01/20/2025
At 1000 hours, directly in front of Companies I and Kâs position (which was behind the Lutremange-Lutrebois Road) 5 enemy tanks, believed to be Panzer IVâs and Vâs were spotted moving along the road. An artillery recon plane was sent up and reported not 5, but 15 enemy tanks were approaching the town. At 1041, the tanks began to fan out in formation to attack the town. An artillery concentration was fired on map location P569533. It was reported at 1120 hours that two of them had been hit by the artillery and a chunk of German infantry troops disappeared back into the woods. Not long after the reported success on two of the tanks, Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K noticed two tanks moving along their front (they believed Panzer Vâs). The 4.2 inch mortars were adjusted and fired on the approaching German Armor. It was a direct hit and one of the tanks instantly set on fire.
Richard Royal Rhodes was born on June 18, 1924 in Painesville, Ohio. Just 12 days after turning 18 years old, Richard would register for the draft. He would eventually be drafted, being inducted into the United States Army on June 17, 1943, in Cleveland, Ohio. He would train at Fort Bliss Texas, Camp Muroc in California, Camp Haan in California and Camp Carlson in Colorado. Upon completing basic training, he would be furloughed home in July and then be sent to Fort Meade in Maryland before sailing overseas in August of 1944. He would eventually ending up in Europe as a member of the 38th Replacement Battalion and would join up with Company K, 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division on September 24, 1943.
Private Rhodes would find the rest of Company K returning to a defensive position after being on the attack for 7 days straight. Their new assignment, and Pvt. Rhodes first, was to occupy a defensive position that stretched from Leyr to Fresnes.
At 0615 on October 8, an attacking force, consisting of several of the 35th Infantry Divisionâs rifle companies along with a tank and tank destroyer company, pushed through the 1st battalionâs (of the 134th Infantry Regiment) position and expanded the line north and seized Fossieux.
From October 12th until October 15th Company K and the rest of the 3rd Battalion, occupied the very right position of the line. Later on the 15th of October the entire 134th Infantry Regiment would be relieved by the 137th Infantry Regiment. Private Rhodes and the rest of the boys would be sent to Division Reserve which was at that time located in the area of Brin-Sur-Seille.
They would only be in reserve until October 24, 1944 when they were ordered to relieve the 320th Infantry Regiment (which was back to the far right sector of their defensive line). Their line would run in the direction of South from Foret de Gremercy on what was Highway N-74 (the main paved road running from Nancy). Company Kâs specific region was located in Chambrey.
They would continue to occupy these defensive positions until November 7, 1944 when they were all assembled and informed of their new mission. At noon, on November 9th, the battalion jumped off of their defensive sectors in a mission to take a hill located in the vicinity of (0732). They were able to advance on the hill with little to no enemy resistance. They would however take several casualties when they advanced through an enemy anti-personnel mine field. Finding no enemy here, they would continue to advance Northeast through Bois de Charmevaf. They would eventually, continue on to a hill numbered 310 (0824) and advance to the forward slope that allowed them to overlook the village of Coutures. They would set up positions here for the night.
The next morning, the 2nd Battalion of the 134th Infantry Regiment led the way to the high ground of Forest de Chateau Salins, with the 3rd Battalion following closely behind them. They battled numerous rounds of enemy artillery during their advance taking several casualties along the way. At noon the 3rd Battalion was assigned to take up a defensive position to the left of the 2nd Battalion (Area of 0930 on the map). Company K and the rest of the 3rd Battalion encountered a little bit of enemy resistance as they moved into position through the wooded area, when they finally reached their predetermined position, the enemy continued to shell the area with artillery.
On November 11th, the boys would be on the attack again, the 2nd battalion would attempt to take the village of Gerbecourt, while Pvt. Rhodes and the rest of the 3rd Battalion would continue to attack the high ground to their left. As they initially moved forward they faced small bits of enemy resistance, they would fight through and continue on before discovering dug in enemy positions in the afternoon (vicinity of 1030). Company L would be kept in reserve, while Company I took the right while Pvt. Rhodes and the rest of Company K would assault to the left. The enemy heavily defended their positions with the use of small arms, mortars, artillery and even tanks. After encountering this resistance, they planned up with the 2nd Battalion to coordinate a larger assault. By only 1530 hours, the two Battalions were able to successfully drive the N***s from their positions.
