INTERVIEW

Major Erwin E. Burbach, S-3, Combat Command R, 8th Armored Division, 1400 hours, 9 March 1945, Grefrath, Germany to Capt. Vasta.

On the 19th of February at 1600 hours, CCR relieved the 46th Commande BDE. They took over the same positions held by the commande brigade. From the 19th through 22 February inclusive, the principal activity consisted of maintaining defenses and patrolling.

On the morning of 23 February, Company C of the 58th AIB moved forward about 1,000 yards and occupied the houses on their left (vic 750859).

As per instructions given upon CCR's arrival at the position they took over from the commandos, plan had been prepared for the clearing out of the triangle of enemy resistance (748854 - 786844 - 780887).

Plan B, submitted by CCR to 8th AD and which was subsequently adopted, provided for clearing the area west of the Roer in CCR's zone. It also provided for the following attachments: Troop A, 88th Reconnaissance Squadron, Company C and first platoon of Company A, 53d Engineers. At 1400 hours 25 February CCR was alerted to execute Plan B and at 1625 hours a telephone message from Headquarters 8th AD officially put Plan B into effect. At 1930 hours 25 February a meeting of all commanding officers of CCR was called and operations instructions were issued. At the conclusion of this meeting, those operations instructions were passed on to the troops and the next morning CCR was prepared to execute Plan B.

The forward command post of CCR left Brachterbeck for Linne. The new CP opened at 0445 hours. The 58th AIB, reinforced by two companies of medium tanks, one company of tank-destroyers jumped off on the attack at 0600 hours as per planned. (It should be brought out here that while Major Burbach states that the 58th AIB was reinforced by two medium tank companies, Major Artman, commanding the 58th AIB, states that only one medium tank company was attached to them. It is the opinion of the historian that Major Artman's statement is more apt to be correct.)

Early on the morning of the attack, Col. Wallace, commanding CCR, organized a task force consisting of Company A, 7th AIB, Troop C, 88th Reconnaissance Squadron and one platoon of tanks from Company B, 80th Tank Battalion. The mission of this TF was to follow Company C of the 58th AIB and exploit the break-through when accomplished. This TF was under the command of Major Muncie from Headquarters, CCR. Their objective was to take the town of Merum (757876) and their mission to protect the left flank of CCR. They did move up but the TF was never committed.

In the afternoon one platoon of Troop A of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron took over the defense of CCR.

As soon as Company C of the 58th AIB had advanced sufficiently, Company C of the 53d Engineers cleared a road-block (main highway between Sittard and Roermond.) They also put a treadway across a crater on the road so that the highway was open to traffic.

At noon on the 27th of February, officers from the 15th Cavalry Group visited Hq. CCR to announce that they were taking over the sector. The relieving units were guided in by elements of the 58th AIB and put into positions. The relief was accomplished by approximately 0145 hours, 27 February.

At 0405 hours 28 February, CCR moved out in accordance with orders issued by division. Their orders were to proceed to Hucklehoven. They crossed the IP at 0430 hours. For this mission CCR was divided into Task Force Nos. 1 and 2.

TF No. 1 consisted of the 80th Tank Battalion (minus one medium tank company plus one company of the 58th AIB. TF No. 2 consisted of the 58th AIB (minus one company) plus one company of medium tank and one company of tank-destroyers. TF No. 1 was under the command of Major Walker, CO, 80th Tank Battalion and TF No. 2 was under the command of Major George Artman, CO, 58th AIB.

At 1800 hours that evening, CCR received instruction from headquarters, to change its route of march and proceed to the vicinity of Wegberg (982837) and bivouac there. Headquarters of CCR closed into the bivouac area at 2340 hours and the tail of the column was in by 0430 hours 1 March.

At 2045 hours 1 March, Headquarters CCR received warning orders from Tornado (8th AD) to be prepared to move by 0300 hours 2 March. At 0230 hours 2 March, the liaison officer came back from Tornado with maps and instructions showing routes and objectives. At 0300 hours the commanding officers of all units were called to a meeting which covered the march and plans for taking objectives.

TF No. 1 crossed the IP at 0445 hours with Troop C of the 88th Rcn Squadron in advance. The orders of TF No. 2 were to proceed along a given route until contact was made with the rear elements of CCA. TF No. 1 was followed by the artillery and that in turn by TF No. 2. Contact with CCA was established at 0700 hours that morning.

At 0900 hours, Troop C of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron was ordered to reconnoiter the area for alternate routes to by-pass CCA and continue on its mission (CCR). They were unable to find any roads by-passing CCA within the division zone. The (CCR) contacted the 84th Infantry Division for permission to go through their area to by-pass the traffic congestion. Permission was refused.

CCR had to sit and wait until CCA moved out and took its own objectives.

About 1800 hours that evening, TF No. 1 reached and occupied objective No. 22 (Grafrath). They spent the night there. TF No. 2 and the artillery spent the night in Lobberich. The CCR command post was established at Flothend.

During the night of 2 and 3 March, Company C of the 53 Engineers prepared a crossing of the Niers Canal (A043055). The crossing was prepared and the first elements of TF No. 1 crossed at 0600 hours. The mission was to advance in zone and take Objective No. 25 (Moers). CCR followed in column behind TF No. 1 until reaching the crossroads of Vosch (085115). At that junction, TF No. 1 took the southern route and TF No. 2 took the northern route. Increasing resistance was being met and PWs were being taken as their advance continued.

TF No. 1 took a route via St. Hubert (104108) to Vinnbruck (139125) where they were stopped by a blown bridge. TF No. 2 advanced via Aldekerk (083166) to a place, Saelhuysen (108168) where they encountered enemy resistance. This resistance was overcome and the advance continued to the vicinity of 1200168 where they encountered stiffer resistance. After overcoming enemy resistance, they proceeded to Schaephusen (127168).

Task Force 1 received heavy mortar fire. They called for artillery support and one battery of artillery went into position in vicinity of St. Hubert where they were able to fire on the mortars. A crossing was prepared over the canal and the lead tank of Task Force 1 was across and ready to advance when orders were received to stop where they were and withdraw and go into a bivouac area. These orders were received approximately 1500 hours 3 March by CCR.