the other of 45 Mark IVs. The 112th Panzer Brigade decimated by the clash at Dompaire, had only two dozen serviceable tanks. In addition, Wood ordered CCB to shift to CCAs right flank to cover the ground between Rechicourt and the Marne-Rhine Canal. The reconstituted Fifth Panzer Army was inserted into Blaskowitzs Army Group G between First Army to the north and the Nineteenth Army to the south. It began with the crossing of the River Rhine in March 1945, with forces fanning out and overrunning all of Western Germany until their final surrender on May 8, 1945. As a result, Eisenhower ordered him to make a personal apology to the soldier and also to everyone present at the time of the incident. As US Third Army made another Rhine River crossing near Worms, Germany, British Second Army and Canadian First Army launched their assaults across the Rhine River north of the Ruhr River. By the time the Third Army had gained a firm foothold on the east bank of the Moselle in mid-September, the masterminds of the German high command had hatched plans for a bold strike to regain the initiative. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. This article is from the bookPatton: Blood, Guts, and Prayer2012by Michael Keane. The light losses suffered by Abramss battalion were a result of his crews using their mobility to offset the advantage enjoyed by the Panthers long, high-velocity 75mm gun over the Shermans short 75mm gun. World War Two Timeline From The Great War To Germanys Surrender. The Lorraine campaign would test Patton and his men as they had never been tested before. Patton would face significant leadership and tactical challenges in the region in the months following the Arracourt clashes. To the right side of the center banner WORLD WAR II 75th ANNIVERSARY is Patton in a B-3 Bomber jacket and his name, GEN. GEORGE S. PATTON JR. Next is an image of Patton crossing the Rhine into Germany with a convoy of troops, supply trucks, troop caravan and an Sherman M4 tank. Click here for our comprehensive information resource on the society, ideology, and key events in Nazi Germany. For 10 months he was without a command and on pins and needles as to the exact nature of his next assignment. The main attack would come from the town of Bures to the south, where Manteuffel had scraped together a battle group composed of 30 tanks and assault guns to capture the camelback. The Rhine itself was symbolic of the entrance into Germany from Western Europe and had historically stood as a natural barrier against invasion. In addition, the Royal Navy provided a team to construct an anti-mine boom upriver to prevent the Germans from floating demolitions down to destroy the bridges after they had been constructed. So Patton called Bradley again. When the Germans attempted to withdraw, they found their escape route blocked by the 359th Infantry Regiment moving east to cut them off. I want the world to know Third Army made it before Monty starts across, he shouted. Right: U.S. Army Generals Omar Bradley, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and George S. Patton. Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks of XXX Corps commented later that, although they heard stories of German soldiers surrendering in their thousands at other places, the German troops encountered in XXX Corps' area were extremely fanatical in defence of their homeland. Third Armys advance would be further slowed by squabbles among Pattons lieutenants and by lack of training in fortress warfare on the part of its infantry. North of Metz, Third Armys left flank lay exposed, and Knobelsdorff sent the 106th Panzer Brigade to attack the Americans in an effort to keep them off balance and slow their efforts to cross the Moselle. HTML tags are not allowed. He received the Bronze Star and was shot on or about 28 September, 1944. On the night of March 22, 1945, with no artillery preparation or air cover, assault boats of the 5th Infantry began their quiet crossing near Oppenheim. events, and resources, Patton in Lorraine: Breaking the Moselle Line. The initiative then shifted to the Americans when a task force from Companies A and B of the 37th Tank Battalion swept through Rechicourt, driving the Germans beyond the town. This meant that CCA was now on the left flank of the Arracourt-Juvelize salient and CCB was on the right. The new panzer brigades each had a battalion of Panzergrenadiers drawn from the three Panzergrenadier divisions already in Lorraine. He believed that it would leave too long of a left flank vulnerable to German counter offensives. The troops of the French First Army crossed the Rhine River near Philippsburg, Germany on 1 Apr. Patton's goal was to cross the Rhine, even if not a single bridge was left standing over which to do it. "It's time for another Patton to die," he said aloud. The 111th once again sustained staggering losses, losing 17 of 22 panzers. ww2dbaseAs the Allied forces gathered on the west banks of the Rhine River, it was no longer a matter of surprise. Units of the Canadian First Army, British Second Army, and the U.S. Charging up the slope after nightfall, the Germans once again seized the crest, forcing the Americans to retreat to the northern slope. On September 2, Hitler issued orders for the creation of 25 new divisions, most of which were to be given the designation of Volksgrenadier. News of the crossing made it around the world. Although the 106th Panzer Brigade was led by veterans from the Eastern Front, its crews had received very little training and the brigade suffered from a severe shortage of communications equipment essential to coordinate an assault. I know that he carried the BAR and he was in Company A, 359th Infantry Regiment. In preparation for his counterattack, Hitler made several key command changes. Third Army, which formed the right wing of Bradleys 12th Army Group, was composed of Maj. Gen. Walton Walkers XX Corps and Eddys XII Corps. Whats more, a series of determined counterattacks by the 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division kept the U.S. infantry from expanding the bridgehead. On September 6, he sacked First Army commander General der Infanterie Kurt Chevallerie in favor of General der Panzertruppen Otto Knobelsdorff, who would lead German forces covering the line from Sedan to Nancy. The crossing began at 2230 hours on 23 March, when the first boats carrying 11th Infantry Regiment troops left the western bank of the Rhine. The Germans failed to reconnoiter enemy positions, and their replacement tank crews were no match for Leclercs veteran troops. In