Chapter XXII
Week of DecisionFootnotes
1. The following is from: OKW Besprechung des Fuehrers mil Generaloberst Jodl am 31.7.1944. in der Wolfschanze; Der Westen (Schramm); Memo for Rcd, Warlimont to Eberbach, 3 Aug, Fifth Panzer Army KTB, Annex 248; MS # C-099C (Warlimont); Jodl Diary; OB WEST, a Study in Command, pp. 46-47; Bauer, Organization of the German Defenses in the West in the Fall of 1944 (1936-44). MS R-20.
2. OB WEST, a Study in Command, pp. 55ff; OB WEST KTB, 30 Jul, and Anlage 943.
4. Telecons, Kluge and Speidel, 1025, 1 Aug, Gersdorff and Helmdach, 1055, 1 Aug, Tempelhoff and Zimmerman, 1230, 1 Aug, AGp B KTB; Tempelhoff Telecon, 1220, 1 Aug, AGp B KTB; OB WEST KTB, 1 Aug.
5. Situation Maps, 3 and 4 Aug, LXXXI Corps Anlagen zum KTB, 1. Teil (Karten), 2.-24.VIII.44 (CRS 61 659/9); MS # B-741 (Ziegelmann); MS # A-894 (Gersdorff); MS # B-445 (Krueger); MS # B-179 (Hausser); AGp B KTB, 1 Aug; Hodgson, R-54 and R-58.
6. A corridor devoid of major natural obstacles, bounded by the Seine and the Loire Rivers.
7. MS # B-732 (Hold); MS # B-807 (Kuntzen); Msg, Seventh Army to LXXXI Corps, 3 Aug, LXXXI Corps Befehle H Gr u. Armee; Telecon, Gersdorff and Wiese, 0945, 4 Aug, LXXXI Corps KTB.
8. Der Westen (Schramm), p. 79; OB WEST KTB,entry 2330, 2 Aug, and Anlage 1030;Telecon, Kluge and Buttlar-Brandenfels, 1035, 3 Aug, AGp B KTB.
9. Telecons, Kluge and Buttlar-Brandenfels, 1035,3 Aug, Kluge and Eberbach, 1135, 3 Aug, and Kluge and Jodl, 1210, 3 Aug, AGp B KTB.
10. Telecon, Kluge and Hausser, 1615, 3 Aug, AGp B KTB; Kluge to Jodl, 1745, 3 Aug, OB WEST KTB, and Anlage 1068; AGp B Operationsbefehle, 3 Aug.
11. Msg, Seventh Army to LXXXI Corps, 3 Aug, LXXXI Corps KTB, Anlagen, Befehle Heeres Gruppe, Armee, usw, containing text of Hausser's order; Telecon, Kluge and Gersdorff, 1615, 3 Aug, AGp B KTB; Der Westen (Schramm); OB WEST KTB, 4 Aug.
12. TUSA Outline Plan, Opn OVERLORD, and Annex 1, Maps 4 and 5, TUSA AAR; 12th AGp Ltr of Instrs 1, 29 Jul; XV Corps Memo, Conf at the Office of the Asst CofS, G-3, TUSA, 281000 Jul 44, 29 Jul, XV Corps CofS's Jnl.
13. XV Corps Memos, Conf at G-3 Office, Hq Third U.S. Army, 281600 Jul, 29 Jul, and Conf at CP VIII Corps, 282000 Jul 44, 29 Jul, both in XV Corps CofS's Jnl; Telecon, Allan and Borders, 30 Jul, and Memo, Haislip to Col Pearson Menoher, 31 Jul, both in XV Corps G-3 Jnl; XV Corps AAR, Aug 44.
14. Memo, Goldstein for Menoher, 1 Aug; XV Corps Warning Order, 1000, 1 Aug. Unless otherwise noted, all sources cited in this section are from the XV Corps G-3 Journal and File.
