2nd Battalion
Wrecker White
275th Infantry

Co. 'G', 2d Bn, 275th Infantry liberated Grosbliederstroff, on the Saar River 17 February 1945.

As Battalion Commander of the 2d Battalion, 275th Infantry, it blazes a trail of memories.

Initially the 2d Bn, 275th Infantry, defended the extreme right of the 70th Infantry Division, from Welferding to Grosbliederstroff, refusing the right flank of the 70th, a task inherent in its mission as it guided on the Saar River and the eastern portions of the Brandenbusch and Pfaffenwald in the offensive towards Saarbruecken.

Gen. Herren early on commented on the extreme width of the 2d Bn. sector, drawn well back on the high ground above the Saar. It was defended by widely separated, mutually supporting, infantry squad strong points interlocked with BAR's and LMG'S, reinforced by 60 and 81 mm mortars and pre-planned artillery fire on call. I stated it had more then dimensions of an OPLR (Outpost Line of Resistance) rather than a MLR (Main Line of Resistance). He listened.

German patrols constantly probed the position. Captured enemy reports indicated some success. Co. 'E' snared a German patrol (12 men) in white winter camouflage on the wooded Saar River flood plain in the vicinity of the limestone mine near Welferding - making division intelligence happy.

On 6 February a reinforced platoon of Co. 'G' raided Grosbliederstroff in conjunction with like raids along the division front. The German garrison was disrupted, many taken prisoner, but not evacuated because of hazardous conditions in a creek over flowing its banks on the withdrawal route. Sgt. Louis A. Hoger, (Mission, Kansas) carrying a radio, has good reason to remember this high water.

During this raid, along side the battalion observation post, overlooking Grosbliederstroff and the Saar River, originally constructed by the French during the Franco-Prussian War, A German '88' exploded. Capt. Frank J. Kloiber, Bn. S-3, (now a retired Wisconsin National Guard Colonel) was wounded. Weeks later he returned wearing a steel helmet punctured by multiple shell fragments, some of which he carries to this day.

Capt. Paul Brown, Bn. S-2, (now residing in Houston, Texas) with guidance from division intelligence, inserted French Operatives through Co. 'F' lines into German held territory, later retrieved them - a delicate procedure.

The division artillery Sound and Flash Unit reported coordinates of a sensing in front of Co. 'F'. A map check revealed a quarry depression concealing German artillery - neutralized.

As the snows melted German bodies were found in the undergrowth. A skip-bombed dam near Puttelange yielded grenade-stunned fish that were served in the battalion mess with marinated hares (Hasen).

A welcome relief from the snow, ice and mud was the periodic rotation to the rear by squads to the Quartermaster Bath Unit for a warm shower and change into clean clothes. Problems remained after Grosbliederstroff was liberated. Anti-tank Company trucks on the way there hit mines missed in the initial sweep - finally cleared.

During the interval between the raid and liberation of Grosbliederstroff there were interesting developments in the vicinity.

There were several limestone mines with entrances just above the flood plain facing the Saar River. Patrols from the 2d Battalion entered them.

One, just north of Welferding, had a steel blast door. It was reported to have been used as a factory to assemble aircraft parts, but now contained a thriving mushroom farm, canning apparatus and canned mushrooms. At least one refugee family was sheltered there, and even had a cotton decorated Christmas tree. They fled from us. This particular mine under lay the portion of Co. 'E' dug in above it. I showed it to Gen. Herren.

Another mine, near Grosbliederstroff, was discovered because of enemy activity. Outposts from the left flank company, Co. 'G' reported German work parties dragging sleds in the snow towards Grosbliederstroff loaded with ammunition.

A reconnaissance patrol discovered a large, open, overgrown quarry area with an entrance into the hill under Co. 'G'. It led to a labyrinth of corridors stacked with ammunition and several German deserters, foreign conscripts (Czechs), who were just waiting to surrender.

A combat patrol staked out the open quarry area, ambushed a German patrol and work party, with no further effort by the Germans to retrieve ammunition.

Within the forepart of the mine area, a large anteroom, was the entire surviving population of Grosbliederstroff - families with women and children, elderly men and women - cattle, goats,, pigs, chickens, geese - rudimentary living conditions- and sickness.

I personally led patrols to this mine, with my Battalion Surgeon, Dr. Kurt Lekisch, to treat the sick, suffering mostly upper respiratory problems. (He was elated with the award of the Bronze Star, in part for aiding sick citizens under combat conditions. He was promoted to Captain, Medical Corps.

