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"September was a month of nearly total frustration as the pursuit phase spearheaded by armor ground to a halt. The delay was due to mounting logistical shortages, chiefly gasoline. Routed German forces were thus given time to regroup and establish formidable lines of defense. Because armor was brought to a standstill, the infantry was forced to bear the brunt of the combat load. L Company men were required to claw and scratch their way forward amidst heavy enemy counter attacks. Ridges, hills, mountains, rivers and forests presented the major obstacles and were assigned as military objectives. For the first time L Company was introduced to the harsh realities of the war of attrition and the acceptance of excessive casualties.

Fri 1 Sep 44 319th Inf conducts early morning motorized march toward the Meuse River and drives lightly resisting enemy delaying troops across the river by nightfall. Men of the indomitable 80th capture an additional 100,000 gal. of gasoline.

L Company departs positions one and one half miles West of Nettancourt at 0900 and marches by foot for four miles to vehicle staging area. Troops mount vehicles and proceed by motor for a distance of 31 miles to St Mihiel, France arriving at 1600. With L and K Companies spearheading the action, 3rd Bn, 319th Inf conducts a drive at 1630 against an estimated 200 enemy defenders in St Mihiel. Their mission is to neutralize the Meuse River defenses, establish a bridgehead across the river, and organize defensive postitions beyond the town. By 1800 the city is in friendly hands as the emeny defenders are routed and two PW's are captured in the process. L Company as part of the assault force prepares and occupies a line of defense one half mile East of the city for the night.

The weather is cloudy.

From Co Hqs T/5 Balas: "One day we were in a convoy headed towards St. Mihiel. As we approached the city, the Krauts opened up with mortar fire and some machine guns. The trucks came to a screeching halt, and we jumped over the sides of the trucks and into the fields. A tremendous explosion followed and the bridge we were supposed to capture sank into the river. The enemy blew it up delaying us in getting across. The German demolition detachment was the rear guard and retreated, but we didn't know it at that time. The people of St. Mihiel (the town was on the opposite side of the river) came over with this huge steel barge and began ferrying us across. I ran up the back stairs of a house once we got over, and we set up a defense zone. This was on a bluff overlooking the river. I could see the Engineers setting up pontoons and making a bridge for the tanks to get across. The enemy had planted booby traps all around the roads and had planted land mines, too. We waited for the engineers to clear paths through these mine fields, and they had this white engineer tape spread out over almost everything around. One coal stove I encountered had a trip wire running from it so that if you lifted the cover it would blow up in your face. We finally moved forward following some tanks and one of them rolled over a land mine causing an explosion. The tankers came flying out of the hatches, but luckily their only loss was a track. After that we were very careful where we stepped."

From 2nd Plt Sgt Olaf Christenson who led his 1st Squad of the 2nd Platoon into its baptism of fire observes, "We left our assembly area at 0900 and marched by foot for a few miles to rendezvous with our transportation. After boarding trucks, we advanced towards St Mihiel on the Meuse River a distance of 25 - 30 miles. When we neared the river bed located between us and the city, we dismounted and were given the mission of securing the town. The 2nd Plt was ordered to make a flanking movement some distance to the left of the assault platoon. We were lying in the weeds waiting for orders to move out, when a jeep with a Brigadier General's plate (one star) came barreling down the road towards the river. Before anyone could stop it, the jeep made a turn down to the bridge where it was fired on bringing it to a screeching halt. It must have been General Summers, our Assistant Division Commander. In any event, he baled out and joined the assault platoon which was nearer the river. Just then, the bridge was blown and we received orders to move out. When we arrived at the river, we found it too deep to wade, however, we discovered a beat-up old boat in the brush along the river bank which we put into use. We cut poles for oars and shuttled our men across six or seven men at a time. After clearing the city, we joined the other platoons of L Company on the high ground east of town and there prepared defensive positions. I remember Lt Kirshbaum and a few of his men in the weapons platoon continuing to the east along the road on a scouting mission. Later we heard some small arms fire coming from that direction and a short time later his group returned with a German motorcycle and a prisioner."

From 3rd Plt In another account of this day's developments, Lt Bob Grady remembers, "1 Sept 44 was the date of Company L coming in direct contact with the enemy. Up to this time I had not seen the enemy, but on the outskirts of St Mihiel (much action in this area during WW I) the 3rd Platoon was included in a hastily assembled task force of Armor and Infantry with the mission of securing the near and far banks of the Meuse River. Other 3rd Bn units would then pass through and take St Mihiel. We mounted trucks and the task force took off. As we rounded the last bend before the river, there were two tremendous explosions to the front and the bridge we were to secure disappeared. The Infantry left the trucks, and we worked our way toward the river. Everyone was extremely cautious. At one point the man on my left, also in the prone position and holding a .45 in front of him, looked familiar. I took a second look and then realized it was the Commanding Officer of the 319th Inf, Col O. L. Davidson. We did not exchange greetings, and I removed myself from the area in short order. I remember crossing the river in a kind of a barge. The town was not defended and we walked through with the townspeople all over us, jumping up and down. How naive of me to think this is the way war would be. The 3rd platoon took up positions on a steep hillside just beyond the town, and that evening there was a great celebration in St Mihiel with the `Marseillaise' sung many times over by the civilian population. The 3rd platoon leader spent a cold and sleepless night, mostly walking, in a losing effort to keep warm."

From Wpn Plt Lt Kirschbaum platoon leader of the 4th platoon remembers, "In St. Mihiel the only real opposition I observed was while trying to cross to the east side of some kind of canal or quiet river. We had our men in long low dug-out kind of boats holding perhaps eight or ten men. We were all armed and naturally excited, having to move out to the east of town to take and hold the high ground before dark, not knowing if the Germans would fight or not. Some dubious Frenchmen had the audacity to stand on the opposite bank of this waterway and try to push our boats back to prevent us from landing. We thought this rather nervy, if not outright treasonous, and only our sense of humor prevented some of the riflemen from shooting them `out of hand,' so to speak. When you think of it, even considering the cafes lining the little canal, it did take some kind of recklessness, wine-prompted or not, to actually antagonize our combat infantrymen who were struggling to get ashore in those awkward boats! Now when we got on top of the hills outside of St. Mihiel, it was a different story. We set up positions outside of the town (important to the 80th Division during WWI), and it was there I decided to take a patrol out on my own, probably because I was bored and curious as to what might be up on the rising slopes to our front toward Apremont. I had about six of my weapons platoon men with me, including one of my Sec Sgts, and soon we were a few kilometers out in front of L Co which we could see digging in and drinking coffee back in the edge of the woods west of St. Mihiel. I did think even then that we were really quite adventurous, especially when I saw how far back the unit was and realized we hadn't thought to bring a radio along! Anyway, out there we were, moving along in the green grass on either side of the road when old dad suddenly heard the sound of a motor in the distance! Now this episode occurred in the evening, an hour or so before dark, and I reasoned: it just might be an old truck, or perhaps a nice big German halftrack, which just might be the point or, an armored infantry column heading toward St. Mihiel to recapture it! Or even a light tank out for a drive, all ready and willing to shoot up and capture a stupid American patrol out in the middle of `No Man's Land' as they called it in WW I. Well, while all this was settling in my brain, and I was considering all of the possible dismal alternatives, I had my men stop and crouch down in the grass. Shortly thereafter the source of the noise manifested itself in the form of a German BMW motorcycle with driver and mounted with a sidecar carrying a passenger. By now we were on our bellies with 5 M1 rifles and my little carbine all at the ready. While personally relieved that it was only an enemy motorcycle I still worried that it was the point element of something larger. However, after a brief halt, they continued down the slope toward us, but eventually the driver spotted us lying in the grass and brought his machine to a halt. I motioned with my hand, and said '...Honde hoch!' which was a reasonably good imitation of saying hands up, but instead of complying (I think the driver would have been a bit more prudent if he had been alone) the Lt in the sidecar unabashedly whipped out his Walther .38 and had the audacity to get off a round right at our leader, but lucky for me, he shot a bit short and the round ricocheted off the road in front of me. Of course our response was immediate and we all opened up and that quickly ended the engagement. So we then had one wounded German officer calling for a doctor, a dead or dying driver and a huge German BMW cycle which none of us could drive! Other than that we were in great shape. One of my men volunteered to coast the cycle down the road toward the Company area while the rest of us waited for further developments. Eventually the medics came up and hauled the officer off, but not before we had officially investigated the sidecar to see what the big expedition was all about. What we found was some very decent silverware probably liberated from some villa, and a pretty little pair of black pumps obviously not issued by the Wermacht Quartermaster. He was, incidentally, all dressed up in his black Class A uniform, and most likely had a date with a pretty little madamoiselle in St. Mihiel. We did enjoy the cycle, and we all drove it, fortunately avoiding getting shot at probably because of the big Tricolor flag we had mounted on it. Even I learned to drive the big combat motorcycle and probably risked my life more speeding around French roads than I did facing hostile action. In parting I might reflect back to the hills outside of St. Mihiel, I vividly remember standing in the grass trenches still there from World War I days and still offering cover for weary American GI's."

