Uncle Jackie died on the 6th of July 1944. He was in Company C.

At this time, the 9th Division had driven across the Cotentin Peninsula to the coast and the drive toward Cherbourg had begun. To prevent the Germans from leaving or entering the peninsula was the mission assignment of the Regiment on the 18th. Following a 15 mile motor movement, the battalions moved into position during the 18th and 19th. During this operation, 66 prisoners, including 5 officers, were taken as they were attempting to infiltrate to the south through the 3rd Battalion lines.

The enemy immediately exerted pressure from the south in an attempt to break through to the entrapped forces in the peninsula. Simultaneously, other large groups were attempting to break out from the north and escape the trap. Sharp encounters resulted from these enemy efforts which were often supported by armor, as well as heavy artillery and mortar fire. On the 21st, the 1st Battalion engaged a force of 160 Germans attempting to break out to the south, and succeeded in accounting for the entire force, capturing 125 prisoners.

The Regiment remained in this position, holding firm against all enemy attacks and patrolling aggressively to the south, until the 29th. By this time, the entire Contentin Peninsula had been cleared and elements of the 79th Division, which had taken part in the siege of Cherbourg, moved to the south and relieved the Regiment from its positions. On the 30th, the Regiment closed into an assembly area near Houteville for a day of rest, the first since landing.

On the 3rd of July, the 90th Division attacked of the southwest with the 357th in Division reserve. Twelve additional battalions of field artillery were supporting the attacking elements, and the enemy was forced to give ground. On the 5th, the 357th was committed and began its advance on Beau Coudray, a small town whose capture was to develop into one of the toughest engagements to the entire war. It was

located forward of strategic high ground which dominated the entire area and served as a excellent observation post for the crack German paratroop defenders. The ensuing six days saw the type of slugfest which is so costly to both sides. The Germans had mined and registered in with mortar and artillery fire all the approaches to the town. Any movement brought down pulverizing barrages, and any coordinated assault was invariably followed by savage enemy counter-thrusts. Often the assaulting troops found themselves face to face with counterattacking enemy armor and infantry before they had had time to consolidate their gains and prepare any type of defense. During the 6th and 7th when the enemy launched a series of particularly heavy counterattacks which almost succeeded in carrying through to the rear areas, the mortar platoon of Company “M” alone fired over 6000 rounds of ammunition. Cooks, drivers, anti-tank and service personnel were organized into a provisional company and put into the line to plug up gaps between the seriously depleted battalions. By dark of the 7th, the combined remnants of companies “C” and “K” had repulsed a total of 14 counterattacks supported by tanks during the day. Hand to hand fighting was raging in the “I” and “L” Company areas. These companies were surrounded and cut off from the rear and were being attacked from all sides. Lack of ammunition finally forced the surrender of the major part of these units.

On the 11th, the 2nd Battalion launched a flanking attack to the southeast, breached the enemy defenses and drove ahead 500 yards. Pressure applied on three sides forced the enemy to withdraw completely during the night of the 11th. This engagement had so weakened the enemy that a withdrawal from ground which he could not afford to lose was necessitated. By the same measure, this was the most costly engagement of the war for the 357th. During the six bloody days a total of 851 casualties, including 166 dead, were sustained by the Regiment.

Jackie E Woods