Men of 5th Armored Division
Men of 5th Armored Div: Click to Enlarge
Source: European Center of Military History

American divisions were closing in on Germany to the north in Belgium and in France to the south with the 1st Infantry Division poised to be the first unit to enter Germany. However 5th AD. earned the distinction of being the first force to enter Germany. This operation followed actions by elements of the 5th AD near the Alzette River at Pettingen in southern Luxemburg. On the afternoon of 11 September 1944, Lieutenant Vipond of Troop B, 85th Reconnaissance Squadron stood on the wooded slope surveying what was before them over the River Our. Across the water lay Germany!

Later, Lt. Vipond ordered Sgt Holzinger to take a patrol across the river and reconnoiter Germany. Holzinger’s patrol crossed the Our near Stalzembourg later at 1815.  In addition to Holzinger, the patrol consisted of a French officer, Lieutenant Lille (acting as an interpreter), Corporal Ralph Diven, Technician 5th Grade Coy Locke, and Private First Class George McNeal.

Those five soldiers were the vanguard of a dominant Allied force that would, within eight months, conquer the ‘1000 year’ Third Reich ending War 2.

Sources:

  • http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/5tharmored/index.html
  • https://www.warhistoryonline.com/world-war-ii/first-us-troops-enter-nazi-germany.html?firefox=1
  • https://www.hoover.org/research/return-forces-germany

2nd Armored Division: The initial plan for the First Army was to surround and capture the city of Aachen situated about 13 miles from the Netherlands border (Heerland, Netherlands) and 5.2 miles from the Belgian border (Raeren, Belgium).  On October, the 2nd Armored division (Combat Command B (CCB) divided into two task forces) followed the 30th division whose objective was to cross the Wurm River.  Task Force 2 was the first to cross the river to find That the infantry was unable to expand the bridgehead.

*Note:  CCB included the 1st and 2nd Battalions from the 67th Armored regiment

67th Armored Regiment: Since 8 October, the 67th Armored regiment had active defense as its mission . On 15 October, the regiment continued its mission of active defense. On this day, additional concertina wire was placed in forward positions. Except for sporadic artillery and mortar fire, the enemy was relatively inactive. While the Reconnaissance Co. of the 1st Battalion continued its patrol of Bergendorf, the 1st Battalion operations consisted of defending Waurichen and directing artillery fire on targets of opportunity. The 2nd Battalion continued to hold its line and sent infantry patrols to observe the enemy in front of their positions. From the 3rd Battalion positions, movements of enemy troops was heard on the Immendorf-Puffendorf highway. Artillery, mortar, and assault gun fire were directed at these enemy movements. Roads and trails were rendered almost impassible due to the rains. Vehicles mired in the mud, hindering movement to forward areas.