The story
At 03:30 on March 28th the 357th and 358th Regiments crossed the Main in assault boats between Hanau and Offenbach.
Though the crossing was expected by the enemy, little could be done to prevent its successful accomplishment. A battalion of Hitler Youth OCS (Officer Candidate School) defenders formed a thin line along the river with varying degrees of success and determination.
On the left the OCS men fought doggedly to prevent the 357th from expanding its bridgehead, but was unable to succeed in its mission. On the right, in the face of the imminent assault by the 358th, the OCS defenders solved their problem satisfactorily (to themselves, at least) simply by withdrawing and offering no fight whatever.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.