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Posté : 01 juil., 13:46
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June 9
By the end of D+2 most artillery battalions and infantry battalions were ashore but it would be several days before the Division could be organized and deployed for combat. The first offensive action for the 90th, however, happened on June 9 with the 344th and 345th Field Artillery Battalions supporting an all-day attack across the Merderet causeway by the 82nd Airborne's 325th Glider Regiment at La Fiere, four miles west of St. Mere Eglise. Four miles to the South of La Fiere the 82nd Airborne's 508th Parachute Regiment fought to establish another bridgehead across the Merderet at Chef du Pont. These successful attacks removed critical choke points and allowed the 90ths' Infantry Regiments to move across the Merderet and attack westward on June 10.
June 10
The 90th's first attack took place this day with the 357th on the right and the 358th on the left. At 0400 hours, the 358th crossed the bridge at Chef du Pont, headed for Picauville, moving just south of Hill 30 and passing partially through elements of the 508th Parachute Regiment on Hill 30. Just beyond this point, the 358th was met with fierce resistance. The 357th, with the 2nd Bn. leading, started crossing the causeway at La Fiere towards Cauquigny at 0515. Both attacks found the going tough, with casualties heavy throughout the first day. Meanwhile, the 359th remained attached to the 4th Division
June 11
Both the 357th and the 358th Infantries continued their attacks with heavy casualties. The 357th on the right (north) made little progress toward Amfreville. The 358th on the left, with two battalions abreast, was more successful, moving through Picauville toward Pont l'Abbe. The 359th Infantry was released to the 90th and moved during the night from positions near Fresville south to the 90ths' sector. It was inserted in the line near Barneville between the 357th and the 358th. During the move, the 359th was severely shelled, which affected its readiness to attack the next morning.
The Normandy battle had just begun at this point and the 90th was very green. The 90th was an important part of the overall Normandy strategy: To fight across the Cotentin peninsula, seal it off while Cherbourg was seized, eliminate German resistance in the Mahlman Line, and prepare for the breakout (Operation Cobra). Although not widely publicized then or later, those six weeks of combat involved some of the most difficult, demanding and costly fight of the entire war. The battles at Beau Coudray and Mont Castre (Hill 122) ranked with the toughest. It was there that they faced and conquered, at great cost, the Mahlman Line, which was the German's main line of resistance for the peninsula.
Top
Campaign of Northern France (The Breakout)
July 24 was spent mostly in preparing for the 90th's role in COBRA, which was scheduled to jump off on the 25th of July. In preparation for this, the 90th launched a coordinated attack on the 26th that instantly ran into heavy resistance on the Seves river, including extensive mine fields that made rapid advance south through the Seves "Island" area hazardous. During the night of the 26-27th, the enemy in front of the 90th pulled out, enabling the Division to move farther south to liberate Periers on the 27th and then St. Sauver Lendelin the same day. On the 28th, the 4th Armored Division passed through the 90th while the 6th Armored passed through the 83rd Division (to the left). The 90th continued to push some elements southward; however, late in the day both the 90th and the 83rd were directed to stand fast so the 8th and 79th Divisions could pass through and follow close behind the 4th and 6th Armored Divisions in order to exploit the breakthrough towards Avranches and beyond. It was during this brief halt for rest and reorganization that Gen. Landrum was relieved and replaced by Brig. Gen. Ray McLain. One day later, the 29ths', Brig. Gen. "Wild Bill" Weaver, came over to the 90th as the new Assistant Division Commander. On the 1st of August, the Division again got under way, this time by motor, and moved south through Coutance and Avranches with the mission of setting up blocking positions east of Avranches between the See and Selune rivers; to protect the dams on the Selune river; and to capture Louvigne and make contact with the 79th Division on the 90th's right.
On the 5th of August, the 90th was ordered to seize and secure crossings over the Mayan river, between Mayenne and Leval some 30 miles distant. To accomplish this, task force Weaver was formed. The 90th was finally gaining resounding success in battle. The opportunity was rapidly forthcoming, for they were to play a key part in devastating the German Seventh Army in the Falaise Pocket. It was the 90th's 359th Regiment that fought north and closed the Falaise Pocket by meeting the Polish forces that were fighting its' way south.