The men had reorganized from their attacks by 1600 hours, and just moments after, the 3rd Battalion would be informed of their new mission. They were to advance and push further to capture the next hill. Around a half an hour later Companies K and I were on the attack again. As Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K advanced, they came upon a farmhouse. Almost immediately they began to receive enemy machine gun fire. Members of Company K fired several bazooka rounds through the windows of the farmhouse, taking out the enemy resistance inside. Both companies continued to advance with Company I taking the hill first (most likely due to the pinned down situation that Company K faced at the farmhouse). Company K had trouble locating their sister company until eventually being advised by radio contact to fire and follow a series of friendly flares. The two companies would eventually be able to link up together and it was decided that Company L (that was in reserve) would advance and help carry much needed supplies to the men. When Companies K and I finally saw Company L (and one platoon of Company M) they were relieved to see them bringing resupplies of much needed ammunition, water, rations, radio batteries, communication wire, dry socks and bedrolls.
After a little rest during the night, on the morning of November 12th, the 2nd and 3rd Battalion would be on the attack again. This time Company L would take the lead. By mid morning, they would reach the edge of the woods (114316). They wouldnât encounter any enemy on the way here, but they would see lots of evidence that they had been here recently, and had suffered heavy casualties. They continued on, pushing through the open terrain before reaching the Hill of Metz (125325) by noon. Here they would find numerous defensive positions that had since been abandoned by the N***s. Once here they stopped to reorganize with the 2nd Battalion which was moving up on the 3rd battalion's right. Once talking with the other battalion, both would advance on the objective that was the town of Bellange, seizing the town and a nearby hill (143346) by late afternoon.
Private Rhodes would be with the rest of Company K, having just moments before taken up its positions to the rear and of a piece of land that stretched westward when the Germans began using their artillery and shelling the entire town of Bellange and the land that surrounded it. This shelling continued on throughout the night.
The men that lived through the night would awaken to a heavy snowfall and a new mission. The entirety of the 3rd Battalion was instructed to seize Rougemont, a large hill that overlooked most of the area. After this it was to continue pushing to the northeast on the right side of the highway. At 0750 hours American artillery began to shell the area that would be the focus of the day's attack before the men pushed on at precisely 0800 hours. As company L led the attack and approached the hill across the bare, snow-covered valley, the Germans fixed nearly everything at their disposal on the allied boys, inflicting heavy mortar fire on Company L. Company L pushed on and somehow quickly took the high ground. Now it was time for Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K to make it up to them. They would encounter small arms fire from its right, but would eventually successfully link up with the rest of the battalion. They were supposed to push on, but everyone had some questions as to where elements of the 4th Armored Division line of advance was, so the battalion was ordered to hold its position until it could be coordinated.
The 3rd Battalion held their positions on the hill, which is known officially as Rougemont, despite the casualty inflicting artillery, small arm, mortar and tank fire. The men that survived referred to this piece of landscape in the future as âbloody hillâ with fresh crimson patches covering the blank, white stillness that otherwise would have swallowed the land. Later after coordinating with the 4th Armored, the 3rd Battalions plan was changed slightly, they were to link up with the 2nd Battalion (also of the 134th Infantry Regiment) and push onto the high ground to the northeast of Achain (position 165365 on the map), they were able to move onto this piece of ground without much difficulty and after reaching it they stopped and dug in for the night.
When they awoke on November 14th, they found many of their fox holes and shell holes had taken on water, adding to the toll of already freezing temperatures, many of the men got frostbite on their feet. There were no hot meals, only rations, but at least this morning the men did receive some hot coffee. After somewhat of a breakfast they would learn that they would once again be on the advance. They were heading to the high ground named Lapotence which approached the key city of Morhange. As they approached towards the objective they observed a German tank on the right of their objective. The tank also must have noticed the American troops because it began firing on both the 3rd and 2nd Battalionâs positions. The 3rd Battalionâs Artillery Liaison officer directed over 40 rounds of 8 inch shells towards the tank. Other pieces of German armor were spotted around the area of Rode but they all retreated with at least one of the three confirmed tanks being eventually knocked out by 4th Armored.
