Company K at the 346th Regiment Inactivation
VE Day
From 346th Infantry:
At 0945 May 7 the following message was received from the Division Commander: “Representatives of the German High Command signed the unconditional surrender of all German land, sea, and air forces to the Allied Expeditionary Forces and simultaneously to the Soviet High Command at 0700, 7 May 1945 under which all forces will cease active operations at 0900, 7 May 1945. Effective immediately all offensive operations cease. Troops will remain in present positions. Moves involved in occupational duty will continue. Due to difficulty in communications, there may be some delay in similar orders reaching the enemy troops, so full defensive precautions will be taken.”
May 8, 1945
Germany
Dear Folks,
Yesterday sure was a great day for me. We attacked on the sixth and were supposed to shove off again yesterday morning. But instead of receiving an attack order, we were ordered just to stay where we were. Then a little after ten o’clock we got the news that the Germans had signed unconditional surrender. Even though it doesn’t take effect officially till tomorrow, it meant that we were though fighting. Boy oh Boy! What a feeling. The Lord has certainly been good to me. I’ve got lots to thank Him for.
The “Stars and Stripes” also brought us some pretty good news yesterday. It said that over half of the combat troops would get a furlough back in the States before they are shipped to the CBI1 The China, Burma, India Theater. Don’t plan too much on it because there’s just about as much chance against it as there is for it. But wouldn’t that be great!
Yesterday also I received a box from you and my name was turned in for a pass to Paris. It was the package containing pop corn and it really hit the spot. The corn was still as crisp as it was when you packed it. It would have done your heart good to have seen the fellows (and me) go after it. I wish I could send the box home and let you fill it up again.
If my pass had come a little bit sooner it might have kept me out of a little fighting but I’m glad to get it now. I’ll be going in a day or so. Considering everything that happened, wasn’t yesterday a pretty eventful day for me?
Well it looks like Spring again today. Maybe the weather is doing a little celebrating. We’ve really had some pretty rough weather for this late in the season during the past week. There has even been a little snow. I hope it stays nice now.
It’s been almost a week now since I got any letters but no doubt there will be two or three when they do come.
Hope everything is ship-shape back there. Be good and God bless you.
Love
Donald
Categories
Germany: May 1945
The following is the official “After Action Report” for the 346th Regiment, May 1945, from the 87th Infantry Archives
Categories
Germany: April 1945
The following is the official “After Action Report” for the 346th Regiment, March 1945, from the 87th Infantry Archives
Categories
Germany: March 1945
The following is the official “After Action Report” for the 346th Regiment, March 1945, from the 87th Infantry Archives
From the 346th Infantry:
Then at 1500 hours on February 26th, the Regiment switched from their defensive positions back to the offense in a column led by the Third Battalion in the vicinity west of Ormont, right into the teeth of heavy enemy defensive fire. The attack was held up for a while by a road block but resumed early the next morning slowly and with great difficulty, held up again by road blocks which took much time to knock out. Many casualties were sustained from enemy mines and booby traps.
On 26 February 1945, the Third Battalion was given the mission of breaching the formidable fortifications of the Siegfried Line, near Ormont, Germany. The key terrain feature of the enemy defense was Gold “B” Hill, a high bald, detached hill from which the enemy could gain observation on our movements, and were able to effectively observe artillery, mortar, and neblewerfer fire on our forward positions and rear areas. This hill also dominated the road net leading east from Ormont to the Kyll River. The hill contained 15 twenty man pillboxes. In order to attack Gold “B” Hill it was necessary for the Third Battalion with its supporting tanks and TD’s to gain positions on Hill 648 from which its attack on Gold “B” Hill could be launched.
From the 26th of February until the third of March, the Battalion fought its way through heavy mine fields and dense woods in bitter cold weather to gain positions on Hill 648. Throughout this period the enemy infantry opposition was strong. Its artillery, mortar, and neblewerfer fire was deadly.
The Battalion was forward of the adjoining elements of the Division and received heavy artillery
cross fire from both flanks as well as from the front. Supply and evacuation were extremely difficult because of deep mud and lack of roads. Hand carry of both supplies and casualties was necessary over 3000 meters of extremely rugged terrain. Since food and ammunition had priority and supply was so difficult, it was impossible to provide the troops with either blankets or bedding rolls. As a result they spent five nights in their fox-holes in bitter cold weather with neither, although all carrying details that could be made available did every
thing humanly possible to provide them with these items.During this period, the Battalion received 171 casualties, many of these were caused from tree
bursts, which had a deadening effect on the morale of the men.At 1330 on 3 March 1945, the Battalion launched its attack from Hill 648 debouching from its heavy woods, passing across the open draw between the two hills and up the bald slopes of Gold “B” Hill, after a 20 minute artillery preparation. Under intense enemy artillery, neblewerfer, and small arms fire, the Third Battalion pressed its attack using marching fire and knocked out seven enemy machine guns, capturing the hill, which yielded 150 enemy prisoners of war and inflicting 100 enemy casualties. At this point, the enemy increased his artillery and mortar fire on the hill, and the Battalion dug in for the night in a perimeter defense.
The capture of the hill denied the enemy its observation and the artillery fire on our rear areas
ceased, permitting freedom of movement for our troops and supply to the front. It also broke the back of the enemy defenses in that sector of the Siegfried Line.At 0800 the following morning, the Battalion continued its attack over a distance of 5000 meters and captured Kerschenbach, after meeting stiff resistance, and suffering heavy casualties. It then poised itself for an immediate crossing of the Kyll River.
