US Schedule of all events during the Hammelburg Raid. The time data are based on actual details or on location-time estimation.

Time:

Location:

Djebel Lessouda (Tunisia)

Lieutenant-Colonel John K. Waters is captured. He is General Patton’s son-in-law. He is transported to Poland via Italy and captive in Schubin - OFLAG 64.

Schubin (Poland)

Moscow (Soviet Union)

General John R. Deane, Commander of the US Military Liaison Office, reports to Washington about the evacuation of the American officers from OFLAG 64. Captain Ernest M. Gruenberg and Lieutenants Frank H. Colley and John N. Dimmling managed their escape from the column and made it to Moscow. General Eisenhower informs General Patton, that his son-in-law is still alive and is moved to the West. Intelligence identifies Hammelburg as a possible destination of the transport.

10:00 Hrs

Camp Hammelburg

The American POWs from OFLAG 64 arrive at OFLAG XIII-B. Foot march from Schubin to Parchim (Mecklenburg) and a railroad transport in unheated boxcars lay behind them.

Luxembourg

Lieutenant-General George S. Patton Jr. calls Major-General Manton S. Eddy in his Command Post at Undenheim and orders an operation to liberate some 900 American POWs from a camp near Hammelburg. The strength of the force should comprise the Combat Command of an Armored Division.

12:30 Hrs

Aschaffenburg

The advance elements of Combat Command B, 4th Armored Division, reach Aschaffenburg. German Engineers can blow the road bridge over the river Main in the last moment.

14:00 Hrs

Nilkheim

South of the destroyed bridge, the Americans locate a undestroyed railroad bridge and take it at once. Elements of the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion and 37th Tank Battalion can cross the bridge and take the Bischberg. A first bridgehead at the east side of the river Main can be established.

19:00 Hrs

Bad Kreuznach

Major Alexander Stiller, a aide of General Patton, arrives with orders for the Hammelburg operation. General Eddy passes them reluctantly to the 4th Armored Division, which is in the best starting position for such an operation.

04:30 Hrs

Bad Kreuznach

General Eddy calls General Patton to get the Hammelburg operation cancelled. General Patton rejects all his arguments. He only accepts General Eddy's proposition to apply only a Task Force instead of a whole Combat Command. After the call General Eddy informs Brigadier-General Hoge,  the commander of the 4th Armored Division, about his discussion with General Patton.

10:00 Hrs

Bad Kreuznach

General Patton arrives by plane. Brigadier-General Ralph Canine, Chief of Staff des XIIth US-Corps, was ordered by General Eddy to anticipate General Patton's plan. As General Eddy was absent, General Patton called General William Hoge directly and orders the Hammelburg operation.

11:00 Hrs

Rossdorf

General Patton arrives with Major Stiller and gives General Hoge the orders for the Hammeburg operation.

14:00 Hrs

Großostheim

General Patton arrives with General Hoge and Major Stiller and orders Lieutenant-Colonel Abrams the Hammelburg operation. Lieutenant-Colonel Abrams wants to carry out the operation with his entire Combat Command, but General Patton insists on a Task Force only. The mission goes to the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion. A special Task Force has to be organized, which should be led by Lieutenant Colonel Harold C. Cohen, the Battalion Commander. But due to hemorrhoids he can´t.

15:00 Hrs

Bridgehead Aschaffenburg

General Patton and Lieuteant-Colonel Abrams arrive with Major Stiller at the CP of the 10th Armored Infantry Battalions. Supposedly General Patton inspects Lieutenant-Colonel Cohen´s hemorrhoids. He determins that he can´t lead the mission. Lieutenant-Colonel Cohen designates the S-3 Officer of the Battalion instead - Captain Abraham Baum.

15:30 Hrs

Bridgehead Aschaffenburg

Captain Baum has to report at the Battalion Command Post. In the presence of General Patton, Captain Baum receives the orders to lead the Hammelburg operation. Major stiller has to join the mission as an observer. Preparations begin to set up a special Taks Force.

