Third crossing of the Moselle
Metz, the famed fortress city, which for Centuries had never fallen, had to be taken. Since frontal
assaults proved too costly, the Corps attacks were to outflank the city and seal off the enemy garrison.
Two crossings were selected over the rain-swollen Moselle at Cattenom and Malling under the frowning
guns of Fort Koenigsmacher. The Infantry assault boat crossings were in dire need of armored support
but the rushing waters repeatedly swept away the engineer bridges. On the 12th the ferry that had safely
carried over the company jeeps and one destroyer of A Company was grounded by the slowly receding
waters. A pontoon bridge at Malling was built and carried two M10s of C Company over before it,
already weakened by enemy artillery fire, parted and dropped a 3rd Platoon M10 into the turbulent
stream. The two TD’s safely over arrived at Petite-Hettange just in time to roar Eastward down the road
toward Kerling, spitting death and destruction and repulsing the strong German counterattack from that
town. During the ensuing action approximately 300 Germans were killed by 3 inch HE and 50 cal. MG
fire from these two destroyers, commanded personally by Lt. George Beckman. After the Engineers had
rigged another ferry, and completed a bridge at Cattenom, the remainder of the Battalion crossed.
The Division attacked astride the impregnable line of Maginot Forts, and despite enemy mine
fields, road blocks and anti-tank guns smashed South. On the 19th the 3rd platoon of B Company, led by
Lt. Robert B. McKenna, made contact with the 5th Division troops south of St. Barbe, closing the last
escape corridor of the doomed Metz garrison. At Bockange on the 21st, Task Force Spiess came into
being and was assigned a covering mission of the long stretches of the Nied River around Bouzonville.
The Division crossed and fought its way to the Saar River establishing a firm line on the west bank
between Merzig on the north and Wallerfangen on the south.
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