June 9
By the end of D+2 most artillery battalions and infantry battalions were ashore but it would be several days before the Division could be organized and deployed for combat. The first offensive action for the 90th, however, happened on June 9 with the 344th and 345th Field Artillery Battalions supporting an all-day attack across the Merderet causeway by the 82nd Airborne's 325th Glider Regiment at La Fiere, four miles west of St. Mere Eglise. Four miles to the South of La Fiere the 82nd Airborne's 508th Parachute Regiment fought to establish another bridgehead across the Merderet at Chef du Pont. These successful attacks removed critical choke points and allowed the 90ths' Infantry Regiments to move across the Merderet and attack westward on June 10.
June 10
The 90th's first attack took place this day with the 357th on the right and the 358th on the left. At 0400 hours, the 358th crossed the bridge at Chef du Pont, headed for Picauville, moving just south of Hill 30 and passing partially through elements of the 508th Parachute Regiment on Hill 30. Just beyond this point, the 358th was met with fierce resistance. The 357th, with the 2nd Bn. leading, started crossing the causeway at La Fiere towards Cauquigny at 0515. Both attacks found the going tough, with casualties heavy throughout the first day. Meanwhile, the 359th remained attached to the 4th Division
June 11
Both the 357th and the 358th Infantries continued their attacks with heavy casualties. The 357th on the right (north) made little progress toward Amfreville. The 358th on the left, with two battalions abreast, was more successful, moving through Picauville toward Pont l'Abbe. The 359th Infantry was released to the 90th and moved during the night from positions near Fresville south to the 90ths' sector. It was inserted in the line near Barneville between the 357th and the 358th. During the move, the 359th was severely shelled, which affected its readiness to attack the next morning.
The Normandy battle had just begun at this point and the 90th was very green. The 90th was an important part of the overall Normandy strategy: To fight across the Cotentin peninsula, seal it off while Cherbourg was seized, eliminate German resistance in the Mahlman Line, and prepare for the breakout (Operation Cobra). Although not widely publicized then or later, those six weeks of combat involved some of the most difficult, demanding and costly fight of the entire war. The battles at Beau Coudray and Mont Castre (Hill 122) ranked with the toughest. It was there that they faced and conquered, at great cost, the Mahlman Line, which was the German's main line of resistance for the peninsula.
Top
Campaign of Northern France (The Breakout)
July 24 was spent mostly in preparing for the 90th's role in COBRA, which was scheduled to jump off on the 25th of July. In preparation for this, the 90th launched a coordinated attack on the 26th that instantly ran into heavy resistance on the Seves river, including extensive mine fields that made rapid advance south through the Seves "Island" area hazardous. During the night of the 26-27th, the enemy in front of the 90th pulled out, enabling the Division to move farther south to liberate Periers on the 27th and then St. Sauver Lendelin the same day. On the 28th, the 4th Armored Division passed through the 90th while the 6th Armored passed through the 83rd Division (to the left). The 90th continued to push some elements southward; however, late in the day both the 90th and the 83rd were directed to stand fast so the 8th and 79th Divisions could pass through and follow close behind the 4th and 6th Armored Divisions in order to exploit the breakthrough towards Avranches and beyond. It was during this brief halt for rest and reorganization that Gen. Landrum was relieved and replaced by Brig. Gen. Ray McLain. One day later, the 29ths', Brig. Gen. "Wild Bill" Weaver, came over to the 90th as the new Assistant Division Commander. On the 1st of August, the Division again got under way, this time by motor, and moved south through Coutance and Avranches with the mission of setting up blocking positions east of Avranches between the See and Selune rivers; to protect the dams on the Selune river; and to capture Louvigne and make contact with the 79th Division on the 90th's right.
On the 5th of August, the 90th was ordered to seize and secure crossings over the Mayan river, between Mayenne and Leval some 30 miles distant. To accomplish this, task force Weaver was formed. The 90th was finally gaining resounding success in battle. The opportunity was rapidly forthcoming, for they were to play a key part in devastating the German Seventh Army in the Falaise Pocket. It was the 90th's 359th Regiment that fought north and closed the Falaise Pocket by meeting the Polish forces that were fighting its' way south.