16. Notes taken at G-3 Mtg, XV Corps CP, 0900, 1 Aug; Telecon, Haislip and Oliver, 2345, 2 Aug; Memo, Col Menoher for Maj Gen Lunsford E. Oliver, 2245, 2 Aug; XV Corps Warning Order, 1800, 2 Aug.
17. 90th Div Msg, 1 Aug; Memo, Menoher for VIII Corps, 1 Aug.
18. Ltr, Lt Gen Raymond S. McLain (Ret.) to Mr. John B. Spore, ed., Army Combat Forces Journal, 16 Mar 54, author's extract in OCMH Files.
19. 90th Div FO 17, 1 Aug, and AAR, Aug.
20. Task Force Randolph consisted of the 90th Reconnaissance Troop and a company of light tanks of the 712th Tank Battalion. Task Force Clarke consisted of the 3d Battalion, 358th Infantry (motorized), the 344th Field Artillery Battalion (105-mm. howitzers), a platoon of the 315th Engineer Combat Battalion, a company of the 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion, and a signal detachment.
21. Telecon, Gaffey and Menoher, 0845, 2 Aug; 90th Div AAR, Aug, FO 18, 2330, 2 Aug, and Intel Summary, 2 Aug.
22. 90th Div Msg (Sitrep), 3 Aug.
23. 106th Cav Gp Operational Map (3 Aug), VIII Corps G-3 Jnl and File;
24. Ltr, Gaffey to Haislip, 2 Aug; XV Corps AAR, Aug, Warning Order, 1330, 2 Aug, and Outline Narrative, 1-14 Aug.
25. VIII Corps Msg, 2 Aug, VIII Corps G-3 Jnl and File; VIII Corps FO 10, 2 Aug, and Sitrep 95, 2 Aug; XV Corps G-3 Notes, 2 Aug.
26. TUSA Msgs, 2 Aug, XV and VIII Corps G-3 Jnls and Files.
27. XV Corps G-3 Sec Memo and Notes of Mtg at G-3 Sec, 031400 Aug, 3 Aug; 83d Div G-2, G-3 Jnl and File, 2-3 Aug.
28. 79th Div AAR, Aug, and Tel Msg, 1030, 3 Aug, VIII Corps G-3 Jnl and File; Wyche Diary.
29. TUSA Msg, 1200, 3 Aug, and VIII Corps Msg, 2105, 4 Aug, VIII Corps G-3 Jnl and File; XV Corps G-3 Per Rpt 2 and Memo, 3 Aug.
30. XV Corps G-3 Per Rpt 2, 3 Aug, and Plan of XV Corps Defense Between Fougères and La Sée River, 4 Aug.
31. XV Corps AAR, Aug, and Warning Order, 1 Aug.
32. XV Corps G-2 Per Rpt 1, 2200, 3 Aug; 79th Div G-3 Per Rpt 37, 4 Aug.
33. COSSAC (43) 28, Opn OVERLORD, 15 Jul 43, SHAEF File GCT 370-42/Ops 'A,' Opn OVERLORD; SHAEF/17100/35/Ops, NEPTUNE, Summary of Jt Opns Plan, Phase II, 25 Apr 44; SHAEF/17100/35/Ops, NEPTUNE, Summary of Revised Jt Opns Plan--U.S. Forces for Phase II of Opn OVERLORD, 20 May 44, EUCOM Files, Box 3.
34. 21 AGp, Dir M-510, 10 Jul, Ltr, M-512, Montgomery to Bradley, Dempsey, Patton, and Crerar, 21 Jul, and Dir, M-515, 27 Jul.
35. SHAEF G-3 Div, Precis of 21 AGp's Appreciation and Plan (21AGP/20748/G (Plans)), dated 29 Jul, 4 Aug, SHAEF File 18008, Post-OVERLORD Plng, G-3 Plans; see 21 AGp Dir, M-515, 27 Jul.
