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Nancy is a city in France. It was captured from Nazi Germany by the U.S. Third Army in September of 1944, during the Lorraine Campaign of World War II. This article is about the city in France named Nancy. ...
Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...
The US Third Army was first activated as a formation during the First World War. ...
Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km (over 11 miles) into the air. ...
Overview When the Third Army began its attempt to capture Nancy, it had only recently recovered from a large fuel shortage which had caused it to halt on the Meuse River for five days. During this time German defenders in the area had reinforced their positions. The Meuse(Maas) at Maastricht Length 925 km Elevation of the source 409 m Average discharge 230 m³/s Area watershed 36 000 km² Origin France Mouth Hollands Diep Basin countries France - Belgium - Netherlands The Meuse (Dutch Maas) is a large European river rising in France, flowing through Belgium and...
While the XX Corps in the north was tasked with the capture of Metz, Nancy, the other major city in the region, was assigned to the XII Corps. When the XII Corps first started on this assignment it was not at full operational strength as the U.S. 35th Infantry Division was guarding the southern flank of the Allied forces until the southern Seventh Army could close the gap. This left only the U.S. 4th Armored Division and the U.S. 80th Infantry Division available. Location within France Rhine watershed Metz is a city in the North-East of France, capital of the Lorraine région and of the département of Moselle (57). ...
The 35th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. World War I Activated: August 1917 (National Guard Division from Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska). ...
The Seventh United States Army, also known as USAREUR, is the main American force in Europe. ...
Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 4th Armored Division. ...
The 80th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. Prisoners of Ebensee, one of the sub-camps of Mauthausen-Gusen, upon liberation by 80th Division World War I Activated: September 1917. ...
Composition of the XII Corps XII Corps - Manton Eddy The XII Corps (Twelfth Corps) was a corps of the Union Army during the American Civil War. ...
Manton S. Eddy was a lieutenant general of the United States Army. ...
Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 4th Armored Division. ...
The 35th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. World War I Activated: August 1917 (National Guard Division from Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska). ...
The 80th Infantry Division was a unit of the United States Army in World War I and World War II. Prisoners of Ebensee, one of the sub-camps of Mauthausen-Gusen, upon liberation by 80th Division World War I Activated: September 1917. ...
German forces
80th Infantry attempts to secure a bridgehead
Initial plans for assault on Nancy Due to the difficulty of the terrain and lack of recon about enemy strength, it was decided against risking the 4th Armored in the initial capture of a bridge, as had been done at Commercy. Download high resolution version (2000x1549, 441 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Download high resolution version (2000x1549, 441 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Instead, the 80th Infantry was assigned to secure three crossing sites across the Moselle: at Pont-à-Mousson with the 317th Infantry Regiment, Toul with the 319th, and a limited one at Morbache with the 318th. The 4th Armored would then sweep around from the northern Pont-à-Mousson to assault Nancy from the east, while infantry from Toul would attack from the west. Pont-à-Mousson is a commune of northeastern France, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département. ...
Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Toul Toul is a historic fortified town of France, a sous-préfecture of the Meurthe-et-Moselle département. ...
At Pont-à-Mousson, American forces dispensed with reconnaissance and preliminary artillery bombardments, hoping to use tactical surprise instead. This turned out to be a poor decision though, as the German defenders, who were in greater strength and much better prepared then assumed, held terrain that allowed them to observe the movement of the American forces in the vicinity. American forces made two crossing attempts, the first in the daylight and the second at night but both were easily repulsed and the assault was called off by General Eddy.
At Morbache, American forces had a difficult fight through the woods as they tried to seize the high ground which commanded the vicinity. After a two-day battle, they managed to dislodge German defenders and capture the hill, but were soon thrown back by a German counter-attack.
At Toul, there was seemingly more success as the Moselle was crossed, but it was short-lived as the German defenders simply fell back until they reached a ten-mile defensive line flanked by two forts from where they were able to stall further advances.
Second attempt at crossing Though the initial crossing attempts largely failed, by September 7th, the situation had started to improve. With the Seventh Army rapidly approaching and the XV Corps returning to the Third Army to guard the southern flank, the 35th Infantry Division was now available to use in the next assault. September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ...
A new plan drawn up was for the 80th to attack in the north and the 35th in the south along with the 4th Armored Combat Command B (CCB), while CCA would wait in reserve to exploit either flank. This new plan was scheduled to go in effect on September 11th September 11 is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years). ...
