Drought in Germany Exposing WW II Munitions-- Part 2: Getting Across the Rhine River at Remagen

The Siegfried Line stretched from the border with France to the Rhine River, which was intended as a natural barrier that would stop the Allied advance in the closing days of the war.  Consequently, a lot of fighting and bombing took place along the Rhine River.  

The Germans tried to blow up every bridge crossing to delay the Allied advance.

However, during the Battle of Remagen, a town south of Bonn, the Allies were able to capture the bridge intact and started crossing over into Germany as they overcome the last natural barrier.  After that, forces from the south and north were able to perform an encircling maneuvre onto the Ruhr Valley, capturing some 317,000 German soldiers between the cities of  Jamm,  Dortmund,  Essen and Duisburg.

The Battle for  the Ruhr Pocket, as it is known, lasted from 7 March to 21 April, when German  Marshal  Walter Model commited suicide instead of surrendering to the Allies.

The war in Europe officially ended  less than three weeks later, on, May 8.

--GreGen

Drought in Europe Exposing World War II Munitions on the Banks of the Rhine-- Part 1

From the August 12, 2022, The Mayor.

This week the City of Bonn, Germany, announced that die to the heat wave and  drought in Germany, that the  water level of the Rhine Rive had dropped significantly and as a result, old WW II munitions and grenades were exposed.  

The city is asking residents not to go walking in the newly exposed areas, nor pick up anything they find.  If they see something suspicious they are to contact authorities.

The City of Bonn was captured by the U.S. 1st Division between 8 and 9 March 1945 during the Battle of Remagen, fought between March 7 and 25. 

--GreGen

First U.S. Flag Carried Over Ludendorff Bridge-- Part 2

"To have the opportunity to have of that historical importance here at the Olympia Armory which is home to our State Guard, is really quite an honor," MG  McCarty says.

Corporal Gordon Galbraith survived the war and lived out his life in Greenville  where he held on to the flag.

Steve Roberts donated the flag said, "I am the brother-in-law of Corporal Galbraith and he gave me the flag when I was in high school.  So, I've had it since 1984.  I had it hanging on my wall and I just felt  like more people needed to appreciate it because I was the only one really seeing this flag and it meant  more than that.

The flag was restored and displayed by Carolina Conservation.

--GreGen

First U.S. Flag Carried Over the Ludendorff Bridge at Battle of Remagen Presented to SC National Guard

From the July 10, 2021, News 19 (South Carolina)  "Flag flown overseas in WW II donated to to state guard" by Emily Correll.

A piece of American history was presented in Columbia Saturday from World War II.  A torn and tattered U.S. flag that was at one of the major turning points of the Allied war in Europe.

According to Major General  Van McCarthy, Adjutant General of the South Carolina National Guard, "the flag  that was presented here  today was the first American flag that crossed the Ludendorff Bridge in Match 1944 as part of the Allied final invasion of Europe into Germany."

At the Battle of Remagen, Corporal Gordon Galbraith of Greenville, S.C., tied the flag to a stick and carried across the bridge under heavy German fire.  According to MG McCarthy, said that when Galbraith was asked why he did it, he replied, "I wanted to let them know that the Americans were coming and we're going to make things right."'

During the Battle of Remagen in Germany, Allied forces captured the Ludendorff Bridge over the Rhine River which the Germans had attempted to destroy to slow the Allied advance.

--GreGen