A reconnaissance party was sent out to reconnoiter the area, but no evidence as to Captain Goldheim’s disappearance could be discovered, thereby through fate he was selected to become the first casualty in the 654th Tank Destroyer Battalion as the result of enemy action. The other officers hit the ditch beside the road and made their way back to the rear and reported that they saw Captain Goldheim fall in the center of the road. At 1700 hours Captain Goldheim, the company commander, accompanied by Major left the command post of the 219th Field Artillery on a foot reconnaissance of the sector for antitank positions and possible tank approaches which the enemy might use in an attack.Īt about 1800 hours, when in the vicinity of Villiers-Fossard, the party came face to face with an enemy machine gun position just beyondĪ curve in the road, which opened upon them. Enemy prisoners captured form these positions say, and thought to be almost correct, that one of their infantry concealed in his dug-in camouflaged position in the hedgerows can defend his positions adequately against ten American Infantrymen.Ĭompany “A” established its command post 3 miles SE of Fit, France, at coordinance 5122071640, Map 1/35,000 St Lo at 1530 hours and was attached to the 219th Field Artillery Battalion in support of the 137th Infantry. Enemy units in Division Sector are known to consist of the Lehr Division, comprising the 897th and 899the Infantry Regiments, in addition to various other elements, including parachute troops and some SS Troops, with defense in depth, dug-in and protected by hedgerows until it is almost necessary to flush each enemy soldier from his hiding place individually. The results for the days operations were the reduction of enemy resistence in and around coordinants 487797, Map 1/50,000, St.
The 216th Field Artillery Battalion was in direct support of the 320th Infantry, and the 219th Field Artillery battalion in support of the 137th Infantry.ģ5th Reconnaissance Troop maintained liaison with 29th and 30th Infantry Divisions on both flanks during the period. The 137th Infantry attacking Southwest under extremely heavy artillery and mortar fire cleared the enemy out of St. At 1400 hours another terrific artillery barrage was laid down by the enemy but the First Battalion of the 320th held their lines firmly. Small enemy groups infiltrated through the lines during the artillery barrage and harassed the troops as they withdrew to, and beyond, their former positions.
The 320th Infantry attacked at 0800 hours to the South East, advancing about 300 yards through the hedgerows but a terrific artillery concentration laid down upon them at 1200 hours forced them to withdraw even beyond their original lines. The weather during the period was cloudy and cool during the first part of the day, but the sun came out during the afternoon, making visibility excellent for operations. The 29th Infantry Division was on the left flank and the 30th Infantry Division was on the right flank, all located in the hedgerow country North of St Lo, France, the battle for its capture had already begun on the 8th July. Army XIX Corps and Second Tank Destroyer Group. Army and XV Corps and attached to the First U.
The battalion was, upon its arrival upon the continent, detached from the Third U.S. The situation at 0800 hours was that the 35th Infantry Division to whom the battalion was attached had been in combat since 8 July, and were awaiting the arrival of the battalion, whose services they desperately needed. Headquarters (Command Post), Headquarters Company, Company “A”, Reconnaissance Company departed from transit camp area D-3, at 0600 hours enroute to the front halted 1/2 M E of Landes du Rosey, France until 0930 hours, when they departed and arrived at La Blaneriew 1/2 mile SE Fallot, France, at 1130 hours the command post, headquarters Company, Reconnaissance Company and Medical Detachment, being established in that area
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