12 September 1944— CCB was assigned the mission of conducting vigorous patrolling to the east of Eupen; patrols to advance rapidly to the Siegfried Line, reconnoiter for crossings and determine the strength and disposition of enemy defenses. Division reconnaissance elements moved out at 0630 hours and reconnoitered southeast of Eupen. They encountered hasty roadblocks and road craters, and attempts to bypass these were hampered by difficult terrain and poor roads. CCB sent out an armored patrol of reinforced company strength which because of difficult terrain encountered along its route was unable to advance beyond 837283. A like force was reconstituted and given a route further to the north. This force advanced rapidly and was followed by Task Force h of CCB which pushed forward crossing the German border at 1451 hours. Heavy direct artillery and anti-tank fire was received from the area. Task Ford 2 advanced following Task Force 1 and both were delayed by minefields which were cleared by 1730 hours. Task Force 1 reached positions in the vicinity of Rottgen and leagered for the night. Task Force 2 leagered for the night just short of the German border southeast of Eupen. The Third Armored Division forced 2 crossings of the German border this date in strength.
At 0636 hours each battery fired one round into Germany proper from positions northeast of Eupen. These were the first rounds fired officially into German territory. At about 1200 hours the leading elements of Task Force 1 crossed the German border at Rottgen, Germany. Lieutenant Patton and his FO 3 section crossed with these leading elements and was the first of this battalion to enter Germany in force. At 1600 hours the battalion displaced from positions
northeast of Eupen to positions southwest of Rottgen. The batteries closed in position at1800 hours about 500 yards short of the German border.
In these positions Headquarters Battery captured 5 prisoners. Three of these were in civilian clothes and they claimed and put on German uniforms which were uncovered in a pile of straw in the Headquarters Battery position. The 3 men in civilian clothes had German soldier identification on them at the time they were captured.
Battalion trains remained in position southeast of Eupen this date.
The battalion fired 14 missions this date: 1 into Germany (for record), 4 on enemy batteries, 1 on infantry counter-attack, 1 on infantry and machine guns, 2 on concrete emplacements, 1 on a pillbox, 1 on roadblock. Total rounds expended this date; 1007.
Lieutenant Colonel George G. Garton returned to duty this date; Major McCahan still remained in active command of the battalion.
"Hey, buddy, you been in Germany yet? 1 just walked across the border five minutes ago. Makes the 3rd country in Europe now, eh? Guess we must be the first people in Germany. We really cracked into it anyway. Bet it'll be just like Eupen only worse. Boy, did you get a load o f those dirty looks when we came thru there last night?"
"Wish we could have stayed in Belgium longer, though. 1 sire liked the looks of the country, didn't you? Bet the Belgiques will give us a medal or citation. Sure as hell, nobody else ever whipped through their country in ten days fighting all the way. Wonder what's ahead now? It's not going to be flowers and fresh eggs, that's a cinch. Something tells me there are rough days ahead. Wonder how many Jerries they got on that Siegfried Line?"
13 September 1944
In accordance with FO 15 (revised) 9 September 1944, combat commands of the Third Armored Division continued vigorous patrolling of the Siegfried Line to determine the strength of enemy defenses. CCB encountered strong enemy opposition from small arms, mortars, anti-tank guns, concrete barriers, pillboxes and artillery fire. Task Force 1 after continues fighting and breaching operations advanced to 939345 and leagered for the night.
The battalion remained in position this date to give direct support to CCB Task Force 1. The battalion fired 10 missions this date: 1 on machine guns, 3 on tanks and vehicles, 5 on tanks, 1 on anti-tank guns. Total rounds expended-1156.
"So that was what we were covering with fire the last couple of days. That didn't look so tough, did it? Always wondered what the Siegfried Line looked like. Those miles of dragon teeth look like a waste of money to me. But the pill boxes looked pretty rough. I f they'd only had some big guns in there, they could have really ripped us. Hitler figured wrong again."
"Now if the tankers can only get some tanks, we can put the old artillery out in front of 'em all the way across the Rhine to Berlin. The doughs are really
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