Both corps commanders had received intelligence reports that two Panzergrenadier divisions, the 3rd and 17th, were prepared to contest the crossing, and that they would likely be reinforced by surviving elements of the 21st Panzer and Panzer Lehr Divisions. For the crossing 8,000 Royal Engineers came under command of the C.E. Patton spent so much time cajoling Bradley for permission to continue his advance east and additional reinforcements that he was seemingly oblivious to the stiffening enemy resistance and to evidence that the Germans were amassing substantial reinforcements in the Nancy sector. In little more than a months time, Patton, together with his archrival British General Bernard L. Montgomery, commanding the British Eighth Army, liberated the strategic island from Axis control. site is two fold. In short order, more than a half-dozen M5 Stuart tanks sat smoldering and crumpled in fields near the town. The Germans gained considerable ground on the morning of September 25, but the attack ground to a halt when the Germans were unable to dislodge CCA units from high ground northeast of Arracourt. British sappers built another Rhine bridge, "Blackfriars", by noon. From the standpoint of losses in men and equipment, the Arracourt battles were a resounding victory for the Americans. Still, the 137th Infantry Division that same day managed to establish several small bridgeheads on the eastern bank. Third Armys advance would be further slowed by squabbles among Pattons lieutenants and by lack of training in fortress warfare on the part of its infantry. The destruction of the 112th Panzer Brigade occurred less than a week after the equally embarrassing debut of the 106th Panzer Brigade on Third Armys northern flank. The turning point in the battle came when a U.S. artillery observer directed more than 300 howitzer rounds onto a German column lined up on a sunken road in preparation for an assault on the village of Mairy. Some of the hardest fighting was done by the 704th Tank Destroyer (TD) Battalion. The reversal of fortune gnawed at Patton from the outset of his service in France. Unfortunately for the Germans, the 111th Panzer Brigade became lost in unfamiliar countryside and didnt reach the staging area at Bures until late afternoon on the 19th. U.S. Army personnel cross the Ludendorff Bridge "CROSS THE RHINE WITH DRY FEET COURTESY OF 9TH ARM'D DIV". All of these units suffered serious armored and antitank deficiencies. Montgomery was supposed to make the next crossing in a complex operation utilizing ground and airborne troops. Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? As expected, the Germans counterattacked at 1 pm on September 13 just as CCA began crossing the bridge. Hitler also made preparations for the creation of a new Fifth Army to be led by Manteuffel. When a column of tanks from the 111th Panzer Brigade appeared that morning out of the fog, it was left to the gunners of the 191st Field Artillery Battalion to fight off the attack. Click here to see our comprehensive article on World War 2. Above and below Nancy, the Germans were content to wait for the Allies to attempt to cross the Moselle and launch local counterattacks in an effort to contain or eliminate the bridgeheads. As Pattons Third Army approached the Meuse River in late August, it paused before pushing into the Lorraine region. You mean across the Rhine? Sure am, Patton replied, I sneaked a division over last night. Hardcover. Our database is searchable by subject and updated continuously. As a result, Eisenhower ordered him to make a personal apology to the soldier and also to everyone present at the time of the incident. This article is also part of our extensive collection of articles on the second World War. The Rhine is no ordinary river. Although a bridge had been captured some weeks before at Remagen, and a bridge-head tenuously held, this was to be the first river assault crossing of this famous stream since . Crossing the Rhine 24 -31 March 1945: C-47 transport planes release hundreds of paratroops and their supplies over the Rees-Wesel area to the east of the Rhine. HistoryOnTheNet 2000-2019. As the troops of the French First Army crossed the Rhine River near Speyer, Germany, they became the first French troops to attack across the river since Napoleon Bonaparte. But where he crossed the Main? The attack on the 25th was not substantial enough to disrupt a shuffling of U.S. forces in the Arracourt sector. When word reached Clark that morning of another determined attack by the Germans, he ordered the entire combat command to turn back to Arracourt and sweep the area. Patton knew his entrance into German-occupied territory was of monumental historical importance. Desperate to achieve their objective, the Germans toiled throughout the day to construct strongpoints and establish camouflaged positions