In the meantime, the kitchen force of Co. "E" had joined the fight, firing BAR's and bazookas, and one platoon of Co. "F" had moved up on the left of Co. "E", affording flank protection and building up the fire power. By 1200, the attack was completely beaten off and the Battalion stayed in position for the balance of the day and night. Two men, Sgt. Lenderski and Pvt. Carlson, were seen to be captured when the enemy first approached the position.

While the above attack was in progress, one man from Co. "I", who just prior to the action had suffered an attack of acute appendicitis, was lying in a roadside ditch awaiting the arrival of the ambulance, to evacuate him. Several of the enemy passed over him, one even stepping on him and continuing on. He waited for the last one of the enemy group to approach and took him prisoner. When last seen, by Lt. Robert F. Hedges, he was hobbling down the road, bend double with pain, with his prisoner in front of him.

At 1200, Co. "I" was ordered to clear all enemy from the high ground NE of RJ (976355). They crossed the road through Co."E", who were on the reverse slope of the hill, and proceeded up the trail with the intention of turning off to the right at (978362). Just before reaching this point, they ran into about 90 enemy and in the resulting action many of the Germans were killed or wounded and about 40 of them taken prisoner.

A pillbox covering the trail was located at (978358) and Lt. Ernest E. Smith, creeping up on the blind side of the emplacement, tossed a grenade through the gun embrasure. Two of the occupants were killed and the third, a captain, was blown out through the doorway and seriously wounded.

It was now about 1000 and still light. Moving around the hill and back to the trail running N from Co. "E"'s position, they again drew fire from an enemy position, about 100 yards to the South. Lt. Smith led his platoon to the woods W of the trail and then S to the main road, E to the trail and N on the trail to meet the balance of the company.

In the meantime, an enemy force, moving E through the woods, had twice attacked the other two platoons but were driven off both times. After being rejoined by Lt. Smith and his platoon, the company prepared to rejoin the balance of the 3rd Battalion, who, after passing through the 2nd Battalion, had proceeded NE to RJ (998394) and established defensive positions for the night in that vicinity.

During the attacks on Co. "I", one man had been so seriously wounded as to preclude his being moved, and one squad was left with him until the arrival of the ambulance. After a long march, the company reached the Battalion area at 0400 the following morning.

While the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were thus engaged on 15 September, the 1st Battalion moved NE out of ZWEIFALL along the route shown. Enemy troops were known to be proceeding NE toward SCHEVENHÜTTE along the road immediately to their front.

At about 1830, a platoon of Co. "C" observed some enemy off to their left. They moved through the woods to the vicinity of (977378). and opened fire. Co. "D", hearing the firing, set up their machine guns at (979380) and fired through the woods at the enemy contacted by Co. "C". After a short engagement, about 90 prisoners were taken, including a Battalion C.O. During the early hours of the following morning, Co. "D" fired on some enemy along the road and captured 3 more prisoners.

On 16 September, the 1st Battalion was originally ordered to proceed to SCHEVENHÜTTE (005420) and thence to DÜREN (115463), but upon reaching RJ (995403), where the road was blocked by fallen trees, they were instructed to hold up due to a change of orders. In order to set up a more tenable defense, the Battalion C.O. Lt. Col. H. A. Schmidt led the Battalion to the area just left, where positions were established at 1030.

About noontime, they were ordered to proceed W to RJ (972403), from there to go thru FLEUTH (974404), reducing all strong points, and then to occupy the high ground N and E of VICHT (961394). The Battalion advanced along, the road in a column of companies until the head of the column reached RJ (973404). At this point, they turned left and advanced with Companies "A" and "B" abreast, followed by Co. "C". This latter company had been operating, with a strength of 60 to 70 men since the Meuse River crossing, but received. 61 replacements on the morning of this date, 16 September.

Co. "A" attacked SW with two platoons for ward and one in support, followed closely by tanks and TD's. The right forward platoon had two squads N of the road, whose mission was to reduce the pillboxes on its route of advance and to seize Hill 270 (966399), and one squad S of the road with instructions to reduce emplacements in their area and to support the other two squads by fire. The left platoon was to proceed along the edge of the woods and clean out any pillboxes in their sector.

The right platoon advanced to within 20 yards of the first pillbox and opened fire on the slits with M-1's and BAR's. There was no return fire, so they rushed the door and called to the enemy to surrender. Ten Germans came out and surrendered, and at the seine time, a machine gun in a pillbox about 50 yards to the left opened fire. There were no casualties and fire was returned with M-1's and BAR's. A tank was brought up to within 20 yards of the emplacement and fired 3 rounds at the door. Fifteen thoroughly frightened Germans came out, of whom two were casualties from splintered concrete.

This platoon then held on both sides of the road while the reserve platoon passed through them and cleaned out six more pillboxes, which proved to be a bit more difficult to reduce. A tank was brought up to (965494)* , within 600 yards of a fortification at (963497)*, and fired four rounds, all of which hit the door, and the occupants thereupon surrendered.

In the meantime, the platoon on the left cleared out about six pillboxes and captured many prisoners, bringing the total taken by Co. "A" during the day to approximately 100. The pillboxes wore generally well-concealed, with walls eighteen to twenty four inches thick, and were in some cases connected by tunnels.

During the same day, the 2nd Battalion moved out at 0830, with Co. "F" in the lead, to ZWEIFALL (957365) then N to VICHT (961394). Having the day before captured a German engineer map showing the exact locations of pillboxes in the area, they knew precisely where to look for them. In most cases, the enemy would fire a few rounds, apparently to attract attention, and then surrender without further resistance.

At VICHT, the Battalion turned E and at 1100, were ordered by The Regimental commander to occupy KREWINKEL (982410). Co. "E" was ordered to go to FLEUTH (974404), then NE to KREWINKEL, while "F" and "H" Companies were to move through FLEUTH, NW to MAUSBACH, then E to KREWINKEL.

The point of Co. "F" encountered four Germans sitting in an orchard, whom they easily captured. Another one was taken in a stable, while two more, who ran out of a house nearby, were also captured.

When the leading elements of the Battalion were approaching KREWINKEL, one squad was sent around to the rear of the town to hinder the escape of any enemy who might be there. They contacted seven Germans who were coming from the E and engaged them in a fire fight. An additional squad, sent around to the right, opened fire to the Germans, killing one of them and dispersing the rest. At 1830, defense to the N and E of the town was established amidst heavy enemy shelling which, continued throughout the night.

Quite a few prisoners had been captured by the Battalion during the day, twenty two of them from one pillbox, and many of them were elderly men. One was 57 years old and had been in the army just two weeks.

* These two map references are incorrect.   Scorpio

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