16:30 Hrs

Gemünden

300 twin-engine Bombers attack Gemünden and the Railroad installations. After the attack, 65 death were recovered. The post office is also hit and all telephone connections are cut.

17:00 Hrs

Bridgehead Aschaffenburg

Lieutenant Okden, the liaison officer of the 37th Tank Battalion return from CCB´s CP. He informs Major William L. Hunter, the Battalion Commander, that elements of the 37th Tanks Battalion were ordered to join a special mission.

18:00 Hrs

Bridgehead Aschaffenburg

Lieutenant-Colonel Abrams and Lieutenant-Colonel Cohen arrive at the Command Post and instruct Major Hunter about the mission.

19:30 Hrs

Bridgehead Aschaffenburg

Captain Baum instructs the leaders of his Task Force about the mission and issues maps.

21:30 Hrs

Schweinheim

The supporting artillery of CCB fires for 30 minutes a barrage with 10 volleys on Schweinheim.

22:00 Hrs

Schweinheim

B Company, 37th Tank Battalion and B Company, 10th Armored Infantry Battalion attack Schweinheim, to break a hole into the German frontline. Due to heavy Germany resistance, this mission fails.

26 Mar 45

Monday

23:45 Hrs

Bischberg/Schweinheim

Captain Baum can't wait any longer. He orders to move out. He calls the attacking forces in Schweinheim and orders them to secure the important crossroads by tanks and infantry.

26 Mar 45

Monday

24:00 Hrs

Schweinheim

The column moves through Schweinheim. Order of marsh: light tanks M5A1, Jeeps, medium tanks M4, half-tracks M3, assault guns M4A3 105mm.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

00:30 Hrs

Schweinheim/R 8

The column has reached Bois-Brulé-Kaserne and heads to the East on Reichsstraße 8. There are small skirmishes with scattered German troops.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

00:45 Hrs

Haibach/Grünmorsbach

The column receives sniper fire by surprised German soldiers, which cause some casualties among the infantry in the half-tracks.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

01:00 Hrs

Straßbessenbach

Lieutenant William Weaver, platoon leader of light tank platoon, finds the intersection towards Reichsstraße 26 with the help of a German Civilian. Sporadic civilians come on the street to see the Americans. The soldiers give them cookies and cigarettes. Tanks knock down telephone poles to interrupt connections. Captain Baum wants to prevent telephone contact between the towns, to avoid alerting.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

02:00 Hrs

Keilberg

Without any incident, the column reach Keilberg on a secondary road.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

02:15 Hrs

Weiberhof

At the grange Weiberhof, the column reaches Reichsstraße 26 and heads East towards the Spessart.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

02:30 Hrs

Laufach

Task Force Baum stops at Laufach. Meeting with civilians.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

03:00 Hrs

Laufach

At the edge of Laufach, the column runs into a formation of German soldiers from a flight school at Schweinfurt. The column opens up on the surprised Germans, 5 Air Force soldiers get killed. A German anti-tank team can damage a M5A1 tank and the tank commander gets killed. The damaged tank is towed along. During the unplanned stop, there are some contacts between the German civilians and the Americans in the middle of the town.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

04:00 Hrs

Crossroad Siebenwege

After a drive on a steep road, the column reaches the Crossroad Siebenwege south of Heigenbrücken. The towing of the damaged tank cost time. The vehicle is abandoned there and the column continues to the East.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

04:30 Hrs

Reichsstraße 26 Spessart

Captain Baum orders the lead tanks to knock down the telephone poles. The closing infantry platoon has to cut the wires laying on the ground.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

05:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Bischborner Hof

The column reaches Bischborner Hof. On the training ground of the Labor Service Camp 4./285 "Walther vom Wasgenwald", German soldiers stand in formation. The column open up. The German encounter the fire. There are some casualties among the infantrymen at the end of the column.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

05:30 Hrs

TF Baum

Rechtenbach

Without any incident, the column reaches Rechtenbach.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

