|
Chapter IX On 28 December 1945, the Battalion moved to St. Avold, where it was attached to the 95th Infantry Division and given the task of preparing defenses to block any enemy penetration in the vicinity of St. Avold. This was the period of the German Ardennes offensive, and according to information received from prisoners of War, the next attack was to come in the St. Avold vicinity. The Battalion Commander, his staff and Company Commanders, after carefully reconnoitering the terrain, chose points from which to defend the city in case of an attack, and the companies dug into position. Ever since the Rangers crossed the beach on “D” Day, they had always wished for an opportunity to protect a strong point against enemy attack, vowing that they could really show the Krauts how it should be done, -- and this looked like that opportunity. It must be confessed that the Rangers actually hoped that the Krauts would try to take St. Avold. But fortunately or unfortunately, the Rangers did not get their wish, -- not in St. Avold. However, they did have that opportunity later in the year, at Zerf, and they definitely proved their point. On January 1st, at 0315 hours, an alert came; an enemy attack of undetermined strength was taking place in the 106th Cavalry Group sector, and if the enemy could penetrate the Cavalry defenses, the Rangers in St. Avold would have to stop the advance. All units manned positions. However, the situation in the 106th Cavalry Group sector was clarified by 1000 hours and it proved to be a small counter-attack, easily repulsed by the Cavalry. In the days that followed, a complete defense of St. Avold was established in every phase. Check posts were set up to screen the influx of civilians, both internal and external defense plans were written up and made familiar to all concerned, -- the companies continued to improve positions and practice alerts were made regularly, many of which were observed by the Commanding General of the 95th Infantry Division and his staff. The practice alerts were executed with clocklike precision and if an attack should come, the Rangers would be ready. But whether or not an enemy attack came, the time at St. Avold was not wasted, as reinforcements were being recruited and trained. On January 23rd, the Rangers were relieved of their St. Avold mission and moved to Johannesbannberg, France, there to continue training. On 9 February 1945, the Battalion was attached to the 94th Infantry Division and moved to Wehingen, Germany. The Rangers prepared defensive positions for the area and established hourly patrols for flank contact. The Ranger front was approximately 11,000 yards long, so here again was brought into practice, the vigorous, aggressive Ranger patrols that deceived the enemy as to the size of the unit that was opposing them, and drove terror into their hearts whenever a Ranger patrol was encountered by them. Patrolling continued until 19 February 1945, and the ground was thoroughly reconnoitered. Exact locations of mine fields were made and charted, dragons’ teeth, Anti Tank ditches and enemy troop dispositions were located, until the Rangers were completely familiar with every foot of the terrain. At 0600 hours of February 19th, “A” and “F” Companies attacked Northwest toward Oberleuken, Germany; “F” Company led, “A” followed, while a platoon of “B” furnished supporting fire. They attacked across the Anti Tank ditch, when the leading elements of “F” Company, already across the ditch, found themselves in the midst of an electrically controlled mine field, with mines already bursting with volcanic fury, all around them. To make matters even more confusing, an unmerciful crossfire of enemy machine guns opened fire, sweeping the Anti Tank ditch and mine field. Needless to state, numerous casualties were suffered and neither Ranger Company was able to advance. Mortar was thrown in on the Rangers caught in the ditch, causing further casualties and death to many already wounded. The machine guns were found to be firing from well concealed pillboxes on either side of the ditch. The platoon of “B” Company was also held up by heavy machine gun fire, and was unable to advance. “E” Company also attacked and succeeded in getting one platoon across the Anti Tank ditch, but there it too was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and mortar fire. At 1700 hours that night, “A” Company moved from Oberleuken, which was now clear, to Hellendorf, where they attacked the pillboxes that were holding up “E” and “F” Companies. With lightening-like fury, the Rangers of “A” Company captured the pillboxes and took 40 prisoners out of them. “F” Company was moved out to join “A” in Oberleuken, while Companies “E” and “B” moved to defensive positions for the night. The day’s fighting had caused 55 casualties against 40 enemy prisoners taken and twelve enemy killed. During the hours of darkness, some of the wounded Rangers were evacuated. All companies held defensive positions, and in the next two days, captured twenty prisoners. February 21st, Companies “C” and “D” were attached to the Third Cavalry Squadron for operations, while the remainder of the battalion moved to Weiten, Germany, to outpost and protect the towns of Hamm, Taben, Keuchingen and Orcholtz. On 23 February 1945, the battalion was ordered to assemble in Weiten. The Rangers had been given another mission, -- and what a mission!! They were to cross the Saar River at the 94th Division Bridgehead at Taben, and infiltrate through the enemy lines and out the Irsch-Zerf road, thereby preventing the enemy from sending reinforcements down the only road that was available. The Tenth Armored Division’s drive depended upon the Ranger’s success, and the orders were “Cut the road at any cost”. Here again, it was “LEAD THE WAY, RANGERS!!” – lead the way through virgin enemy territory until you find yourselves all alone, surrounded by the enemy, but holding the Irsch-Zerf road, -- and hold no matter what the enemy throws at you, at any cost. Well, this was a job only for the Rangers, -- the type of job that men expected when they volunteered to become Rangers, -- and they achieved their goal. The Rangers infiltrated through approximately four kilometers of the roughest terrain and the heaviest fire that they had ever encountered, -- and they did cut the road and hold it against unbelievable odds. But the phrase, “At all costs”, was not just a phrase. When the Rangers were relieved of their nine day mission which was originally planned as a 48 hour one, they emerged with only 180 Rangers. The story of what took place in those nine days is told best in the chapter that follows, -- a story of that action, written by the Ranger Public Relations Officer, First Lieutenant Raymond Herlihy. In it, the moods and reactions of individual Rangers are presented clearly and gives the surviving Rangers a picture of themselves, and also gives those readers who are not Rangers, an idea of the unchallengable courage and valor of these magnificent soldiers. |
|