Aachen: The U.S. Army's Battle for Charlemagne's City in World War II (55 page)

40
. Guderian, 134–35.

CHAPTER 3

1
.  Capt. Franklin Ferriss,
Operation of Task Force Stokes September 1944
, based on Interviews with Lt. Col. William M. Stokes, Maj. Hugh R. O'Farrell, Maj. Henry Zeien, Lt. Henry W. Johnson, Lt. Joseph S. Roberts, Maj. Harold D. Hansen, Capt. Donald E. Svarstad, Capt. Herbert Melin, Lt. Murton Swenson, NA, 1–2.

2
.  Capt. Lester D. Royalty,
The Operations of the 117th Infantry Regiment (30th Infantry Division) in the Breaching of the Siegfried Line in the Vicinity of Alsdorf, Germany, 2–8 October 1944
, Advanced Infantry Officers Course 1948–1949, Academic Department, TISFBG, 6.

3
.  William J. Lyman Jr.,
Curlew History: The Story of the First Battalion 117th Infantry, 30th Division in Europe during World War II
(Chapel Hill, NC: The Orange Printshop, 1948), Office of the Chief Military History, General Reference Branch, CMH, 43.

4
.  Warren C. Giles, Company B, 117th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division, Tennessee National Guard, 2.

5
.  Maj. Edward E. McBride,
The Operations of the 1st Battalion and Task Force Quinn, 119th Infantry (30th Infantry Division) in Breaching the Siegfried Line in the vicinity of Rimburg, Holland, 2–6 October 1944
, Advanced Infantry Officers Course 1948–1949, TISFBG, 8–10.

6
.  
Generalleutnant
Wolfgang Lange,
183rd Volksgrenadier Division September 1944 to 25 January 1945
, MS# B-753, Historical Division, Headquarters United States Army Europe, Foreign Military Studies Branch, USAMHI, 1.

7
.  Schack, 22.

8
.  Lange, 3.

9
.  First Army Report of Operations, 48.

10
. McBride, 11.

11
. Engel, 4.

12
. Lt. Fred L. Hadsel,
VII Corps, 3rd Armored Division, Penetration of the Siegfried Line, 12–25 September 1944
, 2nd Information and Historical Service, NA, 3.

13
. Castille, Task Force 2, 6.

14
. Ibid., 8.

15
. Ibid.

16
. Ibid.

17
. AAR,
67th Group, Armored Field Artillery, 3rd Armored Division
, September 1944, NA, 10.

18
. Lt. Fred L. Hadsel, Task Force 1—Lovelady, 12.

19
. Task Force 1—Lovelady, 13.

20
. Lt. Fred L. Hadsel,
Penetration of the Second Line of Dragon's Teeth—Siegfried Line
, Interview with Col. L. L. Doan, CCA 3rd Armored Division, Busbach, Germany, 10 October 1944, NA, 1.

21
.
Stolberg—Penetrating the
Westwall, 13.

22
. Lt. Fred L. Hadsel,
1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment, Siegfried Line 12–25 September 1944
, Interviews with Maj. Francis W. Adams, Capt. Thomas Anderson, Capt. Armand Levasseur, Capt. Edgar Simons, Capt. Thomas Gendron (S-1), Lt. E. P. Jones, Lt. C. M. Robertson, NA, 5.

23
.
Stolberg—Penetrating the
Westwall, 13.

24
. Lt. H. D. Condron,
Penetration of the Siegfried Line by the 16th Infantry Regiment—September–October 1944
, WWII Operations Reports, Combat Interviews, NA, 11.

25
. Mueller, 13–14.

26
. Guderian, 137.

27
. Schack, 30–31.

28
. Guderian, 136–37.

29
. Ibid., 10.

30
. Ibid., 159.

31
. Ibid.

32
. Ibid., 164–65. In 1957 the city of Aachen honored Count von Schwerin with a ceremony, and in 1975 they named a street after him.

33
. Schack, 30.

34
. Combat Command B—Task Force 2, 11.

35
. Task Force 1 (Lovelady), 12 September to 25 September 1944, 15–16.

36
. Penetration of the Second Line of Dragon's Teeth, Doan Interview, 2.

37
. Guderian, 167.

38
. Lt. Fred L. Hadsel,
1st Battalion 16th Infantry Regiment, Action at Muensterbusch 15–22 September, 1944
, Interview with Lt. Col. E. F. Driscoll, 2nd Information and Historical Services, VII Corps, NA, 2.

39
.
The Attack on Stolberg—15–18 September 1944, Company A 16th Infantry
, The Rifle Company in Attack, MRC, 5.

40
. Ibid., 6.

41
.
Penetration of the Siegfried Line by the 16th Infantry Regiment
, 14.

42
.
Attack to Gain High Ground North of Eilendorf—15–16 September 1944, Company G 16th Infantry
, MRC, 1–2.

