The 3rd Infantry Division moved by motor convoy to rest areas in the province of Lorraine near the city of Nancy. The Division had suffered over forty five hundred casualties and had been on the front line for 188 days of continuous contact with the enemy. The exhausted companies rested and replenished their dwindling ranks with a steady stream of replacements.[1]

(One replacement) described the uneasy set of circumstances that awaited all new replacements: “The veteran combat members of my new platoon told us rookies never to be taken prisoner because the Germans had named the 3rd Division “The Blue and White Devils” for the blue diagonal lines on the arm patch.

They also called us “The Storm Division” because it had been storming into many German held countries and inflicted thousands of casualties on the German Army. Their revenge was to kill any 3rd Division prisoner. I never found out if this was true. But, our anxiety reached an all time high.”[1]

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Pont-a-Mousson is almost exactly halfway between Nancy and Metz. There is a sign which reads, “Nancy 27 km” and directly below is with an arrow pointing in the opposite direction the legend says, “Metz 28 km.”

It was here that the [3rd Infantry] Division CP set up for business.

The regiments disposed themselves in small towns all along the Nancy-Metz highway.

The 3rd [Infantry Regiment] at Marbache, all between Pont-à-Mousson and Nancy. Near Pont-à-Mousson the 30th Infantry [Regiment] set up housekeeping: the 1st [Battalion] near Eulmont, 2nd [Battalion] at Bouxieres, and [Phil’s] 3rd Battalion at Lay St. Christopher.

Official status of the Division was now SHAEF reserve, but there were few who doubted the recommitment to combat would be long delayed.

Meanwhile rest, rehabilitation, and then, inevitably, training, were the order of the day. The infantry regiments began training new replacements.

Along with the commencement of training, recreation was introduced to an organization which had known little recreation since its stay in Pozzuoli, near Naples, six months before.

Pass trucks began making regular runs to Nancy, which by now was a large hospital and base-sec. strong point, and the locale of beaucoup femmes, always a subject of considerable interest to the soldiers.

Nancy, in many places virtually untouched buy bombs and shells, was a sight for eyes weary of scarred, razed, Alsatian villages.[2]

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[1] Champagne, 134.

[2] Taggart, 327-328.

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