A little after the tanks had left, the men of the 3rd battalion received orders to move on their nearer objective of Lapotence. As the Americanâs mortar and artillery finished shelling the objective, they laid a cover of smokescreen for the infantrymanâs advance. Many of the men attached their bayonets and approached the patch of woods that was at the bottom of the hill laying down a cover of moving fire from their rifles. Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K (as well as Company I) moved up on the left side of the hill and advanced directly to the crest of the eastward side of the hill, It was taken with little to no opposition as the Germans pulled back. All 3 of the companies on the hill dug in and made defensive positions for the night and planned their attack for Morhange that was to take place the following morning.
On November 15, 1944 Private Richard Rhodes would be pulled from the line and awarded his first Purple Heart. Somewhere in the previous days fighting, Pvt. Rhodes would take an artillery shell fragment in his foot and over the previous few days, it had become infected. After the army doctors fixed his foot up, most likely removing the fragment, he would continue to recover in an army hospital until December 6, 1944 when he would get to rejoin the rest of Company K.
When he found the rest of his battalion, they were taking up occupation of the town of Remelfing. Several observation posts from this town were used to watch the N***s on the other side of the Sarre River. While Company K were occupying the town, a good portion of the rest of the battalion were sending out reconnaissance patrols in an attempt to find the best site for the river crossing. The patrols found a partially destroyed railroad bridge; it wasn't the best, but it was thought that it should hold up to an infantry crossing. As the men were patrolling, the observation posts in the town were watching the Germans moving throughout their trench system, bailing water and attempting to get some naps in. Later in the day these posts welcomed the Battery Commander himself of C Battery, 161st Field Artillery Battalion, who personally directed the allied artillery rounds at the enemy. The âBattle Narrativeâ of the 3rd Battalion for the month states, âHis success in bringing fire upon the enemy positions as well as against enemy groups in movement was apparent throughout.â
Late in the night of December 7, the entire Regiment (minus two platoons) met up in I Companyâs position, which was the wooded, high ground overlooking the river. The entire column of all three battalions were able to cross on the broken railroad bridge without any opposition. By 0655 hours, on December 8, 1944, the entire 3rd Battalion reported having crossed the river successfully. After crossing the river, the 3rd Battalion was supposed to break away from the column, swing to the right and then head towards and attempt to capture Sarreinsming, which was the planned location of a Bailey Bridge. The leading elements, which was Company I, lead the way into the town taking the Naziâs by surprise in the darkness and capturing 60 prisoners and securing most of the town. As the sun began to rise Company K (and Company L) followed directly behind Company I, they began taking large amounts of small arms fire from several buildings (map location 528558). They were pinned down for most of the morning until around 0850 hours when some friendly tank destroyers fired their guns enough for them to advance under the cover of their fire. The buildings would then be searched and cleared out of enemy resistance. They were eventually able to link back up as an entire company in Sarreinsming. During the night, the engineers were able to construct a large support raft and they used this to resupply the companies of the 3rd Battalion.
On the 9th of December, the two companies were ordered to move ahead, to occupy Hill 271 (551552 on the map), once on this hill, they were ordered to occupy this hill so that it could not be used by the Germans as an observation site on the bridge site that they were conducting. Patrols were sent into the nearby Grand Bois woods where they found it to be occupied. The Bailey Bridge was completed later that night.
On December 10 the Battalion continued on its attack, the two companies (L and Private Rhodesâ Company K) moved up in a column to the edge of the wooded area that had been scouted the night before. They met the enemy in the woods and cleared them out before reestablishing contact with the 1st Battalion on their left. They continued on to the northeast before exiting the woods crossing the main highway, and reaching the high ground on the map (which is position number 555576). Once they reached this position, Company L and Company K dug in and took up defensive positions for the night.
