User:Oberiko/Battle for Metz
| Battle for Metz | |
|---|---|
 Men of the 378th Infantry are shown on the morning of November 17 1944 entering Metz in pursuit of the enemy along roads strewn with abandoned equipment | |
| Conflict: World War II, Lorraine Campaign | |
| Date: September 27 – November 22 1944 | |
| Location: Metz, France | |
| Outcome: American victory | |
| Combatants | |
| United States | Germany |
| Commanders | |
| George Patton | Heinrich Kittel |
| Strength | |
| Casualties | |
| At least 2,600 men | |
The Battle for Metz is the name of a series of battles engaged by the Allied U.S. Third Army and German defenders around Metz, the most heavily fortified city in Western Europe.
Background
[edit]On August 31, after a rapid campaign in Northern France, Patton's Third Army was forced to come to a stop at in Lorraine at the Meuse River due to a lack of fuel.
Several factors were responsible for the Third Army's critical supply situation. The first was the rapid advance made by all Allied forces since the breakout at Normandy. The second was the lack major ports for resupply. The third reason was that supplies which were available were prioritized for Montgomery's northern forces in their attempts to cross the Rhine and open Antwerp.
American Forces
[edit]- 7th Armored Division - Lindsay Silvester
- 10th Armored Division - William H.H. Morris
- 5th Infantry Division - Stafford Irwin
- 90th Infantry Division - Raymond McLain
- 95th Infantry Division - Harry Twaddle
The assault
[edit]Attack on Fort Driant
[edit]
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]- Army.mil: Lorraine Campaign chapters 6, 7, 8, 9
- The 95th Division History
- Unit history of 81st Chemical Mortar Battalion
- Lorraine Campaign: an Overview, Sept - Dec 1944
- The Victors: Chapter 14 Metz, Aachen, and the Hurtgen
- 10th Infantry Division history:
- Wehrmacht-Awards