In keeping with BB&Bers being the most intelligent and informed group on the Net...

History tells us that Allied troops first crossed into the heart of Germany on March 22, 1945 when American forces crossed the Rhine River at Remagen. That was the first planned, large scale invasion of Germany, true. But it wasn't the first actual entry into Germany by American troops.

If you saw the 1970's movie "A Bridge Too Far" you are familiar with the allied effort to forge entry into Germany, by flanking the German defenses to the north. This operation was named "Market Garden" and was the largest airborne operation in history, much larger than the airborne drops on D-Day a few months previous. Beginning on September 17, 1944 both American airborne divisions, the 82nd and the 101st, the British 1st Division, and supporting units, such as the Polish Brigade and a battalion of Canadians, were all part of 18,000 paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines designed to seize bridges all the way to Arnhem.

The 101st was assigned the southern most target, Eindhoven, the British 1st, the northern most, Arnhem, and the 82nd, the middle target across the Waal River at Nijmegen. At this point the German border was only 2 miles away. If you saw that awesome series "Band of Brothers" you are familiar with the 506th Battalion of the 82nd Division. In this operation, the 506th was assigned to cooperate with the 101st operating to the south. Three other battalions, the 504th, 505th, and the 508th were assigned the capture of the bridge at Nijmegen. The 505th was assigned to capture and hold the important heights at Groesbeck, a village two miles south of Nijmegen. And...across flat, open fields to a small creek which was the border between Holland and Germany. On the German side of that border there were no frontline troops. The Germans had never imagined this section of their border would ever be threatened...until American paratroopers suddenly appeared late in the afternoon on September 17, 1944.

German general, Kurt Feldt was ordered to muster what troops he could and attack the Americans at Nijmegen. He would have 3,500 soldiers, 1,800 of which were a regiment of WWI veterans, all in the mid-40's and some in their 50's. And these were his best troops. The others were new draftees, some kids 11 and 12 years old, and some were Luftwaffe personnel from a nearby German airfield, pressed into service as infantry. To his own surprise, as Feldt wrote after the war, his "motley crew" (his term) achieved initial success and captured the village of Mook, on the main road. The road the British 30th Corps was to use on its push to Arnhem. But, the crack troops of the 505th Battalion, veteran paratroopers, rallied and by noon on the 18th had retaken Mook and drove Feldt's "motley crew" back. But the WWI veterans, fighting to defend their homeland, and use to heavy combat, held on doggedly. American fighter-bombers, P47 Thunderbolts, the best airplane for ground attack in WWII, joined in the attack and most of the Germans melted away and retreated. The 505th had to root out the "old" German veterans in close up fighting.

By the next day, September 19, 1944, elements of the 505th fought their way across a heavily defended creek bed. It was brutal fighting. German machine guns raked the wooded area, inflicting casualties on the American paratroopers. The Germans simply wouldn't go away. One company of the 505th forced their way across the creek and flanked a line of machine gun nests. Usually when this happened, German soldiers would fall back, giving up their positions. But these wouldn't and each nest had to be attacked and knocked out, which the paratroopers did by using hand grenades. The 505th continued to press the attack, driving Feldt's units back through a thick forest until a small town was reached. This was Fredgen, Germany. American soldiers stopped a local citizen, a farmer, who was surprised by their appearance. He was able to answer some questions in broken English and French. He told them, Nine! this is Germany!

Only later did Company C, 505th Battalion learn they had crossed the German border and penetrated 4 miles in. They now realized why German resistance was so stubborn, they were fighting on their home turf.

This fighting was not all that important in the bigger picture. The bridge at Nijmegen was still being held by crack SS Panzer Troops, and soon the 505th joined their fellow battalions, and now tanks of The Irish Grenadiers, in a push to capture the bridge. The Americans would...with the 504th paddling boats across the river and attacking and taking the northern end of the bridge, while Irish tanks and American paratroopers took the southern end. That was the mission....that was the story.

Almost lost to history was the little tidbit of who really was first to cross into Germany. That distinction belongs to Company C, 505th Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division, on September 19, 1944.