HEADQUARTERS

Co "C" 146th (C) Bn.

13 Nov 1944

SUBJECT:     After Action Report.

TO:     Commanding Officer, 146th Engr (C) Bn.,.................

          1.     The following after-action reprot is hereby submitted for your information:

6  November  1944

0900   Company alerted as Infantry. Personnel concerned proceeded to make check of ammunition, weapons and other

          equipment. Disposition of Company: Three squads in company area, six squads maintenance work.

0930   Capt. WALL went to Battalion for instructions.

1030   Meeting of key personnel in company area. Ordered to be at the assembly area at 1200 hrs.

1100   Capt WALL departed to contact Lt Col ISLEY and to notify squads on road to assemble at designated area.

1145   Company departed for assembly..................., 1.5 miles west of VOSSENACK.

1330   Company arrived at assembly area.

1340   Capt. WALL and Lt SCHINDLER went forward to find Lt Col ISLEY and receive instructions.

1400   General DAVIS gave instructions to occupy the village immediately. Capt. WALL sent messenger back to bring up

          company.

1430   Company departed and followed Company "A" into VOSSENACK under heavy artillery fire. Order of march : First,

          Second and Third Platoons in single file.

1500   Entered town. Lt BARTHOLOMEW wounded. Lt SCHINDLER took command of First Platoon. Continued to advance

          into town.

1515   First Platoon received message from Company "A" not to advance beyond church. Message passed on to Company

          Commander.

1630   Capt WALL ordered to secure North flank of village up to church.

1745   Capt WALL organized company to form perimeter defensefor* the night. Disposition: First Platoon front and flank,

          Second and Third Platoon-North flank.

1800   Capt WALL wounded while on Recon with Major BAKER. Lt SCHINDLER assumed command of the company.

1830   Defense organization completed. Disposition: First Platoon 1 MG covering church. and road leading east from church.

          1 MG covering road leading North from church. The remainder of Platoon dispersed along front and flank. Second

          Platoon 2MG* posts, 2 rifle posts, and one listening post on North flank. Third Platoon 2 MG posts, 2 rifle posts, and              one observation post on North Flank. Entire position coordinated to provide overlapping fields of fire.

2100   Lt SCHINDLER sent message to rear echelon to bring up rations and ammunition. Messenger returned at 0030 with

          about 5 cases of K rations, 4 cans of water and 6 boxes of ammunition.

2130   Company CP established in basement of building on southwest corner of road intersection at church.

2200   Third Platoon took up defensive position on South side of road near church to relieve Company "A" of reponsibility for

          right flank security. Occupied same position of Company "A" except MG posts.

2230   Third Platoon in new position. Disposition: 1 MG covering road south from church and area southeast of church. Once

          forced to move because fired upon by enemy in building on northeast corner of road intersection; field of fire changed.

         Two listening posts in houses east of MSR, four foxhole posts along road, two posts in church. Disposition of first and              secon** Platoon unchanged.

* Typo: Space omitted, defense for.

               Space omitted, 2 MG

** Typo: second

7  November  1944

0200  Lt SCHINDLER sent a message to Bn CP informing Lt Col ISLEY that the Third platoon MG position had been

         attacked with hand grenades and Germans infiltrated into east end  of Church, and Co "C" organized west end will hold

         until daylight.

0200  Messenger dispatched to Rear Echelon instructing 1st/Sgt Holmes to establish supply dump at edge of woods and be

         prepared to send water, ammunitions and rations into the village by "Jeep" the next night. Messenger returned at 0500

         hrs.

0530  Found out that tank Platoons would change at 0630. New Commander arrived about 0645 hrs.

0645  Time of attack postponed until 0800 at advice of Tank C.O.  Attack to be processed* by half hour mortar barrage.

         Artillery to cover Anti-tank guns. Plan: Tanks to fire two rounds into each house  then fire on next pair of houses, while

         troops take houses from which fire was just lifted.

0730  Meeting of Company "C" officers to issue orders and plans for attack. Company "A" to take church, Second Platoon to

         advance on left flank, Third Platoon to advance on right flank, First Platoon in support of second Platoon Lt ROLLINS

         to coordinate advance with tanks . Second and third platoons to keep contact to advance at same rate. Lt SCHINDLER

         to follow third Platoon. Platoons organized. Hand grenades found to be fuseless.

