With the end of the Battle of the Ruhr Pocket the 97th Infantry Division (Trident) was ordered to  the Third Army sector along the Czechoslovakian border.  Its mission was to protect the left flank of Gen.-Patton's spearhead, plunging southward toward the National Redoubt. The motor march was forced, and "Tridents" covered the 560 kilometers as rapidly as the problems of refueling and messing would permit, arriving in new operation area on 22-23 April after a very cold ride in open vehicles.

The major offensive action for the 97th was the seizure of Cheb (Eger) war factory, administration and commun-ications center, site of a large airport. Intelligence reports indicated that there were about 1300 German troops (and Hungarian artillery school and other little units) on US combat team front.

CHEB is one of the oldest towns in Bohemia. The first time it is referred to is in the year 1061 as Egire (celtic genesis: river Agara/later German: Eger). It became known by its Czech name as late as in 1322.

Finally, in 1322, during the reign of John of Luxemburg Cheb was given by Bavaria to the Czech kingdom in lieu of a sum of money whic it owen to Bohemia as a forfeit. It had a special status in the constitution of the Czech kingdom as an almost independent territory. In those days was the third most important town, after Praha and Kutna Hora, in Bohemia.

The most significant of Chebs history was assassination of generalissimo Albrecht Wallenstein, general of imperial army, in February 1634.

The Munich capitulation (1938) was followed by a loss of large areas of Czechoslovak borderlands for Germany. Hitler captured too Cheb for show. Cheb was strong centre of Nazi party.

During WW II US Air Force damaged high Cheb in March 25 and April 8, 1945.

At the end WWII due to the relocation of the German population zhe number of inhabitants fell, in 1950 from 45 000 to 18 350. The town of Cheb has today 32 000 inhabitansts.

Division headquarters moved to Wunsiedel, Germany, and the combat teams took up positions along the Czecho-slovakian border.  The 97th became operational under XII Corps, Third Army, April 23, 1945.

Two days later (April 25), 3rd Bn., 387th, jockeyed into position at dawn.  At 0900 the attack on Cheb got under way, spearheaded by Co. I, commanded by Capt.  Harold F. Selesky, Rochelle Park, N. J., and Co. K, under Capt.  John R. Wilson, Sikeston, Mo.

Doughs met strong resistance from mortars, machine guns, small arms, 88s and rockets as the  attack swept into the southwest section of the city.  Mine fields and booby traps also impeded the advance. But despite stiff opposition, doughs drove-ahead and by 1800, nine hours after the attack began, they were in the center of the city. Most of the enemy garrison defending Cheb withdrew before the advancing infantrymen. Only scattered sniper resistance remained.

That night was quiet until the hours before dawn when the 3rd Battalion Command Post in the village of Svaty Kriz received a night attack from an estimated force of 130 Germans.

For a short time the fire fight was brisk and the situation uncertain, but Germans captured medical detachment of 3rd Bn (officer and 32 unarmed medical soldiers). They also secured an officer and six soldiers from the edge of the woods on the west side of the highway at Svaty Kriz.

As it later developed, this was a diversion to cover the German withdrawal from Cheb.

Partial credit for the capture of Cheb goes to 2nd Bn., 386th, commanded by Lt.  Col.  Dale B. Lillywhite, Los Angeles. The 386th had been advancing only a short distance north of the 387th and along a parallel course. Before the 387th succeeded in penetrating strong defenses in the southwestern sector, elements of the battalion entered the city's northwest corner. One tank of Company "B" 782nd Tank Bn.(which supported 2nd Bn 386IR) knocked out by Panzerfaust on outskirts of CHEB. Three members of crew evacuated to rear station hospital. Two members of tank crew captured. This advance constituted's pincers threat.  As soon as contact between the two units had been established, the 386th withdrew from the city.

Direct artillery support for 387th troops was furnished by the 922nd FA Bn.The 775th, 771st and 731st FA Bns. supported both 387th's and 386th's advances.

Company "C" 782nd Tank Bn. engaged in battle at CHEB 26 April 1945. Destroyed several MG nests and riflemen in buildings and dugouts. On April 26 US recc. armored car killed German commander of city Major Geissler and all resistance in the city ceased. The burgemeister entered into negotiations for surrender. Cheb official captured 14:40. US soldiers liberated approxiamtely 2000 PW´s (Rusians, Poles and French) in Cheb area. German casualties were reported as 51 killed, 69 wounded (minimal, because more German wonded soldiers was evacuated), with 483 prisoners.

In somewhat less than two days the 3rd Battalion (enforced) had moved nine kilometers on foot, sometimes at night, to overcome opposition in a large city. Boys of Lt.Col. Dennis J. McMahon was fine.

