Clearing Action in the Ruhr

Following the Rhine crossings in the U.S. First Army and Third Army sectors, German resistance in the Ruhr completely disintegraled. American armored divisions sprinted through weak forces, establishíng a bridgehead as deep as 60 miles in only seven days. Despite …

1945-04-05

W10

Following the Rhine crossings in the U.S. First Army and Third Army sectors, German resistance in the Ruhr completely disintegraled. American armored divisions sprinted through weak forces, establishíng a bridgehead as deep as 60 miles in only seven days. Despite this success it was still necessary to pocket German units to keep vital communications routes open. The American 3rd Infantry Battalion (reinforced) and 91st Armored Infantry Battalion (reinforced) were ordered to clear and secure two key bridges south of the Lahn river. German units. remnants of several divisions cut-off by the American advance, were dug in on the road connecting the bridges.

Ruhr, Germany

The Ruhr Pocket was a battle of encirclement that took place in April 1945, on the Western Front near the end of World War II, in the Ruhr Area of Germany. Some 317,000 German troops were taken prisoner along with 24 generals. The Americans suffered 10,000 casualties including 2,000 killed or missing.

Wikipedia: Ruhr Pocket

German

American