Third Army Battle Route
from 1 August 1944 to 8 May 1945
Week 23
1945
1 January
The Third Army continued in its counteroffensive in the Ardennes. The VIII Corps'
87th Infantry Division occupied Moircy and Jenneville. Combat Command “A” from
the 11th Armored Division launched an attack towards Hubermont and stopped east
of Rechrival. In cooperation with Combat Command “B” mopped up Chenogne and
the forest located north of the village. The 9th Armored Division's Combat Command
“A” advanced towards Senonchamps. The artillery of the 101st Airborne Division
provided fire support to advancing units from the 11th Armored Division on its left
flank and the 6th Armored Division on its right. The 17th Airborne Division relieved
the 28th Infantry Division from its positions in the Neuchâteau area. The III Corps
attempted to surround German units in the salient to the southeast of Bastogne.
The 4th Armored Division held the corridor leading to Bastogne and provided fire
support to the 35th Infantry Division, which was able to partially mop up Lutrebois
and advance to the intersection to the southeast of Marvie. In the Villers-la-BonneEau and Harlange area, however, it did not make any progress. In the area east of
Bastogne, tank groups from the 6th Armored Division occupied Neffe, Bizery and
Mageret, but an enemy counterattack pushed them out of Mageret.
2 January
The 87th Infantry Division under the VIII Corps conquered Gerimont, while tank
units from the 11th armored division occupied Mande St. Etienne. Combat
Command “B” from the 10th Armored Division, presently temporarily attached to the
101st Airborne Division, was also active that day, breaking into Senonchamps with
the 9th Armored Division's Combat Command “A”. In the meantime, the 4th Armored
Division secured and expanded the corridor leading from the south to Bastogne and
helped units from the III Corps mop up the forests near Lutrebois.
The 6th Armored Division's Combat Command “B” from the III Corps penetrated
through to Oubourcy and Michamps, but was later pushed back out of these
positions. An assault on Arloncourt also was not successful. Combat Command “A”
occupied Warden. The division later withdrew to the heights located to the west of
the Michamps – Arloncourt – Wardin line for the night. The 35th Infantry Division
continued to fight for Lutrebois. The 28th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron from
Task Force “Fickett” was deployed to the sector located between the 35th Infantry
Division's 134th and 137th Infantry Regiments. In the meantime, the 101st Infantry
Regiment from the 26th Infantry Division advanced to the north in the sector
southwest of Wiltz.
3 January
Part of the 87th Infantry Division from the VIII Corps found itself surrounded in the
forest east of St Hubert, but was soon freed. In the afternoon the 17th Airborne
Division launched an attack to the north in an area about five miles northwest of
Bastogne. The 101st Airborne Division's 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment mopped
up the Bois Jacques. Task Force “Higgins” omposed of units from the 101st Airborne
Division and the 10th Armored Division, its mission was to hold back any potential
enemy attacks headed towards Bastogne. The 4th Armored Division's Combat
Command “B” continued to protect a vitally important corridor to Bastogne. The
28th Infantry Division occupied the defense line on the Meuse River from Givet to
Verdun. The 6th Armored Division under the III Corps deflected enemy attacks in
the zone west of Michamps and deployed its artillery around Arloncourt, Michamps
and Bourcy. It later attacked the hills near Wardin and occupied the highway
intersection south of the village. The 35th Infantry Division occupied about three
quarters of Lutrebois and the highway intersection west of Villers-la-Bonne-Eau,
but it was unable to take Harlange. South of Harlange, units from the 26th Infantry
Division continued to attack in the area north of Mecher-Dunkrodt and Kaundorf.
4 January
An attack led by units from the 87th Infantry Division under the VIII Corps was
halted by the Germans' fierce resistance near Pironpré. The 17th Airborne Division
was engaged in heavy fighting during the day in the Pinsamont – Rechrival –
Hubermont area. The good news was that enemy attacks in the 101st Airborne
Division's sector were decreasing in intensity. The III Corps' 6th Armored Division
repeatedly attacked in the Mageret – Wardin area in the zone to the east of
Bastogne, but later moved back in order to shorten the front line. The men from the
35th Infantry Division mopped up Lutrebois, but were unable to occupy Harlange. In
the course of the day, units from the 26th Infantry Division won just a few hundred
yards.
5 January
Units from the 87th Infantry Division under the VIII Corps met up with fierce enemy
resistance near Bonnerue and Pironpré in the zone west of Bastogne. The Corps'
other forces went on the defensive. In the III Corps' sector, the 35th Infantry Division
continued to fight without making any major territorial gains.
6 January
In the sector under the VIII Corps, the 87th Infantry Division carried out a limited
attack on Tillet, but German tanks broke through the weakly held line and reached
Bonnerue. Despite repeated enemy counterattacks, the III Corps’ 6th Armored
Division held its positions. The 35th Infantry Division launched an assault in the
forest northeast of Lutrebois and strengthened its position in Villers-la-Bonne-Eau
together with Task Force “Fickett”, which was deployed near the village. The 318th
Infantry Regiment from the XII Corps’ 80th Infantry Division crossed the Sauer River
at Heiderscheidergrund, and conquered Goesdorf and Dahl.
7 January
The 87th Infantry Division from the VIII Corps continued in its attack against Tillet
and was embroiled in battles in the Bonnerue area. In the meantime, the 17th
Airborne Division conquered Rechrival, Millomont, and Flamierge, and advanced to
the edge of Flamizoulle. Units from the III Corps’ 6th Armored Division surmounted
the enemy’s relentless resistance in the Heffe – Wardin area located east of
Bastogne. The 35th Infantry Division attacked in the direction of the main highway
between Lutrebois and Lutremange, but was halted just before it reached the road.
The XX Corps’ 94th Infantry Division received an order to take over the operational
sector that had previously been held by the 90th Infantry Division.