From Wpn Plt Sgt Cliff Sherrill: "The order of march for this movement placed L Company in the lead vehicles as the point. As we approached St Mihiel, at approximately 1500 hours and within one kilometer of the city, several enemy mortar rounds hit near the road. All company L personnel scrambled from their vehicles to an open field to the right of the road and hit the dirt. Meanwhile, the trucks quickly reversed direction and executed a hasty retreat with full field packs still hanging on the side rails. (The packs were later recovered) Lt Col Elliott B Cheston, commanding officer of 3rd Bn, quickly requested for an artillery preparation on St Mihiel with convincing effect enabling L and K Companies to rush the city and liberate it. Meanwhile, the German garrison rapidly blew their ammo dump and attempted to flee the city. L Company crossed the river, advanced through the city and dug in for the night on the edge of St Mihiel facing East."

Casualty Rpt: Total (1) BAT 0 NB 1: Pfc George Joerin

RTD: Fr Hosp, T/5 List, Albin D, Pfc Poinsett, Albert W

Sat 2 Sep 44 319th Inf continues to press East in a daylight foot march.

L Company leaves positions at 1000 hours and continues Southeast on foot for approximately 12 miles and establishes defensive positions two miles South of Jouy-sous-les-cotes, France.

The weather is fair but cool.

Sun 3 Sep 44 3rd Bn is placed in Regimental reserve.

L Company continues to man defensive positions and prepares to continue advance to Moselle River line.

The weather is cool and partly cloudy.

Promotions: Sgt to S/Sgt, John F Flynn, William N Otto, Leo J Yesvets; Cpl to Sgt, Gayle E Baker, Oran H Isenhart; Pfc to Sgt, Gaddis L Kitchens

Mon 4 Sep 44 319th Inf with 3rd Bn in vanguard conducts dismounted road march from Jouy in a meeting engagement with the enemy. 3rd Bn reaches Moselle River at 1130 hours immediately North of Toul and forces first bridgehead across the river.

L Company combatants leave their bivouac area at Jouy and conduct a forced foot march toward Toul, France with the mission of securing a river crossing of the Moselle River and establishing a firm bridgehead in the face of an enemy whose strength is estimated at 100. The Company conducts a search and seize operation of Forts De Lucey and De Bruley enroute, but are not challenged at either of these two fortifications. In truth, the movement by the companies of the invincible 3rd Bn are so rapid that the Bn is able to surprise the defenders and overcome their sporadic but fierce resistance quickly and force a swift crossing of the water barrier. The determined and somewhat fanatical opposition is being supplied by the German 3rd Paratroop Training Regt. When the men of L Company reach their preplanned crossing site at 1630, they storm across and push forward to the high ground East of Dommartin-les-Toul and there prepare and occupy defensive positions by 1830 hours.

The weather is cool, but mostly sunny.

From 1st Plt Lt Jim Young: "First Platoon, Co. L, 319th was first to cross the Moselle on a blown-up bridge at Toul. We came under fire shortly afterward from German paratroops."

From 3rd Plt Lt Grady: "Elements from a German Paratrooper unit, acting as a rear guard, fired on L Company as we crossed the Moselle at Toul and advanced toward Ft Gonderville. The enemy displayed little fear of our superior numbers; and as they retreated, they let off frequent bursts from their machine pistols in our direction."

From Wpn Plt Sgt Cliff Sherrill: "On the morning of 4 Sept 3rd, Bn departed St Mihiel on foot back packing all weapons. I was in the 4th (weapons) platoon and remember how we passed the weapons around from man to man and how tired we got. K Company was ahead of us when we arrived at Toul. It was mid-afternoon, and during our approach to the crossing site I remember passing a large cathedral. K Company crossed the bridge in the lead and L company had to wait for sometime for them to cross before following after. Upon reaching the far bank K Company advanced to the right and must have encountered heavy resistance early as we heard a lot of firing, but we could not see the action for a patch of woods. L Company proceeded straight up the road but did not make contact with the enemy at this point. Later that afternoon, however, we were fired on from a building to our front, and a mortar section gunner by the name of Kitchens is alledged to have dropped a 60mm morter round down its chimney. Suddenly! the enemy began blowing whistles, and all firing ceased. I thought they acted as though they all belonged to a union. Following that engagement Company L established a perimeter defense for the night in a large depression, which accommodated the entire company."

NOTE: Most of XII Corps armor is halted on this date for lack of fuel.

Tue 5 Sep 44 319th Inf employing the 3rd Bn as its assault element attacks Gonderville and Villey Le Sec. Final objectives were not reached but the action resulted in strengthening the bridgehead.

L Company in a continuation of its mission jumps off at 0730 and advances two miles driving the enemy garrison from Ft Gonderville by 0830. An attempt at resuming the offensive in the afternoon toward the city of Gonderville meets with intensifying machine gun, sniper and cannon fire from an enemy of undetermined strength and disposition. The company is initially deployed in a column of platoons with 1st Plt leading and guiding on the road followed by the 2nd and then the 3rd. Fourth Platoon is bringing up the rear.

When the heavy enemy fire begins to find its mark the formation is changed to platoons on line extending to the right. This decision is essential as it prevents the enemy from concentrating his fires thus greatly reducing the casualty rate. No less than four enemy machine guns are employed against our attackers causing several casualties to the lead platoon commanded by Lt Jim Young, delaying the advance and pinning the company to the ground. By 2100 the company has advanced some 700 yards but is then forced to establish a line of defense.

The weather is overcast and gloomy.

From Co Hqs T/5 Balas: "I remember this French fort that we took. It was not defended and we took it over for our C.P. It had a long spiral staircase going down about 30 feet underground with a little tram car on tracks that I supposed connected to another fort. It was eerie standing guard wondering if any Krauts were hiding in there. The Krauts had used it previously as we found abandoned equipment of theirs all over the place. (We were always looking for loot)."

From 1st Plt Lt Jim Young: "I don't recall the exact date, but First Platoon led the attack on Gonderville. We became pinned down in shallow ditches on either side of the road leading from Toul past Ft. Gonderville and on to Nancy. Machine gun and other automatic weapon small arms fire was extremely heavy all afternoon as we lay there with fire only a few inches above our backs. First Platoon suffered three KIA's — Sgt. Tharpe, Platoon Sgt.; Sgt Isenhart, Assistant Squad Leader and Pfc Carlson. These were the first KIA's of L Co. That night two German paratroopers came over to surrender. One reached down to his pocket to give up a small French 25 caliber lady's pistol and was shot in the process. The other got down on his knees and begged for mercy. The shooting was unintentional as the man who did it thought the paratrooper was going for a gun to shoot us. Capt. Mertins came down the road in a jeep, probably with Cpl. Soloninka driving, to order First Platoon to dig in on the hill in front of Ft. Gonderville in a potatoe field where First Platoon stayed for a day or two. While there we observed the 8th Air Force B-17 Bombers — wave after wave — bomb Foret de Haye — a long standing supply or ammo dump. The noise several miles to the front was deafening. Finally the Germans withdrew from Gonderville during the night. Early the next morning a delegation of French came out from Gonderville towards us blowing horns and beating drums to let us know the Germans were gone. A burst of machine gun fire shot one or two of them."

From 2nd Plt Sgt Christenson: "First platoon led our first attack on Ft Gonderville and the town of Gonderville, while the 2nd Plt made a flanking movement to the right of the road for fire support. We received limited resistance in our advance toward the fort, but as the Company advanced toward Gonderville, its movement was interrupted by machine gun and direct cannon fire which pinned the entire Company to the ground. Both Sgt Krenciglova and Pfc Carlson were killed during the morning engagement. After the intense enemy fire stalled the attack, the Company began to withdraw to positions on which to establish a line of defense. Second platoon was sent to the Company's right flank and we were just beginning to prepare our dug in positions when some friendly artillery unit fired some short rounds into the trees above our positions. The concussion knocked me flat on my back and knocked me out. About eight feet away two of my squad members Pfc Thanes and Pvt Yelenak were killed. That turned out to be a pretty rough afternoon for the Company as T/Sgt Tharpe and Sgt Isenhart from 1st Plt were also killed. Towards evening the first and second squads were displaced farther to the left which attracted an intense volume of enemy machinegun fire. The fire forced us to seek the protection of the river bank which required that we lay half submerged in the water. After calling for supporting fire the enemy machine gun was eventually silenced and we escaped without further casualties."

From 3rd Plt Lt Grady: "Ft Gonderville was not defended. It was mostly a below ground fortification of stone and was a holdover from the Franco-German war. It served as the Company L Command Post (CP). This introduction into the reality of combat was a very trying period for the 3rd plt. In an attempted assault on positions near Gonderville we were pinned down by machine gun fire, and also experienced serving as a target for a direct fire weapon. We worked our way clear, but we failed to take our objective."

From Wpn Plt Sgt Cliff Sherrill: "The next morning we deployed to the right of the road and began an advance toward the village of Gonderville. As we approached Ft Gonderville, which was to the left of the road, we came under a heavy volume of fire from our front and initially went to ground. Recovering quickly, we worked our way to the fort which unknown to us had been abandoned by the enemy. Here we were provided with some protective cover and went about organizing and preparing defensive positions. We attempted two attacks on the village of Gonderville without success. The first of those actions was initiated by the first platoon, commanded by 1st Lt Jim Young. The attack by the 1st plt was launched directly up the road toward Gonderville and was supported by the weapons platoon, which was moving to the left of the road and parallel to it toward a patch of woods. I was Sqd ldr of the 1st MG squad; and as we drew closer to the village of Gonderville we were fired on and Wistrowski, my number one gunner was killed. The 1st plt sustained several casualties in this engagement forcing us back to our positions near the fort. If any of the other rifle platoons participated in this action I was not aware of it."

