35th Infantry Division Belgium

A study and living history group of the US 35th Infantry Division

Stories: Operation Grenade

This story is based on the book of James A. Huston. (35^th I.D./134^th I.R./3^rd Battalion)

After the Battle of the Bulge the 35th Inf. Div. entered Germany on the 6^th of February 1945 and relieved the 52^nd British Divivsion in the Ruhr area.

The 134^th Inf. Reg. replaced the 155^th British Brigade southwest of Heinsberg.

On the 8^th of February Colonel Miltonberger (C/O of the 134^th I.R.) gave an explanation to his troops about Operation Grenade (taking the Ruhr and pushing to the Rhine). The 1^st Battalion would besiege Hilfarth and cross the river with the help of the 3^rd Battalion. The 2^nd Battalion would follow the 3^rd Batt. on the left side. K- and L-company with the help of a heavy machine gun section gave support + I-company as a reserve.

Patrols were send out on the 9^th of Feb. as part of the preparation for the main assault, while the rest of the regiment would exercise in the use of assault boats. Meanwhile the Germans had blown a hole in the Schwammenauel Dam with a resulting 60 inch (150cm) rise of the waterlevel. As a result Operation Grenade was postponed.

On the 10^th of Feb. the Erft- and Schwammenauel Dam was taken and the water level receded. In preparation of the river crossing, patrols were send out from Himmerich to Hilfarth.

Squad preparing for patrol at Himmerich

The G.I.’s practiced 4 hours a day in assault training and attack on fortified positions in Randerath. There was also time for instruction movies, church services and rest periods. Some of them received passes to Brussels or Holland.

Soldiers at rest in Randerath

A new problem now arose in the 1^st and 2^nd battalion : “shoepac feet” (soon more information about shoepac foot). Soldiers who didn’t change the felt inner soles daily found that this caused the shoepac feet problem. That is why the 3^rd Battalion replaced their men’s shoepacs with combat boots on the 24^th of Feb.

Casualty of shoepac feet

Stories - Page 2

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