On March 3, 1945 K Company participated in the assault on “Goldbrick Hill” – Hill 649B on the Siegfried Line.
From the Regimental History:
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 in-
tense enemy artillery, neblewerfer, and small arms
fire, the Third Battalion pressed its attack using
marching fire and knocked out seven enemy ma-
chine 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 Bat-
talion dug in for the night in a perimeter defense.
The capture of the hill denied the enemy its ob-
servation 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.
A description of the attack by Ed Jans and Mitch Kaidy
A memoir of the assault by Lt Glenn Doman, commanding officer for Company K.