Orders for their next mission came after that short break. They were to move east across the Meurthe River, encircle St. Dié to the north and then push eastward toward Sélestat.
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| The Vosges Mountains and Rhine River basin, Northeastern France |
The Vosges chain is one of the five mountain ranges in France - the other four being the Alps, the Pyrenees, the huge Massif Centrale that extends throughout central France, and the Jura (where we traveled in Franche-Comté - the several parts of chapter 3b "Baptism of History). The Vosges lie on a north-south axis through western Alsace and eastern Lorraine - the two regions disputed by France and Germany in several wars.
If the Alps and Pyrenees are the Rocky Mountains of France, then the Vosges would be more like the Smoky Mountains. To compare with the Berkshire Hills of Western Massachusetts, where Madonna and I (and many of you readers) live, our tallest mountain is Mount Greylock at 3,492 ft. The tallest Vosges summit is Le Grand Ballon, at 4,624 ft AND there are 29 other peaks taller that Mt. Greylock. The tallest peaks lie along a north-south axis like the spine of the range, with a series of dizzying passes crossed by roads going in an east-west direction. Google Maps says that the distance from St. Dié to Sélestat is 44.3 kilometers and should take 54 minutes. This was not the experience of those soldiers who hiked through with heavy packs on their backs.
November 20, 1944:
After 24 hours rest, the troops moved north from their bivouac at Les Rouges-Eaux to the village of Nompatelize. After detrucking, they continued on foot to cross the Meurthe somewhere north of Saint Michel.
We can read a much more vivid description in a letter from Charles Meagher's army buddy Tom Bracket, written to Madonna's brother Jim in 1992.
Here is the story in his words.
"That was a real bad night for everyone. We arrived at a cross road at about 10:00 pm and unloaded. In the rain. The temperature must have been about 40 degrees. We stood around & waited for Gatlin (their commanding officer) to get his act together. Finally, about midnight - we started moving out. Soon we stopped at the bank of the Meurthe River. It was in flood stage and running fast - was bank full. We finally found the 'bridge'. It consisted of ropes across the river with a 2" x 12" plank for the floor & ropes for railings to hang onto. We were all loaded with equipment & started across the bridge. It was about 100' across & dark as a coal mine. The center of the bridge was 3"or 4" under water and tilted badly. Only 1 man was lost in the crossing. On the far side, we regrouped and started out into the worst mud I had ever seen. Several men lost their boots in that stuff. It came about calf high every time you stepped into it. I lost my group in the dark and heard your Dad cussing Gatlin."
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| Charles Meagher (far left) with army buddies. Tom Bracket is on the far right. |
Tom goes on to say "I will never forget this action by your father. That is the stuff that makes a hero. He was a big man & very strong. How he was able to carry well over 100 lbs thru that mud - as tired as he was - I'll never know. "
Another veteran who served with Charles Meagher in the "L" company (Harley Richardson of Tulsa, Okla.) wrote about the man who was lost in the crossing. As their company was crossing, "the downstream cable they were using as a hand rail broke. Edward Dabrowski was at the break in the cable and fell into the swollen river. The engineers repaired the cable and we continued on. We walked all night though burning villages in the rain. The next morningwe were near Hurbache. "
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| The Meurthe River on a calm day during the sunny, rainless month of September, 2011. |
In the darkness of the early hours of Nov. 21 after crossing the Meurthe, Tom Bracket ran into Charlie Meagher in a muddy field. He says that "we visited a bit and then started on again. There was a town on fire off in the distance and when your Dad got between me and the fires, I could see his outline. He didn't look like a man - just a big lump of equipment. "
The soldiers of the 409th marched through the mud and rain around to the north of St. Dié, still held by the Germans. Their mission was to protect the right flank of the Division as they pushed forward to capture Villé - on the other side of the mountains. They finally reached Hurbache where the entire regiment was established by nightfall.
November 22:
"Patrols were sent out in the early hours ..., and finding no sign of Jerry opposition, the regiment moved forward once again this time establishing its CP (command post) at St. Jean d'Ormont."
"Troops of the 2d Battalion were bivouacked in the forest north of la Hollande. Tired and wet after the crossing made in the face of bitter November weather, the doughs of the 2d Battalion and their officers were anxious to push on into a village where shelter could be found. Only in combat one week, and the men of the 409th already had begun to think like veteran, line soldiers."
