Posted on 01/01/2003 12:01:39 AM PST by SAMWolf
70th Infantry..."The Trailblazers"
Formed up at camp Adair in Oregon in 1943...70th saw some critical blocking action during Nordwind.
Portions form 70ths account during Nordwind
New Year's Day was not a happy one for the 70th. The Germans were ready and able to exploit their early gains. Philippsbourg is a tiny village in a deep valley in the Hardt mountains near the German border. It was a critical town for it sits on an intersection of the important N62 French highway and is also on the railroad line between Bitche and Haguenau. This was the sole route on which the Nazis could move tanks and supplies to sustain the breakthrough they sought. The Germans were willing to pay a high price to gain control of the village.
By early morning, the G-3 finally read that the 2/275th was not in the village and started artillery fire into Baerenthal. At 0830 hours, the enemy launchcd an attack on the road from Baerenthal, spearheaded by tanks. As reported by the 275th to the 45th some ninety minutes later, "Our 2nd battalion was hit by tanks, supported by a battalion of foot soldiers. We killed one tank, possibly two, but lost an anti-tank gun. One company was badly disorganized and the battalion commander was trying to straighten it out, Their reserve company is in position just north of the original battalion command Post position at Muehlthal. The right company apparently held during the night, but we've lost contact recently." That daybreak, the German attack had moved down the Zinswiller road where it ran into Company F. At least two German tanks were damaged and were forced to pull back, along with their escorting infantry, leaving many killed and wounded in action. The intense enemy pressure had driven many GIs from their foxholes. As they drifted toward the rear they were collected by battalion officers and put to work on secondary defensive positions.
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