9th Armored Division Capture of the Remagen Bridge Plaque
Details:
On the front wall of the bridge pier below the museum and next to another group of plaques
A brass inscribed plaque mounted to the stone of the bridge pier.
The plaque remembers the 9th Armored Division"Phantom" of the 1st US Army surprise capture of the Remagen Bridge on March 7, 1945. Combat Command "B" was commanded by Brig. Gen. William Hoge.
Presidential Unit Citation: Combat Command B, 9th Armored Division is cited for outstanding performance of duty in action from 28 February to 9 March 1945 in Germany. On 28 February, Combat Command B launched an attack from the vicinity of Soller and less than twenty-four hours later crossed the Erft River at Derkum, forcing the enemy into disorderly retreat, the unit headed south-east, reaching the heights west of Remagen on 7 March, where troops of the command could see the Ludendorff Bridge across the Rhine River with large numbers of German troops fleeing across it. At 1500 hours that day a prisoner was captured who revealed that the bridge was mined for demolition and was to be destroyed at 1600 hours. At 1535 hours, one column of Combat Company B reached the western approach to the bridge. The span was still intact. Although the destruction of the bridge was imminent, American troops unhesitatingly rushed across the structure in the face of intense enemy automatic weapons fire. An explosion rocked the bridge but did not destroy it. Engineers scrambled down the abutments, cutting wires leading to other demolition charges and disposing of hundreds of pounds of explosives by hurling them into the river. Bulldozer tanks, working under heavy artillery and small-arms fire, filled craters at the bridge approach to permit vehicular passage. Upon reaching the opposite bank, troops of Combat Command B fought gallantly and cleared the surrounding high ground. Although the strength of the span was unknown, tank units rumbled across the bridge after dark and lent their support to foot troops. Antiaircraft artillery men deployed their weapons so skillfully that in the ensuing days numerous enemy airplanes were destroyed in vain attempts to destroy the bridge. The superb skill, daring and esprit de corps displayed by each officer and man of Combat Command B, 9th Armored Division, in the dash to the Rhine, the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge, and the successful exploitation of this first bridgehead across Germany's formidable river barrier made an outstanding contribution to the defeat of the enemy.
Monument Text:
Symbol of the 9th Armored Division
DEN MUTIGEN UND FURCHLOSEN GEHORT DER VERDIENST
(TO THE QUICK AND THE BRAVE COMES THE REWARD)
7 March 1945
Engraving of the Remagen bridge
THE DARING CAPTURE OF THE LUDENDORFF BRIDGE AT REMAGEN GERMANY ON MARCH 7 1945 BY THE US. 9TH ARMORED DIVISION LED BY ITS COMBAT COMMAND "B" HASTENED THE END OF WORLD WAR IT IN EUROPE.
THAT HIGH DEGREE OF INITIATIVE, LEADERSHIP AND GALLANTRY-TOWARD WHICH ALL ARMIES STRIVE DISPLAYED BY THESE UNITS OF CCB, EARNED FOR THEM THE US. PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION (ARMY):
HQ HQ CO CCB
27 ARMD INF BN
52 ARMD INF BM
14 TANK BN
16 ARMD FA BN
CO B, 9 ARMD ENGR BN
TR C 89 CAV RCN SQRN
3D PLAT TR E, 89 CAV RCN SQDN
IST PLAT, CO F, 89 CAV RCN SQDN
CO C. 650 TD BN
2D PLAT RCN CO, 656 TD BN
482 AAA AW BN
DET 9 ARMD DIV MP PLAT
CO B 2D ARMD MED BN
ATTACHED UNITS
PRESENTED BY THE 9TH ARMORED DIVISION ASSOCIATION IN MEMORY OF ALL U.S.
SERVICEMEN WHO FOUGHT AND DIED SO VALIANTLY AT THE REMAGEN BRIDGEHEAD,
MARCH 7-17 1945
CAMPAIGNS
ARDENNES RHINELAND CENTRAL EUROPE
Commemorates:
People:
William Morris “Bill” Sr. Hoge
Units:
14th Tank Battalion, 9th Armored Division
1st Army
27th Armored Infantry Battalion
482nd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
52nd Armored Infantry Battalion, 9th Armored Division
9th Armored Division
9th Armored Engineer Battalion
Combat Command B, 9th Armored Division
Wars:
WWII
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