Time to rest for the 1^st Battalion of the 314^th Infantry Regiment after the Battle of Barbas was short leave, indeed once it moved forward to an assembly area at Halloville, at noon on the same day, which was November 18^th, the men had moved to the vicinity of Harbouey so they could cross the Vezouze River. The mission had to take the Battalion toward the North to re-group with the rest of the Regiment.

 1^st Battalion had to cross the Vezouze River at the same crossing site as 2^nd Battalion toward the village of Frémonville, but 2^nd Battalion failed in establishing a bridgehead. Nevertheless, on November 19^th, at 0920am, men jumped-off across the river pushing forward the high ground looking down the village of Blamont from the northeast. Since couple of days weather was warm and clear and visibility was excellent. “A” Company in lead reached the high ground without meeting any enemy opposition.

2^nd Battalion of the 314^th Infantry Regiment fighting for Frémonville - ©CombatReels.com

Along the river, there were some wooden huts built by the civilians might be for fishing that the Germans had might be used as “Winter Headquarters”. As always, the German trench network was very impressive and elaborated running from the river between the village of Blamont and Frémonville up the slope, then leading to the woods in direction of Richeval, which is a distance of about 4 miles. Despite this elaborated trench network, by 1030am the objective was seized.

Once the high ground looking down Blamont under control, it was time to take the village of Richeval located 2 hours-walk at the northeast of it. At 1100am the entire 1^st Battalion was moving up in direction of Richeval, of course using the cover provided by the woods. The march of advance through the woods was made in column of companies as follows: “A” – “C” – “B” and “D” but small patrols opened the road to reconnoiter what was might be waiting for them. But the enemy was withdrawing very fast according to the pathfinders. None opposition with him was made.

©IGN Map - 2022.

Three hours later, at 0200pm contact was made but not with the Germans but with a patrol from the 44^th Infantry Division just one and a mile South of Richeval. To prevent to be seen by the Germans, 1^st Battalion used the enemy trenches during its progression toward Richeval and took position on a hill overlooking the village itself. Then moved into town unoccupied half an hour later. During their retreat Germans were not fool, they took the time to destroy with explosives bridges over streams, southwest of the village. First stream “Ruisseau de la Haie Vauthier” and “Ruisseau de La Voise” which was the closest to the village.

Men from 314th Infantry Regiment moving out from Frémonville - ©Unit History

As you know now, the distance from Blamont to Richeval was 2-hours walk and 1^st Battalion moved without any vehicles, but what about the equipment? Unfortunately, it was “D” Company whom had to carry, K-ration boxes, ammunitions etc all the way to Richeval on foot.

Couple of minutes after its arrival in Richeval, Germans fired two rounds of mortar forcing the all battalion to withdraw and to take defensive position on the high ground overlooking it, in order to secure the objective from enemy fire. 1^st Battalion didn’t retreat but went forward the North on the same road under enemy light artillery fire every few minutes.

That road runs toward the northeast, but almost in a straight line up the slope to one edge of a high ridge which is N°1 on the map below. At the top of that flat ridge, there is on the right “Bois du Sablon”. That road runs precisely from Richeval to the village of Saint-Georges but just before “Bois du Sablon” a trail turns right (running southeast) and leads all the way to Hattigny, N°2 on the map below.

©IGN Map - 2022.

While the 1^st Battalion was advancing toward Hattigny, 44^th Infantry Division fought for Saint-Georges, and 2^nd Battalion of the 314^th Infantry Regiment and the entire 315^th Infantry Regiment were located on its right in the middle of the wood “Bois de Sablon”. While men were moving still in a column of Companies, their commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Olin E. Teague rode a bicycle that he picked up in Richeval.

 Not too far away from the top of the hill, half-way between Saint-Georges and Blamont, an enemy tank was in position at the edge of Bois du Sablon. On the map above letter "X" represents the position of the tank. 

 (Note: Bois du Sablon is 200 to 300 yards wide and over a mile and a quarter in length. The floor is relatively smooth).

