HISTORY OF THE 110TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
The Our River
November 15, 1944
to
December 15, 1944
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On the sixteenth, at 0630, the first unit of Combat Team 110 moved out towards Wiltz. At 1830 Colonel T. A. Seely, Regimental Commander, took charge of the new area at Consthum, Luxemburg. The 32d Cavalry Squadron was attached to the Regiment in this area, and the 2d and 3d battalions were placed on the front line while the 1st battalion, in Division reserve, assembled at Feulen, Luxemburg. The Regiment was given the mission of patrolling the sector and of keeping the enemy east of the Our River. A training and rehabilitation program was conducted in the meantime. This continued until the end of November.
On the first of December the 2d and 3d battalions were disposed along the Our River from Bastendorf on the south to Marnach on the north, with the 2d battalion on the south. The companies occupied strong points, and outposts of varying strengths were manned, while patrols covered the terrain from the main North-South road west of the Our to the river itself. The 1stbattalion, meanwhile, was in mobile Division reserve, and the 32d Cavalry occupied a sector between Marnach and Lousdorn [Lausdorn]. The 109th and 687th FA Battalions, company `B` of the 630th TD Battalion and the 2dReconnaissance Platoon of the 630th TD were also attached for operations. Plans were formulated for a raid across the Our river with a mission of securing prisoners.
On the second the 1st battalion had relieved the 2d on line and the 2d, less companies `E` and `H` (scheduled to take part in the raid) had moved back to Feulen. On the third, the raid was conducted by company `E` with `H` in support. The mission was successful.
On the fourth, training continued and further patrols were in the
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process of being planned for December sixth. This time the third battalion was to send two platoons, reinforced, through the towns of Ober and Unter Eisenbach. The purpose of the patrol it was to clear out any enemy within the area and to establish the status of one installations in the sector.
On the sixth the 3d battalion patrol searched the area from Wahlhausen to Eisenbach and found neither enemy nor enemy installation. A platoon of company `B`, 707th Tank battalion was attached to the 2d battalion for purposes of Tank-Infantry team training.
On the eighth a message received from Division indicated that the 109th Infantry was to relieve the 110th on the tenth of December and that the Regiment, in turn, was to relieve the 32d Cavalry, which would revert to its parent organization upon completion of such relief. Units were to be relocated to conform to boundaries of the Regimental sector. On the ninth of December the battalions were shifted to conform with the Division order, and the2d battalion took over responsibility for the sector held by the 32d Cavalry, putting all battalions on line.
On the tenth the 109th Infantry relieved the 1st battalion and assumed responsibility for its area. The 1st battalion, in turn, relieved the 2d and assumed responsibility for that sector, previously held by the 32dCavalry. The 2d battalion reverted to Division Reserve.
On the eleventh, Lt. Col. Strickler reported as Regimental executive officer. The situation at that time was comparatively static. The 1st battalion reconnaissance platoon (630th TD battalion) replaced the 2dreconnaissance platoon and moved into the town of Marnach. The mission of
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this unit was to patrol the main highway west of the Our and keep it open to traffic within the regimental sector. All mines and boobytraps were removed from the Marnach-Clervaux area in order to enable the reserve battalion to run a battalion problem, which consisted of moving a battalion tactically across wooded country.
On the thirteenth the Regimental CP moved to Clervaux, and the battalions occupied nearby toms. In this area training was resumed and patrols were conducted. Each line battalion had established five outposts along the Our river, each composed of a full squad and equipped with an 300 radio. These outposts were tied in to their companies by wise.
The plan of the defense for each battalion consisted of the Our River outposts which were active in the daytime and pulled back to parent companies after dark. During the hours of darkness patrol work was conducted between companies, and between occupied towns and the Our river. The towns occupied by companies were in turn out posted in such strength as to allow sufficient time for the main body to man their previously dug-in positions incase of attack. Extensive patrolling was carried out with the .mission of keeping the enemy east of the Our River and of obtaining information concerning his activities, as well as to maintain contact between our own units.
SOURCE: National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 407, Records of U.S. Army Adjutant General, World War II Records, 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division, History of the 110th Infantry Regiment, Box 8596.
