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Germany
Binscheid was swept up by the advancing 90th
Division, as were the towns of Strickscheid and Euscheid. German defenses
were crumbling before the overwhelming power of the 90th's drive.
On the 22nd, Task Force Spiess ran roughshod over the lines,
capturing four towns, 300 prisoners, and quantities of enemy material.
Holzehen, Arzfeld, Windhausen... with increasing impetus the names of German
towns were written into the records of places captured by the 90th.
Lichtenborn, protected by five enemy tanks and infantry, was also gathered
into the fold.
All along the Division front advances were being made with ever increasing
speed. And now, as the Prüm River drew nearer, swift, rapier dashes were
made to the river. An attempt was made to seize intact the bridge at
Waxweiler, but no sooner had the west bank been cleared than the bridge was
destroyed, making a crossing at the point impracticable at the moment.
And still the Germans were unable to halt the flood of American troops which
swept southward and eastward like an avenging avalanche. Desperately they
threw the book at the racing, blitzing Yanks, but the book was not enough.
On the 24th of February the Division had reached its objectives
along the Prüm River, and paused briefly while a small corner of the zone
was cleared. In two hours four more towns had fallen, and now the 90th
halted to draw its breath for its next assignment. |