36. Ruppenthal, Logistical Support, 1, 467.
37. Eisenhower to Marshall, S-56667, 2 Aug, Pogue Files.
38. 12th AGp Dir for Current Opns, 2 Aug.
39. 12th AGp Ltr of Instrs 2, 3 Aug.
40. Unnumbered Telg, Montgomery to CIGS (Brooke), 4 Aug, in Answers by British Historical Office to Questions by Pogue, Pogue Files.
41. Ruppenthal, Logistical Support, II, 7.
42. Telg, M-84, Montgomery to CIGS, 9 Aug, Pogue Files.
43. 21 AGp Gen Operational Situation and Dir, M-516, 4 Aug.
44. Compare the objectives enumerated in Ibid; 12th AGp Ltr of Instrs 2, 3 Aug; TUSA FO 1, 4 Aug (confirming verbal orders, 1 Aug), Ltr, Confirmation of Verbal Orders Issued 2 Aug, 4 Aug, and Ltr, Dir, 5 Aug (confirming fragmentary orders issued 4 Aug).
45. 12th AGp Ltr of Instrs 2, 3 Aug.
46. TUSA Ltr, Dir, 5 Aug (confirming fragmentary orders, 4 Aug); XV Corps Plng Paper, 2400, 4 Aug, XV Corps G-3 Jnl and File. Unless otherwise noted, all documentary sources cited in this section are from this file.
47. XV Corps FO 1, 4 Aug, and Conf Notes, 1130, 5 Aug.
48. Panel Conf Min, OCMH, 9 May 56.
49. Telecon, Kluge and Hausser, 2130, 1 Aug, OB WEST KTB, Anlage 1016; MS # B-807 (Kuntzen); MS # A-918 (Gersdorff); MS # B-725 (Gersdorff); MS # B-179 (Hausser).
50. Task Force Weaver consisted of the 90th Reconnaissance Troop, the 712th Tank Battalion, the 357th Infantry (motorized), the 343d Field Artillery Battalion, a company each of the 315th Engineer Combat Battalion and the 607th Tank Destroyer Battalion, a battery of antiaircraft artillery, and signal and military police detachments.
51. 90th Div AAR, Aug; see 12th AGp Immed Rpt 76, Aggressive Pursuit by a Task Force, 10 Oct.
52. Attached to the infantry regiment were the division reconnaissance troop, the 310th and 312th Field Artillery Battalions, the 749th Tank Battalion, a company each of the tank destroyer, engineer, and medical battalions, and the division air support party.
54. See XV Corps Rpt, 1800, 5 Aug.
55. TUSA Dir, 5 Aug (confirming tel orders, 1640, 5 Aug); 12th AGp Ltr of Instrs 3, 6 Aug.
56. XV Corps Dir to Div Comdrs, 1045, 6 Aug.
58. MS # B-807 (Kuntzen); MS # B-725 (Gersdorff).
59. 90th Div Mission Order, 1030, 6 Aug.
60. This column consisted of the Reconnaissance Troop (less a platoon), a platoon of medium tanks, a battalion of the motorized 357th Infantry, and an artillery battalion.
61. Colonel Barth's column included the motorized 357th Infantry (less a battalion), two medium tank platoons, a reconnaissance platoon, two artillery battalions, a tank destroyer company, a platoon of antiaircraft automatic weapons, and, as rear guard, a battalion of the 359th Infantry.
62. For his part in transforming the division and inspiring the troops during the above action, General McLain was awarded the Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster to the DSC. General Eisenhower later credited General McLain with making the 90th a first-class fighting outfit. Eisenhower to Marshall, 25 Aug, cited in Cole, Lorraine Campaign, p. 278.
63. 90th Div AAR, Aug; 12th AGp Immed Rpt 76, Aggressive Pursuit by a Task Force, 10 Oct.
66. The 90th Division, for example, sustained less than 300 casualties during the first ten days of August and took more than 1,500 prisoners. 90th Div AAR, Aug.