GUEMAR

The 30th Regiment crossed the Fecht River just south of Guemar at 2100 on Jan. 22 with its 1st Battalion on the left crossing the Ill River and heading south on its east bank to the Maison Rouge Bridge. The 3rd Battalion moved ahead through the woods and secured the small wooden bridge intact at 1155 on the 23rd. Engineers had hastily collected reinforcing treadway and moved it to the bridge only to realize they were 15 feet short. While waiting for the 15 feet, several tactical vehicles crossed the bridge successfully and then the engineers laid the tread with a 15 foot gap. Orders came down to get armor across the bridge and a tank driven by Lt. John Harmon of C Company, 756th Tank Battalion in attempting to do so collapsed the bridge. Just minutes later the needed 15 feet of treadway arrived on the scene. Without armor, the attacks resulted in a pull back, however, through sheer will, the bridgehead at Maison Rouge was held through the night into Jan. 23. This photo, several days later, shows the Bailey Bridge put in place by Jan. 25 and the tank with winter camouflage on the collapsed bridge.

» (click for alternate image) «

location: 48°09'03.0"N 7°25'19.5"E

photo: dogfacesoldiers collection

surf section : CHRISTMAS 1944 || BENNWIHR-SIGOLSHEIM || PLAINFANG
HACHIMETTE || RIBEAUVILLE || GUEMAR || OSTHEIM || HOUSSEN
RIEDWIHR || WICKERSCHWIHR || JEBSHEIM || URSCHENHEIM
AERIAL VIEWS || NEUF BRISACH || COLMAR

 
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