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UNIT REPORT N0. 5 From: 010001 Nov 1944. To : 302400 Nov 1944. |
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HQ CT 110
032300 Dec 44
P 793543
Consthum, Luxembourg
2. OWN SITUATION:
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Front line or most advanced element - See overlay.
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Location of troops, command posts, boundaries, etc — See overlay.
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Location of adjacent troops and supporting troops - See overlay.
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Operations during period 1 Nov 44 to 30 Nov 44:
1 November 1944
On 1 Nov 44 the Regt was in the line SE of VOSSENACK, Germany. Plans were completed for an attack. The day of attack was announced as 2 Nov 44.
2 November 1944
On 2 Nov 44 the 2d and 3d Bns crossed LD at 1200 hours. The 1st Bn remained in Div Res. During the attack the assault Bns received heavy mortar and artillery fire, encountered heavily booby trapped defensive positions, pillboxes, dug in wooden bunkers and other prepared defensive positions. They were able to advance about 200 yards.
During the night 2-3 Nov 44, enemy patrols tried to infiltrate through the lines and around the flanks. They met with no success.
3 November 1944
On the morning of 3 Nov 44, the 2d and 3d Bns again launched an attack. The 1st Bn moved from their assy area positions into the positions formerly held by the 3d Bn. The entire front received heavy mortar and artillery fire. The advance was not great. In the afternoon the 1st Bn received orders and made plans for an enveloping movement around the enemy right (north) flank. A Task Force composed of a plat of Raiders, the mine plat of the Antitank Co, and the Int and Rcn plat of the Regtl Hq Co was organized under the command of 1st Lt Virgil R. Lacy and given the mission of occupying the ground which would be left open by the moving of the 1st Bn. The Task Force became known as Task Force Lacy.
4 November 1944
On the morning of 4 Nov 44, the 1st Bn left their positions to move to the LD for the day's operation. By 0510 they had arrived at the LD without incident. At 0700 the 1st Bn crossed the LD which was the road running E and W through VOSSENACK. The 2d and 3d Bns put into effect a fire plan and in return received heavy mortar and artillery fire. There was no movement by 2d and 3d Bn. By 0907 the 1st Bn had reached its objectives, the most southern being the town of SIMONSKALL. At 1000 hours the 2d and 3d Bns sent out Rcn patrols which received heavy mortar and small arms fire. At 1345 Co C was ordered to clean out the pocket which had been left by the envelopment. Co B was ordered to assist. At dark Co C buttoned up for the night on its way to complete its mission. During the night plans were laid for the cleaning out of the pocket using Co's C and E in a coordinated drive. They were attached to the 1st Bn for control.
5 November 1944
On 5 Nov 44, early in the morning, Co A received a small counterattack which was driven off. Co's C and E moved off and by 1030 had taken three pillboxes and captured thirty prisoners. At 1230 the Regtl Cmdr received orders to have the 3d Bn ready to move by 1600 under Div control. Task Force Lacy was ordered to move to the position held by Co B and Co B was ordered to move half way from their present position to SIMONSKALL. The front lines of the Regtl front received heavy mortar and artillery fire. After capturing the pillboxes, Co's C and E resumed their advance, but became lost in the deep woods and did not accomplish their mission. Plans were laid for Co's C and E to work under control of 2d Bn the next day and to complete their mission.
6 November 1944
On 6 Nov 44 at 0200, the 3d Bn under Div control moved out to go to the assistance of the 112th Inf in the town of SCHMIDT. At 0800, Co's C and E moved off on their assigned mission. By 1415 Co C was tied in with Co A and Co E on their objective. They buttoned up for the night with about a 200 yard gap between Co's E and G.
7 November 1944
On 7 Nov 44, at 0630, Co E moved to close the gap between their flank and Co G, and to further clean out the enemy to their front. Co E moved about 200 yards forward and contacted Co G. Co C did not have much success in their attempt to move forward, encountering heavy small arms fire, most of which came from automatic weapons in dug in positions. The enemy tried several times, by counterattack, to break through our lines at various points but failed. The Bns buttoned up for the night at about 1700.
8 November 1944
On 8 Nov 44 at 1330, the 2d Bn, about to launch an attack, received a counterattack directed at Co G. The attack was by a force of approximately platoon strength, supported by heavy mortar and artillery fire. Some German prisoners were taken, others killed, a few escaped.
9 November 1944
On 9 Nov 44 at 0200, the members of the 3d Bn started to infiltrate back to the Regt, having been greatly disorganized during their engagement near SCHMIDT. At 1000 the Ex 0 2d Bn and the S-3 1st Bn coordinated plans to close the gap between 1st and 2d Bns. The gap had become about 500 yards long. By 1800 the Bns were tied in with a small gap between Co's A and C -this gap to be covered by patrols. Both 1st and 2d Bns received heavy mortar and artillery fire during the day.
10 November 1944
On 10 Nov 44 at 0700, the 1st and 2d Bns jumped off on an attack. By 0750 F Co had captured one pillbox and had taken some prisoners. Co I was ordered to take over positions held by Co B, leaving Co B free to enter the attack. At about 0900 both Co!s C and G ran into heavy fire from a house and pillboxes at RAFFELSBRAND. Co F had taken quite a few prisoners. By 1020 Co I had taken over Co B positions. At 1130 Co G received a small counter attack on its left flank. The attack was repulsed. By 1230 Co B had moved into position in rear of Co C. Co B was to pass through Co C and continue the attack. Co K was ordered to replace Task Force Lacy which was to move NE and protect the left flank of the Regt and coordinate with the 109th Inf. Co L to occupy the position held by Co A, allowing Co A to move into position behind Co B. At 1700, Co B had reached their objective, but were driven off by a counter attack. Co B consolidated with Co C and buttoned up for the night.
