The Blue House WTO (id:#60230)

(Melee Pack III ID: MP13)   [next]   [previous]

Wingen-sur-Moder, France 1945-01-06 (10 others)

Overview:

On the morning of January 6, General Herren arrived and accompanied Cheves to the battalion observation post at the edge of the woods. Before them lay the village and the formidable railroad embankment. The GIs were nearly exhausted after three sleepless nights. Remaining in the shelter of the woods for as long as possible, the men of F/274 prepared to move to the underpass. Because this was the first attack ever made by the unit, Captain Davenport accompanied the 1st Platoon. At 0745 the artillery opened up. At 0800 the GIs moved out, although the promised tank support had not yet arrived. At first not a shot was fired by the Germans. Well disciplined, they waited. Then their machine guns opened with a jackhammer staccato. The American guns, an octave lower, responded. For 10 minutes there was a fierce machine gun duel, but with no decided outcome. As the lead elements of the assault approached a fork in the road, someone yelled for the GIs to watch out for the ‘blue house.’ It was a lieutenant of the 276th, who had been lying in the snow for more than 18 hours. But the GIs had no chance to take advantage of his warning. At a range of about 20 yards, the Germans cut loose with deadly machine gun fire.

Defender: German (SS) (3. Kompanie, 1. Battalion, 12th SS Gebirgsjäger Regiment)  

Errata (source)