15 September 1944

Chatfield planned to attack against towards Alzen with his A and B companies. He brought up the tanks and the TDs to the brow of the hill where B Company was dug in (951151), and gave them orders to shell slope across the valley at Alzen. The attack jumped off early in the morning, with essentially the same plan as the night before. B Company on the left, and A on the right sent platoon across the marshy valley bottom, and attempted to work them up the steep slope to the objective.

Elements of the two companies got part way up the slope of the hill, but when they got into the open, they received cross fire from the enemy in the pillboxes. Because of the restrictions of the terrain, no more than two squads of either company could be deployed against the enemy. There could thus be no fire power built up against the resistance, and the elements across the stream were pinned down. C Company, which had tied in on the left and rear of B Company could not be committed throughout the day, since there was no room for it to deploy.

The position thus established by afternoon was little different from that of the day before, except that approximately one platoon of B Company had a foothold on the enemy side of the valley (near 953152), while A Company did not stay on that side of the stream.

16 September 1944

During the morning, Chatfield was informed that the 3rd bn, 60th Inf. was working its way down from the north and had reached a position north of Höfen. The regiment ordered the 1st bn to renew its attack.

Originally planned for 1300, the attack jumped off at 1315, in order to give the units a little more time to get set. B Company from its position across the valley got very little farther towards Alzen until, it was again pinned down. A Company drew up on the right, but it likewise could make very little progress. C Company was committed, with the mission of taking the pillboxes near 193154 (no good map reference). It got two squads deployed and in the process lost five men KIA and five WIA. It had planned to attack the pillboxes from the west, where it was believed that they had less satisfactory fields of fire.

The failure of this attack was further proof to Chatfield that the enemy position was too tough to crack by an assault from the southwest. The terrain presented obstacles which could not be overcome. C consolidated its position to the left of the leading elements of B (near 952152). Shortly thereafter, the enemy, hit the bottom of the creek valley with unusually heavy fire, which further pinned down the attacking forces. The tanks and TDs, meanwhile, dueled with the enemy guns in Alzen from their position on the hill to the southwest (near 950150).

17 September 1944

The morning was spent by the 1st bn in probing the enemy defenses, to determine if there was any other route which could be used as an avenue of attack. On the right, A Company sent out a platoon patrol, which reached the vicinity of the road (963144).
At this point the enemy resistance had not diminished. C Company sent a similar patrol around the left flank to the north. It likewise had no success. After this C Company returned to its former position on the right rear of B Company (vic. 947147)

During this day, the 1st bn reverted to regimental control. General Buchanan left, and Col. Gibney became Chatfield's immediate commander.

Chatfield reported to regiment that there was no chance of a successful action by frontal assault against Alzen. Chatfield believed, however, that if he went around, to the north and attacked from the northwest (on the right of the 3rd bn), he could take the position. From that position, the armor could support the infantry, which in turn could deploy adequate, and the resulting combination of fire power might be successful.

The move began at dark and was carried out during the rainy night. Chatfield sent the vehicles, tanks, and TDs, back through Kalterherberg, to circle to the north and at (939168) turn east to strike towards Hoefen. Meanwhile, Chatfield had B Company stay in position, to conceal the movement. One platoon moved right to the place where A Company had been dug in, and by means of vigorous patrolling deceived the enemy as to the withdraw. A and C companies went west about 1000 yards, then turned north and northeast to reach early in the morning an assembly area southwest of Hoefen (946161). Because of the rain, the radios got wet, and contact among the elements of the bn was lost. The vehicles hit a bridge out during their trip, and at 0500, a tank slipped into a ditch temporarily blocking traffic. Early in the morning (about 0600) contact was made between the armor and the foot troops, and the battalion minus B Company went into Hoefen without opposition.

C Company moved down the west side of the main road from Hoefen to Alzen, with A Company to its right and echeloned to the rear. The 3rd bn swung to the east of this main road.

18 September 1944

The attack towards Alzen started at 0930, and as A Company moved out into the open, near the RJ at 955156, it received several mortar casualties from the enemy. C Company had few casualties, since it was covered by buildings. The resistance of the enemy was fairly stiff, and it was slow work going down through the houses towards the objective.

At RJ 953155, the intermediate objective, C Company moved right along the road leading south, while a Company swung around behind it to take the left fork of the road, which went southeast. The tanks and TDs were brought up behind the infantry, and by a combination of infantry and artillery the attack was made east. The infantry moved in right under the shelling and took the enemy before it could recover. C Company, however, was at a draw 960156, and it was sent around to follow the path of A Company towards the eastern part of Alzen. At (195156 ?) 960156, A Company made a 90 degree right turn in its attack, to strike towards Alzen. B company was radioed to pull back so as not to get the fire laid down by A and then C companies.

As A Company worked itself on to the crest of the hill east of Alzen, vicinity of 960150, the tanks were used to blast at the pillboxes. C Company, following A Company did a second 90 degree turn, and cut through to the center of the town. It thus occupied a position on the right of A Company, and cleaned out the pillboxes. Next B was brought into position. It cross the slope of the hill, where previously it had been pinned down, and moved in on the right of C Company, thus holding the northwest part of Alzen, and stretching its line east to cover the rear of A Company as well. It tied in by dark.

During the afternoon about 20 pillboxes were opened by the battalion, 212 prisoners were taken, and only 4 casualties were sustained. The consolidation took place at 2030.

Enemy elements at Alzen:
During the 13th elements of the 189th Regt (1st Panzer Co) were identified. Luftwaffe personnel were also taken. Between the 14th and 18th, the 5th Luftwaffe Regt, the 1403 Inf Regt (3rd Company), and the 18th Inf Regt (3rd Co), and part of the 37th Inf Regt were found. An estimated two battalions of enemy had held the position at Hoefen and Alzen.

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