90 Infantry Division (USA) behind the lines near Klein Gerau

The 357th Regiment was immediately dispatched to the bridging site, crossed the Rhine on the afternoon of the 23rd, and was attached to the 5th Division until the remainder of the 90th arrived. By this time the enemy had begun to react to the disaster which had overtaken them.

The Luftwaffe flew sorties against the bridging site, bombing and strafing in a furious attempt to destroy equipment and personnel, to halt at all costs the endless swarm of troops across the German river.

Enemy artillery became active, and disorganized groups counterattacked continuously in an effort to contain the bridgehead. The 357th relieved elements of the 5th Division at once, and became involved almost immediately in a violent enemy counterattack of battalion strength.

The attack was finally overcome with 250 prisoners taken. The Regiment moved forward rapidly, brushing aside resistance as it went. The remainder of the Division crossed the Rhine via bridge throughout the day of March 24th and took its place in the line at once. The 4th Armored also effected a crossing, passed through the 90th's sector, and began a powerful lashing drive to the Main River to the north.

By this time, too, the enemy sensed that the war had reached its final catastrophic stage. Gone was the smooth-functioning war machine which had conquered an entire continent ; in its place was a milling mob searching hopelessly for an avenue of escape, praying for a miracle, for a secret weapon, even for peace. Here and there resistance was encountered, but it was confused and sporadic.

The enemy had little idea as to the location of the lines.

The 915th Field Artillery Battalion, in occupying firing positions near Klein Gerau, found itself in a fire fight behind the lines. A few rounds of direct fire on the enemy positions wrote "fini" to the fight in short order. Task Forces Spiess was reformed with the mission of taking the industrial city of Darmstadt on the Division right flank.

Little resistance was met in the city, and it fell in the afternoon of the 25th. In the morning, the 90th moved forward against a defense consistent only in its inconsistency. It was impossible to predict where the enemy might elect to defend.

On many occasions only a token resistance was offered, enough to salve the German conscience, to be followed by surrender. POW (Prisoner of War) cages bulged with captured Germans for whom the war was happily over.