28 November 1944

The 4th Infantry Division attacked with the 12th Infantry to clear the area between the 8th and 22d Infantry Regiments in order to open roads and establish contact in that area. Patrolling was continuous by all elements to clear the few remaining scattered enemy elements from the rear areas, and to seek information of enemy activities and positions. The enemy resistance in the Grosshau area continued to be extremely heavy. The enemy employed many self-propelled guns, dug in tanks, and the infantry fought stubbornly from the houses and cellars of the town as well as from dug in positions in the surrounding area. The high ground to the east of Grosshau offered the enemy an ideal location for emplacing antitank and self-propelled guns. The engineers' work on the supply routes was continuous. The entire period was devoted to local attacks to better positions for a coordinated attack, to establish contact between all elements of the division and to eliminate all remaining enemy pockets within our lines. The coordinated attack of the division was held up in order to make the attack in conjunction with the 8th Infantry Division's attack to seize Kleinhau.

The 8th Infantry with the same attachments as previously mentioned, continued to maintain and improve positions previously secured, conducted vigorous patrolling to the northeast and south to determine enemy dispositions and strength. Cleaning of the rear areas was continuous. Elements of the 24th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron moved into the area of the 1st Battalion prepared to relieve them at first light 29 November. Unit disposition retained unchanged throughout the period.

The 12th Infantry with the same attachments as previously mentioned . A considerable gap existed between the 8th and 22d Infantry Regiments. Reconnaissance on 27 November indicated the enemy to be occupying positions in the vicinity of the Hill at (F-048388). The 1st Battalion was committed to clear the area ( F-047390 to F-047406), of all enemy and to make contact with the 8th and 22d Infantry Regiments. The 2d Battalion followed the 1st Battalion to help in this mission.

The 1st Battalion attacked at 0910 becoming engaged in a fire fight immediately, with the enemy employing small arms and machine guns . This resistance was eliminated by the aggressive action of this battalion, after which they moved on to capture the hill at (F-048378). Company A was left behind to occupy this captured hill while the battalion, minus Company A, advanced north along the road from (F-047390 to F-047406), searching the adjacent areas for all enemy. No resistance was encountered in the attack to clear this road until late in the afternoon when a strong point of enemy at F-047399 was engaged. The 1st Battalion held up for the night at this point preparatory to continuing the attack in the morning. Company E staged forward behind the 1st Battalion to (F-047395) where they remained during the night.

The 3d Battalion and the 2d Battalion, minus Company E, remained, in the same positions as the previous period. The 3d Battalion continued to support the attack of CC "R", 5th Armored Division and the 22d Infantry by fire, while protecting the right (south) flank of the Division and Corps.

The 22d Infantry with same attachments as previously mentioned; at 1000, a small task force (two platoons) of the 3d Battalion attacked to the east with CT 12 to the north, of the 3d battalion positions. This attack met some small arms fire, but not the customary artillery and mortar fire. Progress was favorable and some prisoners were taken. By 1350 this task force was on its objective, the high ground at coordinates (F-049338 ?); and was cleaning out small scattered pockets of enemy. There were indications that the high ground had been used, as an artillery observation post, and one dug in artillery piece was captured.

The remainder of the Combat Team adjusted its positions, although any movement in the 1st Battalion sector was followed by an enemy mortar barrage. During the afternoon the gap between Companies E and F was covered with trip wire flares and booby traps. In accordance with orders, Company B moved west to an assembly area at 1830. Company E, which remained attached to the 1st Battalion for the night, adjusted its positions to contain Grosshau from the west.

Plans were formed and orders issued, orally, for an attack on 29 November to seize the high ground northeast of Grosshau. The advance was to be coordinated with the attack of CC "R", 5th Armored Division on the right flank south of Combat Team 22.

29 November 1944

The 4th Infantry Division continued its attack to the east against heavy enemy resistance, captured Grosshau (F-0538), advanced several hundred yards to the northeast; readjusted positions, continued to mop up rear areas and, at the end of the period, had completed plans to continue the attack on 30 November.

