314 Infantry Regiment (USA) defending Neubourg
It snowed again on January 24 and it was now a foot deep on the ground. The temperature was well below freezing and many of the men occupied foxholes half filled with water and with a crust of ice forming on them. At 1800 the Germans began shelling the town of Schweighausen on the 222nd's right flank and then shifted the fire to Neubourg on the left. The shelling continued for nearly two hours, then there was a lull and it began again.
With it this time came the German infantry. The first wave bridged the narrow Moder with wooden planks and struck our positions simultaneously at Schweighausen, Bois d'Ohlungen and Neubourg. As the attack hit, the defenders opened fire with small arms, machine guns, mortars and artillery. The enemy retreated, reorganized and then came on again and this time was able to make a penetration between Companies E and K. The left of Company E's positions were overrun and although the Germans were behind them in the forest they remained in their positions and continued to fight.
Not until they had exhausted all but 35 rounds of ammunition did they start to withdraw and then they infiltrated back through the Germans to the regimental lines. Approximately half the men of the company were casualties. On the left of Company E, the men of Company K were forced to withdraw almost into Neubourg and on the right Company F fell back into Schweighausen.
For 24 hours the battle raged and although the enemy broke through the line into the woods behind it, never were they able to break out of the woods and never were they able to capture the towns of Neubourg and Schweighausen.
Enemy casualties were enormous. Wave after wave was cut down as they crossed the Moder and artillery rained on them in the woods.
Shortly after midnight the 1st Battalion was moved into the fight in the vicinity of Uhlwiller to aid Company G in containing the enemy in the woods. The 1st and 3rd Battalions of the 314th Infantry were ordered into the 222nd Infantry area to aid in protecting Neubourg and Sehweighausen. Meanwhile, the 232nd Infantry had been ordered up from Corps reserve to join in the attack.