The FReeper Foxhole Revisits Operation Nordwind - Dec. 31st, 2006

http://www.ehistory.com/world/library/books/wwii/army/bulge/0035.cfm ^

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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Operation Nordwind
Jan 1 - 7, 1945

The campaign star on the European Theater ribbon for the bitter winter combat during December 1944 and January 1945 is titled "Ardennes-Alsace". Over the past 50 years the "Battle of' the Bulge" in the Ardennes region in northern France and Belgium has received as much publicity as Gettysburg.

Unfortunately Nordwind, Hitler's last offensive in Alsace which, in spite of 40,000 German and American casualties, is practically unknown.

The Army Chief of Military History's World War II 50th Anniversary Commemorative Pamphlet for the battle of Ardennes-Alsace wryly noted in its "Further Reading", which listed extensive sources on the Ardennes fighting, that "fighting in the Alsace region has been sparsely covered" and highlights the book "When Odds Were Even" by Keith Bonn for further information on Nordwind.

The German First Army launched its initial attacks on schedule a few hours before New Year's Day, with Simon's XIII SS Corps pushing south over the Sarre River valley and Petersen's XC and Hoehne's LXXXIX Corps heading in the same general direction through the woods of the Low Vosges. In both cases the leading German echelons began to hit the main American lines about midnight. In the Sarre valley the assault force was met by determined resistance from the 44th and 100th Infantry Division troops, who were well dug in and deployed in depth.

Expecting the major attack in this area, Patch and Haislip had jammed the XV Corps zone with three infantry divisions buttressed by the two regiments of Task Force Harris and-if the theater reserve units are counted-two armored and another infantry division in reserve, with a third armored division arriving. The Germin attack barely made a dent in the beefed-up Allied line. In some cases the SS troopers advanced in suicidal open waves, cursing and screaming at the American infantrymen who refused to be intimidated.

The infantry of the 36th Volksgrenadier did little better. Although Simon's forces finally managed to poke a narrow hole, about two miles in depth, at Rimling on the right wing of the 44th Division, the 100th Infantry Division held firm. In the days that followed the Germans saw their small advances continuously eroded by repeated counterattacks from the 44th, 100th, and 63d (TF Harris) Division infantry supported by elements of the French 2d Armored Division. Allied artillery and, when the weather broke, Allied air attacks, together with the bitter cold, also sapped the strength of the attackers.

On 4 January the German high command formally called off the effort. As General Simon, the attacking corps commander, caustically observed, the Sarre assault had shown only that the German soldier still knew how to fight and how to die, but little else. Blaskowitz, with Hitler and von Rundstedt's approval, obviously chose not to throw the German armored reserves into the battle there, as planned, and sought weaker links in the American lines.


During Operation NORDWIND, the last German offensive on the Western Front, three German divisions attempted to encircle and annihilate the 100th Infantry Division. Near Lemberg, on the Division's right, the XC Corps attackers were stopped by the 399th and elements of the 398th Infantry Regiment after three days of ferocious fighting.



On 5 January, after NORDWIND's main effort had failed, Himmler's Army Group Oberrhein finally began its supporting thrusts against the southern flank of Brooks' VI Corps, with the XIV SS Corps launching a cross-Rhine attack north of Strasbourg. Two days later, south of the city, the Nineteenth Army launched Operation SONNENWENDE ('WINTER SOLSTICE'), attacking north, astride the Rhone-Rhine Canal on the northern edge of the German-held Colmar Pocket. These actions opened a three-week battle, whose ferocity rivaled the Ardennes fighting in viciousness if not in scope and threatened the survival of the VI Corps.

SONNENWENDE sparked a new crisis for the 6th Army Group, which had too few divisions to defend every threatened area. With Brooks' VI Corps now engaged on both flanks, along the Rhine at Gambsheim and to the northeast along the Low Vosges mountain exits, Devers transferred responsibility for Strasbourg to the French First Army, and de Lattre stretched his forces to cover both the city and the Belfort Gap 75 miles to the south.