Casualty Rpt: Total (5) BAT 5; KIA 4: T/Sgt James R Tharpe, Sgt Oran H Isenhart, Pfc Owen K Carlson, Pfc Chris Thanes; SWA 1: Pvt Bernard H Quigley NB 0

RTD: Fr Hosp, Pfc Joerin, George

Wed 6 Sep 44 3rd Bn, 319th Inf begins assault of Ft de Villey Le Sec without success. "C Company, 702nd Tank Bn supporting the 319th Inf Regt rejoins the Regt," according to Janes. However, their arrival is too late in the day to be available for a coordinated infantry-tank team effort or in any way influence the action.

At 0400, pursuant to Bn orders L Company withdraws to a location in the proximity of Ft Gonderville and organizes positions from which to launch a planned attack on the city of Gonderville with supporting weapons. Enemy strength is estimated at near 100 with supporting artillery. Two PW's are captured sometime before daylight.

The weather is overcast and gloomy.

From 3rd Plt S/Sgt William Otto: "In September '44, we were using Fort Gonderville for a couple of days as a safe resting place. At various periods of time the rifle platoons would leave the fort on a rotation basis and go into the surrounding area to dig fox holes and prepare defensive positions. One night Sgt. Hudock was guiding me and my squad along a road to his prepared positions to relieve his squad when I hit something with my helmet, knocking it to the ground. I reached out in the dark and felt a wire which had been stretched across the road at a height of a few feet. I then cut it with my wire cutter. The Germans had been using the taut wire to catch and severly cut the throat of or kill the unsuspecting American jeep drivers who were driving with their windshield down. We soon learned that we could protect our drivers by attaching a verticle piece of angle iron to the front bumper which would sever the wire and prevent this from happening."

H. M. Cole, in "The Lorraine Campaign" writes, "But Fort Villey-le-Sec, occupying the high ground on the Southern flank, was stubbornly defended by a full battallion of the 3rd Parachute and proved tough to crack. The fort was surrounded by a deep, dry moat faced with stone. The inner works had reinforced concrete walls and ceilings, five feet thick and steel cupolas housing automatic weapons and at least one 75 mm gun. In the woods surrounding the fort the Germans had dug in machine guns, strung wire, and emplaced a few artillery pieces. A preliminary attack on 6 September reached the fort, but was broken up by cross fire from the German machine gun emplacements in the woods to the south."

NOTE: The attack on the village of Gonderville this date was attempted without tank support as the 702nd was still in the process of refitting at Chalons following the long road march from the Argentan sector. Engaging well-defended fortified positions without tank support leaves attacking infantry extremely vulnerable.

Casualty Rpt: Total (3) BAT 3; SWA 3: Pfc Joseph A Wistrowski, Pvt Thomas A Castenada, Pvt Michael Yelenak Jr NB 0

Thu 7 Sep 44 3rd Bn, 319th Inf resumes assault of Gonderville and Ft de Villey le Sec. In reporting from Ed Wizda's C Company Diary, Janes writes that the entire mass of C Company, 702nd medium tanks joined in the attack on Ft de Villey le Sec resulting however, in limited success and the fort still in enemy hands.

L Company remains in defensive positions in the vicinity of Ft Gonderville awaiting attack order. Reinforcements are assigned to the company and consist of a platoon of light tanks, four Engineers equipped with mine detectors and an M Company machine gun platoon. At first light, orders are received to resume the attack immediately and seize the town of Gonderville. The neutralization of Gonderville and Villey le Sec is crucial as they guard the approaches to the city of Nancy, a prized tactical command and logistical possession. However, the enemy is anticipating the attack and has the approaches well-plotted with deadly mortar and artillery concentrations plus intense automatic weapons fire which beats the attacking platoons back and alters the battle plan. Consequently, the company mission is modified and the platoons are instructed to secure and hold tenable defensive positions in their present locations.

The weather is overcast and cool.

From 3rd Plt Lt Grady: "On another advance attempt we were met by accurate enemy mortar fire which forced the 3rd platoon to retire to a nearby woods, and vacate the immediate area on the double. The 3rd platoon took up a defensive position just forward of Ft Gonderville in a cultivated field. All foxholes were dug deep, as we were in clear view of the enemy in the town of Gonderville. The 2nd platoon commanded by Lt Ben Nauss was dug in on the right of the 3rd platoon. The 2nd platoon had a frightening experience at this time when several short 105 mm rounds were fired into their positions by the 319th Cannon Company causing an unknown number of casualties. It is believed the rounds fired short were among the first delivered by Cannon Company in combat. Soon after this unfortunate incident the 319th Cannon Company was taken from regimental control and attached to the 905th Field Artillery Battallion (the 905th FA Bn worked with the 319th Inf Regt during WW II as a part of the 319th combat team)."

From Wpn Plt Sgt Cliff Sherrill: "The second assault on the village of Gonderville was made in company strength, but without tank support, and again our advance was stopped by a deadly mortar barrage and small arms fire."

H. M. Cole describes the Villey-le-Sec action as follows, "Company K led off a coordinated assault on the next day, accompanied by tanks and supported by fire from two towed tank destroyers. Lt Col Elliot B. Cheston, Commanding Officer of the 3rd battalion, led his men up to the moat, firing tracers from his submachine gun to designate targets for the tanks. At the edge of the moat the infantry tried to force an entry while the tanks beside them fired at the enemy embrasures. But the American assault failed to cross the moat: The tanks were forced to withdraw in the face of heavy antitank fire, and the infantry were beaten back by automatic fire and hand grenades pitched out of the port holes." For his daring leadership which exposed him to a lengthy period of hostile fire, Lt Col Cheston was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC).

Casualty Rpt: Total (6) BAT 4; SWA 1: Pvt Wesley C Higginbottom; LWA 3: S/Sgt Walter A Biercevics, Sgt Robert Krenciglova, Pfc Charles E Gebo Jr NB 2 Pfc Edward C Link, Pvt Audrey H Masingill

Fri 8 Sep 44 L Company remains in the vicinity of Ft Gonderville continuing on the defensive. The American Red Cross Club Mobile visits 3rd Bn to the appreciation and delight of infantrymen and tankers alike.

The weather is overcast and rainy.

 From Wpn Plt Lt David Kirshbaum: "We were occupying the fort after trying unsuccessfully to persuade the Heinie troopers to leave their dug-in positions outside of the town. I recall that the only dangerous things around, unless you exposed yourself to small arms fire, were honey bees, which were all around the place, brought on probably by the trees filled with some kind of white plums. We were standing outside the fort waiting for either the mail jeep or the mess truck to come up from the rear which was back in the Toul area when we noticed an open jeep approaching up the main road, which went right by Fort de Gonderville heading into Gonderville, about a kilometer or two away. Four men wearing steel helmets were in the jeep, and obviously out for a high speed joy ride because they drove right past our men stationed out on the road outposting the area and actually the front lines. I recall our men waving their arms and M1's and shouting, trying to get their attention, but the men in the jeep who turned out to be combat engineers just waved right back. I remember the top was down, and I believe the windshield, but they obviously were unaware that our positions represented the front lines. I got Sgt. James B. Skiles, my plat Sgt., and with one of our light machine guns: a M6A1, I believe, with a metal stock. We raced up to the top parapet of the fort and prepared to deliver some fire to hopefully cover the jeep but by the time Skiles and I were ready to open fire, the Germans had already opened up on them and the jeep was now in the ditch with the soldiers either wounded or dead. Shortly a group of German soldiers with litters and a huge Red Cross flag left the outbuildings of the town and proceeded to the jeep and loaded the men on the litters and calmly moved back into town. We could not open fire until they were under cover, but when some of the paratroopers left their positions to attempt to rescue the jeep with a white farm horse, we did open up. Unfortunately the range was extreme, and our tracers were burning out so I had to adjust Skiles' fire thru my glasses by reading the strike of the bullets on the ground and road. We did manage to keep them away from the jeep that afternoon, but of course by the next morning it was gone. Naturally after watching these men drive right through our lines without slowing down, we moved a farm wagon across the highway to prevent a similar occurrance later on. This was a lesson we learned, and it was to help us later on. The paratroopers were obviously experienced soldiers with lots of elan, because they would sit on the edge of their deep foxholes eating hot meals out of their mess gear, and only when our supporting 105mm shells started whistling low over the fort would they take cover. And immediately after the shelling, which occasionally produced some casualties, they would haul them back to the village under the protection of the same large, about 6 x 6 foot Red Cross flag, and then it was back to business as usual."

Casualty Rpt: Total (2) BAT 2; DOW 2: Sgt Robert Krenciglova, Pfc Joseph A Wistrowski NB 0

Sat 9 Sep 44 L Company continues to maintain defensive positions at Ft Gonderville.

The weather is cool and overcast.