A task force, called Task Force Hanes, was formed of companies from the 2nd battalion, joined with 7th Army armored divisions, to head south and clear St. Dié of all enemy north of the Meurthe River. "The men...were elated at the prospect of riding into battle aboard Seventh Army armor. Here was big time stuff. This was the way the infantry had come up from the beaches of Southern France. This was how General Patton had stormed across Normandy to the approaches of Metz and Nancy."
Task Force Hanes moved out of la Hollande at 0730 to Marzelay, just north of St. Dié. Once established there, companies were sent into the city itself where they spent the night clearing the enemy.
November 23, Thanksgiving Day:
Having completed their mission during the night, the troops of the 2nd Battalion fell back to the little town of Marzelay, where "despite the rain and desolation that was Marzelay, ... (they) realized that there was much to be thankful for on this Thanksgiving Day, 1944. They had heard the burp gun. They had listened to the 88 sing its hymn of hate. They had hugged the earth time and again when mortar shells crashed around them. They had learned that anti-aircraft flak was as much a threat to them as it was to the men in the sky. One week in the fight and they had not been stopped. That in itself was something for which they could be thankful."
Meanwhile, "The men of the 3rd Battalion had no time for more than a spiritual Thanksgiving. Pushing along the muddy roads of France, the men of I, K, L and M Companies could not pause for turkey and the trimmings. In his account of that day, Harley Richardson, "L" company vet, tells of their advance on Provenchères-sur-Fave. On the way they captured over 50 German prisoners from a farm house. "Once we were through the town in the late afternoon the church bell rang and the Germans opened up on us with artillery, mortar and machine gun fire. We were pinned down the rest of the day. No turkey, just "K" rations." Thereafter, according to Harley Richardson, one of the first actions in towns was to put the church bells out of commission so the Germans wouldn't know they'd been through.
Thanksgiving was a hollow holiday for the 1st Battalion, too. While turkey was being prepared in captured Lubine, orders came down moving the 1st Battalion toward Steige."
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| Map from Chapter 5 of the 409th Infantry Journal |
The 2nd Battalion, finding it's original objectives blocked by enemy demolitions and swollen streams, was motored to Colroy-la-Grand. It "then proceeded on foot through Lubine clearing the path as it advanced. Marching rapidly ... (they)swung past the hairpin turn at Fouillaupre, pressed on up the road to a point two kilometers northeast of Lubine. After making another turn,...(they) encountered an abatis road block. (According to thefreedictionary.com: abatis, or abbatis - (Military / Fortifications) a rampart of felled trees bound together placed with their branches outwards [from French verb abattre to fell].
In past operations such blocks were evidence that the enemy had evacuated the area." In this case however, "the enemy covered the abatis with cross fire from automatic weapons." Having tried to dislodge the Germans all day, the 2nd battalion withdrew to Fouillaupre for the night.
November 24:
"Morning brought new weapons to the battalions." With a barrage of the new 4.2 chemical mortars, the companies tried to destroy the German positions which still kept them pinned down before the abatis. But the enemy was well-entrenched and efforts to attack their positions had not been successful.
It was finally decided that the 3rd Battalion would swing around the 2nd and the abatis, on a route that would bypass the blockade. Then they would "enter the town of Urbeis and effect an encirclement of enemy positions." Within minutes, soldiers were issued with extra ammo and grenades in preparation for a downhill assault on Urbeis. Trucks with even more ammunition moved into the hairpin turn before the blockade. No one knew the enemy strength in the village. "A French patriot who claimed to have extensive knowledge of the terrain was assigned" to lead them silently on a rugged route through the forest "in the first of a series of unorthodox maneuvers that were to plague the Germans throughout the Vosges campaign." Once they arrived on the heights above Urbeis, patrols were sent in to ascertain enemy strength. There was no sign of them, but "the withdrawal had been so swift the Germans had abandoned a warehouse containing tons of grenades, mines and demolitions."
Meanwhile the 1st Battalion was resting at Lubine after having participated in its liberation. "After nine days of ceaseless sloughing (sic) through the rugged Vosges terrain, the troops welcomed this lull in hostilities. Good rumors were circulating. The day-late turkey dinner was being readied in the kitchens. The battalion was to be relieved shortly." Then those rumors were "exploded by the sharp pin of reality." "A large enemy force was reported withdrawing through the Vosges passes toward the town of Steige. This was part of a once-proud German Army now reeling under the coordinated blows of the Seventh Army. Like a prize fighter on the ropes, the Germans had been back-pedaling furiously in an effort to avoid a knockout."
