3d Bn, 309th Infantry, 78th Infantry Division

Interview:

Lt. Col. Floyd Call, Battalion Commander Major Thomas Monroe, Executive Officer Captain Walter D. Short, S-3 Lt. George Garrett, S-2 T/Sgt Irwin Bach, Operations Sergeant

Bn CP, vic Silberscheidt, Germany, 20 February 1945.

See map GSGS 4414, sheets 5303, 5304, 5403 and 5404. Drawn by T/3 J. M. Topete from materials furnished by Lt. Garrett.

Interviewers: M/Sgt F. C. Pogue and T/3 J. M. Topete(V Corps).

 

(The main details were furnished by Lt. Garrett who seemed to have kept closely in touch with the companies as the attack developed. He checked with Col. Call and others for hours of attack and the like. Unless otherwise stated the information was given by Lt. Garrett).

(The dates in this interview must be checked with the Journals of the 309th Infantry since many of them seem to be one day wrong).

Company officers were: Captain William Shaw, I Co; Captain George Woodman, Co K; Captain Ralph Olson, Co L; 1st Lt. Connie C. Colton, Co M (Sgt. Bach).

Just prior to the operation for Schmidt and the Dam, the 3d Bn was holding a defensive line Witzerath-Simmerath-Kesternich. K Co was in the line in Witzerath, while the rest of the Battalion extended towards Rollesbroich. The Bn was up to strength at this time.

On the 4 February (78th Div Periodic Rpt says 5 Feb) the 3d Bn, 309th, with I Co in reserve, crossed the line of departure just outside Rollesbroich to take Kommerscheidt. Co E was attached for the purpose of taking Silberscheidt. L Co, which was leading, left to road to the right to hit pillboxes on both sides of the Strauch road. About 10 pillboxes were taken, all of which were occupied. The total number of prisoners seized was approximately 175.

Just beyond the pillboxes was an old work camp, now occupied by soldiers, made up of Nissen type huts. Three Riegel minefields were to the west of the area. The Battalion deployed and caught the soldiers by surprise; some were still asleep when captured. There were supposed to be about 28 men in the barracks area itself according to prisoner of war interrogation information. There actually turned out to be 35 in the barracks area. Some 40-60 were taken out of dugouts and pillboxes nearby.

At 0915 the 3d Bn set up in defensive positions. With more troops to exploit their success they could have gone through but it was two to three hours before more troops came up. The enemy had moved back into the vicinity by that time. Until this time the Battalion had suffered only four casualties.

(While the attack on the barracks area was in progress other units were active. A platoon of I Go under Lt. White cleared the area north of Rollesbroich. The area was booby-trapped, but the platoon got through and blew up a pillbox. Co E, attached to the 3d Bn, went into Silberscheidt, which was found to be unoccupied. A Czech prisoner taken later said that his unit had been in Silberscheidt for a month, but that at 1630 the previous day his unit was told to move out since the Americans were arriving in the morning. He said that the Battalion Commander of the 2d Bn, 932 Volksgrenadiers, had been blowing up pillboxes between the barracks area and Kommerscheidt for a week).

There was a roadblock across the main road near the defensive positions of the troops. A roadblock had been built on the main road. Two 75 MM guns were placed on it. Fire came from the nearby woods. There were supposed to be six pillboxes and shelters

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