THE patrols continued to bring back information, but not without a toll of lives and missing men. A 1st battalion patrol returned February 15th with eight men wounded, including Capt. LeRoy E. Youtzy, Able Company commander. They had found the pillboxes, but stumbled on a concertina and shu-mine trap, had later been hit by machine-gun fire. Their radio was struck by a bullet, leaving them without communication. That night, also, 3rd battalion patrols returned with valuable information--but with five men missing, presumed to be dead.
February 15th was more or less of a mid-way mark between the times of the 417th's assault over the Sauer and the crossing of the same river by CT 304. It was highlighted in several ways, some of which have been noted above. Another incident, interesting as well for its actual occurrence as for its eventual developments, was the arrival of two German officers at the regimental CP under a flag of truce. Part of the story comes from the 3rd battalion surgeon's diary. The rest of it is from the record. Already mentioned is the fact that some American patrols had been active about this time and that some of them had suffered casualties. There were yet men to be recovered. A group from the 3rd battalion aid station went out to attempt this.

"In the (early) morning after getting position from the troops we went out in the fog with Jim O'Neill, Barker, Hawkey, Colley, Porter, Helmer and self and Nixon down through the woods to the edge of the river Sauer--in fog. Got down to within 25 yards of river--in alternate advances and rests. Slipped and slid, grabbing on bushes and trees. Couldn't find the kid in any of the areas previously told about and Nixon didn't return for half an hour. Heard machine-gun fire. Fog started to lift--we started up that steep hill and got lost.

The mortars began coming in along the hill and our answering artillery also came over. Got to the edge of an open field. Heard a whistle--Colley returned it, but no answer--two or three times. The Hawk, Barker and Nixon showed up and guided us back to Girst and Lt. O'Neill as the entire valley cleared of fog. About a half hour after we returned with our red flags, two German officers (one medical) came through Girst and then to Dickweiler, with Red Cross flags. Would have been something if we had met them on that hill!"
That was not by far the end of the story. The two enemy officers were intercepted and conducted to the battalion CP and thence to the regimental CP. Their mission was a simple one--merely to explain that they were occupying a town to the rear of their own lines and that it was being used exclusively as an evacuation center for the sick and wounded and they wished to have it declared an "open city." They gave, naturally, their own assurance that it would not be used by them for offensive military purposes. The obvious precaution was taken of keeping them in "protective custody" for an overnight stay while reference was made to division and their story checked and double-checked. The ultimate decision was "grant the request." Well satisfied with the results of their mission both officers (medical and military) were escorted back early the next morning under a truce which brought a two-hour cessation of fire in the entire sector. American Christianity had again given an evidence of its constant and ever-ready open-handedness.
To the 2nd battalion, which had sometime previously been relieved on the line by the 1st battalion, went the job of maintaining and securing roads and bridges across the river. For the combat team as a whole, despite the activity of its supporting mission, it was a time of fretting and fuming, growing more restless day by day. Typical of the events and reactions at this stage are the entries in diaries, journals and reports.
Regimental journal: "0915 February 8. Report on 1st battalion patrol--moved from Osweiler to Echternach at 0400, contacted Co. D, 691st TD. Had trouble getting guns in position before daylight. At 0450 met remnants of assault squad of Co. A, 417th. 5 men in a jeep. Squad leader wounded." Again, another cog had moved into position. The 808th TD Battalion was to replace the 691st TD within a short time, their relief being long overdue. But in the meanwhile the 691st kept on pressing forward and preparing the positions which their replacements would assume.
Or on February 10: "S-3, 417th requests two of our platoons to guard bridge in progress over Sauer River above Echternach." This was the Bailey bridge which has been mentioned before, being readied for heavy traffic. On the same date, four hours later, we have the following entry: "Capt. Coates reports two platoons (2nd Bn.) reported to 417th. He is returning the trucks." Mission assigned! Mission accomplished!

ON February 14th in the midst of a mass of other details we find this cozy little item tossed in among others from a Division Liaison Officer's report: ". . . believed enemy withdrawn behind the Pr|m River . . . 5th Division reports no enemy along the entire front . . . no enemy in Ernzen . . . 417th is still in contact with the enemy." Feeling out and smoking out were still going on. At 1855 on February 15th we have the following: "Report to G-3. Cannon Company fired 25 rounds of direct fire on enemy position. Two direct hits . . . Guns withdrew at 1845." On February 7th at 0200: "2nd battalion relieved 1st battalion 417th across the river." Then on February 22nd detailed instruction came down from Division as to the move, supporting elements, route and mission. The time was growing near.
The I & R platoon had its good share of action during this period. In particular they terminated with one OP which opened early one morning and closed out late the next A.M. but which provided them with plenty of "sport" in that short space of time. It was towards the very end of this period, just before the regimental crossing of the Sauer and the moving up. The 417th was already over and occupying large chunks of terrain and pillboxes. But there were still German troops scattered throughout the section. Someone, therefore, at the regimental CP conceived the bright notion of approaching still closer--on this side of the river--in order to sit and watch arid to discover exactly how close the Germans really were. The spot chosen was directly across from Edingen on the "friendly" side of the river. This was a town lying close to the water s edge and which the enemy should, by every law of human reason, have long since vacated.