But the real danger was just northeast of Strasbourg. There, the XIV SS Corps had punched out a 10-mile bridgehead around the town of Gambsheim, brushing off small counterattacks from Task Force Linden. Patch's Seventh Army, reinforced with the newly arrived 12th Armored Division, tried to drive the Germans from the Gambsheim area, a region laced with canals, streams, and lesser watercourses. To the south de Lattre's 3d Algerian Division defended Strasbourg, while the rest of the French First Army kept the Colmar Pocket tightly ringed. But the fate of Strasbourg and the northern Alsace hinged on the ability of the American VI Corps to secure its besieged flanks.



Having driven several wedges into the Seventh Army, the Germans launched another attack on 7 January. The German XXXIX Panzer Corps, with the 21st Panzer and the 25th Panzergrenadier Divisions, attacked the greatly weakened VI Corps center between the Vosges and Lauterbourg. Quickly gaining ground to the edge of the Haguenau Forest 20 miles north of Strasbourg, the German offensive rolled along the same routes used during the successful attacks of August 1870 under Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke. Moltke's successors, however, made no breakthrough. In the two Alsatian towns of Hatten and Rittershoffen, Patch and Brooks threw in the Seventh Army's last reserve, the 14th Armored Division. Assisted by a mixture of other combat, combat support, and service troops, the division halted the Germans.

While the VI Corps fought for its life in the Haguenau Forest, the enemy renewed attacks on both flanks. During an intense battle between units of the 45th Division and the 6th SS Mountain Division in the Low Vosges, the Germans surrounded an American battalion that had refused to give ground. After a week's fighting by units attempting its relief, only two soldiers managed to escape to friendly lines.

Although gaining ground the enemy had achieved no clear-cut success. Hitler nevertheless committed his last reserves on 16 January, including the 10th SS Panzer and the 7th Parachute Divisions. These forces finally steamrolled a path along the Rhine's west bank toward the XIV SS Corps' Gambsheim bridgehead overrunning one of the green 12th Armored Division's infantry battalions at Herrlisheim and destroying one of its tank battalions nearby. This final foray led Brooks to order a withdrawal on the twenty-first, one that took the Germans by surprise and was completed before the enemy could press his advantage.



Forming a new line along the Zorn, Moder, and Rothback Rivers north of the Marne-Rhine Canal, the VI Corps commander aligned his units into a cohesive defense with his badly damaged but still game armored divisions in reserve. Launching attacks during the night of 24-25 January, the Germans found their slight penetrations eliminated by vigorous counterattacks. Ceasing their assaults permanently, they might have found irony in the Seventh Army's latest acquisition from SHAEF reserves-the "Battling Bastards of Bastogne," the 101st Airborne Division, which arrived on the Alsace front only to find the battle over.

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[snippy_about_it]

..........

Seen from the "other side of the hill" the observations of a German Colonel who had fought against the French, British and Russians were significant. He commented about the American troops he fought against during Nordwind---"they were extraordinarily flexible, they adapted immediately to a changed situation and fought with great doggedness. They were able to evaluate their experience and through unconventional conduct (transfer) it into results."



In the final analysis the U.S. Task Forces carried out their assigned combat missions though not without heavy costs. As summarized in the book "When Odds Were Even" units of the "70th Division (Task Force Herren) which had not completed their combined training or maneuvers and operating without their parent organization's support echelons, fulfilled their missions and played an important part in halting their adversary's advance. They threw back the best soldiers the Germans could offer - few more telling comparisons could be made"

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[snippy_about_it]

.........

The prolonged battle throughout January, 1945 was fought in snow and below zero conditions, the worst in 40 years. Crucial encounters were fought from the Vosges Mountains to the Rhine and throughout the Northern Alsatian plain: Gambsheim, Kilstett, Weyersheim. Offendorf, Drusenheim, Herrlisheim, Soults-Foret, Sessenheim, Hatten, Rittershoffen, and the Haguenau Sector including Kaltenhouse, Neubourg, Schweighausen and the climactic battle of Ohlungen Forest were fought by worn, overworked and under strength divisions which were called upon for further sacrifices and green half trained infantry task forces thrown into the maelstrom without artillery or other supporting units.