The next day, the position of Company K and Company L was being bombarded by a heavy rain of artillery and small arms fire. Company I pushed through this position and led the attack into the town of Blies Ebersing, located along the Blies River. The men met little opposition against their advance. At around 2100 hours the battalion was informed that they had word from a civilian that the Blies river was able to cross in shoe-deep depths across a sandbar. At 2300 hours a plan for crossing the river and attacking was laid out to the men of the 3rd battalion. Company L sent a recon patrol and the first man that entered fell into water that was deeper than he was tall. This meant that their river wading assault plans would not work. These men were ordered to continue their attack. At around 0300 hours on the morning of December 12, 1944, 8 rubber boats were ordered to be brought forward by members of Company A 60th Engineers who would assist in the river crossing. Company L was to lead the crossing, set up a premier and then get Company K followed by Company I across the river before attacking Habkirchen. The Engineers had trouble getting to the boys of the 3rd Battalion on account of a road being blocked by a destroyed tank destroyer. They had to back up and find an alternate route to them, but they did arrive and unloaded the boats at around 0430 hours. The three Companies of the 3rd battalion gathered 1000 yards from the river crossing site. The boats were inflated and the ropes set in place. It was now around 0530 hours and the possibility of crossing in the darkness was looking bleak. The ground leading up to the river was an open meadow, and the ground on the opposite side of the river, that the Germans commanded, was the high ground looking down upon them. The sun was rising in the east and it was recommended that the attack be delayed, but this was not possible as the 1st battalion (who was attacking in coordination with the 3rd Battalion) attacked using assault boats and had already made it to the other side of the river.
As the men of Company L put their boats into the water, they immediately had trouble struggling their paddles against the current. Private Rhodesâ company commander ordered his troops (Company K) back to the edge of the woods in an effort to provide some kind of cover while they waited. Then a call was put into their artillery to send some shells of smoke forward to the high ground at map location 570592. 2-3 rounds of smoke were launched on their target before the men were informed that they had no more smoke available. As the sun rose more and more, the Germans saw the Americans trying to cross, the N***s opened up on the men of Company L with their machine guns and mortars. None of the men had been able to cross. They all pulled back to Blies Ebersing where they received instructions to meet in an assembly area in Folpersviller. They moved out in a column following the railroad track before reaching the town and taking up their respective areas.
At just 0200 hours on the early morning of December 13, the men of the 3rd Battalion were informed that their 1st Battalion brothers were receiving a strong counterattack as they remained in Habkirchen. They were then ordered to move as soon as possible to Fraunberg where they were to cross the Blies River via a footbridge. They were then to pass Habkirchen to the north, then move east across Mandelbach Creek before they were supposed seize the high ground at 5760.
As the men reached the footbridge, they found it damaged and in need of repair before it could be crossed, but time did not allow this So they attempted to cross by engineer assault boats. Company L crossed without problem but the engineers had problems getting the boats back. I Company was next to cross and were able to get leading elements across before they heard the screams and the sounds machine gun and rifle fire, and saw the flash and explosions from bazooka rounds. German machine gun fire began to rain on the crossing site, making further attempts futile. The 3rd Battalion men that had made it across grouped together and took up defenses in a building adjacent from where the 1st Battalion men were. Later on in the night, as the men that had crossed the river had battled on, the engineers were able to move up and repair the footbridge. Pvt. Rhodes and the rest of Company K then crossed to help in the defense of Habkirchen.
As the infantry fought from the buildings on the night of December 14, the engineers advanced and constructed a Bailey Bridge. Company K was ordered back across the river to make maneuvers for the high ground that was at map location 5760 from the opposite location. Company K was now temporarily attached to the 2nd Battalion and started to move south east. They crossed the river successfully in the area of Bliesbruch before moving up to the high ground to the northwest. They gained complete surprise of the enemy. They got so close that at one point while marching through enemy held territory an enemy platoon ran up feeling they had missed a march. They fought briefly before the majority of the enemy that had made their error were taken as prisoners. During the night, the bridge was finally finished allowing tank support to move up. The next morning the tanks rolled into the town where they found that the N***s had fled. The remainder of Company I moved up and reunited with their other platoons and Company L before moving forward and making contact with Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K at the southeast edge of Habkirchen.
They were ordered to continue the attack in the northeast direction. They advanced on their high ground and through a wooded area (574602) where they came under small arms fire. Company I and K attacked from the side where they were able to reach the far side of the woods before digging in defensive positions for the night.
