• Weather: Cold and cloudy.
  • Visibility: Poor to fair.
  • Casualties: Second Lieutenant Harley P. Meek and Technician Fifth Grade James T. Brudvig, Headquarters Battery, were killed in action. Sergeant Roy E. Krueger and Private First Class Harry W. Russell, Headquarters Battery, were seriously wounded and evacuated. Private Roy K. Kerbow, Battery B, was lightly wounded and evacuated. Captain Fred A. Peters was lightly wounded but remained on duty. Private Alphons A. Crema, Headquarters Battery, was lightly injured in action and evacuated.
  • Reinforcement: Second Lieutenant Roy K. Eldridge rejoined the organization.
  • 16 January 1945
    Task Force Richardson continued to advance to Sterpigny to assist Task Force Welborn and reached the town at 0445 hours. Stubborn enemy resistance in Sterpigny continued throughout the day. One attempt by an enemy column to enter the town from the cast was broken up by artillery fire.
    Task Force Bailey (one company of medium tanks and one company of infantry) advanced on order into Cherain from the northwest, encountering heavy anti-tank fire from the high ground southeast of Cherain. The infantry of Task Force Hogan were relieved by this force and at 1415 hours Task Force Bailey sent a force of tanks south to enter Rettigny. This force advanced but received heavy anti-tank fire south of Cherain and withdrew to the town.
    The battalion remained in position at Langlir in direct support of CCB. Intermittently during the day enemy artillery fire fell on the town and near it but none fell in the battalion positions. The battalion fired 32 missions this date: 7 harassing missions, 19 TOT'S 2 preparations, 4 on anti-tank guns, 1 on infantry, 2 on tanks and infantry, 1 on personnel and 1 registration. Total rounds expended-2387. All TOT'S were fired at the request of Division Artillery on suspected gun positions. Two tanks and two anti-tank guns were knocked out by the fire from this battalion. In the evening Battery B handled all the harassing fires, and fired a mixture of HE impact and Pozit. The air OP adjusted medium artillery on tanks this date and one tank was definitely immobilized.
  • Weather: Cold and cloudy.
  • Visibility: Fair.
  • 17 January 194 5
    Task Force Welborn attacked at c90o from the vicinity of Cherain to seize the high ground about 1500 yards east of Cherain. Strong opposition was encountered from tanks and infantry supported by mortar and artillery fire. The task force was forced to withdraw and reorganize. At 1225 hours following an artillery preparation Task Force Welborn attacked and successfully secured the high ground by 1400 hours.
    During the morning Task Force Richardson continued clearing resistance from the town of Sterpigny and at 1500 hours launched an attack astride the .Stcrpigny-Gouvy road to eliminate enemy resistance along this road to the north edge of the woods. Strong opposition was encountered with small arms, mortar, tank and artillery fire coming from the east. A flanking force was sent out northeast from Stcrpigny in an effort to flank the resistance. This flanking force was held up by a minefield.
    The battalion remained in position at Langlir in direct support of CCB. The battalion fired 24 missions this date: 1 on infantry in woods, 1on anti-tank guns, 1 on personnel, 3 on infantry, 6 harassing missions, 5 TOT'S, 2 on mortars, smoke concentrations, and 3 registrations. Total rounds expended-1675. All TOT's were fired at the request of Division Artillery on suspected gun positions. Missions on infantry were reported very effective. One anti-tank gun was knocked out. First Lieutenant Smith was sent this date to Task Force Welborn, is observer.
  • 18 January 1945
    Task Force Richardson continued to attack against moderate resistance and reached his objective the crossroad about 6oo yards southwest of Halconreux by dark.
    Task Force Welborn sent a patrol to Rettigny in the afternoon and this force met not resistance until it entered the town. When they had entered the town the entire force was pinned down by mortar and small arms fire. Lieutenant Smith was observer with this force. He radioed that he could not observe fire placed on the enemy. Fire from one battery was placed close in to his position on the right and fire from one battery was placed to his front also close in. Lieutenant Smith adjusted this fire by sound and this fire was kept up until after dark. Under cover of darkness this force withdrew from the town.
    This date Task Force Lovelady was alerted and Captain Hawley was sent to the task force as liaison officer, with First Lieutenant Plummer, Second Lieutenant Yell and Second Lieutenant Marik as observers. This task force moved to assembly area about l000 yards east of Sterpigny at 2300 hours. The battalion remained in position at Langlir to give direct support to CCB. The battalion fired 31 missions this date: 16 harassing missions, 8 TOT's, 3 smoke concentrations, 2 on personnel, 1 on a town, and 1 on mortars. Total rounds expended-1396. TOT's were fired at the request of Division Artillery on suspected gun positions.
  • 19 January 1945
    Task Force Lovelady attacked at 0730 hours to secure the crossroads at Halconreux and the high ground running from there to about 3000 yards south of the town. By 1530 the objectives were taken. The advance was against light opposition except for a sharp counter-attack at 1030 hours which was quickly broken up. Task Force Doan attacked at o8oo hours to secure the towns of Rettigny and Renglez. This task force moved against light opposition and by 1350
  • Next Page