[snippy_about_it]

'Fighting in the Alsace region has been sparsely covered'

--50th Anniversary Commemorative Pamphlet
for the battle of Ardennes-Alsace

[snippy_about_it]

We first ran this thread January 1st 2003 and I wanted to make sure our FReeper friend ex-snook's post followed the thread, so here it is 3 years later:

As one who was there, maybe I can shed some light on the 'forgotten battle'.

From our unit history in the areas mentioned by Sam. "At approximately 0745 hours on 5 January an enemy force of unknown sizes attacked both Gamsheim and Kilstett. The Regimental Commander established a forward Command Post, which constituted a part of TF "B" at La Wantzenau, while the CP at Weyersheim, which constituted a part of TF "A", was also under his direct command for further operations. The immediate problem was to assemble the troops, which were on the move from the recently-occupied 33 mile front and thus in no position to be comitted to battle, to withstand any attacks by an enemy break-through across the Rhine, and to prevent the establishment of an enemy bridgehead. "

Well I was a private in TF "A" forward command post operating a field phone and trying to position troop locations on a map. We were kind of hung out without much info as to what was going on. The Regimental Exec Officer headed TF "A" and got captured.

Now maybe some light on the 'unmentioned battle'. At the time I wondered where the French troops were coming from. After the war I read that Eisenhower and DeGaulle (sp?) had a big fight because Eisenhower wanted to withdraw and not defend Strassbourg but DeGaulle objected. In effect, saying that if the Americans withdrew, he would sacrifice the French Army to defend and if slaughtered, Eisenhower would be to blame. I think Churchill solved it by siding with DeGaulle. This whole scene might have been embarassing to Eisenhower.

Thank you for your service ex-snook and Happy New Year! Love, Sam and Snippy.

[snippy_about_it]

Special ping.

[snippy_about_it]

SARGE Says...
I Dug the Hole Now "FALL IN" to the FReeper Foxhole!



Happy New Year All Y'all.

If you want to be added to our occasional ping list, let us know.

[The Mayor]

December 31, 2006

Fear Escape

READ: Proverbs 1:1-7

You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord; He is their help and their shield. —Psalm 115:11

In our increasingly dangerous world, think of what we have to fear: Ominous terrorist threats, frightening crime rates, increasing natural disasters, sobering energy crises, . . . God.

Yes, God. Ironic, isn’t it, that in a world full of fearful things, the single source of our refuge and safety is also the One we are instructed to fear?

Consider Solomon’s words: “In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge” (Prov. 14:26). Then look at the next verse: “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.”

We try to avoid life’s fearful things because they interrupt our peace. Yet we are told to move toward fear—the fear of God. For those who “fear the Lord, . . . He is their help and their shield” (Ps. 115:11).

Our faith in God can deliver us from the fears of the world (Ps. 23:4)—but only because our faith relies on a fear that is different from worldly fear. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”

To fear God is to sense His awesomeness. When we acknowledge that greatness and trust in Him, we no longer want to sin against Him. He becomes our refuge from the fears of this world. In Him we find peace.

Fear Him, ye saints, and you will then
Have nothing else to fear;
Make you His service your delight;
Your wants shall be His care.  —Tate & Brady

Those who fear God need not fear the world.

Bible in One Year:   Malachi 1-4; Revelation 22

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, Snippy. How's it going?

Happy New year to everyone at the Freeper Foxhole from E.G.C. of Southwest Oklahoma.

[Samwise]

if the Americans withdrew, he would sacrifice the French Army to defend and if slaughtered, Eisenhower would be to blame.

Not very French of De Gaulle. On second thought, I guess the hissy fit part is very French.

[Samwise]

Make sure you give Sarge a big doggy treat for working so hard. BTW, I had a dog named Sarge once... Sargent Shriver was his whole name. Make your own joke. :^)

[Don W]

Good morning, and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my fellow foxholers!

A special thanks goes to Snippy for all the work she puts in to these threads. A big Bravo Zulu to you for that, Snippy.

All of you take special care, and I'll see you next year < BG >.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone.