Casualty Rpt: Total: (1) BAT 1; DOW 1: Pvt Michael Yelenek NB 0

Sun 10 Sep 44 L Company sends reconnaissance patrols into Gonderville at 1000, hours secures the town and captures six PW's. The Company main body leaves Ft Gonderville at 1830 and closes in on Gonderville at 1900 hours and consolidates position. In his book, "Patton's Troubleshooters," Terry D. Janes, copying from the diary of Ed Wizda, C Company, 702nd Tank Bn, writes, "With TD's, artillery and infantry massed on the hill above Toul, our tanks were now ready for their second assault on Ft. Villey Le Sec., supported the 3rd Bn., 319th Inf on the attack and captured the fort at 3:00 P.M., a job well done, well appreciated." According to the 80th Division G-2 report, "On the 10th of September the paratroopers were driven from Fort Villey Le Sec. and Fort Gonderville, but the enemy continued to oppose our advance toward Nancy from the Foret de la Haye." Friendly fighter aircraft are providing tactical air support for ground forces in the area.

The weather is cold, but clearing.

From Wpn Plt Pfc Chism: "When we were in the process of taking Fort Gonderville I got some real good experience from some German Paratroopers - they were pretty wise. I ran into my first booby trap! I went to help clear out a barn and crawled up into the loft and there was a lot of hay and straw in the barn. I was walking along on a straw covered floor, I thought, and all of a sudden the floor went out from under me. It was a manhole where they had come up the ladder and they had neatly fixed it by covering it with straw. I barely caught myself at each side of the hole with my arms to keep from falling to the bottom. So I learned to watch it a little closer after that. I picked up a German parachute during that time and brought it home for a souvenir."

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, Pfc Gebo, Charles E Jr

Promotions: Pvt to Pfc, Charlie B Ardoin, Henry Bulwin, Norman R Warner

Mon 11 Sep 44 L Company's First Platoon supported by a platoon of tanks makes a reconnaissance in force at 1130 hours East of Gonderville into the Foret de la Haye as far as Fontendy. Resistance in the form of machine gun fire is encountered, but is quickly eliminated. Friendly fighter aircraft are out in force attacking ground targets in support of the infantry and armor. The Company recon mission is to determine enemy unit strength forward of friendly positions. Four prisoners are taken and an undetermined number are killed. A preliminary interrogation of the PW's indicates that they are outposts of a battalion sized force. No friendly casualties are reported.

The weather is bright and sunny.

From 1st Plt Lt Jim Young: "One date and episode that I will always be sure of is Sept. 11, 1944, when 1st Platoon made a `Reconnaisance in Force' with two tanks and artillery support from Gonderville into the Foret De Haye. I adjusted my own artillery. We encountered several machine gun nests which we blew up with the help of our tanks. We almost lost our 3rd Squad which I followed down a long sloping field at the edge of the woods and was pursued for about 100 yards or more by machine gun fire. We took prisoners with new uniforms and new weapons from a new German Division and finally returned with no casualties. I learned later that Col. Cheston was watching us from some high point in Gonderville. Since we disappeared from his sight about a mile away and reappeared at another location further from the road, he thought at first that we were Germans in the act of surrounding the 1st Platoon and he strongly considered directing our own artillery fire on us. But we fell back from that point in an orderly manner with one squad at a time, and he changed his mind."

From Wpn Plt Lt Kirschbaum: "Again, Jim Young would know the details when he took his platoon out on a recon one day and in broad daylight accomplished his mission and brought back some prisoners. Quite an accomplishment."

From Wpn Plt Sgt Cliff Sherrill: "The following morning Lt Young, with the 1st platoon and one platoon of tanks conducted a reconnaissance to our front and returned with a `booty,' prisoners."

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, Pvt Masingill, Audrey H

Promotions: S/Sgt to T/Sgt, Paul W Smith; Sgt to S/Sgt, Edwin L Groschke; Cpl to S/Sgt, Paul I Chapmon; Pfc to Sgt, William Browning, Howard J Laughlin, Thomas A M Maher

Tue 12 Sep 44 No respite for L Company. With two C Company 702nd tank platoons and a machine gun platoon from M Company in support, they conduct a reconnaissance in force East of Gonderville into the Foret de La Haye at 1100 hours. This is L Company's first opportunity to work with armor under combat conditions which leaves a little to be desired in the way of coordination and cooperation. The Company moves out with two platoons abreast guiding on the Toul-Nancy road. First platoon is left of the road and 2nd to the right followed closely by supporting tanks and 3rd plt which is in reserve. The weapons platoon is anchored to the road and prepared for employment in support where needed. The rifle squads are deployed in open column with two squads abreast and one in reserve. The Krauts greet the company with heavy mortar and artillery fire causing a number of casualties and creating considerable confusion. The Company returns at 1520 and confirms the existance of a strong battalion-size enemy force to the front. After being relieved in Gonderville by A Company, 319th Inf, L Company proceeds to the high ground South of Gonderville where defensive positions are occupied by 1730. 1Lt Norman Moe assumes command vice Harry Mertins KIA.

The weather is partly cloudy to sunny.

From Co Hqs T/5 Balas: "About this time we lost our C.O. Capt Mertins, who caught it in the face when a shell landed close by, just as he was getting to his feet blowing part of his jaw away and killing him instantly. Everyone was sad, as he was well liked by the men. When his body was returned to the Company CP, he was lying on a stretcher on the back of the jeep, and I went over and said a little prayer. I only knew him for a short time but thought highly of him. Lt Moe, our exec, then took over the Company. He was quite tall and skinny and reminded me of General Patton."

From 3rd Plt Lt Grady: "During L Company's second and unsuccessful attempt to push through Gonderville and the Foret-de-Haye toward Nancy our company commander Capt Harry Mertins was killed in action. He was out in front with the attacking rifle platoons when he was mortally wounded. One of our jeep drivers, Pvt Oney, and a medic drove out under a flag of truce to where Capt Mertins had fallen, secured his body and brought it back to the company CP. The company executive officer 1st Lt Coney Moe assumed command. A third attack was planned, orders issued and with the support of a few light tanks Company L was to make another attempt to take Gonderville and to push on to Nancy. This was going to be a very difficult mission as the plan called for the attacking platoons to follow the tanks as they passed through our position, and we would have to advance over open ground. The light tanks were armed with a 37 mm cannon and would be out-gunned by the heavier caliber, direct fire weapon the enemy had hidden in Gonderville. Fortunately, at the last minute the attack was called off."

From Wpn Plt Lt Kirschbaum: "We all felt that this time we wouldn't get away as lucky as Jim Young did with his platoon recon. And of course, we didn't. Anyway, the company moved out and I thought if there are any Germans anywhere closer than the city of Nancy, they surely will hear us. Actually we didn't see too many... I don't recall seeing any enemy, but they had some rather expert forward observers hidden in the woods. I recall moving out of the town with all of the platoons spread out, my platoon bringing up the tail, and we finally stopped about two or three hundred yards from the woods with absolutely nothing happening. I was rather surprised when about half-way there I was walking along in the tank tracks in the soft dirt of the fields, when suddenly I was walking through a field of roses! Apparently someone in the town was a florist or had a greenhouse business and the tanks had crushed hundreds of brightly colored rose bushes, and here we were, the infantry, advancing against the enemy through fields of crushed summer flowers. We halted short of the forest, and again I looked around and we were sitting and lying in some more WW I trenches overgrown with grass. We had one or two M4 tanks, and I suggested to one of them that perhaps he should fire a few rounds into the edge of the woods while we all were sitting around like a bunch of rookies just waiting for the Germans to give it to us! I recall some of the men worrying that the muzzle blast of the old 75 would hurt their eardrums; but of course it didn't, and after an appreciable time the round would hit the woods and make a satisfactory crack. Other than our little venture nothing happened until someone figured an entire rifle company was sitting out in the open fields with 4 or 5 large noisy tanks advertising an attack in progress. We got the order to move back, and that's when the fun started! The Germans by then had all the ranges figured out and had obviously alerted the 120mm mortar crews back in the suburbs of Nancy plus artillery batteries which had been saving their ammunition. We started to get lots of large mortar rounds plus a full barrage of artillery; and they were trying to hit the tanks, of course. The tankers were zig-zagging back thru the fields, and L Company was moving back towards Gonderville trying to keep away from the armor which was drawing fire. During this engagement, with shells hitting all around, we were happy to reach the comparative security of the houses, barns and outbuildings of the town. Apparently Capt Mertins was near one of the tanks even talking to the commander when a shell hit nearby and killed him. He was the first officer casualty of L Company and of course the company was desolate as he was apparently the original commanding officer. I would imagine that 1st Lt Norman A. `Coney' Moe reorganized the Company and realized that the CO was still out on the battlefield. By now Lt Col Cheston was in the small town square with his jeep and a medical jeep, and it was decided to send a jeep with a stretcher out on the road to where some of the men thought the captain's body was. The firing had stopped, the company was in the town, and it was a strange tableau of watching this lone jeep driving out and eventually locating Capt Mertins' body, and bringing it back to the town fastened to a stretcher or litter on the jeep. The company never did get into Nancy in the attack posture, but I recall visiting the city later during the war."

From Wpn Plt Sgt Cliff Sherrill: "Capt Mertins, our company commander, was killed in this skirmish by shrapnel; and several additional company personnel were wounded."