During the period of 26 February 1945 to 4 March 1945, the Battalion suffered 283 casualties, inflicted 263 enemy casualties, and captured 272 enemy prisoners. The Battalion advanced a total of 11,000 meters during this period, captured 38 enemy pill boxes, and 32 enemy machine guns.
All Battalions attacked in earnest and the force of their drive carried them past Stadtkyll across the Kyll River and into the towns of Junkerath and Schuller on the other side. These two towns, unlike those German villages encountered in the past, had not been damaged too greatly by artillery and air bombardment. With the exception of the railroad yards at Junkerath everything was intact. For the next four or five days, action slowed down to patrol duty and consolidation of positions. The Siegfried Line had been cracked and now the Regiment was poised for the drive to the Rhine
Additional information:
- 1945 report on the attack on Ormont and Goldbrick Hill (aka Hill 649, Gold “B”), by a unit historical officer
- A description of the attack on Goldbrick Hill by Ed Jans and Mitch Kaidy
- A memoir of the assault on Goldbrick Hill by Lt Glenn Doman, commanding officer for Company K.
Letter to his youngest brother
Germany
February 22, 1945
(letter to brother Jim)
Hi Jim,
I know that it would have been a whole lot better to have written a letter especially to you a good while ago so that it would have reached you near your birthday. But since I didn’t this will let you know that I am thinking about you and am giving you my best wishes.
Now for just a little news in general. I got a letter today that mother had written on Dec. 8. It told about where several of the boys in Orestes were then and any time you run out of anything else to say you can bring me up to date on that sort of news. Since Duane is in the third army too I wonder what division he is attached too. It could be, of course, his outfit may not be attached to a division but since everything moves around pretty fast just knowing his battallion or cops or any other information might help. We have had lots of different Field Artillery batallions supporting us and I’d just like to keep my eyes open for him.
The new watch band makes the old watch look like a million dollars again. Wish I could think of something else to ask for. But candy, cookies, gum or any kind of eats never come amiss. Oh yes, air mail stamps.
Love, Donald
Somewhere in Germany
February 21, 1945 – 6AM
Hello Folks,
I enjoy getting a regular letter so much more than V-mails that I am beginning to be ashamed of them. They do serve the purpose of just letting you hear from me during a busy time, though, and I’ll have to continue using them. I generally get air mail letters a week or so sooner that the others and I wonder if would be the same way with these I sent you. For example: yesterday I got a V-mail dated January 24 and two air mails of Feb. 5 (One of them contained the watch strap. Thanks a million.)
If you wonder why I am attempting a letter like this now, I can safely say we are back for a little relaxation period. You can hardly call a time like this a rest period but they do let your nerves relax a little. We’re not in a rest camp or anything like that but we are just spending a few days living inside in a town a little ways back. We always work at a time like this but it’s work you don’t mind too much after some of the more exciting kind. Yesterday we spent all day giving our billets a general house cleaning inside and out (the area surrounding). Today we are supposed to get ourselves cleaned up as much as possible and get our rifles and equipment back in shape again. If we’re here tomorrow it wouldn’t surprise me to find us starting out on some sort of a training schedule.
Would you be interested in knowing how we live at a time like this? Since this is Germany the civilians aren’t trusted like they were in Belgium, etc. so they are all moved to one end of town. In Belgium and France we often lived in one room and the civilians in another but here we can have the whole house. When we move in we always have to clean up the place and then get rid of as much furniture that we won’t use as possible. A little room with a bed in it will only sleep two people on the bed and two or three on the floor. But the same room without the bed will sleep a dozen people on the floor. Usually everything but the stoves, a few chairs, and anything too big to move is put in the attic, basement or somewhere. Then with the floors bare or with a little straw on them we get several men into a room. With nothing between me and the floor but a GI blanket I really sleep food any more. Boy will a bed be good! Even living like this you really appreciate it. I’ve spent lats of time in barns and enjoyed it. Anything is better than living outdoors.
In this last letter Daddy was telling about a radio program he had heard describing conditions over here. Although you don’t spend all your time living like that, everything he mentioned certainly isn’t fiction. As far as telling you a lot of stuff along this line, I figure if for no other reason its a lot better for my morale just to not talk about it.
Before I forget it I want to tell you that I had my teeth worked on one day last week. It really surprised me how close up work like this can be done. I had two great big fillings put in and even with the few instruments that can be carried in their portable units, I think it was as good a job as I have ever had done.
If possible while I am still here, I want to get my silver star started toward home. I don’t know whether you’ve heard anything about it or not but the papers that go with it should do enough explaining.
I wonder what Richard has found out by this time. If I don’t write another letter tomorrow, “Happy birthday Jim.”
Let’s keep trusting and praying that we’ll all be together soon. God bless you all.
Love, Your son and brother, Donald
Germany
February 19, 1945
Dear Grandparents,
I realize that it has been a good while since I last wrote but I hope you haven’t become too discouraged waiting for a letter. Boy I sure was pleased to hear that Ben got to be at home. No one yet has told me much about what he had to say or what he has been doing. Maybe you can help me get caught up on that. As I remember it wasn’t more than a couple weeks after he was home last time before I got home. It looks as if it will be quite different this time. I am thankful for him to get back though. The Lord sure has given me a lot to be be glad about even though it may be a good while before I get home. I am getting mail pretty regularly now, I am still safe, and have been blessed with extremely good health. Lately my work hasn’t been quite as strenous as it was a month ago. How are things coming at the school house? Time sure is flying by. Before re realize it, I guess another school year will be gone. Let’s keep praying that this mess will all be over soon. I am trusting in the Lord more every minute for my safety. It is always good to hear from you.
Love, Your Grandson, Donald