At 1200 hours on Nov. 16, Co. G moved up to the line of departure in Schevenhutte. They could hear US bombers hitting targets on the plain several miles away, and the friendly sound of their own artillery going over. The scouts of the first platoon were guiding on the trail and the rest of the men were echeloned to left and right rear. Before going 300 yards, the lead scout was fired upon from a few feet to his front, and was killed. Several machine guns opened up on Co. G. The Germans were dug in and camouflaged to perfection.
The first platoon leader started moving his men into position to direct fire on the enemy. The second platoon was moving up on line to assist; the third platoon was held up momentarily by concertina wire covered by machine guns. The enemy rate of fire was increasing and Co G had to get moving, so a message was sent to the tanks instructing them to move forward.
The tanks moved into the center of the first platoon and started spraying the woods to our front with their machine guns. Again the platoon moved forward and were stopped by concentrated fire a few yards to their front. Now the tanks couldn’t move up, for a huge crater was blown on the center of the trail. The engineers were called up. Meanwhile, the third platoon had breached the wire and captured several prisoners, and was moving up abreast of the first platoon.
Each platoon was fighting its way forward inch by inch against the enemy. Day was drawing to an end, and they were only 300 to 400 yards from the line of departure. LTC Derrill Daniel was up forward, and gave orders to button up for the night. It was growing dark fast, so an all around defense was organized and the men dug in for the night.
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