05:40 Hrs

TF Baum

Waterhouse Curve R 26

In the Waterhouse Curve, the column encounter a German truck. They opened up on the vehicle. A Hitler Youth boy is killed, the driver seriously wounded.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

06:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Lohr

Without any incident, the column reaches the German roadblock at the guest house "Felsenkeller". The roadblock hasn't been closed yet and the guarding Volkssturm man gives willingly information to the interpreter Irvin Solotoff, about the route through Lohr. The news about the advance of the column was circling around the civilians in Lohr. However German Engineers failed to blow the bridge over the river Main. Many scared civilians escaped over the bridge towards Sendelbach. The column heads down the main street and the soldiers fire along the house facades to depress Bazooka shooters. At the hotel "Zur Krone" a female Air Force auxiliary, which belonged to a German Staff, is killed. The column continues towards Sackenbach. At the edge of the town, near the soccer field stand trucks of the Todt Organization. The tanks open up. 2 Todt Organization members get killed, also 3 civilians. On their way to Sackenbach the also open up on some barges on the river Main.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

06:15 Hrs

TF Baum

Sackenbach/Neuendorf

Between Sackenbach and Neuendorf the column meets three Hungarian SS-Soldiers, pulling a hand cart. They are encountered and get killed.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

06:45 Hrs

TF Baum

Neuendorf/Langenprozelten

Between Neuendorf and Langenprozelten, the Flak-train from Gemünden is parked. the passing tanks open up, the following infantry is throwing termite charges into the concrete positions.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

07:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Railroad Triangle Gemünden

During the night, a troop train was parked in the railroad triangle. They trains waits to proceed to the North. The tanks open up, the German Soldiers attempt to escape over a field to reach cover in the nearby forest. 8 Navy Soldiers, who came from Greece, are killed. Radio message to the 4th Armored Division: "Tell Air of enemy troops marshalling yards at Gemünden".

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

07:05 Hrs

TF Baum

Intersection Gemünden/Burgsinn

At the forester's house Buchrain, the column stops and Captain Baum sends the recon platoon into town. A little later he receives the message, that the Sinn-Saale-Bridge is still intact, but guarded by the Germans.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

07:15 Hrs

TF Baum

Gemünden

Captain Baum orders a tank and a infantry platoon into town to take the bridge by surprise. In front of the bridge they run into a fire fight. Three tanks were knocked out in the Frankfurter Straße and the infantry platoon is captured almost complete. The German Engineers can blow a span in the last moment. The way ahead to Hammelburg is blocked. Combat results: 3 medium tanks lost, 3 killed, 18 wounded, 37 captured. On the German side 3 killed and also some civilians got killed.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

08:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Gemünden

Captain Baum orders retreat from the town. A German prisoner reports about a bridge at Burgsinn. Before the column continues, he calls for an air strike against the railroad installations at Gemünden.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

08:30 Hrs

TF Baum

Gemünden

One tank of Task Force Baum drives to the Zollberg and gives firercover, during the column moves towards Rieneck. The German Panzerjäger do not attack, because the have no cover.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

09:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Schaippach

Sgt Donald Yoerk receives the order to find a route across the Sinn River towards the Saale River. The road leads into a dead end. When the M5A1 tank, attempts to turn, its throws a track. Sgt Yoerk and his crew have to disable the tank an return.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

09:00 Hrs

CCB - 14th Armd Div

Bridgehead  Aschaffenburg

Combat Command B receives new orders and is relieved by elements of the 26th Infantry Division in the bridgehead.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

09:30 Hrs

TF Baum

Rieneck

The column reaches Rieneck, the civilian Anton Brückner was forced to join the trip for showing the route. Radio message to the 4th Armored Division: "Four Mediums lost. Two officers and 18 men wounded or killed. Proceeding."