From 405th Fighter Group In a brief description of how our air arm supported 80th Division ground troops in a tactical operation, COL Reginald G. Nolte, USAF Ret, author of the book, "Thunder Monsters Over Europe," writes, "On 12 September, 11 aircraft of the 510th FS, led by Captain H. J. Curran, (Pratt, Kansas) flew a mission in support of our ground troops (80th Div) at Pont-a-Mousson from A-64 (a Fighter base near St. Dizier, France). While on their dive bomb run over the target they were surprised by 20 ME-109's. Everyone broke at once and a wild dog-fight ensued. When the smoke had cleared six ME-109's were down, and 12 were hurrying back to their base. Captain Curran was jumped by two 109's. After shooting down his fifth to become an ace, he too was shot down. He managed to bail out, evaded capture, and returned to his squadron on 18 September. Besides Captain Curran's victory, Lt. Simpkins was credited with one destroyed; Lt. Poole, one destroyed, one damaged; Lt. Gaughran, one destroyed; Lt. O'Reagan, one destroyed; Lt.'s Swanson, Santasiero, and Parker, one each damaged."

Casualty Rpt: Total (17) BAT 14; KIA 1: Cpt Harry W Mertins; SWA 2: S/Sgt William N Otto Jr, Pfc Allen F Fish; LWA 11: Sgt Edward Kaegin Jr, Pfc Henry Bulwin, Pfc James W Gilhuly, Pfc August N Giustozzi, Pfc Manley D Hutchinson, Pfc Harry E Inlow, Pfc Elby W Lephew, Pfc Donald Williams, Pvt Paul Munoz, Pvt John F Purkis, Pvt Le Roy Wojtasiak NB 3: Pvt Robert V Coleman, Pvt Manny Keller, Pvt Jack A Mann

NOTE: S/Sgt Bill Otto sustained a severe 88mm shrapnel wound to the lower lumbar region of his back and hip.

Wed 13 Sep 44 L Company continues to occupy positions South of Gonderville until 1500 hours when it is relieved by B Company and begins foot march to an assembly area seven miles North of Toul. Here, the company receives orders assigning it to a special task force being composed by XII Corps for the purpose of executing a push on Nancy.

The weather is bright and sunny.

Casualty Rpt: Total (1) BAT 0 NB 1: Pfc Woodrow W Thompson

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, Pfc Link, Edward C, Pfc Williams, Donald C, Pvt Gabay, Raymond J

Thu 14 Sep 44 L Company leaves assembly area North of Toul and conducts a motor march to a new assembly area four miles South of Toul. Other units assigned to the task force join with L Company for organization of force. The task force is initially organized under the command of Brig Gen Owen Summers, the assistant division commander of the 80th Division. However, shortly before activation Gen Summers along with the 1st Battalion, 319th Inf is called to the Pont-a-Mousson area because of the deteriorating situation in the 317th and 318th bridgeheads. The command of the task force is then reconstituted under the command of Brig Gen E. B. Sebree, assistant division commander, 35th Division. The 35th Division is in the XII Corps line immediately south of the 80th. Composition of Task Force Sebree includes:

3rd Bn 319th Inf (80th Div)

1st and 3rd Bn, 134th Inf (35th Div)

Co C, 702nd Tank Bn (80th Div)

905th FA Bn (80th Div)

161st FA Bn (35th Div)

Co A, 654th TD Bn (35th Div)

Co A, 60th Eng Bn (35th Div)

1 Co, 110th Med Bn (35th Div)

1 Btry, 448th AAA (AW) Bn (35th Div)

696th FA Bn (XII Corps)

974th FA Bn (XII Corps)

It rains all morning.

Fri 15 Sep 44 L Company, 319th Inf as part of Task Force Sebree leaves assembly area at 0430 and marches approximately ten miles to Gonderville. The force mission is to search and secure the forest bordering the road into Nancy to a width of 600 yards and to reorganize on the high ground two miles West of the city. At 0600 the Task Force proceeds along the Toul-Nancy road, sweeps through Foret de La Haye and invests Nancy. The avenue of advance for infantry and tanks is heavily mined causing several casualties and immobilizing several tanks. The advance meets little opposition from enemy forces, however, and by 1400 the task force is assembled approximately one kilometer West of Nancy. 3rd Bn is recalled at this point and ordered to positions near Ville Au Val. The purpose for this action is to place the entire 319th Inf in a position where it can influence the battle in the 317th and 318th bridgeheads at Pont-a-Mousson which are in trouble as the result of a strong German counterattack. After crossing the Moselle at Toul, 3rd Bn moves N E toward Dieulouard and at a point approximately one mile West of the city the troops dismount and await further orders. From their vantage point on the high ground West of the Moselle, L Company personnel are spectators to a tactical air demonstration as our fighter bombers blast the enemy ground forces in the vicinity of Atton. At 1900 L Company departs detrucking area and immediately North of the city re-crosses the Moselle on a bridge near the village of Le Pont de Mons situated on the East bank and proceeds seven miles to an area one half mile East of Ville Au Val 3rd Bn CP location arriving at 2100 hours. With 3rd Bn. in reserve, L Company's mission consists of providing the point of contact between the 318th and 319th Regiments. One PW is taken by the company during this period.

The weather is partly cloudy.

From 1st Plt Lt Jim Young: "The road and cleared area adjacent to the road thru the Foret de Haye were heavily mined and blew up several tanks. L Company had been ordered to pull off into the woods on the left side of the road. While there a jeep, in the cleared area hit a mine near the L Company area and a wheel was observed going up almost out of sight before it began coming down. When L Company reached an area near Pont-a-Mousson on high ground on the west side of the Moselle River, we observed 9th Air Force Fighters attacking a German armored column in Atton on the east side of the Moselle just at dusk."

From 1st Plt Pfc Pfeiffer: "On 15 Sep 44 the day Gen Searby, Division Artillery Commander was killed in action, while I was still with Rgt Anti-tank Co, our anti-tank gun was in position a short distance away. We had been pulled out of our positions in the 319th Infantry sector near Toul and sent over to Mousson Hill. When we arrived the battle was all over. We set up our gun at the entrance to a cemetery and when we looked over the landscape we saw the largest concentration of dead GI's I had seen to that point. General Searby had been firing at a German tank with a rifle he had picked up when a tank machine gun burst mortally wounded him. A while later a GI truck came driving up with four German prisoners to pick up the dead, including Gen Searby. That's when I went to work on one of the prisoners for spitting on the General. John Visick, who is still living is one of the men in my platoon who was there during this event and can verify its occurrence. Some times I think we got a bum rap on this deal because we were never given any recongnition for our participation. The truth is that we were there after the fact in the action which killed General Searby, but our presence kept the German army from making a second run."

From 3rd Plt Lt Grady: "The enemy had withdrawn from Gonderville and the Foret-de-Haye which enabled our easy move toward Nancy. It was most discouraging to pass by the bodies of T/Sgt Tharpe and PFC Carlson, both of the 1st Plat, and KIA during our earlier, unsuccessful attacks. We never reached Nancy. A change in orders had us make a truck-shuttle/march to the Pont-a Mousson area."

From Rgt Hqs Col Orion L Davidson, Commanding Officer of the 319th Inf Regt in a letter to a Mr. Naughton dated 23 June, 1963 writes, "The 3rd Bn 319th was the first unit into Nancy; however, we just got in the edge of the city. I was moving up artillery and tanks to push through the city and on to the east. At that time a message arrived from General Patton that the 317th and 318th were being chewed up near Mt. Toulon and Mt. St Jean and Genevieve Ridge. The 35th Division was ordered up in trucks and passed thru us into the city and I took the 319th in trucks back to Toul and then north to Pont-A-Mousson. I had attacked from Toul to Nancy beginning at 6:00 a.m. At 10:00 a.m. we were in the edge of Nancy. By 2:00 p.m. same day we were in Pont-A-Mousson and crossed River and attacked toward town of Atton. We drove the enemy across the Seille River and re-established the bridgehead made across the Moselle by 317th and 318th. So really we were first into Nancy, but we were not allowed to continue and take the city.  But we did fight two battles that day, 25 miles apart and won both. The 905th was right with me all the time."

Casualty Rpt: Total (3) BAT 2; SWA 1: Pfc Norman Warner; LWA 1: Pvt Anthony P Rossi NB 1: Pvt David D Donley

Sat 16 Sep 44 According to Janes, C Company tanks are released from the task force at 1000 hours and ordered to positions from which they can support the 319th Inf in rescuing and reinforcing the 317th and 318th bridgeheads. After catching up with the 1st and 3rd Bn's in the vicinity of Le Pont de Mons the 319 Inf is again organized for combat. With 1st Bn leading and supported by two C Company 702nd Tank platoons an attack is launched North at 1600 hrs toward Atton liberated at 1630 and Lesminels, which is captured by 2030, relieving the encircled 318th Inf elements on Moussen Hill. In the meantime 3rd Bn remains in Regimental reserve at Ville Au Val.

At noon L Company receives orders directing it to a position one mile West of Ville Au Val where it remains for seven hours. At 2030 new orders are issued, and L Company is dispatched to the town of Bezaumont a distance of nearly one mile with the mission of defending against a possible counterattack. Outposts are quickly established and defensive measures are implemented for the purpose of securing the town proper. Defensive preparations are completed by 2115 hours.

The weather is bad, rainy.

From Wpn Plt Sgt Cliff Sherrill: "When Nancy fell, the 3rd Bn was trucked to the vicinity of Dieulouard arriving that same day. The following morning we engaged in conversation with some members of the 318th and were informed of the rough times they were experiencing in their bridgehead."

