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Generally, enemy resistance was light during this period. S-2 reported the enemy resistance as delaying
actions. Also, the enemy had definite terrain features in his favor, namely, dense woods and high ground.
That night, our units held positions with all around security, and they continued active and aggressive
patrolling to their fronts. Combat efficiency was rated as excellent for this period. Our supply situation was
normal. Reinforcements required on this date were listed as 13 officers and 205 enlisted men.
Operations for the morning of 6 March called for our units to continue the attack. But, at 0520, a
counterattack was launched by the enemy from the northwest and northeast. Also, during the night, some
Germans had infiltrated through our lines. Company F was cut off from the balance of the 2d Battalion.
Company B, attached to the 2d Battalion and holding positions between E and F Companies, was
ordered to attack the Germans to the east toward Company F. Company G on the Regimental right flank
attacked to the west toward F Company. The Germans used two tanks and several prepared bunkers.
Both B and G Companies had to knock out machine gun nests before reaching Company F. The enemy
shelled our right flank positions with artillery and rockets. After a heavy exchange of small arms fire, the
original line was restored about 1230.
The 1st Battalion less Company B launched an attack to the northwest toward Petite Rosselle meeting
little resistance.
A formidable obstacle was found in front of the 2d and 3d Battalions. It was a single track railroad on an
embankment approximately 20 feet high. In front of the embankment was an anti-personnel ditch about
20 feet deep and 30 feet wide. The railroad was heavily defended by embrasures under the tracks. To
make a frontal attack without more supporting weapons would have been suicide. Armor could not get up
into position because of an anti-tank ditch.
Another strong point on our right in the 274th area was the Simon Mine which the 274th erroneously
reported to have taken. This was corrected an hour later when it was discovered that the units of the
274th were just entering the area and were meeting very heavy resistance.
The Regimental Commander ordered the 2d and 3d Battalions to pull back 300 to 400 yards and dig in for
the night and patrol their sectors. Companies A and C were withdrawn to their former positions because
of the heavy fire encountered by the 2d and 3d Battalions.
At 1700 another counterattack was launched by the enemy at Company E. It was repulsed by a
concentration of our artillery.
At 1800 Company G reported a counterattack. Tanks were used to blast the woods between G Company
and the Simon Mine along the Regimental right boundary. An artillery mission fired a concentration into
the vicinity. The counterattack was stopped but the Company Commander was killed and his radio blown
up.
At 2200 the Liaison Officer to the 274th Regiment reported that the two rifle companies on our
Regimental right flank, Companies I and L of the 274th, had pulled back behind the railroad tracks in
Forbach leaving our Regimental right flank exposed. The Regimental Executive Officer notified Division
and Division ordered the 274th to go back to their original positions. The S-3 of the 274th reported to our
Executive Officer that his Company I was on the right flank of our Company G and holding positions to
the right of a lake between the railroad and the Simon Mine. Our patrols could not locate them. Later, our
patrols did contact a half squad from Company I, 274th, and were notified by them that the balance of
Company I, 274th, and Company L, 274th, were actually located in buildings-500 meters south of the
lake. Our Executive Officer called S-3, 274th, and told him that a half squad was not enough to plug the
gap between the two Regiments. G-3 ordered the 3d Battalion, 274th, to send out strong patrols
throughout the night to maintain contact with our Company G on our Regimental right flank. (See page 2,
S-3 Journal, Unit Report 70, 1800 March - 1800 7 March 45).
The Commanding General of the Division ordered that all attack plans be cancelled and directed that we
continue to probe for weak spots in the enemy line.