It was very well camouflaged except for its tracks covering an antitank ditch. The tank was an obstacle toward Hattigny, 2^nd Lieutenant Charles D. Drowley (AAR Spelling) commander of the Antitank Platoon was called on to bring up his 57mm gun to take care of this enemy armored vehicle at a range of 1200 to 1400 yards. Two rounds were fired which forced the tank to pull back toward Hattigny, four or five more rounds were fired on it to hurry it along.

Two other 57mm guns were brought up, but why? Germans were using Bois du Sablon to cut the road from Richeval to Saint-Georges and from Saint-Georges to Hattigny, it was then necessary to dislodge them with the three 57mm guns which fired high explosive shells at the southwest corner of the wood.

 At 0300pm orders reached the 1^st Battalion, the mission? Take the high grounds near Hattigny and cut out Saint-Georges – Hattigny road, but ten minutes later new ones were received, those new orders were not different except one thing. While the 1^st Battalion will be fighting for its objective, 3^rd Battalion would have to take its former position at the North of Richeval on the road running from Richeval to Saint-Georges.

 ©IGN Map - 2022.

When the attack jumped-off “A” Company leading, turned right at the first crossroad on the trail running from Richeval to Saint-Georges just at the edge of Bois du Sablon.

 The floor of the forest at this end is relatively smooth and even, becoming, however, more uneven as one progresses toward Hattigny, with dips of 12 to 15 feet near the Saint-Georges – Hattigny road. Most of the trees are large and deciduous (they are anywhere from 12 to 20 feet apart), there are also scattered evergreen and occasionally groves of evergreens, mostly hemlock, which are somewhat closer together. The floor is covered with fallen leaves in November, moss, and occasional vines (some myrtle, some blackberry or similar variety). There is little undergrowth, but some small trees. What brush there is near the edges of the wood. What appear to be ditches are not so much ditches as irregular depressions in the earth, they follow generally the edges of the forest.

While advancing in the wood, “A” Company had to face an entire German Battalion, but because of the layout of the wood and its density only one platoon was used at the time.

Captain James E. Flannery, Commanding Officer of “A” Company used his men to walk in column of platoons with 1^st in lead, 2^nd in the middle and 3^rd at the rear. Captain Flannery and two radio operators (Command Post) were behind the squad leaders. Precisely, 1^st Platoon was advancing in two columns each about 50 yards inside the edge of Bois du Sablon, men were spread out 15-yard intervals with patrols 25 yards out around them.

1^st Platoon didn’t wait too long before to see enemy soldiers, 200 yards away from the road Richeval – Saint-Georges, two Germans have been spotted. One was killed and the other wounded. Upon this skirmish, two leading squads deployed moving toward the East tree by tree. This movement of moving tree by tree was essential as 100 yards further German machine guns were spreading death around them, forcing the entire Platoon to crawl.

Upon this heavy enemy fire, Captain Flannery tried to swing his third squad up through the ditch on the northern flank as the heaviest fire was coming from that direction. Germans were in France since 1940, they had the time to perfectly study the layouts and landscapes, as in Bois de Sablon, an enemy machine gun was set up in that ditch, another one would be later found at the South edge of the wood. Both of them were supporting each other with a crossing fire accounted “A” Company, one killed and three wounded up to dark.

When the 3^rd Squad went into the ditch, one light machine gun had to support them as enemy gunners were shot down with the BAR and no more American casualties were accounted for.

Once enemy machine gun positions silenced, Captain Flannery and his men tried to push forward but were still under small arms fire and occasional 50mm mortar bursts until 0415pm when enemy artillery took over.

Advancing yard by yard, men were stopped fifteen minutes later, Captain Flannery wanted to have 60mm mortars to open fire on the enemy positions but he didn’t have a radio (radio was with 1^st Lieutenant Oland H. Dillworth “AAR Spelling”), Captain sent back a runner to have those mortars set up at the northern edge of Bois du Sablon. Mortars were set up precisely at the North about 250 yards behind the front line and did a pretty good job.

1^st 1^st Lieutenant Oland H. Dillworth - ©Friendsofthe79th.

This fight lasted about two hours, and the right flank moved up about 20 yards but some Germans began to yell “Kamerad” might be to induce the others to surrender, and six of them came out from their positions with their weapons…..and opened fire.