11 November 1944
On 11 Nov 44 at 0700, the 1st Bn attacked, their mission being to clean out the enemy by an attack from the east. The 2d Bn was to support the attack by fire. The 1st Bn was to attack in a column of Co's. At 1000 they were still engaged with the first pillbox they had encountered. From 0900 to 1030 the 1st and 2d Bns received heavy mortar and artillery fire. At 1300 Co C started an enveloping movement around the left flank. By 1400 Co C had been successful and was digging in. At 15l5, Co's A and B tied in with Co C's position, Co's B and C being consolidated due to depleted personnel.
12 November 1944
On 12 Nov 44 at 0010, the 1st Bn received a small counter attack. The attack was repulsed. At 0700, Co A launched an attack to drive the enemy from their position. One platoon of SP TD's was attached to the Regt and at 0900 fired direct fire into the pillboxes from positions in Co F area. No progress was made, enemy mortar and artillery fire was extremely heavy. The strength of the units was greatly depleted. At 1130 the units were ordered to dig in and hold what they had. At about 1600 the 1st Bn received an attack which drove Co A from its position. At about that time, Capt James H. Burns, S-3 1st Bn, was moving about one hundred replacements forward. He organized them into a provisional company, counter attacked, and reestablished the line. The Bn was very much disorganized, and the position was being held by small organized groups and not by platoons or companies. At about 2000 hours, the 1st and 2d Bns received heavy mortar fire. An attack was planned for the next day, but due to the depleted strength of the Bns, the movement plan was cancelled though the fire plan was put into effect.
13 November 1944
During the night 12 - 13 Nov 44, the 1st Bn Staff and Lt Col Mather, the Regtl Ex 0, went to the front lines of the 1st Bn to determine the exact strength and status of the Bn. It seemed to be in a bad way as to strength, physical condition of the men and morale. All Bns received heavy mortar and arty fire throughout the night. In the morning an attempt was made to organize the 1st Bn so that each group would have a definite leader. It was impossible to organize into platoons and companies, but all groups were organized into teams with definite leaders. When the 1st Bn got under way to move to more tactical ground, they received heavy mortar and arty fire and again became disorganized. At 0930 the 1st Bn received an attack. All available mortar and arty was put on the enemy and the attack was stopped. At 1600 the 1st Bn started to withdraw to an assy area in the vicinity of the Bn CP. One plat from Co I was put in position to take over the protection of the left flank of the 2d Bn. It partially occupied the ground given up by the 1st Bn. By 1700 the Regt was buttoned up for the night. Special emphasis was placed on supporting fires for the night as the Regt was not in a good position to repulse a strong counterattack. During the day and night the enemy received reinforcements. The arty and mortar fire greatly increased. At 2130 the enemy attacked against Co G, supported by heavy mortar and light arty fire. SP 75's became very active against 2d and 3d Bns.
14 November 1944
On 14 Nov 44 at 0400, the Regt received orders to have a quartering party alerted to move by 0900. At 1000 notice was received to be prepared to meet representatives of CT 13. CT 13 being ordered to relieve CT 110. During the afternoon the 2d Bn received heavy mortar and arty fire.
15 November 1944
On 15 Nov 44 at 1300, officers and guides from CT 13 arrived at Regtl CP. They were met by officers from this Regt and oriented on the positions they would occupy and the mechanics of the relief worked out. During the afternoon and night, CT 110 was relieved by CT 13 and moved into a rear assy area in preparation to moving to the vicinity of WILTZ, LUXEMB0URG. The relief was completed by 2300. The Regtl CP closed at 2316.
16 November 1944
On 16 Nov 44 at 0630, the 1st Unit of CT 110 crossed Regulating Point enroute to new area. At 1830, Colonel T. A. Seely, Regtl Cmdr, assumed command of new area at CONSTHUM, LUXEMBOURG. The 32d Cav Sqdn was attached to CT 110. The 2d and 3d Bns were front line - 1st Bn, Div Res, in assy area at FEULEN, LUXEMBOURG. The Regt was to patrol and keep the enemy east of the OUR river, train and rehabilitate. Vigorous patrolling and training were carried out. This continued until the end of the month.
Combat efficiency of our command - EXCELLENT.
Results of operations covered in this report:
During the 15 day period of fighting in the HURTGEN FOREST, this Regt contained the enemy on a 3000 yard front and gained 3000 square yards of enemy territory. One battalion of enemy infantry was annihilated, many prisoners were captured, and considerable enemy materiel was destroyed. One of our Bns was sent to SCHMIDT to assist our forces fighting there. The above was accomplished while sustaining heavy losses. After moving to the LUXEMBOURG area, we defended a 17 mile front. As a result of vigorous patrolling, the enemy was kept on the east side of the OUR river, and we succeeded in killing enemy patrols that managed to gain the west bank. We also reorganized the Regt, replaced its losses, and conducted a vigorous period of combat training.