[Coastie]

Sam and Snippy,

I remember my dad mentioning "seeing a little action there" as the battalion surgeon of the 14th Armored Division.

Capt. John L. Battenfeld, receiving the Legion of Merit from Gen. Patton.

[Peanut Gallery]

good morning!

Well, there isn't any foul weather but we are prepared nonetheless.
milk, check
bread, check
eggs, check
cheese, check
champagne, check
sparkling white grape juice, check
movies, check
blackeyed peas, check
leftover honey-baked-ham, check

[ex-snook]

Thank you very much for your attention to Hitler's last offensive. Himmler was in charge. We had just arrived a month before from the States as an Infantry Task Force of the 42nd Rainbow Division without all the support that a full Division would supply.

The Nazis crossed the Rhine north of Strasbourg. Their arsenal included white colored tanks and troops. We were the last American unit on the line and next to the French. Of some interest, the French forces consisted of a lot of Algerians. We had no officlal translators but used two men from the Rhode Island area who had a French background. One of the Colonel's jeep driver, the other I think was in I&R.

We did, as the article indicated, 'withdraw' to more defensive positions awaiting support from other units. It was a 35 mile front exceedingly large for three Regiments but higher command thought this would be a quiet area for green troops. It was for a while. We had Midnight Mass in an abandoned school house with only the sight and sound of flashing artillery barrages overhead from both sides. Sort of a warped version of 'all is calm, all is bright'.

When the full Rainbow Division arrived we proceeded into Germany toward Sweinfurt [where I was when Roosevelt died], then Nurmburg, Dachau, Munich [where I was when Hitler died], finally occupation in Austria. One of our Regiments went to share Vienna with the Russians. Mine stayed around Salzbourg. The castle of Sound of Music fame was a beer hall for us.

Their Edelweiss, Edelweiss, Every morning you greet me, Small and White, Clean and bright ... Edelweiss Edelweiss Bless my home land forever ... was replaced by "In the Mood", our Bless America Forever.

Thanks again.

[Soaring Feather]

Well, dang, I had a long missive to you and lost the entire thing.


HAPPY NEW Year.


No snow, lots of sunshine.

[alfa6]

Happy New Years Eve to all the Freeper Foxholers.

snippy was kind enough to post up a new Foxhole so I thought I would throw in a Flag-O-Gram for y'all

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Soaring Feather]

Whoa, fierce looking rascal, alfa.


:)

[Peanut Gallery]

I hate it when that happens. OH well. I hope your New Year's Eve is merry and safe! We have officially decided to stay home and have a family celebration.

[gatorbait]

This whole scene might have been embarassing to Eisenhower.

If i read it correctly, Jake Devers, who was NOT an Ike favorite, wanted to defend Strasbourg, Ike ordered him to abandon it and of course threatened relief and all of that. Now I understand that Devers, being a bright guy and a bit closer to the political as well as military situation in Alsace, left Ike's order on his desk and went for coffee as the French Liasion officer to 6th Army Group was in the office. Devers gave his French guest plenty of time to read, and maybe even copy , the order. Once Ike was faced with the reality the the French were quite ready to sacrifice it all for the city and make damned certain the world would "know" it was Ike's fault, he began his grinning and acted like saving the place was his idea all along. Nordwind had potential be be even more devastating than the Bulge in the long term . The Political implications as well as the obvious supply( like up from the Riviera) as well as the potential breakthrough that could have easily undone the gains made by pushing back in the Bulge. Another note, the 12th Armored was sent in to face the 10SS Panzer without information on who and what they were facing. 43d Tank Battallion died like men , the Germans thought they'd insult them by calling them the "Suicide Division" Big mistake, the Hellcats wore it proudly and you all know what they call payback.

[gatorbait]

Wasn't that Task Force Herran? All of the outfits that fought in Nordwind fought like tigers . I used to like in Alsace when i was a kid and I have to say, it was obvious that what was not blasted in WW1 took the rest 1n 1944-45.

Nice to know someone who stopped them. Thanks

[snippy_about_it]

Anytime. We appreciate your first hand knowledge and insight.