43
. Guderian, 168.

44
.
Attack to Gain High Ground North of Eilendorf—15–16 September 1944, Company G 16th Infantry
, MRC, 4.

45
. Guderian, 169.

46
. Engel, 3.

47
. Ibid., 4–5.

48
. Mueller, 14.

49
.
Siegfried Line 12–25 September, 1st Battalion 26th Infantry
, 6.

50
. Ibid., 7.

51
.
Rifle Company in Attack, The Attack on Stolberg, 16–18 September, Company A 16th Infantry Regiment
, 7–8. Units of enemy captured were identified in Driscoll interview, 4.

52
.
Penetration of the Second Line of Dragon's Teeth, Siegfried Line, 12–25 September 1944
, Interview with Doan, 2.

53
. William S. White, “Germans Stage Death Attacks against Yanks,”
The Palm Beach Post
, 18 September 1944.

54
.
Combat Command B—Task Force 2—Mills
, 13.

55
.
Siegfried Line, Mission of Colonel Edgar A. Gans, 16–17 September at Diepenlinchen.
Interview with Capt. J. F. Kuhns, S-3, Armored Infantry Regiment, 33rd Armored Regiment, 1. Kuhns kept a journal for this period and was at the command post during the action.

56
.
Siegfried Line, 3rd Armored Division, CCB, H Company, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment
, Interviews with Lt. H. M. Bundrick, Executive Officer, Lt. M. E. Hulstedt, Leader 3rd Platoon, and Sgt. Francis X. Bell, Acting Platoon Leader, NA, 2.

57
.
3rd Platoon, B Company, 703rd TD Battalion with Task Force Lovelady, CCB
, Interview with Lt. Ernest P. Silva, C1-264-407-427-24089, NA, 7–8.

58
. Engel, 6.

59
. Mueller, 15.

60
. Mahlmann, 6.

61
. Guderian, 171.

62
. Schack, 34.

63
. Lt. Fred L. Hadsel,
Penetration of the Siegfried Line 12–25 September 1944, CCB 3rd Armored Division
, Interview with Brig. Gen. T. E. Boudinot, 2nd Information and Historical Services, VII Corps Team, First US Army, NA, 1.

CHAPTER 4

1
.  
Penetration of the Siegfried Line by the 16th Infantry Regiment
, 16.

2
.  
16th Infantry Regiment 1861–1946
, 160.

3
.  
Penetration of the Siegfried Line by the 16th Infantry Regiment
, 17.

4
.  Ibid.

5
.  
Cracking the Siegfried Line, Task Force Doan, CCA 3rd Armored Division, 13–19 September 1944
, Interviews with Col. L. L. Doan, Commanding Officer Task Force X, and Lt. Col. William R. Orr, Commanding Officer, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, NA, 7.

6
.  
67th Groupment FA
, AAR, 12.

7
.  
Cracking the Siegfried Line, Task Force Doan, CCA 3rd Armored Division, 13–19 September 1944
, 7.

8
.  Major Samuel Adams (S-2),
Siegfried Line, 12–25 September 1944, CCA 3rd Armored Division, Notes on Enemy Order of Battle
, NA, 2.

9
.  
Siegfried Line, Combat Command B, Task Force 2
, 13–14.

10
. Ibid., 15–16.

11
.
Siegfried Line, 3rd Armored Division, CCB, Company D, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, 16 September to 4 October 1944
, Interview with Captain Alfred J. Amborst. Later on 17 September Robinette was relieved of his command and Major Tousey took over the 2nd Battalion, NA, 7.

12
. Interview with Maj. C. H. Carter,
3rd Armored Division, CCB, Mission of Colonel Edgar Gans, 16–17 September 1944 and the Capture of Company E, 36th Armored Infantry
, NA, 1.

13
.
Siegfried Line, 12–25 September 1944, 2nd Battalion 36th Armored Infantry Regiment, Notes from the Notebook of the Operations Sergeant, Technical Sergeant R. M. Torgersen.
Sergeant Torgersen was with the rear CP and had no direct contact; the notes he made were received by radio. Casualty figures are from the regiment report, NA, 1.

14
. Amborst Interview, 2–6.

15
. Ibid., 4–5

16
. Engel, 10–11.

17
.
Siegfried Line 12–25 September, 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment
, NA, 8.

18
. 1st Lt. Hans Zeplien, Company Commander of 14th Coy/89 (Tank Destroyers),
Report on Action of 89th Grenadier Regiment, an Element of the 12th Volksgrenadier Division, in the Stolberg-Eschweiler Area, Autumn 1944
, trans. Heino Brandt (Stolberg, Germany: 1987), 7; copy provided to author by Mark J. Reardon, 2006.

19
.
Siegfried Line, 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment
, 9.

