October 10, 1944 – The fight northward in France cost the lives of 600 GIs
October 9, 1944 – Audie Murphy’s poem about Anzio
October 9, 2024October 11, 1944 – The fighting intensified with increased bombardments and casualties
October 11, 2024After a couple of days of rest, resupplying, and writing home, where the men enjoyed “Three Hots and a Cot,” meaning three hot meals and a warm, soft, comfortable cot on which to catch up on some much needed sleep, the men were back in a brutal battle.
Le Tholy was captured by the 30th Infantry on October 10th. They pushed on toward St. Die and the Meuthre River.
Throughout the Vosges Campaign while the regiment proceeded northward they continuously kept patrols out on the flanks searching for the enemy.
The 30th Infantry and the 3rd Division forsaw the only way to have complete and total victory over the Germans in the region was to flush them out of their positions and theaten them with attempts of being cut off from help, with this notion in their minds they wouldn’t stand and fight..[1[[2]
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There were occasional light moments and time for some of the men to put their feet up for a brief rest. One war correspondent wrote:
A First Sergeant, a Sergeant and a Corporeal were enjoying a few hours of leisure at the sidewalk café in a newly-liberated town, basking in the smiles and handshakes from the citizens.
A chicken, belonging to the owner of the café, hopped up on the table and before the startled eyes of the three non-coms, deposited an egg on the table.
They fried it.[2]
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Not until 10 October did the regiment reach Route D-11, about a mile and a half northwest of Le Tholy, and secure Hill 781, overlooking Le Tholy on the north.
There the 30th Infantry quickly discovered that the Germans had the town—which was in a shambles—well covered by artillery fire and had established strong defenses to the west, making a further advance toward Gerardmer temporarily impossible.
The 30th Infantry, accordingly, made no determined effort to clear Le Tholy or to push eastward through the town.
Having suffered some 600 casualties during the period 30 September-10 October, the regiment needed to catch its breath.[3] [3]
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[1] Sgt. James Dunigan III. History of the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment.
[2] Believe It or Not. Beachhead News. Souvenir Edition. Vol.1, No. 100. Sunday, October 15, 1944. Page 2. Brown scrapbook with crown.
[3] Clarke, 286-287.
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