After Action Reports and Interviews
7th Armd. Inf. Bn. - S-1 Report, Jan 22-25, 1945
| Jan 22-25 | Jan 26-28 | Jan Cmd | AAR index |


HEADQUARTERS 7th ARMD INF BN
8th Armd Div
APO 258, U. S. ARMY

S-1 JOURNAL
0001 22 Jan 45 to 2400 24 Jan 45
Rettel, France

Time Incidents, Messages, Orders, etc.Action taken
  22 Jan 45
0100 Co A moves mounted fr Sireck to point S of Besch, having rec'd order at 2300, 21 Jan to support 302nd Inf (94th Div)
0200 Co A met with guide fr 302nd and dismounts along road about 1000 yds S of Besch and proceeds to Besch; CO Co A leaves to rpt to CO, 302nd.
0230 AG Plt moves fr Rettel to Nennig in support of Co A.
0400 Co A ordered to proceed to Nennig to join 3rd Bn, 302nd Inf there.
0410 Co A moves dismounted in route column to Nennig under cover of friendly arty.
0500 Co A arrives at Nennig and occupies cellars of first three bldgs; Co officers rpt to 3rd Bn CO to receive instructions.
0500 AG Plt arrives Nennig (finds no positions in darkness and is ordered by CO to move to Besch)
0530 CO A Co receives orders and plans for atk on Nennig: Atk to begin 0715, 1st Plt to lead and clear each house on rt hand side of street, 2nd and 3rd plts to remain in support on S end of town.
0600 Co A makes limited recn and assumes positions for atk.
0615 Bn, except A and Sv Cos alerted to move on 1/2 hr notice.
0700 Co B moves out mounted fr Sierck.
0705 Bn Hq, remdr of Hq Co move mounted fr Rettel to vic of Besch.
0715 1st Plt Co A starts atk; contacts enemy.
0720 Bn Hq & Clm halted at outskirts of Sierck to allow AT and 1 rifle Plt of Co B to pass.
0740 Bn Hq & colm crosses into Germany.
0750 Bn Cmd track reaches apach.
0800 Co B arrives in tactical biv. S of Wochern; no enemy action encountered.
0802 Bn Hq & colm halted for 30 min.
0845 1st Plt Co A clears first 3 houses which fall easily but church heavily occupied by enemy slowing up advance.
0900 I & R Plt clears roads to and adjacent to Besch and wooded area No.5 S of Besch.
0930 Bn Hq & colm closes biv area S of Wochern.
1000 Bn Aid Station set up at Besch in conjunction with 3rd Bn, 302nd Inf.
1030 Co A requests AG Plt.
1100 AG Plt moves fr Besch to Nennig.
1200 AG Plt arrives at Nennig. Action: 1st Gun section put in action; destroys defensive position with 4 rds HEAT and 3 rds HE, permitting 1st Plt Co A to take the position and remove wounded Co A men fr vic of church.
1300 2nd Plt, Co A assaults and takes 2 houses to E. of church with aid of AG Plt but unable to clear rest of houses on that side of street.
1400 LnO brings Spec G-2 Rept, 22 Jan 45.
1430 Bn Hq and sect of MG Plt prepare to move fr biv area to Besch.
1500 Lt Grau with 4 EM lvs Besch for Nennig to set up Aid Stat 100 yds N. of Co A CP. Aid station to clear patients thru Cor, 78Med Bn at Sierck.
1500 LnO brings overlay re Priority for recn.
1515 Bn Hq and sect oc MG Plt move mounted for Besch.
1600 Bn Hq and sect of MG Plt arrive at Besch and set up CP.
1800 AG Plt moves in reserve to Besch under orders of Bn CO.
1800 1st Plt, Co Arelieved by 3rd Plt which holds houses taken.
1830 2nd Plt, Co A relieves Co K on high ground E of town and occupies 2 houses it had previously taken; 1st Plt put in reserve.
1830 I & R Plt leaves to recn rd to Besch in preparation for move by Hq, B and C Cos; one Sect of I & R recns tracks fr Besch to Nennig.
  Bn casualties for 22 Jan 45: W.I.A - 13, K.I.A - 1
   
  23 Jan 45
0400 Enemy having infiltered into positions held by Co A during 22 Jan are cleared.
0400 CO brings FO No. 1, CCA 23 Jan 45.
0700 Co A atks under following plan: 1st Plt to take over positions held by 3rd Plt, 3rd Plt to atk up left side of street, bldgs having softened by 3 TDs, 3rd Bn, 376th to atk fr W and take N half of town.
1019 LnO brings FO No. 3, 302nd Inf.
1600 LnO brings Spec G-2 Rept, 23 Jan 45.
1800 Mission of Co A and 376th completed, 376th having had difficulty causing delay in estimation of plan.
2400 Enemy having infiltered into Co A positions is cleared,
  Bn casualties for 23 Jan 45: W.I.A - 10, K.I.A, - 2
   
