Bloody Christmas Hill WTO (id:#65420)

(Nor'easter Scenario Pack II ID: YASL 23)   [next]   [previous]

Mont de Sigolsheim - Hill 351, France 1944-12-26 (18 others)

Overview:

During Operation Habicht (Hawk) the Germans captured Hill 351 on December 14th. It had taken them three days to take the hill from the U.S. 36 Infantry Division, and they nicknamed it 'Bloody Hill'. Hill 351 commanded the surrounding valley, overlooking the towns of Sigolsheim, Kientaheim, Riquewihr and Bennwihr. The 15th RCT, 3rd Infantry Division was tasked with taking the towns back, but after entering Sigolsheim and taking heavy small arms, artillery and mortar fire from Hill 351, they knew the hill had to be retaken. Defending Hill 351 were 200 SS troops that were fanatic and given orders to hold to the death. The Americans launched attacks from Dec 24th to the 26th, with the last attack on the morning of Dec 26th stalled by ferocious artillery and mortar fire. The men of B Company had to dig in for cover only 150 meters from the crest line on the northwest corner of Hill 351. Then at noon Lt. Colonel Ware arrived with his S-3 and the commander of D Company and 25 men on what the Americans nicknamed Hill 351, Christmas Hill.

Defender: German (SS) (Kampfgruppe Braun attached to 198. Infanterie-Division)  

Errata (source)