in the Attack on Kesternich
30 January - 1 February 1945 - (Rhineland Campaign)
By Captain John H. Barner
INTRODUCTION
This monograph covers the operations of the 2d Battalion, 311th Infantry, 78th Infantry Division in the battle for KESTERNICH, GERMANY, 30 January - 1 February 1945, during the Ninth U.S. Army's offensive from the ROER RIVER to the RHINE RIVER.
In order to understand how this action occurred and why It was necessary it is required that a brief examination be made of events which presaged this attack.
During the night of 5 - 6 June 1944, the Allied Forces crossed the ENGLISH CHANNEL and made Initial landings on the NORMANDY BEACHES on the morning of 6 June. 1 By 23 August, PARIS had been liberated. 2 On 21 October the German garrison defending AACHEN surrendered to elements of the United States First Army. 3 A closer examination of operations to the east of AACHEN will reveal the manner in which the forthcoming attack on KESTERNIOH was conceived.
Included In these operations was the 78th Infantry Division's first combat experience. As a part of First Army, V Corps, it was ordered to seize and secure the dams of the ROER RIVER near HASENFELD. This attack ended short of the objective. 4 To the north the Ninth Army was losing up to the ROER RIVER. 5 Before completion both of these actions were interrupted on 16 December 1944 when the German oounteroffensive in the ARDENNES forced the Ninth and First U. S. Armies to assume defensive roles. 6 7
Although the German counteroffensive in the ARDENNES, commonly called the "Bulge", did not extend northward to this area it did result in a wholesale regrouping of forces between the First and Ninth Armies. By 1 January 1945 the Ninth Army had assumed a portion of the First Army's zone and held a defensive line from SIMMERATH to LINNICH with the VIII and XIX Corps abreast. The 78th Infantry Division was on the south (right) flank at this line. 8 Patroling, raiding, and artillery fire comprised the Ninth Army's aggressive action during most of January 1945. Including the British sector to the north, the enemy was cleared from all but a few pockets on the west bank of the ROER RIVER. 9 Ninth Army was informed that the general plan of their proposed operation "Grenade" had been approved. This plan provided for an attack to the northeast, across the ROER RIVER, with its right flank on the general line JÜLICH - DÜSSELDORF. 10 Before this action could be effected it was necessary to eliminate the threat of floods on the ROER RIVER occasioned by the enemy held dams to the south. 11
