Surrounded in the Hurtgen
The 330th at Strass

On December 10, 1944 the 3rd battalion, 330th Infantry Regiment swiftly took one of its objectives in the Hurtgen Forest battle: the German town of Strass. As the Germans realized what had happened they managed to surround our men throwing their full might at them in an attempt to retake the village. The citation for the Distinguished Unit Citation the men of the 3rd Battalion received for their actions describes in detail the situation they found themselves in.

HEADQUARTERS 83D INFANTRY DIVISION
APO 83, U. S. Army

GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 230
4 December 1945

UNIT CITATION

Under the provisions of Section IV, Circular 333, War Department, 22 December 1943, and as approved by the Commanding General, Third United States Army and Eastern Military District, the I h i r d B a t t a Ii o n, 330th Infantry is cited for outstanding performance of duty in armed conflict with the enemy from 10 December 1944 to 13 December 1944.

The Third Battalion, 330th Infantry, is cited for outstanding performance of duty in armed conflict with the enemy., On the morning of the 10th December 1944, from an assembly area near Grosshau, Germany, the battalion attacked with the mission of capturing and securing the town of Strass, Germany, and thus permitting the 5th Armored Division a place of debouchment from the Hurtgen Forest in its drive to the Roer River. Taking advantage of darkness, the battalion entered the town of Strass, completely surprising the enemy but when the enemy discovered the battalion had entered the town, intense resistance was encountered. The enemy maneuvered its supporting forces until it had sealed off the assault companies by completely surrounding the town. Despite constant artillery, mortar and MG fire, the Third Battalion threw back daily counterattacks by numerically superior forces of enemy infantry supported by tanks and assault guns. During the four day period which saw six battalion commanders in command, due to wounds or death incurred in action, the battalion displayed its superb fighting spirit by refusing to allow itself to be defeated. Without food for three (3) days and without sufficient medical supplies to treat the ever increasing number of its own and enemy wounded, the battalion never lost its determination to succeed in the face of what appeared to be a desperate and hopeless situation. During this period the Third Battalion lost 293 men killed, wounded and missing, while enemy suffered as estimated five hundred and fifty (550) casualties. Five enemy tanks were destroyed by our forces during this period. As a result of the outstanding courage and determination to succeed displayed by every fighting man of the Third Battalion, 330th Infantry, from the 10th through the 13th of December 1944, a strong enemy force was repeatedly driven from the town of Strass, which enabled the 5th Armored Division to execute its drive toward the Roer River and seal off the vitally important Roer River Dam area. The aggressiveness and superb devotion to duty displayed by the Third Battalion against overwhelming odds and under extremely difficult conditions merits much praise and is in keeping with the finest traditions of the armed forces of the United States.