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

10:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Rieneck / Burgsinn

Two further German soldiers get captured: Fähnrich Karl Kessler and Unteroffizier Friedrich Stübinger had to join the trip and guide the way. The tanks are ordered to knock down telephone poles.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

10:15 Hrs

TF Baum

Burgsinn

The tanks reach Burgsinn, the little bridge is still intact. After crossing the railroad, the tanks fire on a German military truck, which approaches from the north. Kessler and Stübinger guide the tanks to the "Roten Weg" which connects the village with the highroad to Gräfendorf. In a narrow curve at the edge of the town, a light M5A1 tank throws a track. The tank is blown and left behind. Some soldiers use this rest to search nearby houses. They can capture a German General, who had hide in a house.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

11:15 Hrs

TF Baum

Burgsinn/Gräfendorf

At the Hochstraße between Burgsinn and Gräfendorf, the column liberates a formation of about 700 Soviet POWs. Captain Baum can't take the POW with him, he advices them to hide in the woods until the area is finally liberated by US-troops. Radio message to the 4th Armored Division: "Location on the high ground between Rieneck and Burgsinn."

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

11:45 Hrs

TF Baum

Gräfendorf

Task Force Baum reach Gräfendorf, Fähnrich Kessler is relieved home, because his smarting wounds. Instead of him, Anton Försch a shepherd from Gräfendorf has to join.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

12:30 Hrs

TF Baum

Gräfendorf/Michelau

The column is spotted by a German Reconnaissance plane "Fieseler Storch". The soldiers open up with machine guns and rifles. It can escape undamaged.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

12:40 Hrs

TF Baum

Michelau

Just in front of Michelau, the column finds a small bridge over the river Saale. There is no more river between there and Hammelburg.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

12:45 Hrs

TF Baum

Michelau / Weickersgrüben

A M4 tank gets a engine damage and is left behind, the bow gunner commits suicide.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

13:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Weickersgrüben

In Weickersgrüben the column turn to the North by mistake and ends in the quarry at the Sodenberg - a dead end road. The vehicle have to perform difficult backward maneuvers to reach the main street. Anton Försch is replaced by Karl Stürzenberger, the innkeeper of "Grüner Baum". Karl Stürzenberger guides the column towards the Hainbuche.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

14:00 Hrs

US Air Force

Gemünden

The air strike, which was requested by Captain Baum earlier that day, arrives at Gemünden. P-47 THUNDERBOLD fighter bombers attack town and railroad installations.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

14:20 Hrs

TF Baum

Hainbuche / Reichsstraße 27

After hour long detours, the column finally reach the origin route. Karl Strüzenberger is relived because his wife is in labor. He advices Captain Baum to head to the East via the Military Training Area, that would be the shortest route. Captain Baum distrust the advice and heads on the Reichsstraße 27 towards Hammelburg.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

15:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Siebenschläfer Chapel R  27

The column arrives at the intersection to Camp Hammelburg in front of the Saale-Bridge. Suddenly German HETZER tank destroyers open up across the river Saale. During the following battle, the Americans loose 3 half-tracks and 2 Jeeps, the Germans lose 3 halftracks. Both opponents loose the extra fuel, when the transport vehicles get hit. The column continues towards the camp under the fire of the HETZER.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

15:10 Hrs

TF Baum

Obereschenbach

A half-track of the rear guard is attacked by a German JU-88 bomber. The plane drops 5 bombs. The rear guard receives no casualties, but some house roofs are damaged.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

16:10 Hrs

TF Baum

French Cross

The column reach the high ground near the camp. Captain Baum orders a direct attack on the camp.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

18:15 Hrs

Negotiator

OFLAG XIII-B

Lieutenant-Colonel Waters and a detail of 4 American officers walk towards the camp gate, they carry a white and an American Flag. A German guard, who is not informed about their mission, open fire and wounds Lieutenant-Colonel Waters seriously.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

18:30 Hrs

TF Baum

OFLAG XIII-B

The Americans overpower the German resistance. The camp fence is destroyed by a light M5A1 tank.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

18:40 Hrs

TF Baum

OFLAG XIII-B

Task Force Baum has occupied POW camp OFLAG XIII-B. Instead of 600 American POW, there are 1,500 POW behind the barbed wire. Radio message to the 4th Armored Division: "Mission accomplished. Request air cover."