A jeep of the 22nd Infantry, the unit that captured Grosshau,
passes the shell-wrecked village church on what is left of Frenkstrasse.


Whereas most of the other buildings at Grosshau were
cleared away completely and rebuilt from the ground up,
the Sankt Appolonia Church was very carefully restored to its original state.

The 8th Infantry, with the same attached units as mentioned for 27 November; the 1st Battalion was relieved by elements of the 24th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron at 0830 and, from this position, it moved to the line of departure in preparation for the attack. The attack was launched by the 1st and 2d Battalions abreast, the 2d Battalion moving through the lines held by the 3d Battalion at 1000. The 1st Battalion, with Company C on the left and Company B on the right, met heavy small arms and machine gun fire shortly after beginning their advance and were held up in the vicinity of (F-052424) at 1115. A slight withdrawal maneuver for the purpose of heavily shelling the enemy positions confronting them was initiated and the advance was once more resumed. This enabled Company B to reach the vicinity of (F-052432) and Company C the vicinity of (F-051462). The 2d Battalion in the face of small arms, machine gun, artillery, and mortar fire continued its slow but steady advance. Resistance became more determined at all points and nightfall found the 2d Battalion with Companies F and G in the vicinities of (F-049430) and (F-084432) respectively. The 3d Battalion had remained in regimental reserve throughout the period.

The 12th Infantry, with the same attached units as mentioned for 27 November, attacked with Company C at 0830 and met no resistance. Contact was established with elements of the 24th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and the objective in the vicinity of (F-048407) was reached by 0950. A combat patrol was then ordered to the east. Company F moved to a position on the flank of Company E and sent out combat patrols to the south and east of their lines. In the interim, the 3d Battalion was relieved in its sector and moved to an assembly area in the vicinity of (F-024376) and began preparation for another movement to a new assembly area. Meanwhile, a 1st Battalion patrol covered the ground and road 1000 yards southeast of F-045407 and reported no enemy. A negative report was also submitted by the two patrols from the 2d Battalion that patrolled 500 yards south of (F-048399).

The 22d.Infantry had no change in attachments. During the night 28-29 November moderate enemy artillery and mortar fire of an harassing nature fell in the Combat Team area. A night patrol from the 3d Battalion penetrated the enemy outpost line and worked east to the Grosshau-Gey road. The patrol mined this road at coordinates (F-054385) to deny its use to the enemy in either withdrawing from reinforcing Grosshau.

The Combat Team's plan for 29 November was an attack by the 3d Battalion, by-passing Grosshau to the north, and seizing the high ground (coordinates (F-058385)) northeast of the town. The 1st Battalion was to follow the 3d Battalion, protecting the flanks of that unit. The 2d Battalion was to be prepared to take Grosshau in a frontal attack, while holding the Combat Team's right flank to the south of the town.

Ordered to attack at 1100, the 3d Battalion was delayed by heavy enemy artillery fire, and moved out at 1200. The battalion pushed to the northeast against continued heavy fire and against determined resistance. At 1620 it was 700 yards north of its objective and ready to swing to the south. Resupply was a difficult problem and the battalion received heavy fire from Hill 92 (to its northwest). Despite the approaching darkness, the battalion was ordered to continue the attack. At 1830 the battalion had reached its objective, and the hill northeast of Grosshau was secured by 2050.

The 1st Battalion moved to the east and by 1445 occupied the original positions of the 3d Battalion. The battalion remained in those positions, prepared to assist in the capture of Grosshau.

In accordance with orders, the 2d Battalion attached at 1250 to take Grosshau. The attacking force consisted of Companies E and F, with tank and tank destroyer support. Immediately upon jumping off, Company F (on the right flank) received a counterattack which it repulsed. Company E advanced slowly under heavy German machine gun fire. Fighting was intense and Company E had advanced only 75 yards beyond the first house in town by 1635. At dusk the battalion was ordered to continue the attack. By 1843 only three houses in the town remained in enemy hands, and resistance in Grosshau ended at 1915. During the period Company G remained in position securing the right flank of the Combat Team.

Patrols from the 3d and 3d Battalions made contact northeast of Grosshau at 2304.

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