The commander of the 1st Battalion was ordered to pursue and infiltrate his entire battalion through the German lines. Then his forces were to proceed to Steige where the enemy might be intercepted. The troops left at dusk to attempt this amazing maneuver.
As they marched, speed was the primary concern. "The regimental commander wanted Steige taken by early morning. A fire-fight was to be avoided en route if it was possible. With this fact in mind three German-speaking soldiers were placed at the head of the column in the hope that they might be able to fast-talk their way past the German sentries. Such was the strategy resorted to in this weird guerilla-like warfare. "
"Only a mile out of Lubine... an alert German sentry was not to be fooled. A flare went up. A burp gun chattered. As at a silent signal, every man moved off the trail."
"For almost ninety minutes the Germans continued to fire. Enemy mortars were brought into play. The excellent training and discipline of the men of the 1st Battalion paid heavy dividends on this occasion. The enemy drew no return fire from our troops. When firing ceased for a period, elements of the battalion did an about-face and moved noiselessly away from this sticky sector. There was nothing to tip off the Germans that an entire battalion had stopped along the trail."
Patrols were sent out to find holes in the now-alert enemy lines. None were found so the commander decided to bivouac for the night and continue in the morning. They chose a hilltop position. "There could be no digging in. The proximity of the enemy and the inky darkness made it necessary to feel the boot of a fellow soldier to reassure yourself he was not wearing hob-nailed shoes. At dawn it was proven that such caution was essential. Some platoons found Germans asleep withing the American bivouac area!"
November 25:
The push eastward was resumed by the 1st Battalion at dawn. Despite hitting some enemy strongpoints, the forward companies were on the heights overlooking Steige by 1600 hours. "It was important that the town be taken before dark lest the attack be delayed another day." Plans were made for an immediate action. "Reconnaissance revealed the much needed element of surprise would favor a sudden assault. The enemy seemed blissfully unaware of the operation taking shape above his position. No security outposts could be seen and a strange-looking German field kitchen seemed to be in operation."
The commander felt that "his small force could cut the German retreat route by taking and holding one-third of the town. Accordingly, A Company moved out of a finger of woods, along a trail, and with overhead fire from B Company and the attached units of D Company, burst into the open. The combination of surprise and deadly fire was too much for the Jerries. They were out of the fight almost as soon as it had begun. Company A alone bagged 121 prisoners in addition to matériel."
"Roadblocks were erected and security posted. It was stilll anybody's town. The enemy launched vigorous counterattacks from his west end holdings in an effort to regain what he had lost."
Assaults and counter-assaults continued during the night in Steige. Finally, after hours of aggressive activity," the enemy suddenly ceased firing".
November 26 - 27:
At noon, November 26, a convoy of jeeps arrived bringing food and ammunition to the 1st Battalion. The convoy had to fight their way through as there were still enemy forces in the area west of Steige.
"In mid-afternoon that day an armored column which had been under observation was reported as Task Force Hanes. [Note: This was the armored task force formed Nov. 22 to clear St. Dié.] The task force pushed through to attack St. Martin and Villé as the 1st Battalion moved to its assembly area."
The assembly area for the forward companies of the 409th Regiment's three battalions was the town of Lalaye [modern spelling], in the Alsatian part of the Vosges Mountain range. The troops were to have 24 hours respite there. "Men of the Regiment were aware of a radical change when they marched into La Laye on November 26. The familiar blue road signs were gone. Orange signs were in their place with names of places in black letters. Names on stores and residences were definitely Teutonic. Some soldiers wondered if this could be Germany."
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| At the Colmar Pocket Museum |
"Those who knew political geography realized hat this was the German-controlled province of Alsace, which with a sister province, Lorraine, had been a pawn in Franco-German wars for centuries. The provinces had been awarded to France in 1920 under the Treaty of Versailles, and Germany had agitated for their return since that time. When the Nazi Government chose to reject the treaty, the "unfair" disposition of Alsace and Lorranine was continually emphasized."
"With the fall of France in 1940 the Nazis assumed control of the province. La Laye and adjacent towns had been under German rule for more than four years when the 409th Infantry moved in. Signs of Nazi Germany were everywhere."
One of the most important jobs of support crews was to extend the communication lines as the companies advanced. The wire crew following the 409th had to cover such a great distance that they ran out of wire. "With typical American ingenuity, the wiremen merely spliced into the commercial telephone line which ran alongside the road the troops were following."Within minutes of the 3rd Battalion's arrival in La Laye, the artillery liaison officer was called to the phone. "He could not undersand how someone could be calling him when he had not yet had a telephone installed. The mystery was solved when he was shown to a civilian telephone which was attached to the commercial line the wiremen had just tied into."