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

20:30 Hrs

TF Baum

OFLAG XIII-B

Captain Baum and Colonel Goode attempt to order the upset POWs. The Task Force does not have enough space to take all 1,500 POWs back. the healthy and able-bodied POW can come along, Weak and sick POW must stay here. Who dares, can make it on his own.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

22:30 Hrs

Probe TF Baum

OFLAG XIII-B

Lieutenant William Nutto moves out with his probe. It consist of 4 medium tanks and 3 half-tracks. All vehicles are crowded with liberated POWs. He has to find a route to Reichsstraße 27 through the Military Training Area.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

23:00 Hrs

Probe TF Baum

Bonnland/Hundsfeld

Between Hundsfeld and Bonnland, the probe run into a roadblock. Captain Baum orders detour to the North.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

23:30 Hrs

Probe TF Baum

Zinkelsberg

Near the Zinkelsberg, the probe runs into another roadblock, which is guarded by German Engineers. Lieutenant Nutto pulls back towards the Schnieselt-Holz forest and then turns towards the Reussenberg.

27 Mar 45

Tuesday

23:30 Hrs

TF Baum

Camp Hammelburg

A light M5A1 tank at the top of the column gets hit. The column leaves the camp and moves to the Reussenberg farm, to wait for the recon results of the Lieutenant Nutto's probe. The vehicles are crowded with liberated POWs.

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

03:45 Hrs

TF Baum

Reussenberg Farm

Task Force Baum attempts another escape east of Höllrich. A half-track gets stuck in a trench and is abandoned.

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

04:45 Hrs

TF Baum

Reussenberg Farm

Colonel Goode and most of the POWs return to the camp, because the situation seems hopeless.

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

05:30 Hrs

TF Baum

Reussenberg Farm

Captain Baum orders to siphoned fuel from some half-track, to have reserves for the way back.

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

09:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Reussenberg Farm

Captain Baum orders the vehicles into marching formation and assembles the officers for a briefing at his Jeep.

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

09:15 Hrs

TF Baum

Reussenberg Farm

Captain Baum is entirely surprised by the sudden German attack. The assault guns attempt to blind the enemy with smoke. Radio message to the 4th Armored Division: "Task Force Baum surrounded. Under heavy fire. Request air support."

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

10:00 Hrs

TF Baum

Reussenberg Farm

When the German attackers moved up to 500 meters in front of the Reussenberg farm, Captain Baum orders to cease fire and furl a white flag. All able-bodied men escape into the forest and attempt to make it back to the American lines.

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

10:15 Hrs

10th Armd Inf  Bn

Babenhausen

The battalion S-2 half-track moves out for the vicinity of Aschaffenburg, to maintain contact with Task Force Baum.

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

17:00 Hrs

10th Armd Inf Bn

Herbstein

10th Armored Infantry Battalion receives a message, that Task Force Baum has reached the objective and returns with a large number of liberated prisoners.

28 Mar 45

Wednesday

19:00 Hrs

Cpt Abraham Baum

Hammelburg Area

Captain Baum, Major Stiller and Tech/4 Sidles are captured by a German soldier. During the capture, Captain Baum is hit in the leg.

03 Apr 45

Tuesday

14:30 Hrs

10th Armd Inf Bn

Nesselröden

10th Armored Infantry Battalion has not yet received a official report about the fate of Task Force Baum.

05 Apr 45

Thursday

14:30 Hrs

10th Armd Inf Bn

Gotha

10th Armored Infantry Battalion reports now officially 206 soldiers of Task Force Baum as missing in action.

