90 Infantry Division (USA) captured Nieder Uttfeld

The attack was resumed on the 18th with startling initial success. The enemy was caught literally asleep in his pillboxes. The 359th Regiment alone bagged a total of 400 prisoners, including one regimental commander and two battalion commanders together with their staffs. Quantities of valuable maps and documents were likewise taken.

Those Germans not captured awoke in the early hours of morning to find their positions long since bypassed and that they themselves were somewhere in the 90th's rear echelon.

Kesfeld was soon captured, but now the enemy had been thoroughly alerted and responded to the challenge with severe artillery and mortar fire, preventing further advances for the time being. The following day the advance was resumed.

Masthorn fell immediately, as did Neider- and Ober Uttfeld. It was not a beaten German army which relinquished these objectives one by one, it was hard-fighting stubborn, slugging army which struck back at every opportunity.

American air superiority was making itself felt, American superiority in equipment was dealing decisive blows, but nevertheless the enemy held fanatically to its ground and retreated only when the strongest persuasive forces was exerted by the doughboys and the tankers of the 90th.