on the southern slope to support their attack. The plan focused on Wesel, with multiple crossings set to occur along a 22-mile front on the evening of 23 March. While we were digging in for the night, the Jerries sent over a heavy artillery barrage. We figured we had a perfectly good boat. Click here for our comprehensive information resource on the society, ideology, and key events in Nazi Germany. The 134th Infantry Regiment was ordered to cross on the left below Nancy, and the 137th Infantry Regiment on the right. Our database is searchable by subject and updated continuously. Luttwitz and Krueger received their orders two days before the start date. They rose through the branches of the trees to a height of 60 feet. Constant shelling from German long-range guns stationed at Fort Driant, an elevated outpost on the west bank of the Moselle, made it impossible for U.S. engineers to lay a bridge at that crossing. However, such a strong resistance was not encountered as elements of the 21st Army Group and Ninth Army crossed the river in the north in the Ruhr River region. It was significant to the Allies because it offered a gateway between the Ardennes and Vosges Mountains, through which Allied forces might reach Germany. Photo Credit: Men of the U.S. 5th Infantry Division hug the walls in one of the suburbs of Metz in early September 1944. Dwight Eisenhower, Crusade in Europe Once Third Army reached the West Wall, Patton intended to concentrate his forces to achieve a breach. Gen. Holmes Dagers Combat Command B (CCB) to assist the 35th Infantry Division south of Nancy, and Colonel Bruce Clarks Combat Command A (CCA) to be held in reserve to exploit whichever crossing offered the most promise for a rapid breakout. The eastern thrust of the 113th Panzer Brigades attack that day was aimed at Companies C and D of the 37th Tank Battalion guarding the eastern and southern approaches to Arracourt. Instead, he commented, They brought up a row of trucks filled with assault boats. Although ordered to avoid German forces concentrated at Chateau-Salins, Abrams nevertheless overtook an armored column from the 15th Panzergrenadier Division and, in another stunning attack, captured or destroyed 26 armored vehicles and took 400 prisoners. Since the days of the Roman Empire it has served as central Germany's traditional defense against invasion from the west. As blue skies gave way to rainy spells signaling autumn's approach, the U.S. Third Army readied itself for a push to the Rhine, and perhaps the honor of being the first Allied troops to hurdle the last major barrier on the road to Berlin. The Germans attacking toward Hill 265 captured several key towns, one of which was Xanrey, a few miles northwest of Arracourt. Brad, dont tell anyone, but Im across. A surprised Bradley responded, Well, Ill be damned. After two days of hard fighting, the two sides braced for more of the same. C. Peter Chen of Lava Development, LLC. Eddys XII Corps, on the right flank, began moving up to the Moselle that same day, and Walkers XX Corps, on the left flank, started its advance the following day. Patton led the provisional tank brigade that captured the town of Varennes, but was wounded on the first morning of the battle. Because the raising of fresh Volksgrenadier divisions and panzer brigades would take time, Hitler transferred two crack divisions, General Hans Heckers 3rd Panzergrenadier and General-Lieutenant Eberhard Rodts 15th Panzergrenadier, by train from the Italian front. Having previously been denied permission to photograph the face of the 200,000th prisoner (the Geneva Convention required that a prisoner be protected against acts of public curiosity), Patton announced that this time we will take a picture of his ass. (A week later their POW capture would top 300,000. Equally devastating was the loss of both panzer brigade commanders during the two-day assault on CCAs left flank. Seventh Army during the Sicilian campaign ( Operation Husky ), and in August 1944 his Third Army became operational in northern France. Copyright 20122023 World War II - Day By Day. In response to the changing circumstances, Patton issued orders on September 24 for CCA to pull back from Juvelize to Arracourt to lessen its exposure to any subsequent enemy attacks. This I felt was particularly true against the Germans, because as long as you attack them, they cannot find the time to plan how to attack you, Patton said. In preparation for his counterattack, Hitler made several key command changes. 