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The Third Battalion — 358th Infantry Regiment
On the 8th of November, the Regiment assembled in secrecy on the west bank of the Moselle River near Cattenom not far from the border with Germany. By daylight of the following day the battalion had crossed the river in assault boats, and begun the attack on the enemy's river defense. At the same time, the Germans woke up and plastered the entire river line with all the artillery they could muster. (Editor's Note: Click Here to read Pvt. Rocco N. Gedaro's recollections of Crossing the Moselle.)
The situation fast became critical. On the east bank of the river there were no vehicles, and all supplies were hand carried to to the fighting men on the line. Meanwhile, the once serene and peaceful Moselle broke into a raging torrent whose flood waters threatened to overrun the entire landscape. Intense enemy artillery fire inflicted numerous casualties on the troops and prevented the construction of a bridge almost as much as did the raging river.
Finally, the long fight against the mighty Moselle River ended when, on the sixth day the bridge was completed and vehicles and guns rolled across to the beleagured Regiment on the other side.