The first detachment of Czechoslovak soldiers was stationed in Cheb. On April 26 it was Intelligence Team (1/Lt Tiller, S/Sgt Vaclavik and cpl. Fabian). Other Czechoslovak support units in CHEB with US Army were:  Slovakian company (Liberated PW´s from Slovak National Uprising - too since 26/4-45),  Czechoslovak Compound Troop from Czechoslovak Independent Armored Brigade from Great Brittany (since 1/5-45) and Column of Liberated Czechoslovak volunteers from Prisoners camp Creussen which combated with 14th AD US Army against Krauts in April 45 (in Cheb since 7/5-45).

The Allied command, for logistics reason, rejected the Czechoslovak request that Czecholovak ground and air units (in British uniforms) participate in the liberation of their country with US Army.

1st Czechoslovak Independent Armored Brigade (6200 men) was incorporated into the 21st Army Group headed by Marshal B.L. Montgomery. From October 1944 to the war´s end participated in the siege of heavily fortified Dunkirk (Dunkerque) with its strong but cut-off German defenders.

Only Marshal Montgomery agreed to send a symbolic, 140-men strong unit from the siege of Dunkirk which, on April 23, joined with the 3rd US Army and raised the Czechoslovak flag on its homeland border crossing on May 1, 1945 at Cheb.

At this point it is interesting to revert to an incident which occured on the first day of the attack. Brig. General Sherman V. Hasbrouck - Division artillery commander - had come forward in his jeep with his aide (and driver pfc. Leslie I. Brooke) to observe the bombing and artillery bombardment incident to the attack.

Owing to the blocking of the main road to Bavarian little city Hundsbach he had used forest trails, which he had found road-blocked in some cases. Eventually he reached an unguarded road block in the woods to the south-west of Cheb, which from the map appears to be just south of Czech village Dolni Pelhrimov. Since it was approaching time for the bombardment, the General left his jeep and driver Brooke south of the road block and with his aide set out on foot for the high ground to the north-east.

After observing the bombardment he returned to find that his vehicle and driver had disappeared. Upon ivestigation it was determined that the road block had been removed, the vehicle driven nortward through it in the direction of the German positions, and the road block then replaced. At this time General Hasbrouck was the recipient of small arms fire from the German side of the road block. He and his aide defended themselves with their pistols. Hearing the sound of our firing in the engagement at the railroad cut south of Cheb, he and his aide sensibly withdrew in that direction. they eventually reached the 3rd Battalion (387 IR) Command Post then half-way between village Svaty Kriz and the railroad cut.

General Hasbrouck was very much upset over the loss of his driver, whose fate he was bound to determine. Borrowing a rifle squad from a nearby company, he returned with them across the open fields to the vicinity of the vicinity of the previosly mentioned village, which was situated near a pond. Placing the automatic rifle team on the high ground commanding the village, he subdued civil opposition in the village and entered it with the remainder of the squad. His drivers°s carbine was located and he was able to determine that the vehicle and driver had been captured and were beyond roach. Today this is only an incident, but it was real and earnest then. "Boys from Trident" took pride in the fact that his division artillery commander was one of the few General Officers who had ever expended his twenty-one rounds of pistol ammunition with genuinely serious intent.

Cheb was the first major Czechoslovakian city to be liberated by American forces.  It was one of the 37 towns and cities that fell to 97th Division troops in the first two days of fighting along the Czechoslovakian border. The 27th of April passed without other incident save reconnaissance for the attack on the Cheb airfield.

Despite bad weather, which slowed operations in the entire sector, 3rd Bn.', .387th, made preparations to attack dug-in enemy positions. at the Cheb airfield. Company L of capt. Stanley Richard, had not been heavily engaged in the attack on Cheb. Consequently, this Company was selected for the mission with tanks and tank destroyers.

Following a 30-minute artillery barrage, supported by tanks from the 782nd Tank Bn. and by two platoons of the 820th TD Bn. 3rd Bn. attacked at 1500, April 28, 1945. For example Co C 782 Tk Bn destroyed two AT guns, two rocket projectors, several panzerfausts and four 20mm AA guns. Within a few hours, the airfield - was overrun and secured  with extremely light casualties to 97th troops. Company L had suffered only 16 casualties.

Minimum German losses were 30 killed, 74 wounded and 632 prisoners. In this action Capt. Richard had proved himself worthy of his prodocessorand was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action, because he received a wound in his right arm but had continued with the assault, disregarding his wound and the loss of his personal weapon.

On 29 April 1945 the Cheb area was turned over to the 18th Infantry Regiment of 1st Inf. Division (Big Red One) at 12.30 hours. Trident mowed to occupy the frontage other new areas on the Czechoslovakian borders (for example Rozvadov - Ples - Sv. Katerina). Battle of Cheb ended…

Imploringly from Czech republic:

Dr. Jindrich MAREK
Chudenicka 1068/1
102 00 PRAHA 10
CZECH  REPUBLIC

e-mail:  marek@vlada.cz
fax: 00420  2  231 36 93

A memorable moment in Czechoslovakia