The XX Corps assault of the Saar was to be made with the 95th Division making the main effort
and crossing at Saarlautern. The 90th was to attack through the 95th, enlarge the bridgehead, thrust
through Dillingen and crack the Siegfried line. The 95th was unable to secure more than a toehold, so
the 90th was ordered to make an assault crossing into Dillingen.
Our positions in and around Buren and Siresdorf were constantly subjected to Kraut artillery and
even mortar fire. “The Bowling Alley” was the name given to the valley in which the towns were
located. That is exactly what it sounded like, day and night. More enemy artillery was encountered
during this period than ever before. The night that the roof of the Message Center house was blown off
by an enemy shell, was typical of how everyone had grown accustomed to “The Bowling Alley”. Sgt.
“Casey” Rice, Cpl. “Curley” Knoff and “The fighting 4-F” Cpl. “Swede” Larson were playing a game of
500 Rummy, when the shell hit the roof. As if the command, “Helmets on head, place” were given, all
calmly reached down to get their helmets and placed them on their heads in one action. The game
continued, not a play was missed. “Stinky, the newly naturalized dog, who had been adopted by Knoff,
had the “88' jitters and was just a brown streak, heading for the cellar”.
On 5 December, Pfc. Charlie V. Ard, of Able battery wire section was killed in action, while
laying wire to Able forward observation post.
In 16 days we fired over 16,000 rounds and attached units were practically as busy as we were.
The 949th F.A. Bn. (Cocktail), a 155 Howitzer Battalion, was our mainstay for support. We first met up
with them at Montois and since have had nothing but praise for them. They had been with us most of
the time since then and had proven themselves a decided asset. Cocktail was the fastest, and the most
accurate unit with whom we had the pleasure of working. Most of the time they were represented by the
ever pleasant and able, Captain “Come out wherever you are” (Garcon) Seddon. Whenever a mission
suitable for the mediums came in, it was not necessary to start looking for the liaison officer, Cocktail
had already been alerted by Captain Seddon and was standing by, ready to take the mission.
Early in the morning of Dec 6th, the 357th Inf. started an assault boat crossing of the Saar
without artillery preparation. They worked through the mud on the opposite shore and by-passed some
pillboxes so as to gain the high ground beyond Pachten, before dawn. Thus began sixteen days of battle,
among the worst in the history of the regiment. They fought on “K”rations and guts, and without a
bridge for the whole period. On the 2nd night, one of the TD’s from the 773rd TD battalion was ferried
across, and from then on, more came nightly. Medical supplies were dropped, practically in the laps of
the Medics by the 19th Tactical Fighter Group. One company, alone, repulsed 30 Nazi counterattacks
during their stay in the heart of the Siegfried. When the Regiment crossed, it was approximately half
strength. During the bitter fighting against severe weather, and fanatical enemy forces casualties
mounted until companies were of platoon strength and battalions were of company strength. Still the
regiment held, far out in front of the remainder of the Division’s infantry, who were entangled in
Dillingen.
There were many pillboxes that were by-passed, most of these were along the river and could be
observed from our side. 240 mm Howitzers were used on these and at times an observer would fire a
mission in front of him, turn around and fire the big guns on targets behind him. 155 SP’s were again
used to fire direct fire and were very effective in helping reduce these fortifications.
Our guns smashed many counterattacks and killed hundreds of Hitler’s fanatics, who were
defending in this part of the Siegfried. On one occasion a company of these fanatics came marching up
a valley at right shoulder arms, marching up to the lines to attack. Not knowing they were close enough
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