I collect war letters and diaries. I have a set of letters of a private with an anti tank company of the 30th infantry regiment. In one letter, after the German surrender, after lifting of censorship, he writes about a Winter battle in France. Various companies of the regiment were in a town. Private Jon Smedberg of the Anti Tank company was standing guard by a bridge, that the engineers had repaired. The other companies were supposed to leave the town, and come over the bridge. German tanks made their way through the town and over the bridge. Smedberg writes that a tank targeted on his foxhole, and he said in the letter that if he stayed in his foxhole, they would have been sending his dog-tags home with a condolence letter. He and other soldiers ran past the German tanks, retreating to the bridge, basically retreating towards the town. Smedberg later learned, that while he had initially stood guard at the bridge, when German army units approached the town, the French Civilians pointed out all the hiding americans. Some hid in water barrels, etcetera. Company K was wiped out. A pissed off Captain called in bombers, and the town was flattened. "not one thing or person left alive" says Private Smedberg, in the letter. MAIN POINT BEING: WHAT TOWN is Smedberg referring to, in his letter?. The letter is dated September 1945. He specifically refers to a battle "last winter." He says the battle was the FIRST and ONLY time that Patton's 3rd army was pushed back, by the Germans. Im really curious about this. I can't figure this one out!!! I am aware the 30th infantry regiment was still in France in January 1945, and crossed a bridge at a place called Maisson something. Thats my first attempt at a guess. thanks for any help that anybody can give.

Are certain that it was the 30th Infantry Regiment (IR)? The 30th IR was one the regiments of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) and the 3rd ID was never in the US Third Army during the war; they were in the Fifth and Seventh Armies.

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Best Regards,
JW

ILL CHECK MY INFORMATION. MEANWHILE, MAYBE SOMEONE CAN STILL ANSWER THE QUESTION WITH THE OTHER INFO GIVEN. WHAT TOWN IN FRANCE WAS THE SITE OF THE 3RD ARMY BEING PUSHED BACK BY THE NAZIS? ...NOT A QUIZ. I DONT KNOW. IM TRYING TO FIND OUT. THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE.

Could be anywhere. A company or platoon losing a village is a bit vague. To the author of the letter, it could seem important when it the broad scheme of things, it is a minor setback. If we can pin down a specific unit, we stand a better chance of locating the town, that is why I was trying to get strong idea of the unit.

BTW, please drop the ALL CAPS. In the forum world, it is considered to be yelling.

__________________
Best Regards,
JW

OKAY MY MISTAKE. IT IS 30TH INFANTRY REGIMENT OF THE 3RD DIVISION.