Battle Of Aschaffenburg: An Example Of Late World War II Urban Combat In Europe by Major Quentin W. Schillare

Author:Major Quentin W. Schillare [Schillare, Major Quentin W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, United States, Europe, General, Germany, Special Forces
ISBN: 9781782897408
Google: kRpwCwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
Published: 2014-08-15T05:01:36+00:00

Figure 13

Source: U.S. Army, The Seventh United States Army in France and Germany. 1944-1945: Report of Operations. (Heidelberg, Germany: A. Graf, 1946), V.3, 766.

The division took steps to increase the number of artillery tubes available to provide suppressive and harassing fire. To augment the fires of the 45th ID Divarty (three battalions of 105mm and one of 155mm) the division artillery of the 44th Infantry Division, moving up in a quiet sector on the left flank, was attached to the 45th ID. In addition, the 194th Field Artillery Group (three heavy battalions) and the 173rd Field Artillery Group (two battalions) were placed in general support.{180} For the rest of the battle up to thirteen battalions (90 tubes of artillery) fired in support of the Americans at Aschaffenburg. To this was added the weight of the 2nd Chemical Mortar Battalion (4.2") attached to the 157th Infantry throughout the fight. For KKA massed indirect fire, in the words of a city administrator, "...played death and destruction on the city."{181} The American artillery fire was so heavy that some German participants of the battle called it as rapid as machinegun fire. The result of the incessant pounding was the gradual destruction of the city, with a concurrent reduction of the will of the defenders to fight.

Most of this Good Friday of 1945 was rainy and overcast, so much so that the U.S. Army Air Forces could not fly in support of operations. However, by 1800 hours the weather cleared and the P-47 Thunderbolts of the 64th Fighter Wing, flying from bases just inside France, flew eight sorties over the city dropping bombs and firing rockets on the city center.{182} But because of the closeness of the belligerents to each other, most of the effect of these missions did not directly affect the tactical fight. The P-47s could only fire .50 caliber machineguns in direct support of the engaged troops because the front lines were so close to each other.

In the afternoon after consultation with the Seventh Army commander. General Hahm gave the order for a general withdraw) of the LXXXII Corps from the Main River line.{183} This decision recognized the reality of the situation because at the time no corps units remained on the river. It permitted a somewhat orderly withdrawl to positions further to the east. Kampfkommandant Lamberth was informed of this decision and that from this point on he would be fighting as a true combat command with no physical contact with other German units. His mission was still to hold out as long as possible. This is an excellent illustration of how the fighting strength of a military organization breaks down when units are under two different headquarters with different missions. LXXXII Corps was subordinate to Seventh Army with a mission to defend in this part of the Reich. KKA, although located in the Seventh Army zone, as a combat command was under the direct orders of OKW with a mission to fight to the end. When LXXXII Corps troops pulled back KKA was isolated but not yet surrounded.

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