The men were on the attack again on the morning of December 16. They moved out with the 2nd Battalion on their right. Their plan was to move throughout the wooded area (580610 map location), then turn east into the Bannholz Woods. From here they were supposed to link back up with the 2nd Battalion and together they were to move through the town of Rheinerwald. The 3rd Battalion moved out in the order of Companies, I then K and then L. They initially received no enemy fire or saw any activity but as they advanced further and further into their first wooded area, they started to receive heavy machine gun and tank fire. Tree burts were fired above their heads sending a rainstorm of splinters and wood chunks down upon them, in the addition to the lead. They would quickly come to realize, that much to their horror, the fire was from fellow Americans and was indeed friendly. A tank company that was supporting the 137th Infantry Regiment (which was attacking on the left side of the 134th) had fired a little out of its zone and accidentally fired into the 3rd Battalionâs position.
After the friendly fire incident had been figured out, the men continued on towards their objective with no modification. After the causality heavy morning Company I had 30 men and 2 officers, Company L had 11 men and 2 officers and Private Richard Rhodes was one of the 60 men (along with their 3 officers) of Company K, all together the 3rd battalion was barely more than 100 men. As they advanced and started into the Bannholz woods, the 3rd Battalion would make contact with the 2nd Battalion, link up, turn and start moving to the North. They wouldnât run into any German small arms, but at around 1730 hours they would come under the most intense artillery fire that they had experienced yet in combat. The fire was accurate and the casualties continued to mount. At 0839 the 137th started discussing plans for relieving the 3rd battalion. Company I and Company L were relieved and headed to an assembly area near Folpersviller around 1100 hours, but Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K would have to stick around as they wouldnât be relieved until 1530 hours.
Upon being refitted with some replacement troops, at 1045 hours on December 20, 1944, the 2nd and 3rd battalion would be ordered to the Battalion Command Post where they would be informed of their next mission. They were to relieve their 1st Battalion (along with elements of the 44th AIB) who were experiencing not only heavy artillery fire but also tank action to their front. They manned this line until 0950 hours on December 21, when they (along with the 2nd Battalion) received orders to move to a new assembly area. They started to advance in the waist deep snow through the woods to the northeast. They marched until they finally reached their area around 1300, which was on the far end of the woods. A platoon of medium and a platoon of light tanks had been attached to the 3rd Battalion for their attack and they took up positions along the north edge of the woods, where they could easily pass in front of the attacking troops for defense if needed.
On December 22 the men climbed aboard the tanks of the 16th Tank Battalion and rode them to an assembly area located in Hachiville. On December 23rd, the 3rd Battalion and the 6th Armored, now being called âTask Force Woodâ, advanced almost 6 kilometers to the northeast in an effort to occupy Basbellain. The N***s fired their mortars and artillery the whole advance and when they finally reached the town they continued to shell it. On the 25th of December the 3rd Battalion would be relieved by elements of the 17th Airborne Division before assemblIng in Hachiville.
They would be here until being ordered to relieve the 1st battalion of the 318th Infantry Regiment, which was in the map location of 555505. Here they were to help the 4th Armored Division who was attempting to capture the Arlon-Bastogne Highway. The men of the 3rd Battalion were informed by General Earnest of Combat Command B, that the town of Lutrebois was the key to capture the highway. Plans were made to attack In Regimental size through the woods and then swing to take the town the following morning.
The next morning, Company L would probe their front a little and hear a burp gun firing around 1000 yards away. At 0800 hours on December 29th, the attack would push off. They would head out in the Battalion order of 3rd, 1st and then 2nd. The 3rd Battalionâs column order would be Company L, then I and finally Company K. By 0945 hours the 3rd Battlionâs Company L had reached the map area of P565527. The mortar platoon that was behind the men then began to fire smoke towards the hill that was north of town to help provide some cover as Company L started moving into their objective town. They got closer to the town and began to be pinned down by enemy fire, and more smoke was laid. A machine gun platoon then sprayed covering fire so that the infantrymen could start to move into the town.
The town itself was basically one road running north to south with houses on both sides of it. Many of these were occupied by Hitlerâs fanatical fighters, each possessing their own stream of lead. A platoon from Company L was sent to probe Hill 540 (map location P5753) but German small arms forced them to withdraw back into Lutrebois. Company K (along with Company I) moved up their right side, which was east of the town (map location P571531), By 1600 hours, Company L would be dug into their positions in the town and the remainder of the 3rd Battalion (Companies K and I) would be set up at their location just east of the town. At 1850 hours, Company K heard tanks withdrawing along the road that was map position P573529. The night before the Commanding Officer of Company K was informed that 5 enemy tanks, 1 huge gun and 500 N***s (half of whom were wearing American overcoats, most likely captured during the Bulge) were in the area, in preparation a minefield was laid on the northern approach to the town and a tank destroyer platoon took up position at map location P556536.
