14-136 Garand Picture of the Day

[Snafu]

American soldiers aboard an assault boat huddle together as they cross the Rhine river at St. Goar, Germany, while under heavy fire from the German forces, in March of 1945. (AP Photo)

Information

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[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

No posed photo there.

[CINDERS]

Guy with the Thompson looks pretty composed but the chap at 10:00 o'clock he is none to happy neither would I heading into MG-42 fire and what ever else they used and to fall off is a one way ticket to Davey Jones locker with your kit on your back.

God bless them all........

[browningautorifle]

No posed photo

I agree...

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Any thoughts on why the two are up top seemingly exposed?

[Bill Hollinger]

Hard to say but isn't that the stern deck they are on? I don't know Higgins boats well enough to know the square end from the other square end

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LCVP_(United_States)
I think you may have nailed it. If it is a Higgins or similar craft with a front ramp the ramp may be affording some cover. Thus the hugging of the transom. 3/1945 most gone now I suppose vewing the photo I can feel their anixety so many years later. Brave lads all.

[browningautorifle]

If one starts a crossing and all is quiet, then there's a sudden burst or crack of a shot over head, it could result in this kind of reaction by those involved. There doesn't look to be much room down below either.

[Mark in Rochester]

Rolling W crossing the Rhine

Corp augmented the 89th Division with a Group of three artillery battalions to strengthen the fires of the Division's five organic artillery battalions. It designated the Corps 1107 Engineer Group of five Engineer battalions to support the 89th crossing by providing and operating the essential water lift (powered rafts, duks, assault boats, etc.). The engineers would also build a treadway (pontoon) bridge across. the Rhine between St. Goar and St. Goarshausen as soon as the tactical situation permitted. Further, the Corps provided the 748 Tank Battalion as a combat reinforcement Already attached since early March were the 811 Tank Destroyer Battalion, 550 Antiaircraft Battalion (AW) and Company A, 91st chemical Mortar Battalion.

Altogether, the Division plus supporting and attached forces numbered well over 23,000, men. This powerful augmentation represented Corp's judgment that a contested crossing of a great river line (the gorge of the Rhine, with its turbulent current, steep banks and close precipitous hills) represented a most difficult and perhaps hazardous operation.


Over a company and a half of 1st Battalion (Companies A and C) reached the east bank on the first wave. There was little resistance while crossing, but the men came under strong fire from the hillside behind Wellmich after getting ashore. Machine gun and 20 mm fire together with the swift current blocked their assault boats from returning to the west side – or any reinforcement. Prisoners taken here stated they had let the first wave get across easily, and then deliberately isolated it. Only after daylight could more infantry in strength be gotten across.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

Packed in like sardines for saftey not comfort. No problen believing the caption as to "heavy fire".