Washington, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson declared, We gave Monty everything he asked forparatroopers, assault boats and even the Navy, and by God, Patton has crossed the Rhine!. Great article cannot wait for the rest of the battle, I am trying to find out more about where and in what battle my Dad, Donald Mansfield was shot. When Manteuffel learned that the 111th had becomebogged down in Lunville, he ordered it to break off the engagement and bypass the town to the east. This article is part of our larger selection of postsabout the George S. Patton. The American tank crews also benefited from a hydraulic turret that allowed them to swing into firing position faster than the Germans slower hand-cranked traverse. This had elements of the 6th and 7th Parachute Divisions on their flanks and, to their rear in reserve, the 15th and 116th Panzer Divisions. The initial counterattacks against Third Armys bridgeheads should have convinced him that the enemy was regaining strength. Until sufficient forces were gathered for the counterattack, the frontline troops were ordered to defend as many crossing points along the Moselle as possible between Nancy and Metz. You can read more about the day . In 1943 he commanded the U.S. Patton arrived in France exactly one month after the D-Day invasion to set up the operational command for Third Army. Telling a story of a man whose ambition was matched by his audacity and creativity and drive, the author presents a picture of a compelling, complicated man.Interested in World War II? To their surprise, they were not opposed by enemy forces. News of the crossing made it around the world. To succeed in Lorraine, Patton would have to exercise careful planning, make quick tactical adjustments, and adjust his goals and expectations when the weather failed to cooperate. Right: Patton famously relieved himself in the Rhine on March24, 1945and made sure he was photographed doing so. The 134th Infantry Regiment was ordered to cross on the left below Nancy, and the 137th Infantry Regiment on the right. This airborne operation was the largest of its kind during the entire war, utilizing 1,625 transports, 1,348 gliders, and 889 escort fighters to deliver over 22,000 airborne infantry into the contested territory. Pattons troops beat Montgomery across the Rhine by one day. Against such odds, a breakout at that location was not deemed feasible. Germany. Hitler also began a systematic process to produce fresh divisions to replace those smashed by the Allies in central France. Montgomery was supposed to make the next crossing in a complex operation utilizing ground and airborne troops. You mean across the Rhine? Sure am, Patton replied, I sneaked a division over last night. Nevertheless, Knobelsdorff secured permission from Hitler to use the brigade for a quick strike provided he return it to First Army reserve within 48 hours. This operation to cross the northern Rhine River launched in the night of 23 Mar 1945. The type of close-range fighting that day is exemplified by an encounter between an M18 Hellcat of the 704th against a pair of Panther tanks. Overseas: 26 August 1944. Hitler, who reluctantly agreed to a far less ambitious counterattack than initially envisioned, issued orders for the German attack to begin on September 18. Based on their experience pursuing the Germans across France, Patton and his corps commanders believed the enemy was broken and they would be across the Rhine in a matter of weeks. In the first day alone, CCAs vanguard had advanced nearly 20 miles and destroyed a dozen enemy tanks and 85 half-tracks and captured 350 prisoners. Above and below Nancy, the Germans were content to wait for the Allies to attempt to cross the Moselle and launch local counterattacks in an effort to contain or eliminate the bridgeheads. The comparatively light casualty rate experienced by the first troops across (153rd and 154th Brigades of 51st Highland Division) clearly demonstrated how thorough the preparations had been made. He did not expect to encounter substantial resistance until he reached the West Wall. Behind the lines, Dwight Eisenhower transferred US 9th Army from Bernard Montgomery's army group to Omar Bradley's army group as Anglo-American objective shifted toward southern Germany and Czechoslovakia. The final stage of World War II in the European Theatre commenced with the Western Allied invasion of Germany. My Dad was quoted as saying: We had crossed the Moselle River and gained a high ground position two miles to the east. This operation to cross the northern Rhine River launched in the night of 23 Mar 1945. In addition, Eisenhower and Bradley had decided to transfer Haislips XV Corps to Lt. Gen. Jacob Devers Sixth Army leaving Patton once again with just two corps. However, Patton was aware that this would be obvious to the Germans, and therefore he and his staff made rapid plans for another site at Nierstein and Oppenheim, about 12 miles south of Mainz. That same day Third Army received about 240,000 gallons of fuel, which was sufficient to resume its advance the following day. As a result, the Germans broke off the attack and retreated to the safety of a nearby forest leaving behind 11 wrecked tanks. Copyright 20122023 World War II - Day By Day. Patton would be promoted to General (four stars) in April, 1945, after his troops liberated some of the worst concentration camps in Germany, and was fighting toward the Czech border by the time VE Day was declared on 8 May 1945. The Germans did not intended to give up either without a fight. At this location, on March 22 & 23, 1945, the 249th Engineer Combat Battalion, after supporting the U.S. Army 5th Infantry Division at Oppenheim, in the first successful Rhine river assault crossing since Napoleon, completed the construction of a 366 meter floating bridge to carry elements of General George S. Patton's 3rd Army across the Rhine. This adventurous expedition, however, was later criticized by Eisenhower as far too daring, and noted that had Eisenhower been there he would never have permitted Churchill to cross the river at that time, just as Eisenhower had fought to stop Churchill from observing the Normandy landings in France. Click here to see our comprehensive article on World War 2. This post is part of our collection of resources on Nazi Germany. Unlike Patton, Churchill forbade photographs of the occasion. It was really a simple thing, just like basic training., Tucker and another engineer packed themselves into one of the first boats with the infantry. 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