Background Operation Lumberjack

operation lumberjack, 1–7 march 1945

during operation, u.s. first army controlled iii, v, , vii corps. iii corps had 9th armored division , 1st, 9th, , 78th infantry divisions attached. v corps had attached 2nd, 28th, 69th, , 106th infantry divisions attached 7th armored division, although 7th not committed operation , had transferred iii corps march 7. vii corps controlled 3rd armored division , 8th, 99th, , 104th infantry divisions.

during operation lumberjack, u.s. army s 9th armored division tasked mopping elements of german army trapped on west bank of rhine , prevent counterattack against ninth army s flank. secure region between mosel , duren-cologne , destroy german army s capability fight in area. first army seize entire region west of rhine. after capturing cologne, first army wheel southeast , join patton s third army. patton supposed capture eifel mountains , mosel valley, trapping remainder of german seventh army in eifel area.

german forces

from north south, attacking u.s. forces confronted lxxxi (9th , 11th panzer divisions, , 476th, 363rd, , 59th infantry divisions) , lviii panzer corps (353rd , 12th infantry divisions, 3rd panzergrenadier division) of german fifteenth army, , lxxiv (85th , 272nd infantry divisions, 3rd airborne division), lxvii (89th , 277th infantry divisions), , lxvi corps (5th airborne division) of german fifth panzer army. on 75,000 german troops on western banks of bridge. escape route across ludendorff bridge.

written permission required destroy bridge because on 14–15 october 1944, american bomb had struck mulheim bridge in cologne , hit chamber containing demolition charges, prematurely destroying bridge. hitler angered incident , ordered responsible destruction of mulheim bridge court-martialed. ordered demolition explosives should not laid in place until last moment, when allies within 5 miles (8.0 km) of bridge. bridges should demolished following order in writing officer in charge, , last resort , @ last possible moment. order left officers responsible destroying bridges nervous both consequences if blew bridge , if failed blow @ all.