39th Infantry Regiment (9th Inf. Div.)
13 Sept - 26 Oct 1944
6 October 1944
In the plan of attack, which was originally scheduled for 5 October like the others but was postponed because of bad weather, the 3rd Battalion was given a zone of action and instructed to advance as far as possible to the east.
The point of departure was the bend in the road at 999347. With L Company on the left and K on the right, the 3rd Battalion jumped off at 1200. The two companies fanned out, using the trail which leads in a southeasterly direction as a boundaries between them. I Company was in reserve, and it followed behind L.
For the first 1000 yards the lead companies met only occasional sniper and small arms resistance. The serious opposition began to build up in the vicinity of 009342. The enemy strong point was reduced by L Company without too much delay. However, K Company came under heavy fire from the enemy in the vicinity of 014335. This high ground, although not in K company's zone of action, dominated the terrain to the north and prevented its advance. I Company put in a road block (014339), until elements of the 2nd Battalion (which was behind the 3rd) could arrive to man it. All the while enemy fire from the north of the 3rd Battalion harassed the advance, and I Company had a sharp fire fight at the road block. F Company relieved I Company just before dark.
The position of the battalion for the night was roughly along the slope of the high, ground which separated Germeter from the next valley to the west. L Company was spread out on this steep slope (vicinity of 016336), and on the south it tied in with K Company (015333), while I Company (which left a platoon at the road block until F arrived) moved forward behind L.
7 October 1944
The attack jumped off early in the morning, with the two lead companies moving through thick brush and trees. K Company was echeloned to the right rear, since the enemy position to the southeast had not been reduced, L therefore did not advance far, as it held to keep in contact with K. L Company then flanked the enemy holding up K from the north. Enemy shelling coming from the north came in all through the day and night, apparently trying to hit the roadblock to the rear. K Company ( in the vicinity of 017333) and L planned to attack the pillbox about which the enemy was fighting, but it was too dark. Tanks came up to fire on the position but machine guns and other fire could not be used from the position of L Company without danger of hitting C Company on the south.
8 October 1944
Even though the pillbox in front of C Company continued to give trouble, L Company advanced east (I following it) to the road at 022335. With L company thus in the rear of the pillbox the position of the enemy folded. K Company took the pillbox even though it was in C Company's sector.
9 October 1944
In the morning, the companies continued the advance to the east. L on the left and K on the right advanced to the edge of the woods northwest of Germeter. I Company continued behind L and kept up a running protection of the northern flank of the battalion. C Company was contacted on the south, while late in the afternoon L Company cut the Germeter road at Molk (027337} and I Company swung to the north to cut the road at Wittscheidt (027339). This was accomplished by 1730. Since darkness was coming on, the two companies held their position, coming under intense mortar and artillery fire from the enemy. I Company got one platoon across the road, the rest staying to the northwest of the position.
