Fox Company
On This Day 78 years ago: The story of a German attack of Hell’s Highway
Sep
After Dan McBride’s third platoon returned from its duties at the division Command Post on Sunday, September 24, 1944, there was something cooking in and around St. Oedenrode. The Germans were getting a new attacking force ready, trying to seize the initiative, plunging their troops forward, and trying to regain a solid grip on the Allied logistic artery, which road would become known as Hell’s Highway. SGT Cox noted that day, “The enemy situation seems to be getting worse.” The enemy’s action as described by SGT Cox may have been a foreboding of what was about to happen.
Featured image: From LtoR: General Taylor (Commanding Officer 101st Airborne Division “Screaming Eagles” talking to 1SGT Cox of Fox Company (Picture: Courtesy of M. Bando collection).
The German assault
On that Sunday, the Germans made a final and successful attempt to seize and hold a position at Hell’s Highway to hamper the Allied progress towards their main target of Arnhem and they succeeded in an unexpected way. The German main attack failed in their center of gravity due to the incredible resistance of the U.S. paratroopers at Eerde. However, the assault by MAJ Hans Jungwirth’s Fallschirmjäger Battalion, whose initial task was to only cover the right flank of the main attack, did succeed.
The Deuce’s failed response
From their positions at St. Oedenrode, paratroopers of the 502nd spotted Jungwirth’s force approaching Hell’s Highway. By the time they were able to attack his force with two companies from Koevering and to intercept the Germans, Jungwirth’s men had already taken a firm hold of a segment of Hell’s Highway to the northwest of the town. The counterattack of the 502nd paratroopers was repulsed, and later that day the Germans succeeded in bringing in more paratroopers from Jungwirth’s Fallschirmjäger Battalion, along with three Jagdpanthers, under cover of the night. The crucial artery leading to Arnhem had once again been severed, a situation that may have helped to hamper the Allied forces from keeping hold of the bridge at Arnhem.
This is a short description of one of several battles at St. Oedenrode that is described in the book: From the Frying Pan to Mittersill, Fox Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (1942 – 1945). If you are interested in learning more about Fox Company, order your copy now!
