tars and artillery. The effect of our fire on the Germans was not
observed and they did not counter attack. Artillery and mortar fire
was halted at 0800 and the enemy fire tapered off to occasional
rounds. At 1030 on 29 June a message was received advising that
one battalion of the 507th Parachute Infantry would relieve our
3rd Battalion from the MLR starting at 2300, and that one Battalion
of the 508th Parachute Infantry would relieve by infiltration the
1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry at l530 on a 900 yard front
on the southeastern edge of the BOIS DE LIMORS. This relief was
accomplished by our 1st Battalion by infiltrating squads into posi-
tion without drawing enemy fire. 30 June 1944 The 3rd Battalion was relieved by 2nd Battalion, 507th Para-
chute Infantry, on the MLR by 0140 and began its movement to the
division switch line position formerly held by the 1st Battalion.
The 3rd Battalion completed this move by 0354. At 0830 Division
ordered the 1st Battalion attached to the 505th Parachute Infantry
tactically, and the 2nd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry attach-
ed to the 508th Parachute Infantry tactically. At 1000 the forward
elements of the 1st Battalion were pulled back into the BOIS DE
LIMORS to permit an artillery concentration, which was fired to
their immediate front. The 3rd Battalion attached its mortars to
the 2nd Battalion in order chat they might be brought within range
of targets in front of the MLR. During the afternoon of 30 June
the mortars of the units were zeroed and desirable concentrations
were planned and prepared. 1 July - 2 July 1944 2nd and 3rd Battalions remained in the regimental sector and
held the RRL and Division switch positions respectively. On the mor-
ning of 2 July the enemy moved in close to the 1st Battalion posi-
tion on the left flank, threw smoke grenades and fired into the
smoke in an apparent effort to obtain prisoner-. At 1545 the after-
noon of 2 July the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were alerted for a move to
forward assembly areas in the BOIS DE LIMORS, in preparation for an
attack against Hill 131. 2nd and 3rd Battalion mortar platoons moved
into the woods," prepared fire data, and zeroed in on targets prepara-
tory to the attack. The Regimental CP moved to a new 'location in
the BOIS DE LIMORS. The battalions closed in the new area by 2000.
A message was received from division at 1940 stating that D day for
the attack against Hill 131 was 3 July 1944, H hour for the 8th Corps
0530, 82nd Division to attack at 0630. 3 July 1944 Following a fifteen minute artillery preparation the 2nd and
3rd Battalions jumped off in attack abreast at 0630, with the 2nd
Battalion on the right and the 3rd Battalion on the left, both passing
through the 1st Battalion, which defended the line of departure
(BOIS DE LIMORS). Initially the attacking echelons met stiff resis-
tance but the violence of their attack soon penetrated the German
positions. The 1st Battalion, which constituted the regimental re-
serve, assembled and made ready to move after the other two battal-
ions had passed through. The battalion mopped up several pockets
of German resistance by-passed by the leading battalions in their
speedy advance and occupied a new reserve locality around LA COTEL-
LERIE. By this time the leading battalions were approaching the
ALPHA phase line running along the high ground one kilometer south-
east of VARENQUEBEC and LA DAUDERIE after overrunning numerous
German positions and capturing scores of prisoners. At 0900 the
2nd and 3rd Battalions were on the ALPHA phase line. At 1100 the |