[snippy_about_it]

((HUGS)). We are out working on a fence this morning. The darn dogs have learned to get out of the temporary 4 ft. farm fence so we've started working on the 5 ft permanant fence, earlier than we wanted to but it will free us up from having to watch them every second and with flashlights at night!

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you Mayor.

[snippy_about_it]

Our Sarge's full name is "Sarge, you pain in the butt!" :-)

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks Don for your kind words. Happy New Year to you, too.

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you for sharing and thanks to your father and you for your service.

[stand watie]

HI, snippy!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

free dixie,sw

[ex-snook]

"Wasn't that Task Force Herren?"

TF Herren and TF Linden were there. TF Herren was on our left flank in December 1944. They were a part of another Division as we were. During the Nazi January offensive we were relieving each other in different areas. I think elements of each were swapped back and forth. We were finally relieved from the front on January 26 by the 377th Regiment of the 101st Airborne.

On January 30 we went to France to reorganize, get replacements, fix ordnance, zeroing weapons,etc. 28 men received battlefield promotions. A litle R&R [I had a pass to Paree where I got tickets from the Red Cross to the Follies Bergere to see their braless 'Rockettes' - business as usual in Paris].

[Professional Engineer]

Thanks Snippy.

I had always "known" the Bulge was Germany's last hurrah.

[snippy_about_it]

Just started pouring down here with thunder. We're comfy inside.

Happy New Year.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks alfa6.

[snippy_about_it]

Good article here about Devers and Ike.

[snippy_about_it]

Happy New Year!

[snippy_about_it]

I've been reading all Sam's books about it. He has hundreds, perhaps a thousand plus books. 95% of them are military history. I'm concentrating on this specific period. All the individual battles that took place, from D-Day to the Ardennes. Very amazing stuff.

[alfa6]

Our Sarge's full name is "Sarge, you pain in the butt!" :-)

Reminds of watching the Olympics one year in college. We were in the housemothers room and the Horsey events were on. One of my fellow Resident Assistants was a horse trainer when not going to school and he informed us, in a very serious voice, that the horses actually had two names. One was the shown name, i.e. Sir Gallahad IV. The other was "you dumb s**-of-B****" :-)

BTW, are you burying part of the fence? So the dogs can't dig out!!!

Regards and Happy New Year

alfa6 ;>}

[Samwise]

LOL. He has the same last name as Hobbit Lass's dog Lucky.

[PAR35]

Nothing to add; just checking in.

Frohes Neues Jahr.

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks for checking in. Happy New Year.

[snippy_about_it]

LOL. aka boogerhead!

[snippy_about_it]

We are putting the wire down to the dirt. Under in some places. They dig but have never tried to dig out. Right now the temp fence is so weak that Sarge would jump on it and bend the cheap chinese 4 ft metal posts and Scarlett would just jump over while Sarge tumbled over. Now we are doing 5 ft and using wood posts, much higher, much stronger.

[Professional Engineer]

Not one mention of cornbread.

And she calls herself a Texan. Uncheck. LOL

[gatorbait]

I am so sorry, I get Linden ( yours) mixed up with that of the 78th Division. at any rate, great job :- )

[gatorbait]

Yep, Devers was Supreme Commander in the ETO until Ike was installed, more politics. Yeah, 7th Army was obviously in the fight. Too bad not much is written about them. Bonn's book is terrific , btw.

[Soaring Feather]

Corn bread?? Not for me, thanks.

[aomagrat]

Happy New Year!

Allow me to provide some fireworks for New Year's Eve.

[Soaring Feather]

>Musical renditions for your pleasure.






Thelma Houston



Al Green




Eva Cassidy




Anita Baker



Don McLean



Carreras



Frankie Valli




Billy Eckstine





Happy New Year FReeper Foxhole!

[Peanut Gallery]

Hey, we have cornbread... It's jalapeno cornbread, but it IS cornbread. Even if we didn't have that, I DO have all the ingredients to make homemade cornbread.

:-)
Check

[endthematrix]

FReeper Canteen-The NRA is offering FREE one-year memberships to Active Duty Service Members.

[Humal]

Happy New Year, Snippy, Sam and Sarge too.