At 0430 hours on December 30th, Companies I and K reported a counterattack against their position by infantry troops. Just 5 minutes later, coordinates were plugged in, and American artillery (confirmed with good visual results) destroyed the attacking force. Less than an hour later, Company L started to receive a counterattack in their sector and contact was lost with them by 0640 hours. In response, Company E (whom the 2nd Battalion had held in reserve) along with companies I and K tightened up their positions. The Germans continued to advance and sneak through the lines in some spots, in one instance even setting up a machine gun aimed at the command post and inflicting casualties.
At 1000 hours, directly in front of Companies I and Kâs position (which was behind the Lutremange-Lutrebois Road) 5 enemy tanks, believed to be Panzer IVâs and Vâs were spotted moving along the road. An artillery recon plane was sent up and reported not 5, but 15 enemy tanks were approaching the town. At 1041, the tanks began to fan out in formation to attack the town. An artillery concentration was fired on map location P569533. It was reported at 1120 hours that two of them had been hit by the artillery and a chunk of German infantry troops disappeared back into the woods. Not long after the reported success on two of the tanks, Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K noticed two tanks moving along their front (they believed Panzer Vâs). The 4.2 inch mortars were adjusted and fired on the approaching German Armor. It was a direct hit and one of the tanks instantly set on fire. While this was happening, the Tank Destroyer Platoon took out 4 more tanks in the area, and one of the German tanks disabled itself when it ran over a minefield. The tanks that were there with the 4th Armored Division also fired on the tanks attempting to take the town from the north.
At 1210 hours, it was reported that 6 out of the 7 visible tanks in front of Companies I and K were knocked out. 10 minutes later they boys hunkered in their foxholes as a group of P-47âs came in and fired on the German armor an assortment of machine gun rounds, cannons and rockets. After the air strike, Captain Campbell from Company K counted 14 tanks in the woods opposite the road, directly across from the 3rd Battalions position. 6 of these moved out and approached the roads, the men were ordered not to fire on the tanks and instead try to hide in cover. They had no bazookas, and rifles and machine guns they didn't feel were a fair fight against the German armor. The men of Company K fire upon the tanks anyways. The tanks started shooting their machine guns and firing a few rounds towards the men of the 134th in that location. They did this for a short period of time before turning and heading on down the road towards Lutremange. Allied supporting 155mm artillery was laid down upon the woods where the rest of the tanks were hiding, and on the road in the vicinity that the armored vehicles had just traveled.
Several hours later, it was decided that Companies I and K should come back to the ridge that was above the road (map position P564527). Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K were in the lead, and Company I was directly behind them, as they started to advance they started to receive machine gun fire, but they did successfully advance to their new position. Company K then tied in with the 2nd Battalion. They received machine gun fire from an enemy pocket (map location is in the vicinity of P557526) and their left flank was pushed back some but it had held through the night. Sometime after a 12 man patrol from 3rd Battalion was sent back towards Losange to determine whether or not it was a viable supply route. It was also decided that night that the 6th Armored Division was moving up to help their left flank where the hassasing machine gun bullets had been received. The patrol eventually returned and the next morning, every available Bazooka that the boys had close were gathered up and brought to the front lines first thing the next morning.
A captured map and some prisoners would reveal that the boys of the 134th had been battling the 331st Regiment of the 167th Volksgrenadier Division and the 1st SS Division. It was also stated by a prisoner of war that the Germans had used two battalions, an anti-tank company that was armed with 50 bazookas and 29 tanks.
The next day, on December 31, 1944, an allied counter-attack was in motion to recapture the town. As Company F of the 2nd Battalion advanced across the valley (the same one they attacked just prior to the rest of the 2nd Battalion) they ran directly into a rain of small arms fire and were almost immediately pinned down and began taking casualties. Artillery fire was ordered, and the 11, 60mm mortars from the 2nd and 3rd Battalion managed to fire 98 rounds in under a minute on the enemy. Later on that night the 31st Corps Artillery fired upon Lutrebois and the infantry and 5 enemy tanks that were reported in the town earlier were seen to be withdrawing, but by 0025 Hours on January 1, 1945 the German tanks and infantry were back in town.