  24 Jan 45
0700 3rd Bn, 302nd Inf with aid of 2nd Plt, Co A take remdr of Nennig relieving a Plt of the 3rd Bn which had been trapped for 2 days; Co A holds positions.
1118 Co A rpts town of Nennig completely cleared.
1400 Enemy having infiltered into Nennig is cleared by Co A.
1900 LnO brings FO #2, CCA 24 Jan 45.
2000 Co B with 1 sec of MG Plt atchd leaves Sierck on mounted road march to Besch; Co C leaves Rettel on mounted road march to Besch.
2300 CO receives order to comply with FO #1, CCA 23 Jan.
2330 Cos Band C arrives at Besch and bivouac.
2330 Other sect MG Plat joins plat Besch.
2400 CO % S-2 recn line of departure: Find town of Berg occupied by German troops.
2400 Co A relieved of mission holding Nennig.
  Bn casualties for 24 Jan 45: W.I.A. - 8, K.I.A. - 3
   
  25 Jan 45
0200 Co B and part of Hq Co move fr Besch dismounted to Nennig.
0210 MG Plt moves fr Besch , dismounted to Nennig.
0300 Co C moves dismounted fr Besch to Nennig.
0300 Co B arrives at Nennig and prepares for atk on Berg consisting of about 9 bldgs and 1 large chateau on commanding ground; MG plt arrives in support of Co B.
0400 Co C arrives at Nennig snd receives mission to take bldgs on W. side of Berg as soon as Co B secured the E. half of town.
0430 Mortar and AG Plts move fr Besch to Nennig.
0505 3rd Plt Co B crosses LD to atk Berg; followed by 1st plt with 2nd Plt and MG Plt in reserve.
0530 Mortar Plt in firing position firing HE Hwy.
0600 As first elements of Co C move thru Nennig under hwy enemy mortar fire, accompanying Tk strikes mines inflicting hwy casualties upon Co C and 81mm Mortar Plt. (Cas: Med - 1, Co C - 24, Hq - 13).
0700 Mort Plt reorgn into two squads.
0730 All available men of I & R Plt ordered to occupy bldg guarding rt flank of Bn zeroed in by en arty and mortar fire.
0800 Remdr Aid Station personnel arrives at Nennig.
0830 Radios and phones of Mort Plt out; cmds relayed to gun; Plt fires smoke and HE hwy into Berg.
0900 2nd Plt, Co B jumps off to atk, having been unable to jump off at 0700 as ordered due to difficulty of bringing up tks; MG Plt not committed but used to help in evacuation of casualties and handling of PWs.
1000 Lt Woodward, Co B W.I.A. and evac; Lt Kizner, Co C W.I.A. and evac.
1030 S-2 to CCA (Msg-Rad): Adv held up by auto and small arms fire.
1055 Bn in Adm (S-4) net with CCA, 18th Tk and 398 FA,
1100 Mort Plt moves one gun into new position; Plt under constant arty and mortar fire.
1100 I & R recons 2 routes to pt 200 yds N. of Berg.
1200 Co C clears bldg on east side of Berg and prepares for atk on chateau; tk trap found betw edge of Berg and chateau and engineers build crossing protected by Co C; Lt Henderson, Co C W.I.A. and evac; Berg , except chateau, secured; MG Plt outposts line on high ground beyond Berg.
1231 S-2 CCA to CO (Msg-Rad): 3 or 4 tks heard in vic of Kreuzweiler (L036066) moving south.
1235 ComO to CCA (Msg-Rad): Town cleared 1145 exception big chateau.
1255 S-2 to CCA (Msg-Rad): En Arty estimated 105 MM fall in Baltimore betw 1045 and 1100 approx 30 rds.
1330 ComO W.I.A and evac; tks make crossing of tk trap followed by 2nd Plt, Co C; 2 leading tks disabled and Inf pinned down in tk trap while remaining tks place arty and small arms fire on chateau; Co C suffers casualties due to mortar fire.
1330 S-2 CCA to S-2 (Msg-Rad): Request direction enemy arty fell in Baltimore.
1330 Mtr Plt reorgn into 1 sqd; dismounts and fires smoke on hill N.E. chateau.
1400 Fire from chateau diminishes and Inf able to pass and organize high ground N.E.; Co C ordered to secure town against snipers and secure breach of tk ditch until tks return; Co B completes mission & moves to high ground around Berg - AT Plt brought up and placed in defense around Nennig.
1400 Lt Ballentine, Co B W.I.A. and evac.
1415 S-2 to CCA (Msg-Rad): Lead 2 vehs knocked out blocking Road. We have men in AT ditch under hwy mortar fire. Looks like we will have to pull them out.
1500 Co A moves to edge of Berg in close reserve and bivouacs.
1525 LnO to All Cos (Msg vis Msgr) Pass Word.
1530 Capt Herman, CO Co B K.I.A.: Lt Fisher assumes Cmd.
1600 Lt Col Poinier Bn CO W.I.A. and evac: ExO assumes Cmd.
1600 AG Plt follows atking Cos to Berg (remains in static support on call for Co B)
1700 CO Co C evacuated; Lt Lane assumes command.
1700 S-3 evacuated.
1800 Mortar Plt goes out of action due to limited visibility.
2400 Co B and MG Plt relieved by 94th and move to Berg to bivouac.
  Bn Casualties for 25 Jan 45: W.I.A. - 101, K,I,A. - 6