80th Infantry assault in the north After the poor results from the hasty earlier crossing attempts, greater effort was made for a co-ordinated and well-supported assault. Dieulouard, located about four miles south of Pont-à-Mousson, was chosen as the new crossing site. The new plan would have the 317th Infantry Regiment cross first and secure a foothold, then for the 318th to follow and capture the high ground centered around Mousson Hill to the north. A heavy bridge would then be laid and CCA would be able to strike and capture Château-Salins, an important rail centre in the region. Because the 319th was still engaged in combat at Toul, they could not be used in this assault.
Because of the formidable terrain held by the German forces, extra support was called in. On September 10th, the IX Bomber Command destroyed a bridge at Custines to prevent enemy reinforcements in the area from Nancy, and the following evening struck at Mousson Hill. In order to feint the enemy, artillery and airstrikes were primarily directed at Pont-à-Mousson. September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ...
The infantry crossings took place on September 12th and met with only weak resistance. So fast was the advance that elements of CCA were able to cross on the very same day. The reason for this ease was because they had crossed in a region near where two separate German divisions (3rd Panzer Grenadier Division and the 553rd VG Division) linked up and were thinly posted. Most of the reserves in the area had already been sent north to engage with the XX Corps as well. September 12 is the 255th day of the year (256th in leap years). ...
The German assault to destroy the bridge began about noon on September 13th, and was initially successful as it routed the infantry forces and pushed them almost back to the bridge itself. CCA sent its reconnaissance squadron of light tanks to help alleviate the situation, but they were ineffective against the heavier German self-propelled guns. In response, CCA's 37th Tank Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Creighton Abrams, pushed across the bridgehead and attacked German forces. The resulting action bought enough time for the American infantry to regroup and the German offense soon burned itself out. By that evening the bridgehead was considered secure, allowing CCA to cross and move on to its initial objectives. September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ...
Creighton W. Abrams watches Bob Hope at Long Binh in Vietnam Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. ...
The following day saw further counterattacks against the foothold by German forces, but they were again repelled by the 80th, aided by reinforcements sent back from the advanced CCA.
35th Infantry assault in the south On September 10th, as the 35th moved into position to begin their part of the assault, it was noticed that a bridge, mined but intact, was located at Flavigny. A battalion of the 134th Infantry Regiment was given permission to assault the bridge and though they succeeded in capturing it, reinforcements failed to arrive and it was subsequently destroyed by German artillery. The battalion itself was decimated by a following German counterattack. This loss prevented the regiment from being further involved in the attempt to secure a crossing site and the next day it was instead assigned to guard the left flank at Pont St. Vincent. At one location the regiment garrisoned a French fort which was subject to a small German assault that was eventually broken up by artillery and reinforcements.
CCB managed to cross at Bainville-aux-Miroirs and near Banyon. A large bridge was floated at Banyon that night, which German forces attempted to destroy, but were annihilated instead after being encircled.
The 137th Infantry Regiment also managed to secure a foothold at Crévéchamps after a feint five miles to the north and a half-hour artillery bombardment. They quickly found themselves pinned after crossing though, but were able to fight themselves out after German forces were depleted for the failed counterattack against the Banyon bridge.
Encirclement of Nancy
4th Armored Division encircles Nancy After Colonel Abrams' 37th Tank Battalion secured the Dieulouard bridgehead and driven the enemy from Ste. Geneviève, CCA was able to start crossing its remaining forces and made a rapid advance towards its initial objective of Château-Salins. Though it was halted several times to neutralize sporadic German forces and roadblocks, by the end of the first day it had reached Fresnes-en-Saulnois, a village located three miles west of Château-Salins. The next day, September 14, orders were changed though and CCA was to instead capture the high ground at Arracourt, cutting off German escape routes from Nancy. On arrival in the area, CCA encountered and dispatched forces from the 15th Panzer Grenadier Division with only light casualties, then proceeded to set up a defensive position, oriented towards the east, from which they were able to harass German forces on the main road to Nancy and send advance units to meet with patrols from CCB around the Marne-Rhin Canal. The following day brought word to CCA of the German counter-attacks at Dieulouard, at which point they released a reinforcing infantry regiment as well as an armored company to stabilize the situation. Download high resolution version (1800x1389, 383 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Download high resolution version (1800x1389, 383 KB) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
After CCB crossed the Moselle in the south, the German defenders, finding poor natural defense in the terrain, retreated to Forêt de Vitrimont across the Meurth River. The Germans had little time to prepare their defenses in the area though, and were soon driven off after CCB crossed the Meurth River on September 14th, the bulk of them falling back to Lunéville. The meeting with units from CCA at the Marne-Rhin that night completed the encirclement of Nancy. Lunéville - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...
Assault on Nancy To be added
External links - Combined Arms Research Library - The 4th Armored Division in the Encirclement of Nancy (http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/Gabel/gabel.asp)
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