HEADQUARTERS 274th INFANTRY - 70th Infantry Division

HEADQUARTERS 274th INFANTRY - 70th Infantry Division

A HISTORY OF THE
3RD BN, 274TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
70TH INFANTRY DIVISION
BASED ON THE 3RD BN
DAILY REPORTS
JAN 5, 1945 – MAR 25, 1945
CONTRIBUTED BY
COL. KARL LANDSTROM, A.U.S. RET.
3RD BN C.O
MAY 2007
HEADQUARTERS 274th INFANTRY
APO 461
US ARMY
Period
25 December to 5 January
5 January to 7 January
7 January to 9 January
9 January to 15 January
15 January to 17 January
17 January to 20 January
20 January to 22 January
22 January to 24 January
24 January to 29 January
29 January to 30 January
30 January to 9 February
9 February to 17 February
17 February to 19 February
19 February to 3 March
3 March to 6 March
Event
Initiation to combat
Defense of Rothbach
Reserve position vicinity Zinswiller
Defensive position NE of Niederbronn.
Attack made and cleared enemy from high
ground on 3rd BN left flank and right flank
of Co. B. Consolidated positions gained.
Defensive positions resumed NE of
Niederbronn.
Reserve position vicinity Weiterswiller.
Defensive position vicinity of Wingen.
Defensive position vicinity of Wimmenau.
Reserve position vicinity Durstel.
Division reserve vicinity St. Louis.
Defensive position vicinity Theding. Back
with 70th Division.
Battle of Kreutzberg-Stiring-Wendel-le
Forbacherberg Ridges.
Consolidated, reorganized, patrolled.
Defensive positions held and improved.
Battle of Stiring-Wendel
List of Regimental CPs
Date
Place
25 Dec 1944
Bischwiller, France
27 Dec 1944
Herrlisheim, France
30 Dec 1944
Bischwiller, France
3 Jan 1945
Weterswiller, France
6 Jan 1945
Ingwiller, France
8 Jan 1945
Neiderbronn, France
20 Jan 1945
Obersoultzbach, France
22 Jan 1945
Wingen, France
25 Jan 1945 Woods NE of Wimmenau, France
25 Jan 1945
Wimmenau, France
26 Jan 1945 Wimmenau, France (new location)
29 Jan 1945
Durstel, France
30 Jan 1045
Montbronn, France
9 Feb 1945
Farebersviller, France
16 Feb 1945
Diebling, France
19 Feb 1945
17 Mar 1945
23 Mar 1945
25 Mar 1945
1 Apr 1945
Bousbach, Franc
Forbach, France
Sulzbach, Germany
Kaiserlautern, Germany
Gonsenheim, Germany
THIRD BATTALION HEADQUARTERS AND STAFF
5 January to 15 January 1945
DEFENSE OF ROTHBACH
The third battalion completed its motor movement from SUFFLEHEIM into bivouac at
SCHNEITZWALD FOREST by 1500 on 4 January and the motor column was met by S3, Captain Myler. “I Company on the right, K on the left, L on outpost to front and right
flank.” Order also included, “Dign in – we are within enemy light artillery range.” A&P
platoon set up to protect the exposed right flank and A&P immediately distributed
engineer tools which were welcomed by the “doughs”. The ground was frozen and
several inches of snow covered everything. Manjor Coles remarked, “I’ll take Texas
anytime.” While the troops dug in, Lt. Col. Landstrom and Capt Myler went on to
Rothbach to contact the 313th Infantry which at that time was attached to the 45th Infantry
Division.
There was no enemy activity at this bivouac but Jerry was known to be on the high
ground to the NE as we later found out. The hollow booming of the nearby 4.2 Chemical
Mortars was continuous and put a note of foreboding in the air. We all felt the battalion
would soon run into the Jerry.
At 0245 Capt. Myler, Battalion S-3, returned to the battalion CP from regimental CP with
additional orders.
“L” Company with the 1st platoon of “M” Company was sent to occupy the high ground
on both sides of the deep valley just north of ROTHBACH to prevent the Germans from
coming out of the hills and on to the Alsatian plain. This was accomplished by daylight.
“I” Company had relieved “L” of its outpost line at SCHNIETZWALD bivouac. At 1330
“I” Company was relieved by “K” Company and had assembled at the SW edge of
ROTHBACH prepared to reinforce “L” Company.
At 1515 Lt. Col. Landstrom received a telephone message from Lt. Col. Echelman, G-3
of the 45th Division, inquiring why the third battalion was not yet in position in
ROTHBACH! He replied that one company reinforced was in position there with balance
of the battalion ready to take up a rearward strong defensive position abreast the
SCHNIETZWALD FOREST, and that no orders had been received to move the battalion
to ROTHBACH. Col. Echelman said, “You are not doing any good back there. Move the
battalion to a defensive position on the high ground abreast of the mountain pass at
ROTHBACH.”
The third platoon of “L” Company under Lt. Westfall at this time manned an outpost
about a mile N of ROTHBACH on the W side of ROTHBACH. In an engagement at this
outpost, the platoon took 4 prisoners who were turned over to the 313th Infantry. The
entire day was a hectic one and the battalion was moved into position, by Companies, to
defense of ROTHBACH with Love on the left and Item on the right. Later “K” Company
was moved into reserve of OFFWEILER. “M” Company was under battalion control and
set up an FPL on filly, difficult terrain. Enemy patrols were active and at 2000 eleven
rounds of 88’s were received on “I” Company’s position. S-4, Lt. Brinker,
[CONTINUED WITH SCAN OF ORIGINAL]