NARRATIVE OF ACTION
OF THE
FIRST BATTALIAN, 504TH PARCHUTE INFANTRY AT CHENEUX, BELGIUM

ON DECEMBER 20-21, 1944

     On the afternoon of December 20, 1944, the First Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry was ordered to seize and occupy the village of Cheneux, Belgium.  This order was given the Battalion Commander at Rahier, Belgium.  The Battalion Commander issued his order to the company commanders in the battalion defensive area at Rouge Thier, Belgium.  One company was to seize and hold the village of Brume, Belgium.  Two companies were to seize and hold the village of Cheneux.  The attack on Cheneux was to jump off from Rahier in a column of companies, the leading company deployed on either side of the road from Rahier to Cheneux.  The attack jumped off at 1400 hours after an approach march from Rouge Thier to Rahier.

     The leading elements of Company B, the lead company, met enemy resistance 500 yards east of Rahier.  The leading platoon deployed and attacked the enemy resistance, strength of about one squad armed with a MG 42, and drove them east along the axis of the Rahier-Cheneux road; one enemy was killed and one enemy captured.  The enemy fought a very vigorous rear-guard action inflicting casualties on our troops.  Our leading elements pressed a vigorous and aggressive action against the enemy along the axis of the road.  This attack was pressed for about 1,000 yards toward Cheneux until the forward elements of the leading company contacted the enemys main line of resistance.

     Deploying two platoons abreast astride the road, Company B, the leading company, initiated the attack.  The attack jumped off from the woods 400 yards from the enemy MLR.  The left platoon set up a base of fire to cover the right platoons advance.  The left platoon (base of fire) was engaged by vicious counter fire.  The right platoon was pinned to the ground by a devastating cross fire from two 20MM cannons, supported by two MG 42s.  Enemy SP mortar fire swept the two leading elements of the attack, killing six men and knocking out the companys radio.  Through the iron-bound discipline of the men and forceful leadership of the officers and NCOs, panic, disorder and confusion were prevented.  Not a yard of ground was lost at this point.

     The support platoon which had remained in the edge of the woods was ordered to envelope or turn the enemys right flank.  Since none of the forward attacking elements could move, this order was passed back to the support commander via person to person, word of mouth.  In the same manner, a captured 77MM self-propelled gun was ordered to go into position between the forward attacking platoons along the road and support the envelopment with fire against the enemy right flank, advancing 200 yards past the established base of fire from both platoons astride the road and the 77MM gun on the road.

     The enemy had placed breakthrough guns in depth on his left flank(our right flank) about 100 yards from his forward lines.  These breakthrough guns, one 20MM cannon and two MG 42s, supported by approximately one squad of enemy rifleman pinned the flanking platoon into a fixed position despite the vigorousness of the flanking movement.  The company commander attempted to make contact with his battalion commander and the supporting company commander of Company C but could not do so.  The decision was made to withdraw 200 yards to the edge of the woods as the present position was on top of a flat knob of land cut with innumerable barbed wire fences.  Artillery was support was ineffective due to ground haze and the general position was untenable until the attacking forces could be regrouped for another thrust at the enemys organized position.

     Platoons were withdrawn, one platoon at a time covering one another; the slight ground haze facilitated the withdrawal.  At this time a company runner reported that contact had been gained with Company C to our rear.  Company B was reorganized and setup a perimeter defense in the edge of the woods.  The company commander was called for a meeting by the Battalion Commander.  The time was now 1845 hours. The Company B commanding officer gave a brief resume to all company commanders, the Battalion S-3, and the Battalion Commander, outlining the enemy situation.  The commanding officer of the 504th Parachute Infantry was then contacted and given the situation.

     The commanding officer of the 504th Parachute Infantry then ordered a night attack against the enemy positions in the town of Cheneux.  The Battalion Commander ordered Companies B and C to attack abreast astride the road with Company B on the right and Company C on the left with two M-36 Tank Destroyers in support on the road.  The time set for the attack was 1930 hours with a ten-minute artillery barrage preparation preceding the jump-off time.  The companies were oriented and formed into four assault waves,  fifty yards in depth from each other.  The order was given, We will take that town!   During the organization of the battalion for attack, the enemy mortared the battalion assembly area incessantly and fired 75MM tracer shells into the area.

    At 1930 the battalion pushed off.  From the first, Company B suffered heavy casualties.  The terrain was flat for 400 yards giving the enemy perfect grazing fire with no cover for our attacking forces.  Company C attacking over flat ground through a system of barbed wire fences which vertical to our lines of attack.  At each fence their were casualties caused by men catching on this wire.

