134th Infantry Regiment"All Hell Can't Stop Us" |
DECLASSIFIED
Authority
735017
By IM NARA,
Date 4/1/06
HEADQUARTERS 320TH INFANTRY
APO 35 U S ARMY
4 Sept 1944
SUBJECT: Action
Against Enemy, Report After.
TO : The
Adjutant General, Washington, D. C. (Thru Channels)
1. Following
report covers the period 1 August 1944 to 31 August 1944 inclusive.
Movement
Orders—On 1 August 1944 the regiment was engaged in fighting the enemy in the
vicinity of Guilberville and was advancing to the south by successive bounds to
objectives designated by division orders. The Vire River was crossed by the 3d
Bn on 2 August and the other two Bns crossed during the night of
2 and 3 August
and captured and secured Hill 203 to the south of the river. The regiment
continued the attack the following day. The attacks to the south continued until
5th August, on which date the regiment occupied positions in the vicinity of Le
Neufbourg. At that time the regiment was squeezed out by the division on the
right attacking across the front and making contact with the unit to the left.
On 6 August the regiment in assembly area received orders to move from its
location in vicinity of La Queriere to assembly area vicinity of St. Brice, by
motor. On 7 August the regiment while in assembly, received orders to be on 30
minute alert and was placed in division reserve, while other two regiments of
the division were attacking east toward Mortain to secure the Mortain Road. On
9
August the regiment received an order from division to attack on the left within
the division zone along the main road from St. Hilaire to Mortain. The regiment
moved to positions for attack by motor and by marching. The enemy was contacted
and engaged to the west of Mortain by the leading units of the regiment on the
afternoon of 9 August. The attack to the east went on against fierce enemy
resistance until 11 August, on which date the regiment was directed to turn
north and seize the heights east of and including the enemy occupied portions of
St. Mortain, in which area a battalion of the 120th Infantry had been surrounded
by enemy for 5 days, all attempts at relief by their own troops having been
repulsed. Attack was initiated at 1500 by 1st Bn with one battalion of tanks and
by strenuous action throughout the night the 1st and 2d Bns secured their
objective, relieved the surrounded battalion and liberated St. Mortain on
12
August. Orders for relief reached the regiment about 2000 on that date and by
0600 13 August the regiment had been relieved and moved to assembly area a short
distance southwest of Mortain. At 1800 on 13 August, the regiment received
orders for movement by motor. Unit crossed IP at Milly at 2006 and proceeded to
assembly area south of Le Mans. On 15 August at 2030 orders received directed
the regiment to proceed to Chateaudun and secure all approaches to the city.
Leading elements crossed IP at 2130 which was a short distance south of Le Mans
and made a tactical motor march to vicinity of Chateaudun, which was reached by
leading elements about 0845 on 16 August. 2d Bn contacted and engaged the enemy
at Chateaudun during the daylight hours of 16 August, 1st Bn was committed on
its left. Occupation of the city was completed about 0800
17 August. The
regiment moved into defensive positions north and east of the city on
17 and 18
August and continued to occupy positions on
19 August. On
20 August at 2215,
orders were issued for a tactical movement to the high ground east of
Pithiviers. At 0600 21 August, leading elements crossed IP vicinity of
Chateaudun and made a tactical motor movement to high ground east of Pithiviers.
On August 21 the regiment occupied the town of Pithiviers and the high ground in
the vicinity, without opposition. At 0100 22 August orders were issued for
tactical movement from vicinity of Pithiviers to high ground west of Montargis.
Leading elements crossed IP at 0700 and made a tactical march to high ground
west of Montargis which leading elements reached at 1329. Reconnaissance
preceded movement and reached objective at 1022. On 22 and 23 August, unit
occupied northern half of Montargis and position to northeast after fighting
through light opposition offered by enemy in canal and river system west of the
town. On 24 August unit moved at 0700 by foot to vicinity of Courtenay,
conducting mopping up operations while enroute. Regiment remained in assembly
and defensive positions vicinity of Courtenay through 26 August. At 1201,
27
August, leading elements of 1st Bn as part of Task Force Sebree crossed the IP
in Courtenay and made a motor movement to Troyes. 1st Bn reached destination at
2025; remainder of regiment remained in present positions. At 2055
28 August,
the remainder of CT 320 moved by motor from road junction east of Courtenay to
Troyes, closed in assembly area vicinity of Troyes at 0200
29 August. Began
movement to defensive positions surrounding city at 1000. At 0200
30 August,
issuance of orders completed for movement by foot to secure positions along main
highway of line Bar-Sur-Seine to Vendeuvre-Sur-Barse. Units attacked at 0800 and
all units had reached objective by 1700. At 1445 31 August, CO received and
issued orders for movement from that position to vicinity Brienne le Chateau of
the 1st and 2nd Bns, 3rd Bn to continue to hold the line Bar-Sur Seine to
Venndeuvre-Sur-Barse. At 1945 leading elements of 3d Bn by motor movement
crossed IP at Thiefrain and all elements of the CT 320 had closed into assembly
area vicinity Brienne le Chateau, at 2315.