Promotions: Pvt to Pfc, Clayton Brown, Harry F Brownworth Jr, Charles J Burba, Lupe E Cesena, Ivan Darrish, Joseph S Habetler, Virgil E Jimison, John Moore, Delmas Oney, Donald L Simons, Clarence L Weaver

Sun 17 Sep 44 L Company, 3rd Bn receives new orders directing it to attack Morville-sur-Seille. At 1300 L Company begins its advance on Morville arriving in the vicinity of the town by 1700. Patrols enter the town, but intense enemy action forces the company to withdraw. In truth, L Company is withdrawn by order of Lt Col Cheston, who refuses to permit his battalion to protrude that deep into unfriendly territory without flank protection and the enemy in control of the commanding terrain. Consequently, L Company spends the night within the dark recesses of the Foret-de-Facq approximately 2 miles West of Morville-sur-Seille where defensive measures are implemented.

The weather is rainy.

From Co Hqs T/5 John Balas: "Another incident I recall was at night when an overly apprehensive soldier thought he heard the enemy creeping up to his position while he was on guard duty and mistakenly fired a shot into the chest of the man who was coming to relieve him. The gurgling sound made by the wounded man as he inhaled and exhaled while we were trying to stop the bleeding is still fresh on my mind. Capt. Moe, our CO, then had the man who did the shooting assigned to Sgt. Flynn and me for the rest of the night. All night long he kept saying, `I thought he was a German! I thought he was a German! I didn't mean it! I didn't mean it!' Of course, we stripped him of his weapons and kept close watch on him throughout the night. The following morning Capt. Moe had him dispatched to the rear. The wounded man was evacuated as soon as possible, but I don't know if he survived."

From 1st Plt Lt Jim Young: "Company L, under Capt. Moe, entered Morville-sur-Seille under heavy artillery barrage. We were ordered that night to pull back to a hill behind Morville. That night an L Co. man shot another L Co. man. Capt. Moe ordered his rifle taken from him. It was raining and very cold. Next morning 1st Platoon was ordered back into Morville and told to proceed across the Seille River to contact American troops in Eply. First Platoon engaged in a fire fight with Germans defending the Seille River. First Platoon observed and reported the location of a battery of German 88's, which were knocked out by counter battery fire. First Platoon was ordered back, and Co. L proceeded to move into position to attack in an easterly direction toward Nomeny."

From Wpn Plt Sgt Cliff Sherrill: "The afternoon of the 17th, L Company attacked a small village making the approach along a road. The enemy appeared to be waiting for this and resisted strongly with mortar and artillery fire forcing us to take refuge in the water laden ditches. It was difficult trying to assume the prone position and stay dry, or worse, keep from drowning as the shells exploded in the fields and on the roadway. As we continued advancing on the village, Irek, one of the youngest members of my squad, was wounded in the legs and had to be evacuated. After securing the village we received orders to withdraw and commenced evacuating the village under cover of darkness. We entered a dense woods not too distant (boy was it ever dark in there) and spent the night."

Casualty Rpt: Total (2) BAT 2; KIA 1: Pfc Arthur Fertig; SWA 1: Pfc Irick Ireland; NB 0

Mon 18 Sep 44 3rd Bn. along with 1st Bn. attacks at 1815 to seize a line St Jury, Raucourt, Nomeny. Hostile resistance prevents the success of the mission.

At 1700 hours L Company receives orders to search out a crossing site of the Seille River in its sector where foot troops could cross. After proceeding to the Bn. assembly area the company mission is delayed for two hours, and one platoon is placed on Bn. security while the remainder of the company is enroute to the river. At 0200 the orders are changed and the company returns to its former defensive positions one half mile West of Morville.

It is foggy and rains all day.

Casualty Rpt: Total (5)

BAT 5; LWA 4: S/Sgt Steve Huml Jr, Sgt. Joseph P Doyle, Pfc Charles J Burba, Pfc Charles D Teller; SIA 1: Pfc August Barichievich NB 0

Tue 19 Sep 44 3rd Bn extends its right flank to tie in with the Regimental boundary on the right.

At 1030, L Company is given the mission of occupying and defending the high ground approximately two miles Northwest of St Genevieve. At 1200 hours, following a four mile footmarch, the company occupies positions and dispatches contact patrols to the 318th Inf on its right.

The weather is overcast.

Casualty Rpt: Total (1) BAT 0 NB 1: T/Sgt Blair J Shutty

Promotions: Sgt to S/Sgt, Gayle E Baker; Pfc to Sgt, Jack A Frick, Ralph A Holtkamp; Pvt to Pfc, Zane W Bennett, Mattao Calabria, Nick DiBenedetto, Charles J DiPompeo, Paul D Eakin, Jessie G Fike, Raymond J Gabay, Paul F Gamm, Thomas L Hanvey, Thomas R Kilgallon Jr, Paul Munoz, John F Purkis, Victor G Rodarte, George W Sciese, Leo R Wojtasiak

Wed 20 Sep 44 According to Janes the 3rd Bn, 319th Inf supported by C Company, 702nd tanks assaults Benicourt and Clemery, encountering heavy German artillery and mortar fire disabling one supporting tank and stalling the attack short of the objectives. German artillery fire continues with unparalleled intensity throughout the night.

L Company is subjected to a particularly difficult situation, being forced to ascend a bald rise on the way to its objective while under the watchful eyes of enemy mortar and artillery forward observers (FO's), who direct an intense volume of effective fire on the valiant L Company footsloggers. To begin the attack which is scheduled for 0900, the Company is drawn up with platoons abreast. The platoons are deployed in column formation with 1st plt on the left, 2nd in the center and 3rd on the right. Progress is steady in the early going as movement is unimpeded by terrain, weather, or enemy action. At 0945 hours, however, as the lead elements reach the open ground at the base of the rise leading to Benicourt, the Company begins receiving murderous high explosive mortar and artillery fire. The well-placed bursts begin to exact a heavy toll on the exposed riflemen working their way up the reverse slope. With no cover available, many go to ground for protection and the slope soon becomes littered with the wounded and dead. As the casualties mount, the attackers are reduced to a nearly impotent force. Although 1st plt led by Lt Young is able to reach the wooded crest, he is without help and there are too few men left in his platoon to sustain the attack. With the attack stalled, the survivors attempt to back track to the protection of an intermittent stream bed at the base of the slope. However, the attempted return across the same exposed ground is equally frustrated as the German 120 mm mortar crews continue to wreak havoc on the withdrawing remnant. It is 1500 before contact with the enemy is finally broken off, but only after the company has sustained its heaviest toll of casualties for a single action throughout the entire campaign. L Company subsequently withdraws to its former positions two miles Northeast of St Genevieve. First Lt David Kirschbaum is elevated to the position of Co. Executive Officer vice Jim Young's assumption of command.

The weather is clear.

NOTE: Because of the effective enemy mortar fire which nearly decimated the Company in its advance up the side of the hill, the surviving victims dubbed it, "Mortar Hill."

From 1st Plt Lt Jim Young: "In the attack on `Mortar Hill', First Platoon was in the lead and was reduced from 40 men to 7 men, including me, when I received a schrapnel wound from a tree burst of a mortar shell at the top of `Mortar Hill', which was wooded. Co. L received very heavy mortar fire in attacking the reverse slope of `Mortar Hill', which was long and sloping. It was the first experience we had with the German 120mm mortar. It was very effective. I realized and reported that German observers had a clear view of the reverse slope of `Mortar Hill' from the top of a church steeple in Port-sur-Seille, located probably a kilometer or two to the north. (This can still be plainly seen today, over 40 years later.) All of the 3rd Bn was ordered back into the woods from which the attack started. First Platoons' objective in the attack on `Mortar Hill' was the small village of Benicourt located just beyond the woods on top of `Mortar Hill'. We came close to achieving our objective, but we did not have enough men left after sustaining such severe casualties. We were ordered back. The same accurate mortar fire that followed the First Platoon up the hill also followed it back down the hill as the men attempted to bring back their wounded. At the bottom of `Mortar Hill' was a small stream with a culvert under the road to the right side of `Mortar Hill'. Some men from another platoon were sitting in the culvert. The German mortar fire was so accurate (on the reverse side of the hill) that a shell burst just outside the entrance to the culvert, and a man was killed in the middle of the culvert under the center of the road sitting between two other men. Also, First Platoon men observed a number of other men killed by mortar fire in the field and ditches beside the road behind the stream at the base of `Mortar Hill' and leading to it. This was probably another Company from 3rd Bn. being brought up to reinforce Co. L. At least one tank was knocked out in this engagement as I saw a badly wounded tanker at the Aid Station at the end of the day."

