On March 8^th,1945, 79^th Infantry Division was attached to the XVI Corps to prepare the crossing of the Rhine River. Although the river had not been reached yet at the time, XVI Corps had begun plans and preparations for the crossing.

As the Rhine is very large and deep men had to receive a special training to cross this obstacle, the division with the 30^th Infantry Division were assembled in the same training area for the purpose at Echt in Holland. Meuse or Maas* River would be their playing field. (*German name)

The plan for the 79^th provided for an assault crossing with the 313^th Infantry Regiment on the right, which would have to take the towns of Walsum, Vierlinden, Overbruch and protect the right flank of the division along the line of the canal just south of Walsum. And the 315^th Infantry Regiment on the left, was to take the wood of Wohnungswald, Dinslaken, continue the attack to the east to the high ground east of Letkampshof to protect the left flank of the division, along the canal north of Wohnungswald until uncovered by the advance of the 30^th Infantry Division.

The last regiment of the 79^th, 314^th in reserve would cross the Rhine on orders, prepared either to pass through the 315^th to seize the town of Dinslaken or to pass through both regiments to secure the high ground east of Hiesfeld Dorf or to assist either regiment in reducing close-in defenses.

©79thCombatHistory

From March 14^th to the 19^th, 1945, intensive training took place along the Meuse River. The purpose was to school thoroughly assault battalions of each regiment, first during daylight and then during darkness while the others battalions were familiarizing and practicing with the Engineer equipment. More so, the main objective of this training attempted to anticipate all possible problems that the 79^th could have meet during the real crossing of the Rhine and further. This is why all units participating in that river crossing, worked all together during the training.

Note: 187^th Engineer Combat Battalion supported the 313^th Infantry Regiment and the 149^th Engineer Combat Battalion the 315^th.

Men were assigned to a particular numbered assault or storm boats and Engineers who were to operate that particular boat were designated. Everything was planned in details, those boat groups were informed of which wave they would be part of, when they would cross the river, who would be on the right and left. 2^nd Battalion of the 313^th and 315^th Infantry Regiments were chosen as assault battalions for the river crossing and trained during night and day for a period of approximately ten days.

The all operation, training plus the crossing was divided in phases as follows: 

• Training
• Reconnaissance
• Intelligence 
• Planning 
• Execution 
• Follow-up

According to the 313^th's officers the greatest difficulty concerning reconnaissance was the fact that there were 75 Miles between the training site and the crossing site. Roads were jammed because of traffic making the trip a three-hour run each way. 

©79thCombatHistory

Coupled with the river crossing training, was also the ground attack training. Both regiments have been instructed where their crossing sites were going to be and which were their objectives. Planning for the attack and capture of those objectives was carried on in as detailed a manner as the training for the river crossing. To aid in the operation, distribution and study was made of aerial photographs, town plans, intelligence information, plaster terrain casts, and any other available aids that would help the officers and men in figuring out tactical situations and chance problems that might be expected to be met in their attack.

During the training and the main operation, all of the following units were attached to the three regiments:

313^th Infantry Regiment:

• “A” Company of the 304^th Engineer Battalion.
• “A” Company of the 304^th Medical Battalion.
• “C” Company of the 813^th Tank Destroyer Battalion.
• “A” Company of the 717^th Tank Battalion.
• “A” Company of the 89^th Chemical Mortar Battalion (4.2mm mortar) attached one platoon of “B” Company initially.
• “B” Company of the 809^th Tank Destroyer Battalion.
  

©79thCombatHistory

315^th Infantry Regiment:

• “C” Company of the 304^th Engineer Battalion.
• “C” Company of the 304^th Medical Battalion.
•  “A” Company of the 813^th Tank Destroyer Battalion.
• “C” Company of the 717^th Tank Battalion.
• “C” company of the 89^th Chemical Mortar Battalion (4.2mm Mortar) attached “B” Company (One platoon)
• “A” Company of the 309^th Tank Destroyer Battalion. (Reverts to battalion control when fire is masked)

314^th Infantry Regiment:

• “B” Company of the 304^th Medical Battalion.
• “B” Company of the 717^th Tank Battalion.
• “B” Company of the 89^th Chemical Mortar Battalion (4,2 Mortar) – One platoon attached initially to “C” Company - One platoon attached initially to “A” Company)
  
  

BOAT LOADING PLAN

Composition of the 2^nd Battalion of the 313^th Infantry Regiment (Assault Battalion)

FIRST WAVE

• Boat N° 1 – Maintenance Platoon of “H” Company (16 men) and 1^st Platoon of “E” Company (16 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°2 – 1^st Platoon of “E” Company (16 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°3 – Machine gun section of “E” Company – 1^st Platoon of “E” Company (15 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°4 – 1^st Section of 1^st Platoon of “H” Company (14 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°5 – Headquarters of “E” Company (7 men) – Mortar Section of “E” Company (8 men) – Weapon Platoon Headquarters of “E” Company (1 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°6 – 2^nd Platoon of “E” Company (15 men) Boat M-2.
• Boat N°7 – 2^nd Platoon of “E” Company (8 men) – Machine gun section of “E” Company (7 men) – 1^st Platoon of “H” Company (1 man) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°8 – 2^nd Platoon of “E” Company (15 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°9 – Headquarters of “E” Company (7 men) – Mortar Section of “E” Company (8 men) – Weapon Platoon of the Headquarters of “E” Company (1 man) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°10: 2^nd Section of 1^st Platoon of “H” Company (14 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°11: 3^rd Platoon of “E” Company (15 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°12: 3^rd Platoon of “E” Company (11 men) – Machine gun section of “E” Company (4 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°13: 3^rd Platoon of “E” Company – (15 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°14: Observation Point Group #1 (15 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°15: Company Headquarters Observation Group (6 men) – Storm Boat.
• Boat N°16: Liaison Group (7 men) – Storm Boat.
• Boat N°17: Observation Group #2 – (15 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°18: 1^st Platoon of “F” Company (15 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°19: 1^st Platoon of “F” Company (10 men) – Machine gun section of “F” Company (4 men) – Tank Destroyer Reconnaissance party (2 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°20: 1^st Platoon of “F” Company (14 men) – Mortar Platoon of “H” Company (2 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°21: 1^st Section of 2^nd Platoon of “F” Company (14 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°22: Headquarters of “F” Company (7 men) – Mortar section (8 men) – Weapon Platoon of Headquarters (1 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°23: 2^nd Platoon of “F” Company (13 men) – 2^nd Platoon of “H” Company (1 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°24: 2^nd Platoon of “F” Company (8 men) – Machine gun section of “F” Company (8 men) – 2^nd Platoon of “H” Company (1 man) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°25: 2^nd Platoon of “F” Company (12 men) – 2^nd Platoon of “H” Company (2 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°26: 2^nd Section of the 2^nd Platoon of “H” Company (14 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°27: Headquarters of “F” Company (7 men)- Mortar Section of “F” Company (8 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°28: 3^rd Platoon of “F” Company (14 men) – Boat M-2.
• Boat N°29: 3^rd Platoon of “F” Company (9 men) – Machine gun section of “F” Company (4 men)
• Boat N°30: 3^rd Platoon of “F” Company (13 men) – 2^nd Platoon of “H” Company (1 man) – Boat M-2.

Written by Pierre Fallet - Normandy American Heroes