     In this attack all the officers and all but 28 of the men of Company B were wounded or killed.  It was only courage of the highest type that enabled these men  to attack across the open field.  They never once stopped to hit the ground, the kept coming in waves 50 yards apart.  There officers and NCOs were all gone.  Privates took over and kept the steady pace that demoralized the enemy.  At this phase, ammunition was almost exhausted.  In some squads, the leading ones, the men kept coming with trench knives and empty rifles used as clubs.  A private of Company C slipped to the flank of a 20MM Cannon and armed only with a knife climbed up and cut the gunners throat from behind.

     Staff Sergeant Walsh of Company C organized the remaining men on the right side of the road and charged another 20MM cannon.  They were stopped by the heavy wall of fire.  Staff Sergeant Walsh crept to within 20 feet of the cannon in an effort to knock it out with a grenade.  He was then wounded rendering him unable to pull the pin.  He crawled back to his men and had one of the men pull out the pin of the grenade for him.  He then crawled back to his former position despite his wound and knocked out the 20MM cannon with his grenade.  Staff Sergeant Walsh continued to lead his men until he collapsed from loss of blood and exhaustion.

     It was this courage of the highest type that typified the action of the Battalion throughout the battle.  Countless heroic actions remain unrecorded.  With two platoons of well dug-in enemy rifleman supported by grazing fire from four 20MM cannons and four MGs, the enemy inflicted severe casualties on Company C.  Despite these obstacles the men from Company C continued to advance with the will and determination that the Battalion Commander had earlier laid forth - Will will take that town!e

     Company C had now penetrated the enemy MLR killing about 20 of the enemy by sheer close-in hand to hand fighting.  The remainder of the two enemy platoons had fled into the town of Cheneux.  The commanding officer of Company C was wounded during this phase of the attack, and the Executive Officer took command of the company.  When he took the company over, there had been twenty casualties.  Mortar fire laid a devastating barrage on the third wave of Company C as it emerged from the woods.  In spite of this heavy fire, the company never faltered in its advance.  This advance had now carried the company a distance of approximately 400 yards from its IP.  Casualties of the company had know mounted to 70 with many killed.  Due to casualties leaving blank files in the assaults wave and the attack being conducted at night, there was general disorganization when the company had overrun the enemys MLR.  However, the three remaining officers of the original eight took immediate action to reorganize for the continuation of the assault.  The time was now 2200 hours.  The company had advanced 400 yards.

     In the meanwhile, Company B on the right side of the road jumped off on time organized into four assault waves; the last wave was too remain in the edge of the woods until ordered to move forward.  The ground over which they attacked was flat, gently sloping to the right.  Four barbed wire fences barricaded their advance.  The enemy employed three platoons of rifleman supported by four 20MM cannons and six MG 42s.  These weapons were so placed as to give murderous grazing cross fires.  Enemy self-propelled 81MM mortars constantly swept the area which the attack was made.  The first two waves were almost eliminated to a man, and yet the third wave did not hesitate in passing through them in carrying the assault onward.  The first two waves had not advanced over 200 yards from their jump-off point when the devastating enemy fire had cut them down.  The third wave let out a war cry and drove into the enemy positions.  Now a toe hold had been made on the edge of the town.  The fourth wave was ordered forward to continue the advance.  There were now no officers left in the company.  One of the Sergeants took charge of the remaining men in the company.  Company B had now also advanced 400 yards, suffering 60 casualties.  The time was 2200 hours.

    Both companies had thus now suffered heavy casualties, and though individuals were still fighting ferociously, there could be no coordinated fighting until our supporting TD fire could come forward to knock the enemy 20MM SP cannon out of the fight.  The enemy crew of the Sp could not be overpowered as the other enemy SP had been for there were neither the men nor the ammunition available to fight against it.  This enemy 20MM SP cannon was 200 yards down in the town of Cheneux and was playing havoc with the remaining men who were attempting to advance against it.  However, due to the intensity of this enemy fire, the leading TD either could not or would not move forward.  It was necessary for the Battalion Commander to act quickly and he did so.  He committed the entire LMG Platoon of Headquarters Company which was acting in reserve for either more manpower or armor support was needed to press forward the last phases of the attack. Thus at the same time, the two leading companies were advancing courageously through vicious fire, the LMG Platoon was also advancing.  The platoon advanced as far forward as was possible, set up their LMGs and opened fire against the SP cannon with the consequences of having five of their eight LMGs and their entire crews knocked out of action.  Thus the firepower of eight LMGs had not been sufficient and the Battalion Commander then ordered the leading TD to go forward.  The TD was led forward by two Parachute Infantrymen across the open, fire-swept terrain to a firing position.  The TD fired two rounds and destroyed the SP gun.  The attack could now sweep forward.  This action was still around 2200 hours.

     The remainder of the two attacking companies had now gained the edge in Cheneux.  There was general confusion in both companies, but the officers and NCOs who were left reorganized them quickly into one assault team.  The Battalion Commander then established a temporary CP ina knocked-out German half-track.  From here, he directed the combined efforts of the two companies.

