Operation Cobra
On 24-25 July, the 30th received one of the most devastating friendly fire incidents of the war. As part of Operation Cobra, an effort to break out of the Normandy hedgerows, US Army Air Corps bombers from England were sent to carpet bomb a one by three mile corridor through German defenses in preparation for the 30th to lead the breakout. However, Air Corps planners in complete disregard or lack of understanding their role in supporting the ground attack loaded with bombers with 500 pound bombs destroying roads and bridges and complicating movement through the corridor, instead of lighter 100 pound bombs intended as antipersonnel devices against German defenders.
Air planners also switched the approach of attack by 90 degrees without informing ground commanders, planners or units on the ground so a landmark road to guide the bombers to the bombing zone was miscommunicated as the point to begin the bombing run. Start point confusion was further compounded by red smoke signals that suddenly blew in the wrong direction, and bombs began falling on the heads of the U.S. soldiers. This happened on both days, with totaling over 100 casualties including Lt. Gen. Leslie McNair.
The day after the division relieved the 1st Infantry Division near Mortain on 6 August. The German drive to Avranches began shortly after. The 30th clashed with the elite 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, and fierce fighting in place with all available personnel broke out. The 30th frustrated enemy plans and broke the spearhead of the enemy assault in a week of violent struggle, 7–12 August. After the liberation of Paris, the division drove east through Belgium, crossing the Meuse River at Vise and Liège on 10 September. Elements of the division entered the Netherlands on 12 September, and Maastricht fell the next day. Taking up positions along the Wurm River, the 30th launched its attack on the heavily defended city of Aachen on 2 October 1944, and succeeded in contacting the 1st Division, 16 October, resulting in the encirclement and takeover of Aachen.
After a rest period, the division eliminated an enemy salient northeast of Aachen on 16 November, pushed to the Inde River at Altdorf on 28 November, and then moved to rest areas. On 17 December the division rushed south to the Malmedy-Stavelot area to help block the powerful enemy drive; the Germans' last attempt to win a decisive victory over the Western Allies. Again the 30th met the elite 1st SS Division Leibstandarte SS Adolf Hitler, and again broke the spearhead of their assault. The 30th Infantry launched a counterattack on 13 January 1945 and reached a point 2 miles south of St. Vith on 26 January, before leaving the battle and moving to an assembly area near Lierneux on 27 January, and to another near Aachen to prepare for the attack on the Roer River. The Roer was crossed on 23 February 1945, near Julich.
The 30th moved back for training and rehabilitation on 3 March, and on 24 March made its assault crossing of the Rhine. It pursued the enemy across Germany, mopping up enemy pockets of resistance, took Hamelin on 7 April, Braunschweig on 12 April, and helped to reduce Magdeburg on 17 April. The Russians were contacted at Grunewald on the Elbe River. After a short occupation period, the 30th began its return to the U.S. mainland, arriving on 19 August 1945. In 282 days of combat the division suffered 3,003 KIA, 13,376 WIA and 506 died of wounds.
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