From 3rd Plt Lt Grady: "Tasked with the responsibility of expanding the bridgehead east of Pont-a-Mousson marks the period when Company L suffered heavy casualties, and in particular when the enemy beat us back from securing `Mortar Hill'. Their mortar fire was accurate and deadly. Most of the company that could move ended up in a ditch at the base of the hill. The near side of the hill was strewn with bodies of the dead and wounded. The 3rd platoon had about 14 able-bodied men gathered together in the ditch. The call went out for volunteer stretcher bearers to help recover those who had fallen. Who was among the first to respond? Why, Pvt Donald Simons of 3rd Platoon. (At this point I must tell you about Pvt Simons. He was not a very good soldier and would have headed the list of those most unlikely to ever make PFC. He was one of the very few people I ever bawled out during a Saturday morning inspection in the States for having a dirty rifle plus a dirty uniform. I knew the men had given him a GI bath on at least one occasion. He had few if any friends. When we were at Ft Dix, his idea of a great time was to borrow a few bucks, catch the bus to Trenton, stand on the street corner smoking cigarettes, and spitting in the gutter. As a soldier, on a scale of 1-10, he would have a hard time making #1. On the 20th of Sept 1944, if judged on guts, he scored #10 plus in my book. He grabbed a stretcher, teamed up with someone else, and that's the last I recall of Pvt Simons in WW II. Years later I was passing through his home town, Port Chester, NY [Westchester County], and I made a special stop at the park where their WW II dead had their names inscribed on a memorial. Simons was not listed. On a later trip to Port Chester I did meet Simons standing on a corner, smoking a cigarette, and watching the people walk by. I introduced myself, told of my last seeing him carrying the stretcher, but did not push him about not returning to the unit. I gave him my address and phone number, but I never heard from him)."

From Wpn Plt Lt Kirschbaum: "On or about 19 September the 3rd Battalion received orders to attack and take the high ground roughly between St Genevieve and Benicourt on an east-west axis and roughly along the road from Atton, outside of Pont A Mousson toward Nomeny. Staging somewhere in the large Foret Dom de Facq et Jure, L Company crossed the Line of Departure on the morning of 20 September, and this was the time that I saw Lt Col Cheston in front of the Line of Departure (LOD) crouching behind a huge tree stump with his radioman with him. Naturally, this was not approved standard procedure for battalion commanders, and I recall looking over at him and saying, `Colonel, what are you doing out here?' He gave me a smile, waved, and we continued the attack. Colonel Cheston sometimes appeared in the most unusual locations and difficult situations. It was a sunny, warm fall day, and I recall we began to receive mortar fire immediately after leaving the cover of the woods. This augured for the rest of the day. The infantry platoons were well spread out as we moved down a long slope and were watching the long wooded ridge in the distance of about a thousand yards or more that was the battalion objective. Between the woods we left and the enemy-held ridge there was a valley bottomed out by a small meandering stream which was spanned with a culvert beyond which was an exposed slope leading to the top of the ridge. German FO's obviously were on the ridge directing accurate fire. With extreme difficulty we finally reached the small stream, which had a few trees beside its banks. Due to the intense artillery fire some of my men took shelter in a culvert running beneath the road leading toward Benicourt. Rennaissance Farm lay ahead on the same road, but we did not reach it that day. We were taking heavy casualties from the fire which now began to include German 120mm mortars. I was standing on the blacktop with our tall artillery forward observer and watching the big mortars working their way along the little creek. He was beside me and exclaimed, `....Kirschbaum, I've been hit! I'm going to the rear, and you can have my map.' They always had good maps covered with plastic. He had received a gashing wound on his hand and was bleeding all over the mapboard; but I took it anyway. Shortly afterward he departed the area. The attack had bogged down. We had a platoon of tanks, but they were not able to carry the attack on their own. I recall one or two of them making a drive down the road and in the fields toward the enemy ridge, but our men simply could not accompany them in the open under that heavy and accurately directed artillery and mortar fire. The tanks turned around and came back, and for a while one parked atop our culvert. They gave us all the support we could expect, but the battalion simply could not continue the attack. L Company was firing at the enemy, and I had my light machine guns in action, and had a 60mm mortar beside me in the small stream, dug in on the embankment. Since the ridge was at extreme range for the 60mm mortar, we were using as many powder increments as the fins would hold and had lowered the tube till the round barely cleared the opposite bank of the little stream in order to reach it. The afternoon was alive with various types of fire, both friendly and enemy. While this was transpiring, about a squad of my men had moved into the shelter of the culvert, a round tunnel under the road about 5 feet high and running north and south. It provided excellent overhead protection, but with the M4 tank on the road, we were drawing lots of heavy fire. I was sitting at the outside rim of the stone culvert watching the 60mm mortar crew fire and giving directions and advice. One line of soldiers was beside me backed up into the culvert while another line of men was facing me on the far side of the culvert. All were sitting or crouching trying to take cover from the fire. Suddenly!! one of the more unusual events of the battle happened. A 60mm or 105mm round exploded right beside the mortar crews on the bank of the stream, and shrapnel whistled all around. A soldier on my right, touching me with his field jacket, shouted out and slumped forward saying he was hit. We could not believe that a man inside of the tunnel could take a hit. We took off his jacket, and he had taken a very small piece of shrapnel under his armpit. He must have had his arm stretched over his head for some reason, and he was dead in minutes. The medics could do nothing for him. There was no possible way this dime-sized piece of steel could have hit the 2nd man inside the heavy cement culvert and the first man escape unscratched. This proves the absolute unpredictability of events happening in combat situations. He must have half-stood up, perhaps to stretch, adjust his helmet, or wipe his head. We heard nothing at all, all of us sitting there, and were dumbfounded when we heard him cry out, `...I'm hit!' This marked the end of the attack phase for the company. We got him on a stretcher and placed him with us in the culvert. Shortly, Company L got the order to pull back, and I recall the sunny, extremely warm afternoon as we began a slow, careful withdrawal to the woods we had left. The medics had arrived from battalion, and were moving through the battlefield tending to the wounded, and evacuating them to the jeeps. The enemy fire had ceased. The third and more sombre part of the attack on `Mortar Hill' did not materialize until several days later. Again the outfit moved forward; and again we were halted for a short time at the culvert, taking cover from the accurate and intense artillery and mortar fire. The attack had bogged down again; and as I was organizing the platoon, I thought I smelled a faint odor but dismissed it as a figment of my imagination. Besides I had had the word of the little eager 2nd Lt Medic that he would definitely evacuate my Sergeant from the culvert. Well, it soon became obvious to my men and me that something was at the extreme end of the tunnel, and they refused to go and look. By now I was sure what was down there. Not one of my men would go, and I could see they were upset. Of course I had to go, and there was a body wrapped in a pancho lying on a stretcher and had been there for several days. Of course it was our Sergeant, and he had not been taken out with the rest of the dead and wounded. Actually if we had known that he would not be taken care of, the weapons platoon would have carried him back during our initial withdrawal. This made most of the platoon very unhappy and dissatisfied. We evacuated our man and later on when a recommendation was made for the award of some kind of medal for the medical officer, I refused to endorse it. Now I would, but at that time we were in combat with an infantry battalion, and we just did not leave our dead behind."

From Wpn Plt Sgt. Cliff Sherrill: "Next came `Mortar Hill', (the name disaffectionately given to the bald rise by the L Company personnel who survived it). It was a sad day for L Company as I was told that we suffered 55 casualties. The 4th (weapons) platoon had one man Sgt. Baines, sqd leader of the 2nd MG squad, KIA. I don't remember that 4th platoon had any WIA's that day."

NOTE: The enemy mortar positions were listed by G-2 report to be located in quarries. XIX Tactical Air Command flew missions over the woods and quarries in an effort to knock them out.

Casualty Rpt: Total (55) BAT 55; KIA 3: Sgt Edward R Baines, Pfc Ervin R Hegre, Pfc Harry E Inlow; SWA 9: S/Sgt Harold Schreiner, Pfc William F Baker, Pfc Paul F Gamm, Pfc Genovevo Garcia, Pfc Thomas L Hanvey, Pfc John F Purkis, Pfc Horace Shillady, Pvt John W Davis, Pvt Clarence O Freeze; LWA 32: 1Lt James G Young, T/Sgt. Paul W Smith, S/Sgt Gayle E Baker, S/Sgt Robert E Bone Jr, S/Sgt John E Brothers, S/Sgt Paul I Chapmon, S/Sgt Joseph A Hudock, Sgt. William Browning, Sgt. Jack A Frick, Sgt. Ralph A Holtkamp, Sgt. Edward Kaegin Jr, Sgt. Howard J Laughlin, Pfc Nelson W Arave, Pfc Charlie B Ardoin, Pfc Cassimir Bartosiewics, Pfc Harold L Birkenstock, Pfc Harry F Brownworth Jr, Pfc Charles DiPompeo, Pfc Leslie N Hollins, Pfc Manley D Hutchinson, Pfc George Joerin, Pfc Curtis W Johnson, Pfc Ernest B Martin, Pfc Harold J McQuiston, Pfc Paul Munoz, Pfc Olan Nugent, Pfc Walter S Ogletree, Pfc James R Puckett, Pfc Clarence O Purvis, Pfc Carmen R Ross, Pfc Geogre W Sciese, Pfc Angelo Sclafani, Pfc Donald Simons, Pfc Robert Y Suey, Pfc Walter L Taylor, Pfc Leon A Trejo, Pfc Patrick F Weicker, Pfc Leo R Wojtasiak, Pvt Dale L Clough, Pvt Henry E Foreman, Pvt William H Kirk, Pvt Audrey H Masingill; LIA 1: Sgt Harold T Andrews NB 0

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, Pfc Burba, Charles J

Thu 21 Sep 44 3rd Bn continues to hold position on the East edge of the Foret de Facq.

L Company remains in position near St Genevieve, occupying the high ground and maintaining contact with K Company to its left.