" In addition to changes in road signs and the Teutonic atmosphere, troops were noticing still another difference in the area. This time the change was topographical rather than political. For the first time in three weeks the march was downhill all the way! Infantrymen were leaving the mountains which many of them had come to hate bitterly. The mountains which camouflaged death with majestic forests, sparkling streams and impressive rock formations were behind them now as the doughboys struck out across the plain to Sélestat."
At the beginning of this installment, I used quotes from the Infantry Journal about the difficulty of conducting a military campaign in the Vosges mountains. The range has many tall mountains, with a line of peaks running up its spine. The winter snows there get very deep, and in the winter of 1944, one of the coldest on record, the men of the 409th Infantry had to battle the snow, rain and cold as well as the Germans.
For a look at just how this winter landscape looks, the following link to the site "Battlefields of Europe" has a page dedicated to the Vosges campaign and shows photos of a visit to its battlefields and monuments - in winter! The author includes it as a World War I battlefield because of course the Vosges were the frontlines in the last three wars between Germany and France.
http://battlefieldseurope.co.uk/ww1alsace.aspx
Should you choose to take this tour in winter, I hope you will seriously heed the authors warnings:
Warning: the weather can change rapidly in the Vosges!
Snow tyres are essential; some roads are impassable and can remain closed even as late as Easter - never ignore a 'Route Barré' sign. (closed road)
Be prepared for long walks in fairly deep snow to reach the Tete des Faux. La
Ligne and Vieil Armand.
Snow shoes or skis are highly recommended.
Check the weather forecast before setting off .
The battlefield sites themselves are very isolated in winter; deep snow drifts can pose a danger; potential hazards such as barbed wire and protruding metal can be obscured by snow
Remember you are at high altitude; leave plenty of daylight hours to reach the sites and return to your car.
Temperatures can suddenly drop, posing the risk of hypothermia.
It is not advisable to visit the sites alone.
The route of, this tour follows the 'Route des Crêtes' - 'Route of the Crests' (or summits) and follows the highest ridge of the Vosges. That would be the lightest color ridge line you see on this relief map.
OK - so who's game? Grab your snowshoes and meet me there next late November so we can get an authentic feel for the experience of the 409th Regiment.
OK - so who's game? Grab your snowshoes and meet me there next late November so we can get an authentic feel for the experience of the 409th Regiment.
The last word on the difficulty of this campaign, and the success of the 409th in meeting the challenge, comes from the end of Chapter 5 in the Infantry Journal:
"When American plans for the late 1944 Vosges attack were revealed to French experts, the French frankly admitted that such a plan was impossible. It was impossible, but these American infantrymen moving out of the mountains across the Sélestat plain had not known of that - so it was accomplished."
* NOTES ON SOURCES:
1) Chapter titles are taken from The 409th Infantry in World War II published by the Washington Infantry Journal Press in 1947.
2) The above account, as well as all accounts of the 409th Infantry Regiment in this blog, are taken from the above-mentioned Journal, featured in our first blog post. Madonna has the copy which belonged to her Dad, Charles Leo Meagher. He fought with the Regiment in the 3rd Battalion, "L" Company and survived the war to return home to southeastern Massachusetts. Sadly, he died very suddenly on Thanksgiving Day in 1957 at the age of 37, leaving his wife Terry, and his young children Charles Jr (age 6), Jim (age 4) and my friend Madonna (age 2).
3) Some anecdotes and descriptions are taken from the letters of veterans who served with Charles Meagher in the 409th Regiment, 3rd Battalion, "L" Company. One of these was Tom Bracket, an army buddy of Charles Meagher, who corresponded with Charles' son Jim Meagher from Oct. 1992 until Tom's death in 1994. A second first-hand account was written about the company's experience by another "L" Company vet, Harley Richardson of Tulsa Oklahoma. All quotes taken from those accounts are so attributed in the text. We hope to eventually have all of Tom's letters on this site for those interested in first person reminiscences about the 409th Regiment's experiences as related 50 years later.
We are extremely grateful to have these accounts, and to Harley Richardson for his support in sending us documents, maps and his own personal account. He kindly put us in touch with the mayor of Pfaffenhoffen, Alsace, Pierre Marmillod, who gave us an enormous amount of information and helped us visit actual scenes of the fighting there.
