Download - 70th Infantry Division Association

cross an open field and wipe out initial resistance. Company K lost one tank by a mine in the late
afternoon and another tank moved up to support them.
Tanks were also with the French Forces attached to the 1st Battalion. By 1600 the French had reached
their objective and were mopping up.
A unit from Combat Command "A", 12th Armored Division, relieved the French Forces and set up a
defensive position after the French had completely cleared their objective.
The 2d Battalion was ordered to move to a forward position and prepare to attack, capture and hold the
woods on the Regimental right flank. After the 2d Battalion assembled in Forbach, they moved under
cover of darkness into position to jump off in the early hours of the morning.
The enemy situation and our own situation were unchanged except that a few additional snipers were
flushed out of houses in Forbach proper.
Company G was returned from Division Reserve to 2d Battalion control at 0655, 3 March 1945.
The morning of 3 March was cloudy with a touch of rain. Low clouds over Forbach cut visibility to about
200 yards on the ground. Roads were muddy. H Hour was 0817 and, after the supporting artillery fired a
concentration of Time on Target, the "Bloody Axe" Regiment jumped off on the attack. Our mission was to
occupy the balance of Forbach and continue the attack until we reached the Division Objective which was
the high ground overlooking the Saar River and the city of Saarbrucken.
The Battalions were disposed as follows: 3d Battalion on the left and 1st Battalion on the right.
Companies I and K, with I Company on the left, were the assault Companies for the 3d Battalion and
Company L was in Battalion Reserve. Companies A and C, with A Company on the left and C Company
on the Regimental Right Boundary, were the assault Companies for the 1st Battalion. One Company of
French Forces was attached to the 1st Battalion and was to assist in clearing out part of Forbach on the
Regimental Right Boundary. The 2d Battalion, in Regimental Reserve, was located in the town of Oeting,
France. The 884th Field Artillery Battalion, Division Artillery, was in direct support of the Regiment. All
assault units jumped off at H Hour. The Line of Departure was the railroad. Elements of Company A
entered the first house in their area ten minutes after crossing the Line of Departure. All units drew small
arms fire from the enemy.
Company K, guiding on the road, went through the underpass under the railroad followed by Company A
and met small arms and automatic weapons fire from straight up the road. Our attached tanks were
unable to go through the underpass until it had been cleared of mines. Company K called for and
received help from the attached Engineer Mine Platoon who began to clear the mines from the
underpass.
The enemy began to shell Forbach and the assault Companies with artillery and mortars. Counterbatteries
were fired by our supporting artillery but were found to be ineffective against
the well dug-in positions of the Germans. The Regimental Commander requested an air mission to
neutralize the enemy batteries. After some misunderstanding as to the disposition of our troops at the
time, the request was granted by Division, but the mission was never flown.
About this time all wire communication to the assault Battalions went out due to the intensive enemy
shelling. By 1000, elements o£ all the assault Companies had moved across the railroad tracks about 150
meters.
In the early afternoon, Company C was moving forward. The communications to Company A were out,
but a messenger reported that Company A had taken four houses and was maneuvering to the right to
avoid being pinned down. Lacking definite information as to the exact whereabouts of Company A, the
Regimental Commander ordered the 1st Battalion to commit Company B.