Spearhead Stolberg to Roer

Spearheading with the Third Armored Division

Stolberg to the Roer

Chapter 1 - Pause on the Western Front

When the 3rd Armored "Spearhead" Division ground to a halt in the Stolberg-Mausbach area in mid-September of 1944, it was in a last burst of effort. The big steel machine was running on nerve and mechanical miracles. Vehicles needed maintenance. Men were haggard with fatigue. But the 3rd went on through the Siegfried line and hit Stolberg, took half of it - and paused. That pause lasted for nearly four months of heavy attrition and was climaxed by the sudden breakthrough on von Rundstedt's Christmas offensive in Belgium.

In September the world, and evidently Germany too, gasped as General Courtney Hodges' First United States Army, paced by the free wheeling "Spearhead" smashed completely through the Westwall. Later, when the division blasted its way into Cologne, it was learned that the city fathers had prepared to surrender the town in September, and that the nazi officials had all fled across the river at that time.

However true this statement may be, the fact remains that the 3rd Armored Division had reached its utter limit in the great summer offensive drive. It was in sore need of maintenance, rest, and supply. Of a near total 400 tanks authorized by tables of organization, only about 100 were in satisfactory operating condition. This was not at all surprising since the armor had traveled nearly 700 miles from Normandy without proper care or maintenance.

So, although division morale was high, the 3rd was forced to halt and lick the wounds of battle. One factor in this decision was the meeting with the 12th German Infantry Diviaion, a unit which had been re-equipped in West Prussia and rushed to the battle zone in Stolberg. Actually, officers and men of the "Spearhead" expected this halt to be of short duration. That hope was unfounded. Long and bitter fighting lay ahead before the 3rd was destined to read Germany's storied Rhine.

The Divided City

Stolberg was a divided city, half in German hands, and half occupied by American troops. While the stalemate continued, VII Corps prepared for its assault on Aachen. The 3rd Armored Division held a narrow sector, Stolberg to Maussbach, excepting for the period from October 25 to November 10, when the 47th Regimental Combat Team of the 9th Division, and the 294th Engineer Combat Battalion were attached, during which time the zone extended through Hurtgen Forest to the V Corps boundary.

During this build-up period, troops holding the line were rotated so that replacements could be trained. German buildings were used as billets, for late fall brought miserable weather conditions. The division CP was established in the Prym house at Stolberg, with Combat Command Hickey at Breinig, Combat Command Boudinot between Breinig and Kornelimunster, and rear echelon at Raaren. CC Howze was near the division CP.

Apart from nocturnal air raids and artillery fire, the front was quiet. Military Government, formerly Civil Affairs, had a busy period, though. Being the first to operate in Germany, there were no precedents upon which to base decisions. Probably the actions of the 3rd Armored Division military government forces in the Stolberg-Breinig-Kornelimunster area set the pattern for future dealings with German civilians in the soon to be occupied Reich. It was a good example. German civilians were tired of war and, in the main, peaceful and cooperative, albeit a little astonished at the non-fraternization policy.

The fall of Aachen was of general interest in October, and the 3rd played a small part in this operation. Task Force Hogan was committed in the western raches of the city, attached to the 1st Infantry Division. Hogan seized strategic Louisberg Hill on October 19, working with the 26th Infantry. His men took over 700 prisoners.

[Note: the words "26th Infantry" were underlined in pencil in the original document.]

Yard By Yard

By November 15, the "Spearhead" was ready to attack on Corps order. Intelligence had learned, through prisoners of war, that the 47th German Infantry Division was preparing to relieve the wearied and much shelled 12th. It was an opportune time for American action.

On November 16, Combat Command Boudinot jumped off toward the Hamich-Hastenrath ridge. Supporting the attack, in clear weather, Eighth Air Force bombers hit the Eschweiler-Lagerwehe area as the drive was launched. Combat Command Hickey supported the 104th Infantry Division on the left.

Within 24 minutes of his H-Hour, Colonel Lovelady's forces were on their objective in Kottenich. Task Force Mills was held up by a cleverly concealed mine field, but was on its objective in Scherpenseel and, excepting for the Hastenrath area, had completely mopped up his sector by noon of the 18th. On that day, Lt. Colonel Mills was killed and Colonel John Wellborn took command of the force. By November 21st, the division was "pinched out" by the 104th and 1st Infantry Divisions. It had been a slow, bloody, but extensive fight.

During the period from November 24 to 26, elements of Combat Command Hickey attacked the enemy from positions east of Eschweiler to secure high ground between Langerwehe and Frenz. Mud and antitank fire slowed the armor, but Task Force Richardson, with the 2nd Battalion of the 47th Infantry attached, plus air support, struggled to its objective.

Mines were a constant threat in the mud and near-static fighting of this front. One engineer platoon under Lt. Edmund J. Socha, cleared more than 1,000 of the explosives in three days without sustaining casualties among his own men even though they were under constant mortar and artillery fire.

In the last stages of the push to the Roer, a little stream which was vexing because its levels could be controlled so efficiently, Combat Command Howze jumped off on December 10, with Task Force Kane going to Echtz, and Task Force Hogan taking Geich and Obergeich. The two task forces, with the 1st Battalion of the 60th Infantry, then cleared Hoven on the banks of the Roer, slugging out a decision over tanks, AT guns, and artillery opposition.

During the period of slow inching forward, VII Corps had set up a rest camp in Verviers which was visited by many of the division personnel. Although the entire "Spearhead" area was under constant enemy artillery fire, periodic air raids, and seemed to be a V-1 robot alley, the men attended to laundry, repaired their vehicles and constructed more comfortable log-covered dugouts. Division engineers repaired and kept operating the Stolberg water system. The local citizenry became accustomed to the sight of olive drab uniforms, and the days of blitzkrieg warfare seemed to have come to a complete halt. The scenery began to be reminiscent of the western front of 1918!

The calm was deceptive. Suddenly, one evening, electrifying news came clamoring over the lines of communication. One week before Christmas, 1944, total war enveloped the "Spearhead" as never before in its flamboyant career!

Next Section - Ardennes Winter Campaign
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[Appendix 1 - Units Referenced in this Document]
[Appendix 2 - Soldiers Referenced in this Document]
[Appendix 3 - Sites Referenced in this Document]

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