At 1300 hours on January 1st, the 3rd Battalion again attacked towards Lutrebois. They were to bypass an enemy pocket located at the map position of P556526 and the 6th armored were to move up and take care of them to defend the 3rd Battalionâs rear. Company L was down to 25 men so they were held in reserve but Company K was headed towards the town with Company I on their left. At approximately 1500 hours, an enemy pocket that was along the high ground to the west of the town were engaged by Companies K and L in a fire fight. Company K advanced further towards the town which they were able to reach by nightfall. They came across an enemy anti-tank gun position at map location 566528, the men drove off the crew but as they approached the gun, they started to receive small arms fire, most likely from the crew that had fled. The gun, whether by the fleeing enemy or by the advancing American infantry, was eventually effectively destroyed. The men were ordered at 1800 hours to dig in, lay mines, and resume the attack at 0830 the next morning.
On January 2, 1945, at 0830 hours, the attack resumed as planned. Company I was to eliminate a nearby enemy pocket. Company L stayed back and provided fire support. After dealing with the resistance Company I joined Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K, and they entered the town by 0930 hours. Just 10 minutes later Company I would take 20 prisoners, and at 0950 hours the two companies would report machine gun fire on both their left and right flank. As they proceeded into town Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K who entered first, was held up by a machine gun nest in the very first house they came across. This obstacle was eventually cleared up when T/Sgt. Cunningham, who was a platoon leader, climbed onto the roof of the house and threw in several white phosphorus and fragmentation grenades, killing 26 of the Germans inside. The two Companies then began the long tedious task of cleaning the town house by house using mortars, grenades and the bazookas that were brought up previously and given to the men of the 3rd Battalion.
While this was happening the 2nd Battalion had advanced across the valley and attempted to send a platoon of medics to the men of the 3rd Battalion, but they were captured on the way before reaching them. At 1110 hours an artillery strike was requested on the northern half of the town that had yet to be conquered by the American forces, it arrived within the hour. After the artillery strike the 2nd and 3rd Battalions continued to clear the town, they would make it all the way to the stream that naturally cut the town in half. January 3rd, was very similar to the day previous, more artillery and then house to house clearing by the American boys.
On January 4th, the 3rd battalion snuck through the town until they reached the edge of woods where the 1st Battalion was also attempting to capture the woods from a different direction. They dug in for the night and planned to attack the following day.
On the morning of January 5th as the boys of the 3rd Battalion attempted to push into the woods, they were met with stiff enemy resistance by the well dug in enemy, eventually becoming pinned down by machine gun fire. The tank destroyers in their rear support role fired tracer rounds and the 3rd battalion helped adjust to target until finally the American 57mmâs opened up on the German guns. The fire did not destroy the guns, but it did permit the Americans to probe deeper into the woods. After meeting even more resistance, it was ordered for the battalion to pull out in preparation of some artillery to be laid down on the enemy positions. At 1100 hours American artillery, 4.2 inch mortars, machine guns, and tank destroyers fired upon the enemy position, raining down a hail of lead on the N***s until around 1150 Hours. Just two minutes later, the 3rd Battalion infantry was attacking the woods again. A 57mm gun would knock out an enemy machine gun nest, and a tank destroyer would kill and enemy tank, but by 1310 Hours, the infantry had advanced only 125 yards.
At 1510 Hours, the enemy, many of whom were wearing American wool overcoats, attacked the left flank of Company I and at 1640 hours attacked Private Rhodes and the rest of Company K. Both Companies of the 3rd Battalion eventually pulled back out of the woods and back to their previously held positions in the town. The wooded area was shelled heavily the night of January 5, 1945. It was somewhere in all of this chaos that Private Richard R Rhodes would receive a piece of shrapnel in his small intestines. He would be treated and transferred to the 16th Evacuation Hospital, and despite being listed as only lightly wounded, he would succumb to these injuries on January 17, 1945.
In 1948, Private Rhodes would be among the 244 bodies aboard the army transport ship Oglethorpe Victory, that were requested by next of kin for repatriation and reburial in their native state of Ohio. He would be buried in Montville Cemetery, located in Montville, Ohio.
