Hurtgen Forest and Roer Valley
10-17 Dev. 1944 - (Rhineland Campaign)
By Captain Raymond C. Greis
THE DEFENSE OF GURZENICH
15-16 DECEMBER, 1944
No attack was ordered for 15 December. The Battalion Commander was ordered to consolidate his position, clear out any small enemy pockets remaining in his sector, and hold the town at all costs. 39
To further strengthen the defense of Gurzenich, the Regimental Commander attached Company "B" to the 2d Battalion. This company was placed on the right flank, in an extension of "F" Company's lines, and across the rear to join in with "E" Company. 40
The only action that occurred on this day was the clearing of a few small enemy groups from houses on the right flank. Other than that, the day was uneventful. 41
This lull in the fight permitted much needed rest for weary troops. The battalion drew extra ammunition to be dumped on the position. Also on this day, plans were made to continue the attack on 16 December. The 2d Battalion was to attack to seize the banks of the Roer River in its zone. 42
This attack never got started. The 16 December will long be remembered by every soldier on the Western Fronts; -- the great German counter-offensive began that day. Although the main German attack struck further south, the enemy facing the 329th Infantry came storming out of his Roer River bridgehead in a series of counterattacks that lasted all morning long. 43
At 0530 hours the German artillery began a concentration that completely blanketed the town. This was by far the heaviest shelling ever experienced by these veterans of the Normandy, Brittany, and Luxembourg campaigns. To venture forth from the protection of the houses would have been suicide. The men of the 2d Battalion waited crouched beneath windows, behind walls, and peering out of cellar windows, knowing full well that when this shelling lifted a fight was due. 44
At about 0630 hours, the Battalion outpost forward of Company "G" was driven in. The men who manned this outpost reported enemy tanks and infantry in strength moving up from Duren. 45
The Company "G" Commander alerted all his troops. Men were placed to fire from the roofs of buildings and from every window of every house. Tanks and machine guns commanded the road and the back yards. The men were set ready for action. 46
The enemy came up the road with tanks and infantry massed. The men of Company "G" held their fire until the enemy were within 100 yards of them, and then "hell broke loose". The first blast of fire from the houses took a heavy toll of enemy dead and drove the rest to cover. Two enemy tanks were knocked out, but the enemy retaliated by destroying two friendly tanks. A vicious battle raged for about an hour with men fighting at close range. The advantage of cover favored the defense, and finally, the enemy withdrew. 47
At 0900 hours another heavy concentration of enemy struck again, this time with a feint to the front and his main attack against the right flank in "F" Company's sector. Observers detected the enemy moving in along drainage ditches, trenches, and through defiles. Tank destroyers, machine guns, and riflemen opened fire immediately, driving the attackers to cover. Then 2 battalions of artillery, 2 sections of 81 mortars, and 1 section of 60 mortars dumped their load of coal. All but a few of the Germans were stopped cold! 48
Some enemy managed to enter the town and were met with a withering blast of fire from rifles, grenades, and bazookas. Every one of the enemy that entered Gurzenich stopped a bullet. 49
Meanwhile the Germans out in the fields were taking a terrific pounding from all the guns on the 2d Battalion's right flank. Finally the enemy withdrew In disorderly confusion, leaving the wounded on the field. At noon 65 wounded Germans walked into Gurzenich and surrendered. 50
It was estimated that, between 0630 hours and 1200 hours on 16 December, 2 battalions of German Infantry supported by tanks had hit Gurzenich and had been driven off. What appeared to be the start of a major offensive had been nipped in the bud. 51
The rest of the day was spent in reorganization and resupply in anticipation of another push to gain the west banks of the Roer River.
Also, during this time, the 1st Battalion moved into Gurzenich and "B" Company rejoined its parent unit. 52
