Fire Teams WTO (id:#60123)

(Into The Rubble ID: ITR-5)   [next]   [previous]

Aachen, Germany 1944-10-13 (5 others)

Overview:

American forces launched an attack on 8 October in order to surround Aachen. The 246th Volksgrenadier Division was tasked to defend the city, but was continually stripped of its strength to counter American attacks to the north. Kampfgruppen were returned to the division nearly depleted, and some Fortress and Luftwaffe units were sent to bolster its strength. On 10 October three American soldiers entered the city with a white flag and gave a surrender ultimatum. Meanwhile, elements of the 1st Infantry Division had encircled the city to the east and prepared to attack westward. The surrender ultimatum was rejected based on Hitler’s “Last Stand” order to defend the city. On 11 October over 300 planes began bombing the city, and twelve battalions of artillery joined in. Overall this did little to the defenders, but turned much of the city into a pile of rubble. The ground attack began on 13 October. 2-26th Infantry organized itself into teams where each company had several two-man teams with flamethrowers and DCs, and were supported by tanks and TDs. They had to fight their way through the wrecked city as the Germans used sewer and tunnels to come up behind the advancing soldiers and conduct local counterattacks.

Defender: German (Volksgrenadier Division 246)  

Errata (source)