2. Mission: The
mission in the first operation, 1 to 5 August, was to push the enemy to the
south by a succession of advances. The mission in the 2d operation at Mortain
was to block and stop the German offensive toward Avranches, which would have
split the Allied forces and would have interfered with the whole Allied plans of
operations. The unit was then given a further mission of capturing from the
enemy the town of Mortain and the high ground to the east, which afforded
excellent observation. The mission at Le Mans was to defend the area from enemy
attack from the south. The mission at Chateaudun was to capture the town and
secure it. The mission at each successive objective during the remainder of the
month was to mop up enemy resistance and secure each objective against enemy
attack.
3. Information
of Enemy: In the operations 1 to 5 August the unit faced enemy forces composed
principally of para-troops. The morale of the troops was good and they fought
excellent delaying actions from well selected positions. They were well
supported by artillery. In the action at Mortain the regiment was faced with
Panzer units, and SS Troop among which was the Das Reich Division. These troops
were well supported by artillery, mortars, including the multiple rocket guns
Nebelwerfer and armor and in addition had some air support at night. They were
well supplied and well equipped; their morale was high and they fought fiercely
in every engagement. They had ample reserves to replace local losses. In the
operations at Chateaudun, the enemy forces were composed principally of security
troops, AA units and administrative personnel supported by M6 tanks. Their
morale was not as high. They had no artillery support except flack guns. They
had ample supplies of food and other equipment. The forces faced during the
balance of operations were remainders of units hastily organized into defensive
positions and their morale was not good, but they had ample supplies of food and
small arms and ammunition.
4. Decision of
Tactical Maneuvers: Tactical decisions were made in accordance with the
situation existing at the moment, which was very fluid throughout all operations
during the month.
5. Units Used:
1st Bn commanded by Major Waring to August 3d, commanded by Major Momm to August
7th, commanded by Major Gillis August 7th to 31st. 2nd Bn commanded by Lt. Col.
Keator August 1st to August 28th, Lt. Col. Hannum August 28th to 31st. 3d Bn
commanded by Lt. Col. Docka August 1st to August 11th, commanded by Lt. Col.
Northam August 11th to 13th, commanded by Lt. Col. Greer August 14th to August
31st. Headquarters Company commanded by Captain Forsyth August 1st to August
11th, commanded by Captain Casey August 12th to August 31st. S-1, Captain Davis
August 1st to August 11th, Lt. Ginsburg August 12th to August 31st. S-2, Major
Jamieson throughout. S-3, Major McElroy throughout. S-4, Major Hughes
throughout.
6. Weapons used: Small arms, mortars,
artillery and chemical mortars.
7. Artillery,
Tank and Air Support: Artillery support throughout the operation was excellent.
Tank support was available throughout all operations. Air support, air cover
throughout the entire operations and air strike on positions to east of Mortain
aided in that operation.
8. Effects of
Weather: Weather for offensive operations was fair to excellent throughout the
period.
9. Supply:
During the period, supply was normal and presented no unusual problem. All items
of equipment were effectively supplied. The troops had, by previous experience,
learned and appreciated the need of care for equipment and weapons.
10.
Communications: Communications by wire were used during most of the operations.
Radio control was very effective during the many movements.
11. Honest
Appraisal of Troop Morale and Troop Efficiency: Good to excellent throughout the
operations.
12. Casualties:
Officers |
Enlisted Men |
Total |
|
Killed
in Action |
4 |
33 |
37 |
Wounded in Action |
15 |
379 |
394 |
Missing in Action |
1 |
34 |
35 |
13.
Decorations: Six persons have been recommended for the award of the
Distinguished Service Cross. Twenty-five others have been recommended for the
Silver Star and fifty-nine others for the Bronze Star.
14. Prisoners
Taken: 456 prisoners were taken during the period of operation.
15. Complete
Summary of Accomplishments, Remarks Concerning Mistakes, Incidents: During
operation at Mortain the regiment was faced with one of the most efficient, well
equipped and well supplied forces remaining in the German Army. In one phase of
the operation infantry troops rode tanks into prepared German positions with a
daring which can be described only as magnificent. The operation of the 1st and
3rd Battalions under the commands of Major Gillis and Lt. Col. Northam in taking
the high ground east of Mortain during the night of August 11th and 12th, was a
most daring and difficult accomplishment. In the taking of the hill position the
two units reached and relieved a battalion of the 120th Infantry, which had been
isolated and surrounded on the northeast slopes for five and one-half days. Lt.
Kurtz and Sgt Porta were the first to reach the besieged unit. Possible mistakes
during the operations were the failure to keep close contact with the enemy and
to exploit immediately any relaxation of his resistance. These possible mistakes
have been given close attention and are being corrected.
B. A. BYRNE
Colonel, 320th Infantry
Commanding
Incls: Journal
and Supporting
Papers August
1944
319.1 1st Ind
RGC/mla
(4 Sep 44)
HQ 35TH INF
DIV, APO 35, U S Army, 20 Sep 44
TO: Commanding
General, XII Corps, APO 312, U S Army
Forwarded in
compliance with paragraph 2, Memo 2, Headquarters XII Corps, 2 August 1944.
For the Commanding General:
RICHARD G. CHADWICK
Lt. Col., A. G. D.
Adjutant General
Incls
n/c
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