6731 Whittier Avenue, Suite C-100 McLean, VA 22101, Stay up to date with all of our latest news, Using speed to its advantage, Third Army roared across two bridges over the Meuse River on August 31 before German forces could demolish them and slow the American advance. Left: Keeping a low profile, soldiers of the U.S. Third Armys 89th Infantry Division cross the Rhine in assault boats under intense German fire, March1945. But the Americans stood their ground. Copyright 2004-2023 Lava Development, LLC., all rights reserved, See all 47 photographs of Crossing the Rhine, Message from George Patton to US 5th Infantry Division. TeachingAmericanHistory.org is a project of the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University, 401 College Avenue, Ashland, Ohio 44805 PHONE (419) 289-5411 TOLL FREE (877) 289-5411 EMAIL [emailprotected]. But its fortune ended there. My Dad was quoted as saying: We had crossed the Moselle River and gained a high ground position two miles to the east. His plan called for a narrowing of the front, with two corps abreast and one in reserve. As the Americans prepared to resume their push east, the vanguard of CCA shifted north toward Chateau-Salins. Manteuffel, who knew the attacks were hopeless but was under orders from Balck to continue regardless of the cost, threw the remnants of the 111th and 113th against CCA again the following day, only to suffer further tank losses. Patton celebrated the victory by stopping on a treadway bridge his men had built and relieving himself into the river. It was during this week, in late March of 1945, that the U.S. Third Army under Gen. Patton, began its famous bridging and crossing operations of the Rhine. In December he was appointed Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force and planned the July 1944 invasion of Europe (Operation Overlord). Shortly after crossing the Rhine river near Oppenheim, Gen. Pattons 3rd Army went into the heart of Germany as they crossed their next water barrier, the Main river. Both sides employed heavy guns to shell enemy forces clinging to their respective slopes. On the night of March 22, 1945, with no artillery preparation or air cover, assault boats of the 5th Infantry began their quiet crossing near Oppenheim. The German armored column continued south, hoping to stampede the American soldiers into abandoning their positions. In 1943 he commanded the U.S. In other words, they had no depth, Patton said. After suffering significant casualties from heavy anti-aircraft fire, the airborne infantry landed and participated in direct combat during daylight to attack the German defenders from both sides. Thank You, . General der Panzertruppen Walter Kruegers 58th Corps, which formed the right wing, comprised the 15th Panzergrenadier Division and the also untested but intact 113th Panzer Brigade. With the vise tightening on Nancy, Blaskowitz ordered the 553rd Volksgrenadier Division to pull out of the Nancy pocket before it was cut off. Wietersheim ordered the battle group to break off its attack until the following day so that reinforcements could be sent to Bures. In Washington, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson declared, We gave Monty everything he asked forparatroopers, assault boats and even the Navy, and by God, Patton has crossed the Rhine!. On the evening of March 22, 1945 General George S. Patton's forces were fronting the last major obstacle to the heart of Germany, the Rhine River. His pleas fell on deaf ears, and he prepared to make do with the untrained and understrength units he had been given. Still, Walkers XX Corps remained stalled before Metz, even though Eddys XII Corps had advanced well beyond its Moselle bridgeheads. Bradley told General George S. Pattonwhose U.S. Third Army had been fighting through the Palatinateto "take the Rhine on the run". Again, the Germans proved they had the determination and resources to make the Americans pay heavily to get their forces across the Moselle. The strike destroyed five Panthers and 20 half-tracks. Although the day was cloudy and wet, two squadrons of P-47s from the 405th Fighter Squadron were able to navigate to the area using their cockpit instruments and instructions from ground spotters. Scouts from the U.S. 42nd Cavalry Squadron detected a German column approachingfrom the south toward Lunville at 7 am on September 18. Two days earlier, Patton had told Maj. Gen. Manton Eddy that his XII Corps would lead the way. Once again, Company C of the 704th TD Battalion rushed forward to delay the advance supported by P-47s firing rockets and machine guns. Patton celebrated the victory by stopping on a treadway bridge his men had built and relieving himself into the river. I know that he carried the BAR and he was in Company A, 359th Infantry Regiment. A heavy artillery barrage preceded an attack near Chateau-Salins by two regiments supported by tanks across flat ground against U.S. forces in defensive positions on a long ridge. George Patton's US 5th Division crossed the Rhine River during the night of 22 Mar 1945, establishing a six-mile deep bridgehead after capturing 19,000 demoralized German troops. 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