Saar River and Dillingen
On a cold and rainy 10th of December, at 0400 hours, the first destroyers were ferried over the
Saar in support of the small bridgehead the Infantry had established a few days earlier. The Germans
strongly resisted this penetration of the formidable Siegfried Line and brought down a veritable storm of
all calibers of artillery on our troops. The ferry crossing site received its share of attention, with a daily
quota of approximately 2000 rounds. In spite of this all destroyers had crossed the river and joined the
hard pressed Infantry on the west edge of Dillingen, the “Pittsburgh” of the industrially rich Saar region.
The fight for Dillingen was on. On December 15th a coordinated attack by the 1st and 2nd
battalions of the 358th Infantry crossed the fortified railroad tracks into the town proper. Lt. John T.
McMahon led his 3rd platoon of B Company up the tracks in advance of the 2nd battalion as each
destroyer took on previously assigned pillboxes and kept them buttoned up. The Infantry moved forward
pillbox by pillbox to the accompaniment of earth shaking roars as the Engineers blew up the German
strong points. Company C’s 3rd platoon and the one remaining gun of the 1st platoon of B Company
used the same tactics while supporting the 1st battalion on the right.
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