Download - 70th Infantry Division Association

An example of the effectiveness of the enemy's mines was the inability of our AT Company to give
assistance to Company B when that unit was meeting terrific resistance in the right side of Oeting. AT
guns could not be brought up along the east side of the town because of a well-mined road.
Neutralization of this section of road had to await the cover of darkness. This prevented an early knockout
of the 88's and consequently made it possible to take Oeting the first day.
Early in the morning of 18 February elements of B and C Companies reduced a bunker in the vicinity of
Oeting. Otherwise the night passed without incident.
It was decided that the following plan would be followed when the attack was resumed: A and C
Companies to move forward in coordination with 274th Infantry on our right to capture high ground
overlooking Forbach in the northeast corner of the Kleinwald; L Company to be attached to First Battalion
and B and L Companies to move into Oeting, clear the city and take the high ground to the north of town;
I and K Companies to remain in defensive positions southwest of Oeting, prepared to assist in taking of
the high ground behind the town, or to advance north to take hills in the Kleinwald just south of Forbach.
At 0645 L and B Companies again advanced on Oeting and this time moved rapidly through town, so that
by noon it had been cleared entirely of enemy.
A and C Companies, advancing on line with L of the 274th, passed across the hills north of Oeting and
moved toward the previously stated objective in the Kleinwald overlooking Forbach.
I and K Companies continued to hold the hill they had occupied southwest of Oeting and I Company sent
out patrols to reconnoiter the woods in which the Third Battalion's next objectives were located.
With the taking of Oeting, L Company was released from First Battalion control and reverted to the Third
at 1315. When A and C Companies crossed the hills behind Oeting and took up a northwesterly direction,
toward Forbach, they pinched out B Company, which reverted to First Battalion reserve.
Now the units of the First and Third Battalions had all taken up the northwesterly move, heading for
Forbach. But between them and that city were three imposing terrain barriers-hills covered by the thick
woods of the Kleinwald.
Most spectacular of the three was the ancient Schlossberg, red stone castle towering above a steep hill in
the Kleinwald overlooking Forbach at the northwest edge of the woods.
This structure, approximately 400 years old, was being used by the enemy as an observation post for
adjustment of artillery and mortar fire.
To the left of the high ground covered by the woods was a narrow valley, with flat floor, which could be
covered by automatic weapons fire almost the entire distance from Forbach to the ground held by us just
outside of Oeting.
Thus, the obvious prerequisite to the taking of Forbach was capture of the high, wooded terrain
immediately south of the city, and particularly the Schlossberg, since it was the most commanding point
of observation in the entire area.
By 1705 A and C Companies were on their objective, the wooded hill at the northeast corner of the
Kleinwald, and half an hour later I and L Companies were half way up the southernmost hill of the
Kleinwald, with K Company at the rear of I. During the day, transportation of supplies and weapons was
difficult because of roads cratered by shellfire and the necessity of crossing the deep antitank ditch in
front of Oeting.
The Engineer Company was active throughout the day making routes of advance passable and bridging
the ditch.
Casualties for the 24-hour period ending at 1800 of 18 February were six killed and 28 wounded. Ninety
prisoners were taken.