20
. Ibid., 9–10.

21
. Ibid.

22
.
67th Groupment FA
, 13.

23
.
Stolberg—Penetrating the Westwall, 1st Battalion 26th Infantry, 13–22 September 1944
, 25.

24
. Zeplien, 14.

25
. Ibid., 8–9.

26
.
Siegfried Line, Combat Command B, Task Force 2
, 16–17.

27
. Engel, 11–12.

28
.
Penetration of the Siegfried Line by the 16th Infantry Regiment
, 18.

29
. Interview with Lt. Col. E. F. Driscoll,
Siegfried Line, 1st Battalion 16th Infantry Regiment (1st Infantry Division), Action at Munsterbusch, 15–22 September 1944
, NA, 6–7.

30
. Maj. Heinrich Volker,
Short Report on the State of the Troops to the 9th Panzer Division, Panzer Brigade 105, 22 September 1944
, Mark J. Reardon to author 2006, 1–3.

31
. Engel, 7, 13.

32
. Volker, 3.

33
. Interview with Gen. Doyle Hickey, Commanding General, CCA,
Siegfried Line 12–25 September, 3rd Armored Division CCA
, NA, 1.

34
. Doan, 4.

35
.
16th Infantry Regiment 1861–1946
, 162.

36
. Orr, 2–3.

37
. Doan, 4.

38
. Interview with Capt. R. W. Russell, S-1, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment,
Siegfried Line, 12–25 September 1944, 3rd Armored Division Reserve
, conducted at Brenig on 20 October 1944, NA, 1–2.

39
.
Siegfried Line, 12–25 September 1944, Task Force Blanchard, CCA 3rd Armored Division
, Interview with Lt. Elton K. McDonald, CO Company D, 1st Battalion 32nd Armored Regiment, NA, 2.

40
.
Siegfried Line, Combat Command B, Task Force 2
, 18–19.

41
.
Report on Action of 89th Grenadier Regiment, an Element of the 12th Volksgrenadier Division, in the Stolberg-Eschweiler Area, Autumn 1944
, report by Sgt. Hans Martens, 15.

42
.
Stolberg—Penetrating the
Westwall, 82–83.

43
. Interview with Lt. Sam W. Hogan and Maj. William B. Walker, Executive Officer,
Siegfried Line, 12–15 September 1944, Task Force Hogan (CCR), 3rd Armored Division
, NA, 2–3.

44
. Zeplien, 9–10.

45
.
Siegfried Line 12–25 September, 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment
, 12.

46
.
Siegfried Line, 3rd Armored Division CCB, Company I, 36th Armored Infantry Regiment
, 4.

47
. Interviews with Lt. H. M. Bundrick, Executive Officer, Lt. H. E. Hulstedt, Leader 3rd Platoon, and Sgt F. X. Bell, Platoon Sergeant and Acting Platoon Leader,
Siegfried Line, 3rd Armored Division CCB, Company H 36th Armored Infantry Regiment
, NA, 4.

48
. CCB, Task Force 2, 20.

49
. CCB, Task Force 1, 18–19.

50
.
Stolberg—Penetrating the Westwall
, 30.

51
. Engel, 13–14.

52
.
Company I, 36th Armored Infantry
, 4–5.

53
. Task Force Mills, 22.

54
. Interview with Lt. G. W. Burkett, Company Commander, and Lt. Heril L. Brown, 1st Platoon Leader,
Siegfried Line 12–25 September 1944, Company B 703d Tank Destroyer Battalion
, NA, 3.

55
. Zeplien, 11–12.

56
. Driscoll Interview, 9.

57
. Orr Interview, 4.

58
. Interview with Lt. Col. E. W. Blanchard, TFY Commander,
Siegfried Line 12–25 September 1944, 3rd Armored Division (TFY), Stolberg Germany
, 25 October 1944, NA, 3.

59
. Russell Interview, 3.

60
. Ibid., 4.

61
.
16th Infantry Regiment 1861–1946
, 163.

62
. Engel, 16–17.

63
. Lt. Col. E. C. Orth, S-4,
Evaluation of the factors stopping the 3rd Armored Division, September 1944
, NA, p. 1. NOTE: Statistics are from 12th Army Group reports attached to Orth's statements.

64
. Orth, 1–2.

65
. Company H, 36th Armored Infantry, 6–7.

66
. Task Force Mills, 23.

67
. Ibid., 24.

68
.
16th Infantry Regiment 1861–1946
, 164.

69
. Charles B. McDonald,
United States Army in WWII: The Siegfried Line Campaign, The Battle for Aachen
, 1993, CMH, 90.

70
. Interview with Gen. Doyle Hickey, Commanding General, CCA,
Siegfried Line 12–25 September, 3rd Armored Division CCA
, NA, 3.