It was a smart move indeed without taking into account the BAR rifleman whom took an aim and stopped them. In the meantime, German medics were waving white flags to take care of their wounded, firing ceased for a shot period. 1^st Platoon was holding the line but it was impossible to bring up the rest of the company as room was not enough, so the other platoons were passing their ammunition forward the line troops.

At about dark it seemed fire started to stop, it was might be 0450pm or 0500pm, Lieutenant-Colonel Teague and Major Raymond E. Jess, Battalion Executive Officer, took the opportunity to go on a reconnaissance mission to the left edge of the wood to look over the ground. Despite dark, at this hour visibility was still good and it was possible to see, the rolling hills toward Saint-Georges and the valley of the Ruisseau d’Aspach at the northeast.

Lieutenant-Colonel Teague decided to send on platoon from “C” Company in action. That platoon would go around Bois du Sablon passing by the West and North in a circling movement to reach the East side of the wood and to take position on the road Saint-Georges – Hattigny road.

No fire was encountered during this movement, and the rest of the company joined them. By that time night was very dark, visibility was poor, “C” Company has unintentionally split up. Captain Albert J. Muehlman discovered that when he joined the Saint-Georges – Hattigny road, and had to wait for the rest of his men. Later in time, he understood that the point on which he was, was not the road but only a trail at the northeast of it. When the other half of the company made it, because of darkness didn’t regroup with the others but was on the road Saint-Georges – Hattigny road nearer to Hattigny.

Once everyone from “C” Company had go around Bois du Sablon, “B” Company who was 3^rd in line has been given the similar orders and to enter Hattigny just behind “C” Company. Word was received by “C” Company through radio to wait for “B” Company before to go to into town.

 Then Lieutenant-Colonel issued instructions by radio to Captain Wilbert F. Kniffel, commanding “D” Company to make contact with “A” Company in front of him and to take position with 3^rd Battalion. 1^st Battalion’s vehicles arrived at 0600pm at Richeval with the two-hundred and eighty-four radios, which allowed the battalion to make contact with the regiment.

 When “B” Company was moving around Bois du Sablon, Lieutenant-Colonel Teague, Major Jess and 1^st Lieutenant Norman E. Otto, S-2, were just behind them. When they hit the Saint-Georges – Hattigny road, all together stayed with the company and moved on toward Hattigny, meeting small groups of enemy soldiers on the way, dealing with them very easily.

Positions of the companies - ©IGN Map - 2022.

At the connection between the trail and Saint-Georges – Hattigny road, “B” Company spotted a German 81mm mortar position. Two gunners were killed, those guys were harassing “A” Company in the wood. A lot of enemy equipment was found on the right side of the road as a 75mm Howitzer gun, even a car. The last man in line, 2^nd Lieutenant Ither D. Malone (AAR Spelling) destroyed all three with hand grenades.

Normally, troops of the 2^nd French Armored Division were already in Hattigny, 1^st Lieutenant William J. Lomac, “B” Company Commander was looking for them and “C” Company had to be in front. All of the sudden the only men seen were Germans coming out from Hattigny which was burning to the ground. It was possible to know approximately how many Germans were in town thanks to the light from the fire. Sixty to seventy-five of them were observed thanks to the shape of the silhouettes on the high ground North of town.

Back in Bois du Sablon three companies of Germans were still preventing “A” Company to move forward, it was 06:30pm and the company had come two-thirds the way through the wood.

Battalion Commander called Captain Flannery by radio to explain him which was the situation, that “B” and “C” Companies were now approaching Hattigny. More important he told him he could stay in Bois du Sablon and to dig-in for the night or to make it to Hattigny. Captain Flannery replied: “I’ll get to Hattigny tonight come hell or high water if I have to fight the whole German Army”.

Wanted to clean up the wood once and for all and to re-group with the rest of the battalion, Captain Flannery assembled his 1^st Squad from the 1^st Platoon in the open area North of Bois du Sablon. Their job was to keep up their small arms fire, behind this fire the rest of company would have to follow and to use the cover from the squad to move forward.

