Minheim's by-gone-century quaintness was now entirely swallowed up by the stark reality of modern war. Nazis swung into action. Four machine guns set up in well commanding positions began firing on the house from which the doughboy fire had come. The 304th men sent out a radio call for reinforcements and braced themselves for the inevitable attack. The Germans, however, were far from ready to challenge the marksmanship of the Yanks. Bringing up a bazooka, the krauts sent a shell into a straw-filled barn attached to the house defending the troops. The dry straw flared; shooting flames licked the roof of the building, set it ablaze. Fortunately water was still running in the pipes so the platoon leader, S/Sgt Oran Parker, organized a bucket brigade. Choking, sweating, -- while the ready enemy waited for the infantrymen to be smoked out into the open -- they finally brought the flames under control. For four hours they remained in the smoking building, in the dilemma of another fire starting within and the machine gun fire waiting without.

In combat, the grass on the other side of the fence looks far from greener, but still troops must get on to the other fellow's lawn. It is a basic precept of modern war: Keep moving, -- forward. With the Moselle River sector cleared of the enemy the logical next step was to bridge the river and secure the opposite bank. For the next seventy-two hours the 76th Division, with CT 417 taking over the 2d Cavalry Group's sector as that unit was released from division attachment, improved defensive positions along the north bank of the river, and aggressively patrolled both banks in its zone of action. Some abortive enemy activity in Niederemmel was quickly quieted with six battery volleys by the 302d FA Battalion while the 364th made scrap of an enemy battery and destroyed a German supply ferry on the river. At Maring, to consolidate our rear, the 301st Engineer Battalion's Company C spanned the Lieser River with a class-40 treadway bridge.

But if the enemy was of a mind to make a stand it was not to be at the Moselle. In the early hours of 18 March CT 304 forced the river crossing. From Kesten Company A jumped to Filzen unmolested; other companies of the 1st Battalion advanced into Wintrich without firing a shot. Likewise without opposition the 2d Battalion moved from Wehlen across into Graach. At Mülheim the 3d Battalion met no opposition but ran into large quantities of land and antipersonnel mines. The regiment continued clearing along the bank to the south and southeast; the 417th actively patrolled its zone on both banks, and the 385th stood alerted to move forward the following morning. Mastery of the river was further highlighted when two ferries, found at Mülheim, were put into operation the same day. Here, too, the 282d Engineer Battalion constructed a heavy pontoon bridge as ONAWAY troops assertively fanned out on the southern bank. Having secured Bernkastel, the 304th Infantry made penetrations to Veldenz and Monzelfeld. The 76th Division had done it again. At 1630 contact was gained with the 16th Cavalry Group at Wintrich and the task as assigned by XII Corps stood fully and painstakingly completed.