RHEIN / WESTERN FRONT
TACTICAL BATTLE

On 27 March 2004, American forces engaged a battle-hardened German enemy. The terrain was heavily wooded, with large hills, abandoned railroad grades, swamps and a large dam across the valley, similiar to what American forces faced when attacking the Rur dam area in 1945. The weather was warm, a heavy fog in the morning and the ground saturated from rains the night before. The Americans engaged the enemy on three occasions, almost always 'uphill' and succeeded in capturing their targets with heavy losses on each side. With over 60 participants fighting there was lots of heavy firing from machine guns and rifles. The Germans had superior fire power with numerous MG-42's and sub-machine guns. When the fighting was all done, several of us took part in an authentic German dinner and swapped stories about the day's fighting. A great time was had by all and we are all looking forward to another springtime offensive along the Rhine!

Order of Battle

American Forces	German Forces
5th Infantry Division	38th Pioneer Batt., 2nd Panzer Division
28th Infantry Division	9th SS Hohenstaufen Division
1st Infantry Division	916th Regiment, 352nd Grenadier Division
5th Rangers	5th Gebirgsjäger Division
101st Airborne Division	1st SS Adolf Hitler Division
99th Infantry Division	Luftwaffe Hermann Göring Division
29th Infantry Division	Ukrainian Waffen SS volunteers

EVENT PHOTOGRAPHS

GI barracks	GI Barracks	5th Infantry & Truck
GI group	Assembly area	Talking Shop
Smoke 'em if you've got 'em!	Safety checks	101st looking lost as usual
9th SS and their Jeep!	Read to Fight!	Private Curry, 5th Infantry
Take cover	5th Infantry patrol	Private Gilfert, 99th Infantry
5th Infantry chow time	MG-42 nest	SS fighter
5th Infantry's truck	SS armored vehicle	SS & Wehrmacht positions
Ukrainian SS volunteer	German counter attack	Frontschweine