70th anniv – My great-grandfather’s war

I’m revisiting my great-grandfather’s time in Europe through this map of his unit’s movements. This was 70 years ago today and things were getting intensely grim for the 137th Infantry Regiment. We don’t know which company, or even which battalion he was in, so this is only a regimental overview with some movements down to the company level.

So, then, for Dec. 13:

Elements of the 137th Infantry’s 3rd Battalion crossed the Blies River into Germany before dawn and encountered severe artillery fire throughout the day.

Riflemen of K and L Companies crossed the river in assault boats near the town of Frauenberg and were the first Regimental troops to make the assault crossing of the Blies. Six of the eight boats attempting the crossing were successful. Two overturned in the water. These troops crossed in the face of heavy grazing fire from enemy machine guns emplaced on the high ground north of the river. Terrific artillery and mortar barrages met the boats as they reached the opposite shore and most of the boats were so riddled with bullets that they were unable to make the return crossing. No further crossings were attempted in daylight, since at each attempt to cross an intense barrage was laid down on the crossing site, which was in direct observation of the enemy from the high ground across the river. In general throughout the Regimental area, the artillery fire was unusually heavy.

The 1st Battalion continued to defend the left flank of the Division and at 1300 reported considerable activity observed in the German sector. Heavy artillery fire was directed on this activity and it subsided. Company B Observation Post received some direct fire from the woods opposite their position. Artillery fire was placed on the woods, and the fire ceased.

The 3rd Battalion began crossing the Blies within its sector again at 2300, and by 2350, all of Companies K and L were over on the German side of the river.

View Tonice in the Bulge in a larger map
View Tonice in the Bulge in a larger map

This information is derived from the unit history, found here and here and from this unit overview. These markers are rough estimates and are meant only to be illustrative. Any errors are mine alone.

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