January 27-30, 1944 — Phil and his men reclaimed the momentum from the Germans

January 27-30, 1944 — Phil and his men reclaimed the momentum from the Germans

On January 27, after the brief respite, a vengeful 30th Infantry was pronounced “ready to go” and sent back into action as if nothing had happened.[1]

Morale was high, and the men were determined to keep the Krauts reeling. More than ready to shove off on another attack, the regiment rejoined the division to begin the drive south toward Colmar.

They successfully reached their first objective, the Colmar Canal, on January 29, completing Phase I of reducing the Colmar Pocket in the north. 

Preparations had been made to blow across the Colmar Canal in force and to move far and fast. This time, there was no repetition of the grinding battle of attrition that had characterized their recent fighting.

The next phase of the battle for the warhorses of the 30th was ready to begin. Codenamed Operation Kraut Buster, the offensive was initiated at 2100 hours after twenty-four hours of over 16,000 artillery-fired rounds, while the 441st AA Battalion issued 22,300 rounds of .50-caliber shells into enemy positions across the canal and into nearby towns.

The terrific artillery barrage knocked the Germans punch-drunk. Before the Krauts could reorganize, at midnight, American assault troops from the 7th and 15th Regiments paddled over the water in rubber boats and established secure bridgeheads. Engineers shoved over footbridges. The two Infantry Regiments were on the south bank of the canal and had established a secure bridgehead.

Phil, his reorganized platoon, and the GIs had reclaimed the momentum.[1]

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[1] Larimore, At First Light, 201.

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