Dr. Lekisch was a German Jew who emigrated to the United States in 1939 because of mistreatment of relatives by the Nazis. He volunteered to serve in the United States Army. Since 1634 generations of his family had served as physicians in Mainz. When travel to Mainz was possible after taking the Saar, Dr. Lekisch searched for his family. Many had disappeared in the Holocaust.

A female cousin had been sheltered by a priest. All that remained of his family home in Mainz was the stone steps - bombed by our air.

Since W.W. II Dr. Lekisch has served with medical missions, in under developed countries. He died recently in Austin, Texas.)

In coordination with the 17 February attack into Grosbliederstroff, the 2d Bn, under cover of darkness, assembled in Lixing, taken by the lst Bn, with orders to also attack through the eastern portion of the Brandenbusch and take Zinzingen.

To facilitate this attack, smoke (phosphorous) was requested to blanket the approaches to the Brandenbusch. It was approved, then approval withdrawn, because of a shortage. At H-hour a dense fog encompassed the Brandenbusch - almost an act of divine providence.

A wide band of Schuh Minen edged the southeastern Brandenbusch, at least six rows, spaced for optimum effect. Though this field was negotiated during poor visual conditions, there were no mine casualties.

Lt. John B. Cruell, Bn. Ammunition and Pioneer Platoon (now of Mandeville, Louisiana), dragged daisy chains of anti-tank mines across the road to the east to protect the battalion flank.

Reh were startled by the combat action in the Brandenbusch. There were impromptu and clandestine deer roasts.

Overlooking Zinzingen the battalion observation post was dug in at the northeastern edge of the Brandenbusch. German activity could be observed in the valleys below. At night hoof beats of horses towing artillery pieces could be heard, followed by unlimbering and shelling of 2d Bn positions, particularly the Bn. OP.

On the road leading north from Zinzingen into the Saar, about a half mile away, a building set back from the road, prominently displayed a Red Cross flag, stretching half way across the road. Upon the capture of Zinzingen and points beyond, this building checked out to contain a stand of arms to equip a battalion - a Geneva Convention violation.

At Zinzingen an order came from Military Government to allow no civilians to the rear. The 2d Bn. had rounded up and sent all males of military age to the rear. The mayor of Zinzingen asked for permission to search for two young men in this group, deaf mutes - permission granted. He found them in a catholic nunnery fifty miles to the rear. Military Government was unhappy but forgiving.

The inhabitants also asked the whereabouts of a German Artillery Lieutenant, a gifted poet and musician. Capt. Lawrence G. Southard C.O., Co. 'G' (now deceased) reported his men had overrun a German forward artillery observer position - he was missing.

Preparations to breach the Siegfried Line became obvious to the people of Zinzingen. U.S. artillery pieces by the score were being positioned on the rear slopes of the Pfaffenwald. They reinforced the doors and windows of their stone houses with upended logs packed with manure. Large family groups gathered around trestle top tables in candle lit vaulted stone root cellars beneath their homes. They said, "Wir beten" - We pray. The Bn. XO, Maj Wilmer Jean, and myself were quartered with a French family. They were hospitable. We shared food. After a few days a stranger appeared. Zinzingen had been occupied since 1939. This stranger, pale with red veined face, had been concealed in a dugout beneath the pig sty off the farmhouse courtyard all this time. Now he was free.

Eventually Unner, a suburb of Saarbruecken, was captured by Co.'E', Capt. George Mundell, C.O., (now deceased). Deserters surrendered and snipers from across the Saar were active. During reconnaissance for the attack on Unner the 2d Bn. command group, in a copse of trees, was subjected to an '881, which ploughed the ground and swirled the dead leaves - but unbelievably no casualties.

At the edge of the Pfaffenwald, overlooking the dragons teeth and bunkers of the Siegfried Line, German artillery and mortar fire caused the men to dig exceptionally well crafted foxholes (spider trap covers). Here the famous Co. 'G' confrontation between a foxhole soldier and Gen. Herren occurred - which both Lt. Paul McCoy (now of Tucson, Arizona) and I witnessed.

The length of the ridge of the Pfaffenwald was improved with cleverly concealed underground concrete rooms, entered by a vertical ladder well, sufficient to house a platoon, stacked with small arms - built by the French, recently used by the Germans - now abandoned.

Here Dr. Kurt Lekisch (now deceased) took wounded to the Bn. Aid Station at Zinzingen administering plasma from a rig on his Red Cross marked Jeep.

Shortly thereafter, 15 March 1945, because of casualties both among Regimental Executive Officers and Battalion Commanders, I was reassigned to Regt. XO, 275th Infantry.

General Orders - 275th Honor Roll