Two men from the squad were sent along the North edge of the wood and have seen only wounded Germans, in the meantime rest of the unit was advancing in a column of two men, 15 yards apart with a five-yard interval while moving toward Hattigny skirting the wood. Men had to keep their mouths shut and their equipment quiet.

 (Note: Flanks were protected by one man from each squad.)

As the 1^st Squad was moving along Bois du Sablon the rest of “A” Company swung above and over the squad. Company commander left behind him two medics, two riflemen, two German medics taken as prisoners. By doing so, “A” Company had broken contact with the enemy, and moved forward Hattigny.

Four companies were still separated one from the other, having minor engagements in the dark on the road to Hattigny. Because of the dark men were coming from everywhere as fire, Germans were also confused by the situation as American troops.

When “B” Company started to come out from the woods and reached the area 500 yards away from it, German machine guns were firing on them from the high ground northwest of Hattigny at range of about 1000 yards. Because of darkness and confusion of the heavy fire, seven Germans get lost and found themselves in front of “B” Company, two were killed and others taken as prisoners.

This situation repeated couple of minutes later. But at one moment 2^nd Lieutenant Otto saw four men coming across an open field and asked them if they were from “C” Company. The answer came back in German, also asking the same question, those men were taken prisoners.

One prisoner stated that Hattigny was not under French control but German at that time. He also stated that three tanks were camouflaged in town. At 0800pm as the companies were still spread out, Colonel Teague used flashlight signals to bring them together as they were still separated one from another. Captain Muehlman got told by radio to signal his position, and made contact with “B” Company by falling back behind it. The Captain will use later the same technique, to locate the other half of his company.

(Note: Thanks to flashlight signals, Colonel Teague learned that “C” Company was 700 yards ahead of him at the North).

 While withdrawing behind “B” Company, Sergeant Patterson leading the patrol of “C” Company which had to make contact with them, met four Germans. He didn’t wait to open fire, killing two  and two others got away. Between Bois du Sablon and Hattigny at about halfway, “B” Company passed a small barn just South of the road, and at the southwest of the barn were two German 105mm Howitzer guns abandoned.

Positions of companies by 0900pm - ©IGN Map - 2022.

By 0900pm, “B”, “C” and “A” Companies had reached the road in that order. Even “A” Company was also confused because of darkness, as while they were approaching Hattigny on the Saint-Georges – Hattigny road. Private First-Class Duane Hemmingway (AAR Spelling) saw six men and asked for the countersign. Those men answered in Germans and an exchange of small arms fire took place.

On its way toward Hattigny one patrol composed of five men and let by Private First-Class Paul Hose got lost, but was very lucky thanks to a dog.

A friendly white dog according to Officers it was “a little white mongrel dog” had attached himself with “A” Company at Richeval. That dog went with the patrol, always staying 150 yards in front. According to the men the dog “has been trained to hunt Germans” as each time Germans were in the area he barked. Isolated the patrol spent the night of November 19^th to the 20^th alone and during the night dog’s barking saved the patrol from running into German positions.

“A” Company less the patrol used the light of the fire at Hattigny to move forward and hit the road again still halfway between Bois du Sablon and the town. Three companies were near Hattigny when all of the sudden at 0930pm a huge explosion occurred. It seemed that Germans were blowing up an ammunition dump. 2^nd Lieutenant Lomac from “B” Company sent his 2^nd Platoon to be first in town to scout out what happened, the road on which the patrol was drips down and around a cemetery.

First squad in town was under the command of Sergeant Richard F. Eaton, one of his hands was blown up by a booby trap and was the target of an enemy machine gun. Bazooka and antitank grenades were fired against the strong point, and two Germans with the machine gun trying to retreat were taken prisoners. Sergeant William H. Ward leading the 1^st Squad of the 2^nd Platoon went through the cemetery, Private Frank Bowlin (AAR Spelling) under the cover of a BAR ran into a building while under enemy fire. One man, a runner from the same company was not so lucky and got shot at the first crossroad. Hattigny was burning to the ground and almost completely wrecked.

