Battle of Remagen Operation Lumberjack

during operation lumberjack, on 7 march 1945, when troops of u.s. army s 9th armored division combat command b, 9th armored engineer battalion reached river, surprised see railroad bridge still standing. 1 of 2 damaged usable bridges on rhine (the other being wesel railway bridge). u.s. forces able capture bridge. rhine last natural line of defense germans hoped used substantially resist western allied advance. then, crossings had been limited small infantry reconnaissance patrols boat.

when word bridge still standing reached general william hoge, commander of combat command b, ordered 27th armored infantry battalion advance remagen support 14th tank battalion. after german demolition charges failed destroy bridge, u.s. troops captured bridge , in next ten days 25,000 troops comprising 6 divisions established wide beachhead on eastern side of rhine.