| The enemy, knowing of this, perceived that no time could
be lost if the 90th's bridgehead was to be destroyed. Early in
the morning of November 12th the Germans struck and struck hard.
In Regimental strength, supported by tanks and self-propelled artillery,
they smashed from the direction of Kerling-lès-Sierck toward the village of
Petite Hettange, aiming at the Moselle River and also at cutting the
bridgehead in two. The 359th Regiment, outnumbered and outarmed,
fell back before the initial onslaught. Some elements, completely encircled,
contemptuously refused all surrender demands and fought on. A hybrid company
consisting of the I & R platoon (Intelligence &
Reconnaissance), headquarters personnel, security platoon,
cooks and clerks, defended the crossroads east of Petite Hettange. Across
the river 20 battalions of artillery blasted the enemy approaches to Petite
Hettange. The 35th Regiment of the 24th Panzer
Grenadier Division had run into a hornet's nest. In the early morning hours two tank destroyers succeeded in crossing the turbulent Moselle and waded directly into battle. Troops of the 359th, unaccustomed to the sight of friendly armor for the past three days, assumed the tank destroyers were hostile. A bazooka man offered battle only to be tackled immediately by another soldier who had fortunately recognized the painted white star on the vehicle. The football tackle just in time prevented the destruction of the destroyers. The tank destroyers entered the fray at once and knocked out two self-propelled guns, and immobilized a third. But the two tank destroyers were not the vanguard of the stream of armor for which the infantry was praying. The Moselle, as if in a final gesture of defiance, hurled its weight against the bridge, snapped it once more and swept its remnants 800 yards downstream. Nevertheless, in spite of the lack of armor, in spite of the cold and the rain, despite innumerable cases of "trench foot," the 359th held. One battalion launched a flanking attack from the south, routing the enemy regiment and driving it back in confusion. This was accomplished by utterly fatigued troops who had little more than spirit and a high disregard for hazards. On the fifth day a ferry service had been installed and a new bridge had been constructed at Cattenom. The armor and artillery began rolling now in earnest. This was the added punch needed to continue the drive. The bridgehead was secure, and the Division, though six of its infantry battalions were operating at only 50 % strength, aimed its next blow toward the objective, contact with the 5th Division. The sixth day saw new advances made in the face of stiff resistance. But on the sixth day the infantry was finally supplied with several luxuries to which they had grown unaccustomed in the preceding days of privation... luxuries in the form of blankets, overcoats, clean socks and, for some, a hot meal. |
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