By 1000pm everyone from “B” Company had come to the center of the town. From this point they went in all directions to clean up the place out. 3^rd Platoon took position on the road at the northeast, 2^nd Platoon on the road, southeast of it and 1^st Platoon the road southwest, and one squad in the main street. By 1045pm all platoons were in defensive positions and the Command Post set up in one of the last two standing buildings of the town.

Positions of "B" Company's platoons at 1000pm - ©IGN Map - 2022.

 (Note: All prisoners taken were brought in front of the Command Post and Lieutenant-Colonel Teague arranged for a perimeter defense of the town).

It was then decided to send “C” Company to the high ground southwest of Hattigny as a protection for the other US units fighting the Germans in the wood “Bois d’Hattigny”. “A” Company was also chosen to act as a protecting company and took position on the right flank of “C” to the North. 

“B” Company stayed in Hattigny to protect it against enemy counterattacks but had a bigger purpose, it had to cut the Hattigny - Bertrambois road.

While “A” Company was moving forward as a supporting unit for “C” Company, Captain Kniffel from “D” was following him, indeed, as he didn’t have any new instruction from Battalion Officers than to maintain contact with “A”, he had elected to follow that company without the Battalion Commander’s knowledge. By doing so, Captain Kniffel could see the 44^th Infantry Division fighting for Saint-Georges. Hell was the main word over there, tanks and artillery were turning that village into a graveyard.

By seeing “D” Company following “A” Company Lieutenant-Colonel Teague assigned them a defensive mission, to hold the road Saint-Georges – Hattigny by disposing men along it against enemy soldiers left behind in Bois du Sablon.

Captain Kniffel had to do an defensive mission but its heavy weapons were still with vehicles on the West side of Bois de Sablon on the road running from Blamont to Saint-Georges. Didn’t have its heavy weapons, the company deployed itself in a circular defense in an arc across the road with the Mortar Platoon taking position on the right from the cemetery to the road and the Machine Gun Platoon on the left.

Positions of 1^st Battalion to defend Hattigny - ©IGN Map - 2022

(Note: One section of the “D” Company’s mortar Platoon was attached to “C” Company. It will return under company control at midnight on November 19^th and was put in for defense behind the cemetery).

Around 1130pm a German Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101 with three soldiers came down the road toward Hattigny. Men opened fire upon it getting one who fell out of the vehicle on the ground. Kleines Kettenkraftrad out of control was still running before to end its race in a wall. Two others had the time to jump and run to safety in town before to be welcomed by “B” Company’s men.

For the rest of the night from the 19^th to the 20^th, Germans around Hattigny would be spotted as a group of three on the southern road. “B” Company wounded one who moaned the all night, the two others stayed where they were, those guys would be taken prisoners at dawn around 0700am. And one horse drawing an artillery gun, two horses hitched as a team drawing a supply cart and six Germans coming down the trail near the cemetery would be welcomed the best way according to “D” Company. The German riding the horse was called on to surrender but refused, causing his death and the taking of the five others as prisoners.

Because of darkness and the confusion which occurred some Germans thought that Hattigny was still theirs, at midnight a Captain, a Lieutenant and a Sergeant came out from the wood South of Hattigny went to the town and found out that the Command Post was not German but American. Privates Tanrich and Johnson who were on guard opened fire upon them. Private Tanrich had a BAR and got two of them, the Captain was hit and ran, Private Johnson as for him had an M1 Garand got him again. He dragged himself on 50 yards smashed his fields glasses, and threw his revolver away before he stopped.

During the morning of November 20^th, 1^st Battalion of the 314^th Infantry Regiment started to count how many prisoners it took the last day, forty-seven precisely. During Hattigny action, 1^st Battalion had three men who have been killed and six wounded.

Then the 314^th continued on its way toward Sarrebourg but more so German defenses had been broken.

For his action in Bois de Sablon with his company on November 19^th,1944, Captain James E. Flannery would be awarded of the Silver Star for gallantry in action. During the Korean conflict he was recalled and assigned to the CIA in Japan, then in 60's at La Paz in Bolivia, and Mexico city. He died on June 15^th,2005, from a lung cancer. 

Written by Pierre Fallet - Normandy American heroes