354^th Infantry Regiment

The 354th Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Carson, Colorado, on July 15, 1942, and trained with the 89th Division during its conversion to a light division and return to standard infantry organization. It departed Boston on January 10, 1945, landed in France on January 21, crossed into Luxembourg on March 8, and entered Germany on March 10.

The regiment first fought in the Moselle operation. At 0330 on March 16, the 354th crossed in assault boats in the Bullay area with the 353rd, advancing on the division right toward Hill 409 east of Enkirch while the bridgehead widened for the 11th Armored Division. After clearing south toward the Nahe, the regiment took part in the March 26 Rhine crossing at St. Goar. German flares, a burning gasoline barge, machine guns, and 20-mm antiaircraft fire made the crossing costly; many boats were sunk or swept downstream, and Company E lost its commander and first sergeant when an antiaircraft round struck the command boat. The leading companies nevertheless reached the east bank, cleared St. Goarshausen, and by late afternoon carried the rocky heights near the Lorelei.

In April the 354th advanced through the Thuringer Wald with the division. On April 9 it cleared Georgenthal and Finsterbergen with help from a battalion of the 355th, and on April 10 it drove with the 355th to the Gera River at Rudisleben, Arnstadt, and east of Espenfeld. South of Kranichfeld it made slower progress while Task Force Crater pushed ahead to the Saale. After the division crossed the Weisse-Elster and reached the Zwick Mulde, the 354th joined the 355th in expanding the bridgehead, overrunning Zwickau, Wilkau, and nearby towns before the division halted.