INTERVIEW

Unit: CCA
Source: Major John R. Sheridan, S-3, CCA
Interviewer: Capt. Joseph Vasta
Place and Date of Interview: 191000 Apr 45, Seehausen, Germany

Task Force Poinier was up to the town of Imleh and moving south and southwest. It was a bad spot because its left flank was exposed to enemy fire and as a result, he was pinned down. To alleviate the pressure on TF Poinier, TF Crittendon was formed. (TF Crittendon was composed of B Co, 18 Tank Bn, A Co 7th Armored Infantry Bn and the third platoon of A Co 53d Engr. Bn). The mission of TF Crittendon was to put pressure on Dorsten from the east.

It had been originally planned that TF Poinier's mission would bypass Dorsten. But then orders were received on the night of 28 March that Dorsten would be taken by 0800 hours the next morning. When CCA was notified of the change in mission, TF Crittendon was held in place at the furthest point of advance and a new task force under command of Lt Col Harris, Bn Commander of the 2d Bn, 290 Infantry Regt and consisting of the battalion minus G Company plus TF Crittendon. TF Harris moved into position 3 kilometers east of Dorsten. Task Force Pointer was told to hold in place because the main effort against the town would come from the east instead. It was planned that the infantry would jump off at 0600 hours on the morning of the 29th following a 15 minute artillery preparation by 15 battalions of artillery.

After the artillery preparation the infantry jumped off from the east side and at 0636 hours, the first troops were fighting on the outskirts of the town. By 0730 hours, the town was ours except for the portion of the town where the railroad tracks divided the town. There were snipers in that section. However, the town was clear enough so that the engineers could work on the bridge (467410).

At 0900 hours the 49th Armored Infantry Bn (CCB) was ordered into town to hold and police the rest of Dorsten. They were under control of CCA. CCA reorganized and prepared to move to the east. The 49th AIB reverted to CCB at 1200 hours.

TF Poinier on the left and TF Goodrich on the right jumped off at 1430. The line of departure was the railroad in the west portion of Dorsten. TF Poinier's march objective was Marl (5539) and TF Goodrich's march objective was Polsum (5236). Due to several factors such as congested roads, lack of roads and enemy action by direct fire weapons, the attack bogged down.

On the following morning (30 March) the attack was remade and the first elements of TF Goodrich were in Polsum by 0930 hours. There was fighting on the high ground east and south of the town where the Krauts had observation and were throwing direct fire. By 1630, the town was in his hands.

TF Poinier was held up on his attack on Marl because of the fact that all the bridges across his front were blown.

The Corps Commander that it wasn't an armored job because of the small amount of infantrymen possessed by an armored outfit, and ordered the 75th Infantry Div to take over. At 0600 next morning, the 75th Div took over with two RCTs abreast where we had three rifle companies. We passed to division reserve in place. As the 75th Inf Div passed thru, the 2d Bn of the 290 Inf Regt reverted to parent control.

The mission of CCA was to guard the bridges and Dorsten, and prepare to move north across the river and canal which happened the next day (1 April 45).

ERWITTE

In attacking Erwitte, CCA bumped into advance elements of the 116th Pz Grenadier Regt. An enemy infantry company reinforced from this unit, was sent to hold the town of Erwitte and hold open the road running west from Soest. This was information gathered from prisoners taken in the fighting for the town.

UNNA

CCB was attacking from east to west the town of Unna. The attack was unsuccessful. Forward elements of CCB were three kilometers east of Unna when they were ordered to hold in place and to support our (CCA) attack by fire. TF Poinier and TF Goodrich were coming around the vicinity of Kesseburen (993248) to attack Unna from the south. TF Poinier was to move out from Kesseburen and TF Goodrich to move along the axis of the north-south road out of Unna, in a coordinated attack. They jumped off at 0630 and were fighting on the edge of town by 0730. They continued to move into town and mop up as they went. It was a house to house job. By nightfall 11 April, approximately two thirds of the city was under the control of these two task forces.

The 194th Glider Infantry Regt (1st Bn) was ordered into town to finish the mopping up job. When they were ordered up there, it was early in the day (11 April) and it was thought that they would be there by 1400 that afternoon. However, the glider infantry battalion did not get there until after midnight.

CCA continued its attack to the west, cleaning up the western outskirts of Unna and moving to the corps boundary at which point they were to remain until covered by the movement of the 95th Infantry Div. The 95th Infantry Div was attacking south in its zone to the Ruhr River.

The area was mopped up and CCA sat tight until they pulled out and moved to the vicinity of Wolfenbuttel.

JOHN R. SHERIDAN
Major, S-3,
Combat Command A.