The weather is fair and clear.

From 1st Plt Lt Ray Greene, who assumed the position of Platoon Leader of 1st Plt. vice Lt. Young's assignment as Company Exec recollects, "I am not certain as to the exact date I arrived as a company replacement officer. I had been in the replacement system behind regiment and division several days before going to Company L. The records which I have show that I did not arrive at the company until at least one day following the debacle of `Mortar Hill'. I did listen, of course, to many of the stories concerning the 120 mm mortars. I recall I was so happy to reach an outfit and home after all the garbage of the last month in getting there. I was always treated as one of them and given every consideration and help. This apparently is not a true story of many other replacements in other outfits in speaking to others since the war. In any event I was always well received and treated as one of them. I was platoon leader of 1st Platoon to the 28th of November 1944. Within a day or two a good part of one of my Squads and Squad Leader were drafted for night patrols into the Port sur Seille Village which was to the left front of my Platoon area. At this time I do not remember any of the names of those men but none returned, and we never heard any more of them. It is pure speculation as to what may have occurred. We never heard any firing, so who knows. About the same thing happened some weeks later, but I do not remember the area this happened in nor the men at this time either."

From 3rd Plt Lt Grady: "After dark on the 21st we moved up and dug in on the forward slope of the hill. We really had to dig in fast as dawn was approaching, and we were fully exposed to enemy observation. Plt Sgt. Ben Woodland and I shared a foxhole and improved it on a steady basis as first light brought a renewal of mortar fire. The position next to ours took a direct hit killing Pfc Curtis W. Johnson, our platoon runner. The other man sharing the hole was Pfc Ritter, the Medic assigned to the 3rd Platoon. He was not wounded, but was badly shaken and we took him into our hole. My hand held radio could not make contact with the L Company CP on the reverse slope of the hill, but I could clearly hear conversations from B-17's flying over our position. Eventually, a sound powered phone and wire were run to my position, and I was able to direct fire at Port-sur-Seille employing our 4th Platoon 60 MM Mortar section, the Mortar platoon from M Company, and for a short while, Battery C of the 905th FA Bn. Water and rations were brought to our position at night, the only time movement was possible. On the 4th night we were relieved by a unit from the 26th Inf Div."

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, S/Sgt Baker, Gayle E, Sgt Frick, Jack A, Sgt Holtkamp, Ralph A, Pfc Baker, William F, Pfc Gamm, Paul F, Pfc Suey, Robert Y, Pfc Wojtasiak, Leo R

Fri 22 Sep 44 319th Inf continues to protect Division left flank and to occupy the Foret de Facq.

L Company is relieved by I Company and moved to the Battalion area previously held by I Company two miles Northwest of St Genevieve. One squad is ordered to Port sur Seille for security while the remainder of the company performs local security and attempts to regroup. At 1700 hours L Company marches by foot approximately two miles to an area one mile West of Port sur Seille. The company arrives at its new location at 1745 hours and assumes the defensive. M Company provides one machine gun and one mortar platoon for reinforcement. The area immediately to the East of the company's defensive position is heavily mined and booby trapped by the enemy. The company mission is to defend the sector against enemy infiltration.

The weather is clear.

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, S/Sgt Bone, Robert E Jr

Sat 23 Sep 44 L Company remains in position in the vicinity of Port sur Seille, mission unchanged.

The weather is rainy.

From Wpn Plt Pfc Chism: "We were in some fighting area and pretty much holding, but the vehicles couldn't get up to us and some of us had run out of water. We gathered up both hands full of canteens, and carried a 45 or a carbine. We went back where we saw a farmhouse about 1/2 to 3/4 mile behind our lines to get water from a well or a stream as we had our chlorine (halizone) tablets along. There was a plum tree there just loaded with golden ripe plums, so we began to partake of the delicious plums. I warned the men to be careful not to eat too many more or they'd get the runs. I was looking at one of the plums and noticed a little worm in the stem hole, and broke it open and it was full of little white worms! I quit eating them and tried to get the other men to refrain from eating them. One of the men finally listened to me and opened one of the plums and saw the worms, and he proceeded to throw up! I told them the chlorine (halizone) tablets would take care of the worms, so not to worry!"

From Wpn Plt Pvt Lemoin Vaughn: "When I arrived at L Company on the 23rd of September with a large number of other replacements, eight of us who were MOS qualified as machine gunners were directed to report to the weapons platoon where we were met by Lt Kirschbaum, the weapons platoon leader. He stated that five of us were needed in the MG Section and three in the Mortar section and that he had the perfect logical and scientific solution for placing us. He then proceeded to break a twig into five short pieces and three long pieces and had us `draw straws.' I was lucky and drew a long straw placing me in the Mortar section."

Casualty Rpt: Total (1) BAT 0 NB 1: Pfc Donald Simons

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, 1Lt Young, James G, Sgt Kaegin, Edward Jr, Pfc Hollins, Leslie N, Pfc Purvis, Clarence O, Pfc Weicker, Patrick F

Promotions: S/Sgt to T/Sgt, Steve Huml Jr, John S Siembieda; Sgt to S/Sgt, Joseph F Doyle, Ralph A Holtkamp, Carmen R Ross; Pfc to S/Sgt, Henry C Einolf Jr; Pfc to Sgt, Charles D Burden, Hugh J Fullerton, Richard C Jones, Olan Nugent, Walter S Ogletree

Sun 24 Sep 44 L Company remains in position in the vicinity of Port sur Seille, mission unchanged.

The weather is rainy.

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, Pfc Munoz, Paul, Pvt Kirk, William H

Mon 25 Sep 44 3rd Bn remains in holding action.

L Company is relieved by I Company as of 1700 hours and proceeds by foot approximately two miles to 3rd Bn area two miles Northwest of St Genevieve and assumes the highly prized assignment of Bn reserve.

The weather is rainy.

Tue 26 Sep 44 3rd Bn continues in the defense.

L Company leaves area Northwest of St Genevieve at 1600 and marches by foot to defensive positions approximately two miles Northeast of St Genevieve in relief of K Company.

Intermittent rain all day, cool.

Casualty Rpt: Total (1) BAT 1; LWA 1: Pfc Mettao Calabria NB 0

Wed 27 Sep 44 L Company remains in static defense Northeast of St Genevieve. Air activity, both enemy and friendly increases.

The weather is clearing.

Casualty Rpt: Total (3) BAT 3; KIA 1: Pvt Irving Kerzer; SWA 1: Pvt Robert J Krom; LWA 1: Pvt Edward G Mohr NB 0

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, Pfc Johnson, Curtis W

Thu 28 Sep 44 At 1200 L Company displaces by foot to newly prepared defensive positions approximately two and three quarter miles Northeast of St Genevieve. 808th TD Bn replaces 610th while the latter is converted to a self-propelled Bn equipped with the new M36 track armed with a 90 mm main gun.

The weather is clear.

Casualty Rpt: Total (2) BAT 1; SWA 1: Pvt John W Davis NB 1 Pfc Carl R Stone

RTD: Fr 305th Med Clr Sta, Pfc Sciese, George W, Pfc Simons, Donald L

Fri 29 Sep 44 L Company continues manning defensive positions Northeast of St Genevieve.

The weather is fair and clear.

Sat 30 Sep 44 L Company is relieved in place by I Company at 1630 and proceeds to Bn assembly area two miles Northeast of St Genevieve where it is assigned to Battalion reserve.

The weather is fair and partly cloudy.

Monthly Reports

Sep Casualty Rpt: Total (97) KIA 10; SWA 20; LWA 54; DOW 3; SIA 1; LIA 1; NB 11

Sep Replacements: Total (64) OFF 2, EM 62

1Lt James S Moore, III; 2Lt Raymond T Greene Jr; S/Sgt Oscar E Cromer; Sgt Earl R Lybarger; Pfc Nelson W Arave, Lonnie W Baldwin, Genovevo Garcia, Rodolpho S Garcia, Francis W Greenwall, Raymond F Hillis, David E Jorgenson, Vernon L Knudsen, Thomas L Kobowski, Malcolm J Tolson; Pvt John E Allen, Adolph B Brown, Conley R Buchanan, Frank M Buzun, Guy A Camacci, Dale L Clough, Donald R Chism, John F Collins, Arthur Davis, John W Davis, Clarence O Freeze, Marshall O Hill, Dallas Johnson, Melton L Kelley, Milburn P Kelley, Roger L Keppler, Irving Kerzer, Joseph J Kosarik, Robert J Krom, Bolac J Kulig, Donald S Lamen, Eugene C Lefrieri, Elbert Lemar, Chesley E Lennon Jr, William J Lucas, Carl C Lucci, Philip J Lupo, Philip J Lynch, Ferdinand H McElroy, Nick D Maddaloni, Henry L Maier, Simon R Malley, Richard F Mangan, Albert Mariano, Edward G Mohr, Talbert L Murray, Norman W Nelson, Donald Olson, G C Patterson, Leo Petroski, Floyd D Price, John R Ramirez, John J Roman Jr, Andrew F Schaeffler, Arthur Shatel, Alphonso P Silvia , Velo B Swearingen, Lemoin E Vaughn, Earl W Warren Sr, Cecil A White

Sep Transfers: Total (1)

Pvt Keller, Manny to Hq XVII Corps"

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