     Shortly, the Battalion Commander and his staff moved into the town and established another CP.  The battalion was reorganized and deployed to ward off any possible counterattacks.  All able troops were utilized at this time.  The attached engineers in platoon strength were given the high ground on the left with Headquarters Company to their left.  The remainders of Companies B and C took up positions consisting of a line of outposts and strong points to the immediate front.  The right flank of this line was reinforced by the Headquarters Company machine gun section.  The time was now 2300 hours, and Battalion had definitely gained control of the town.

     Colonel Tucker, The Regimental Commander, came to the Battalion CP at 2300 hours to get the situation.  The Battalion Commander asked for another company to exploit the gains made so far by the continuing attack.    At 0200 hours, 21 December 1944, Company G of the Third Battalion arrived at the First Battalion CP.  An attack was organized and Company G jumped off at 0245 hours.  They suffered very heavy casualties from 20MM cannon fire, machine gun fire, artillery and mortar barrages.  Their attack was repulsed.  They were withdrawn and placed in the rear of the battalion defense area to create an all-around perimeter defense.

     For the rest of the night, the battalion was subject to harassing SP artillery and 20 MM cannon fire.  This was no aggressive action against the battalion for this period.  The Companies dug in and prepared for the inevitably certain morning counterattack.

     At 0745, 21 December 1944, the enemy preceded his counter attack with half-hour artillery preparation on our positions.  Direct firing tanks and SP guns supported the artillery, 20MM cannons ho?ed  the area.  The enemy infantry swung into an attack to retake the preciously vital and dominating portion of the town.  Our artillery and 81MM mortar fire swept the enemy assault and smashed the counter attack.  The 81Mm mortar fire knocked out a 20MM cannon.  Nothing was gained by the enemy through this attack which cost them many casualties.

     At 1700 hours the Battalion Commander ordered an attack on the remainder of the town.  The TD (friendly) systematically shelled the occupied houses causing the enemy to withdraw.  Our riflemen led the two TDs forward and destroyed the enemy as they retreated.  In the small arms fight which materialized, the remaining machine gun officer of Headquarters Company was killed.

     By this time, the town was firmly under the control as was the high ground above it.  Every inch of this ground had been taken by the First Battalion with their attachments in blood and sweat.  Company G, the reserve company, was committed at this time.  This company completely occupied the town and whet on of mopping up scattered snipers.  When this task was completed, Company G took up the defense of the town supported by the remainders of the two assault companies and attached personnel.  During the mopping up phase, one German medical officer and fourteen wounded enemy were captured.  The Battalion Commanders order had been fulfilled - - the town of Chenuex had been taken.

    There are unfilled gaps in this battle story, but those who have been in battle can fill in these gaps by presuming what is necessary for the successful conclusion of such battle - - those presumptions generally remain untold.  The medical aid men did a magnificent piece of work tending to the wounded on the battle ground still swept by fire.  The wounded men themselves know that every man was necessary to make the success complete due to the odds against which they were battling.  Consequently, they aided each other to the medical aid station.  There was not an able bodied man available in the first stages of the battle to help evacuate the wounded.  The work was done wholly by the aid men and the wounded themselves in a most meritorious manner.

     Only a unit tried and hardened to battle could have had such a chain of command which kept functioning as efficiently as did Lieutenant Colonel Harrisons First Battalion during those heroic 24 hours.  No one hesitated to take command as their superiors were killed or wounded.  The action of this battalion and attached units upheld the highest traditions of the United States Army.  It typified the spirit of the parachute infantry.

     The Division G-2 interrogated a prisoner of war who stated that five companies of enemy infantry had been annihilated by this attack.  Beside the loss of personnel, this attack eliminated - -destroyed or captured - - four 20MM SP cannons, one tank MK VI, to 77MM SP guns, two troop carriers, six half-tracked vehicles, one 105MM howitzer gun and many machine guns.

     From its initial phase, the attack on Cheneux had been boldly conceived, courageously led and gallantly executed to its bitter and successful conclusion by the officers and men of the First Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry as supported by Company G and comrades from other branches of the service.

Explanation of the letter abbreviations in the foregoing:
CP        Command Post
G-2        Intelligence (G is generally applied to a division and higher level command)
IP        Initial Point (perhaps more familiarly, the jumping off point in an attack)
LMG        Light Machine Gun
MG        Machine Gun
MK        Mark (German)
MLR        Main Line of Resistance
MM        Millimeter (0.03937 inch)
NCO        Non Commissioned Officer
S-3        Planning and Operation (S is generally applied to battalion and regimental levels)
SP        Self-Propelled
TD        Tank Destroyer