06 Apr 45

Friday

16:00 Hrs

CCB - 14th Armd Div

Camp Hammelburg

Combat Command B, 14th Armored Division, liberates OFLAG XIII-B and STALAG XIII-C. In OFLAG XIII-B were 80 American officers left behind, among them wounded Lieutenant-Colonel Waters and Captain Baum.

06 Apr 45

Friday

18:00 Hrs

CCB - 14th Armd Div

Camp Hammelburg

Third Army assistant chief surgeon, Colonel Charles B. Odom, finds Lieutenant-Colonel Waters in the German camp hospital. He gets him evacuated in 2 Piper Cubs to Frankfurt in the 34th Evacuation Hospital.

07 Apr 45

Saturday

11:00 Hrs

34th Evacuation Hospital

Frankfurt

General Patton visits his son-in-law in the hospital. In a conversation he claims not having known about Waters presence at Hammelburg.

08 Apr 45

Sunday

11:00 Hrs

34th Evacuation Hospital

Frankfurt

General Patton visits his son-in-law in the hospital again he decorates him the Silver Star with Oak Leave Clusters. On the same day he is evacuated to the US-Hospital at Paris.

09 Apr 45

Monday

Camp Hospital

Camp Hammelburg

Captain Baum is back at the 4th Armored Division. He is treated in the 16th  Field Hospital at Gotha.

10 Apr 45

Tuesday

09:00 Hrs

10th Armd Inf Bn

Gotha

Captain Abraham Baum reports back for duty at the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion. During his mission he got wounded and captured and was finally liberated by troops of the 7th Army.

18 Apr 45

Wednesday

07:00 Hrs

10th Armd Inf Bn

Grüna

10th Armored Infantry Battalion receives message, that Captain Abraham Baum is promoted to Major, effective immediately.

27 Apr 45

Friday

06:00 Hrs

10th Armd Inf Bn

Weidenberg

Major Abraham Baum leaves for a 7 day leave to the French Riviera.

28 Apr 45

Saturday

10th Armd Inf Bn

Weidenberg

Following soldiers of the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion were decorated with the Silver Star for courage: T/Sgt. Charles O. Graham, S/Sgt. Patrick F. Quinn, PFC Ray H. Lasher, CPL John F. Selensky, Pvt. George R. Stevenson, Pvt. Robert L. Steggerda, and Pvt. John H. McCarthy.

29 Apr 45

Sunday

11:00 Hrs

14th Armd Div

Moosburg

Elements of the 14th Armored Division liberate the POW Camp OFLAG VII-B. Among the POWs were the bulk of the POWs from Hammelburg and the soldiers of Task Force Baum.

30 Apr 45

Monday

10th Armd Inf Bn

Weidenberg

Major Abraham Baum is decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for the brilliant leadership he displayed while in command of Task Force Baum.

06 May 45

Sunday

10th Armd Inf Bn

Hengersberg

Following soldiers of the 10th Armored Infantry Battalion were decorated with the Silver Star for courage: PFC Thomas J. Paddock (posthumous), Tech/5 Arnold Gugliemelli, 1st Lieutenant George W. Casteel, Tech/5 Frank J. Kandefer, 1st Lieutenant Allan I. Moses, PFC Joseph N. Jackson, 1st Lieutenant Elmer C. Sutton, PFC Herbert E. Reynolds, T/Sgt. John W. Bowen, PFC Irving M. Solotoff, T/Sgt. Ellis R. Wise, PFC Jack W. Stanley (posthumous), Tech/4 Alfonso D. Casanova, PFC Lawrence L. White (post hum), Tech/4 John W. Sidles, Lieutenant Norman E. Hoffner (OLC), CPL George H. Clarke Capt., Robert F. Lange (OLC) (posthumous), CPL Kenneth W. Young.

13 May 45

Sunday

10th Armd Inf Bn

Pole (Czechia)

Major Abraham Baum returns form his leave at Nice.

15 May 45

Tuesday

10th Armd Inf Bn

Pole (Czechia)

Major Abraham Baum returns to the USA.

To be continued