0800  Messenger sent to Bn Hq to inform Lt Col ISLEY that attack will get under way at 0815 hrs.

0815  Tanks opened fire. Two line Platoons departed for initial objective. Second Platoon:  Attacked first building on NE

         corner of road intersection at church. MG delivered covering fire from church. Platoon advanced toward building.

         Enemy covering west side of building eliminated. A white flag was flown from window, one prisoner came out and was sent to

         company CP. Platoon commander demanded surrender of remaining soldiers, no answer. Only available grenade tossed

         into window. Company Commander instructed prisoner to get remaining Nasis** out of building. 19 prisoners marched

         back to PW collecting point. MG brought from church to the building to cover the advance of Platoon to the second

         building. When men reached the second building, the MG covered the left flank. This procedure for the remainder of

         advance. After the capture of the first building, it became evident that the second Platoon needed more men as 3 men   

         were killed, 7 men known to be wounded and evacuated and an unknown number of men wounded, leaving

         approximately 15 men left.

         Lt SCHINDLER ordered first Platoon to continue attack with the second Platoon. First and Second Platoons found two cases

         of American Frag. hand grenades in third building. These were tossed into succeeding buildings before entering. Third

         Plt. moved into position south of church and opened fire on first building east of church. Sniper eliminated in church by

         hand grenades. First Platoon of Company "A" in control of church a few minutes later. Third Platoon Company "C"

         stormed building after preparatory fire by tanks; Captured 22 prisoners, found.... American and 7 German Hand

         grenades. Remainder of advance: Tanks delivering preparatory fire, Platoon takes building.

         Lt SCHINDLER sent message to Bn to request to Tank Commander to increase fire,................"Establish direct

         contact with Tanks."

1030  Message sent to Bn Hq to inform Lt Col ISLEY that 3 houses beyond the churh are in our hands.

1100  Company "A" sent one squad to cover rear and flank of first and second platoons. (Right flank secured by 1340th and 20th

         Engrs.)

1200  Lt SCHINDLER returned to CP and requested That Co. "A" follow  up Company "C" and definetely clean out all

         buildings of snipers that may have remained behind or infiltrated back.

1300  Friendly planes (P-38's) bombed and strafed assaulting troops.*** Dispatched messenger to Bn CP to notify them of the

         situation.

1400  Company Commander received message that 25 Germans were fleeing across the field into a draw and towards the woods of

         the left flank. Second platoon had no field of fire, but opened fireacross^ the field to prevent further escapes. Company     

         Commander requested Company "A" to fire on the fleeing enemy from the positions in the church. Requested Bn to place

         artillery in the woods to prevent the reorganization and a counter attack.

1410  Lt ROLLINS lightly wounded, walked back to the aid station. S/Sgt Gray assumed command of the Third platoon.

1430  Company four (4) buildings from east end of village. Out of ammunition and short of men. Lt MEIER dispatched messenger

         requesting reinforcements and MG ammunition. Messenger delayed by heavy artillery fire. Position consolidated and set up

         awaiting reinforcements and ammunition.

1500  Lt MEIER dispatched another messenger to get reinforcements and MG ammunition. Message transmitted to company

         commander at 1620 hrs sent back with four ammunition carriers.

1600  Lt SCHINDLER received order to secure captured portion of village.

1630  Lt Meier came back personally with 31 prisoners and to pick up reinforcements and ammunition. Discussed situation with Lt

         SCHINDLER.

1645  Lt SCHINDLER went up to organize defensive positions in east portion of village. Issued orders to put four men in each house,

         to get overhead cover, to round up men and reorganize platoons, and to send back to obtain rations and ammunition. Position

         coordinated with Company "A" held until relieved by 109 Infantry.

1930  Company relieved by Infantry. Returned to assembly area at first house east of church.

8 November 1944

0145  Company received orders to move out of village to entrucking point for return to bivouac area.

(Extracted)

/s/  Bernard E. Meier

/t/  BERNARD E. MEIER

1st Lt.,  C.E.

Commanding