Facing Edingen was a steep wooded slope. The approach was from Log City through a few faintly rolling fields (presumably unmined) and one or two short copses of woods. As the little crew wound its cautious way along they were closely followed by the Commo men laying in a line from the Blue switchboard. Platoon Sgt Whetstone preceded them and personally made the reconnaissance for this OP.

By the time the installation was complete they found themselves cozily ensconced in a nicely arranged dug-out which had been dug and used as an outpost some time previously by a Tiger Patrol. It gave them perfect observation of the valley below--and of a myriad of little towns scattered through it. Edingen and Godendorf lay directly before them. Ralingen was just within the line of vision in the bend of the river to the right. Steinheim and Minden lay to the left, several kilometers away. All of these could be watched almost without benefit of glasses; but with the binoculars an almost house-to-house inspection could be made, and five kilometers away Irrel was clearly visible.
Edingen was quiet--too quiet. The sounds of cattle, of chickens and of hogs were plainly audible in a barn-yard symphony sounding weirdly out of place. Of other signs of life there were none. Not a single human form stirred in the streets--and this was more than strange with the livestock all there. The civilians could not be too far away--Germans were frugal and careful that way! There could be only one reason for their staying so thoroughly hidden. They must be expecting trouble; they must have taken to the cellars!
Well, that was neither here nor there. There was a job of work to be done and the thing to do was to get along with it. What the regimental CP wanted was news--hot news; not just intuitions, hunches or premonitions, although they at times did receive (and use) some of these, too. Three men had been left behind: Bob Brueske, Bill Bell and a non-com. The one manned the phone, another the binoculars and the other the map and compass. Here was a good one-a gun flash! Get out the compass; strike the azimuth; spot it on the map; judge the distance; take another good look through the glasses! Irrel!--and it looked like 88s--and there was something else there which looked like pretty well camouflaged pillboxes. Phone it in! This is the stuff they want!
Lean back for a minute and see what happens. Yes--there it is! Arty. is delivering. OK--that's one job done! Let's take another look at something else now! And so it went on and on, through the morning, through a K-ration, through the afternoon. Things calmed down somewhat by that time. The last report in to CP had been "negative". All three men were chilled through, feet ice-cold. One man had been spelled off and was taking a cat-nap, the other two standing by. And then it came. The woods around them grew alive with MG tracers, crackling through the trees, describing a symmetric pattern all about their OP. Thank God that it was a dug-out! The bottom, of course, was small for one man, but it accommodated three within the next 15 seconds . . . anyway, this was news and did relieve the monotony somewhat . . . someone groped around in the tangle of legs and arms and found the phone--and called the news in.
As it turned out, it was "Stormy Weather" (Lt. Cloud, the platoon leader) who answered--and his reaction was typical: "Well, where the hell is the fire coming from?--look around!--then report it!" So that was the ticket and that was the way it happened. On the second report, a direct line was established between the OP and Tripod Brown (Cannon Company). Accurately plotted coordinates of the MG positions were given. The climax of this conversation with the Cannoneers was the cheerful comment: "Hold on!--stand by and watch them come over!" And in a matter of seconds Edingen was receiving a barrage of shells. The first two were short and the correction was made from the OP. But the rest--well it was a lovely sight to watch . . . AND the machine-guns seemed to have stopped! The last report from the OP that night as the relief crew took over was: "Three fires burning in Edingen. You can smell the roast pig right straight up to here. Roger, out!"

THIS business of being in a static position was beginning to pall somewhat. It was close to a month that the men had been waiting here. Of course it had not all been waiting--not by a long shot. But for CT 304, for the men in it, this business of just sitting back and watching now that CT 417 had made the crossing and of being limited to patrols, patrols and more patrols--well, it was all right if that was what they were supposed to do, hut they wanted more than that. Skirmishing was and had been, to all practical purposes, the limit of their activities. Lives were being lost. Blood was being shed. And somehow the feeling began to grow that the price which was being paid was more--for the regiment--than what was being bought in terms of reputation, of prestige, of glory! Most of the rank and file did not, perhaps, think in terms of these intangibles. But subconsciously the idea was there. Already they had encountered men from other friendly outfits. From these had come many high tales of accomplishments. These men, from other units, had captured enemy equipment to show for the time they had been over here. So far the 304th had nothing more substantial to show than a month of service in combat zones.
The men wanted to be on the move. They were keyed to the right pitch. This was the moment. The same impression is conveyed very clearly by extracts from an artillery diary. "Crossed over the Sauer River at Echternach into Germany. Was the first time I had set foot on German soil and it sure felt funny . . . Section was attached to E Company, 2nd battalion, 304th Infantry Regiment. Met all the officers and they sure are a good bunch!" On the following day: "Still here waiting for the orders for the attack which we know is soon to come . . . the company sure has good chow and if this keeps up I'll be too fat to fight!" And on the 18th: "Still sitting and getting lazier by the hour . . . Sure like the men from E Company . . . !"

On the 19th: "Last night the Jerries threw a little artillery at us. They tried to knock out the bridge but were unsuccessful . . . chance at them before long . . . went on a little recon today . . . Ernzen . . . and it has really been plastered by our artillery and planes. Isn't a whole building left . . . Saw some German prisoners today . . . Doesn't look much like a super-race to me!" On the 20th: "Nothing happened again today. Rained . . . still sweating out orders of attack . . . "Then, finally, on February 23rd: "We moved our location to a wooded area near Ferschweiler today . . ."