Comes with C.O.A.

This incredibly rare and museum-grade WWII 1944 dated combat assault map was used by Lt. Gen. George Patton’s Third Army in 1944 as U.S. Infantry and Armored Divisions advanced from France into Germany. This extremely rare combat assault shows “RESTRICTED” German emplacements and strongholds in the area as Patton’s Third Army made their advance during Operation Undertone.

Operation Undertone, also known as the Saar-Palatinate Offensive, was a large assault by the U.S. Seventh, Third, and French First Armies of the Sixth and Twelfth Army Groups as part of the Allied invasion of Germany in March 1945 during World War II. A force of three corps was to attack abreast from Saarbrücken, Germany, along a 75-kilometre (47 mi) sector to a point southeast of Hagenau, France. A narrow strip along the Rhine leading to the extreme northeastern corner of Alsace at Lauterbourg was to be cleared by a division of the French First Army under operational control of the Seventh Army. The Seventh Army's main effort was to be made in the center up the Kaiserslautern corridor. In approving the plan, Supreme Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower asserted that the objective was not only to clear the Saar-Palatinate but to establish bridgeheads with forces of the Sixth Army Group over the Rhine between Mainz and Mannheim. The U.S. Third Army of the Twelfth Army Group was to be limited to diversionary attacks across the Moselle to protect the Sixth Army Group's left flank. Opposing commanders were U.S. General Jacob L. Devers, commanding U.S. Sixth Army Group and German SS General Paul Hausser, commanding German Army Group G. Significantly assisted by operations of the Third Army that overran German lines of communication, Operation Undertone cleared Wehrmacht defenses and pushed to the Rhine in the area of Karlsruhe within 10 days. General Devers′ victory—along with a rapid advance by the U.S. Third Army—completed the advance of Allied armies to the west bank of the Rhine along its entire length within Germany.

Titled “BITCHE” this combat assault is a very rare edition showing “DEFENSIVE DATA” compiled by U.S. aerail photographs and SECRET intelligence and is updated with the most accurate German defensive positions as of October, 1944. Marked “RESTRICTED” when being used in the combat area this rare map shows German bunkers, fortifications, MG emplacements, MRT. positions, artillery, and for the first time the famous Siegfried Line antitank ditches known as the “dragon teeth”. Marked “RESTRICTED” this U.S. combat assault map was specially made to aid U.S. Infantry and Armored Divisions in assaulting the Siegfried Line. On the map, you can see clearly the line of German antitank barriers, and reinforced concrete pillboxes and bunkers.

Historical Reference to the Allied Offensive at Bitche during WWII (1944-1945):

“As the U.S. XV Corps, consisting of the 44th Infantry, 45th Infantry, 100th Infantry and 12th Armored Divisions, approached the German border, in early December 1944, the Germans stubbornly delayed the advance by forming strong-points around key road junctions and at Maginot positions. The missed opportunity to end the war in 1944, after the fall of France, would be paid for in blood.  At Bitche, attached to the 44th, were the 749th Tank Battalion and 776th Tank Destroyer Battalion, and U.S. Army Aircorp P-47 units for bombing and strafing support. The assignment to reduce, capture and destroy this major (gros ouvrage) Maginot position was no picnic.  Simserhof was yet untouched, undefeated in 1940, and was defended by elements of the well armed and tough 11th Panzer and 25th Panzer-Grenadier Divisions.  Simserhof, a key defensive position in the German Siegfried Line, held the high ground and had to be taken in order to continue the advance into the Saar River plain and the Reich itself.  The fortress was world-class and proven.  And the Germans, always magnificent defenders, were now desperately fighting for their country and families. On December 16, 1944 infantry and engineers from the 44th Infantry Division, with supporting armor from the 749th and 776th Regiments,  clambered through the mine-fields, artillery and machine gun fire, to the thick walls of the most powerful fortress in the world.  The mission: capture Simserhof, part of the Maginot gros ouvrage fortress, the Ensemble de Bitche.”

“Making the army's main effort in the center, Haislip's XV Corps faced what looked like a particularly troublesome obstacle in the town of Bitche.”

“Bitche had been taken from the Germans in December after a hard struggle, only to be relinquished in the withdrawal forced by the German counteroffensive. On the army's right wing, Brooks's VI Corps—farthest of all from the Siegfried Line—first had to get across the Moder River, and one of Brooks's divisions faced the added difficulty of attacking astride the rugged Lower Vosges Mountains.”

“On the right wing of the XV Corps, men of the 100th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Withers A. Burress) drove quickly to the outskirts of the fortress town of Bitche. Perhaps aided by the fact that they had done the same job before in December, they gained dominating positions on the fortified hills around the town, leaving no doubt that they would clear the entire objective in short order the next day, 16 March.”

Siegfried Line:

The Siegfried Line combat assault by Lt. Gen. George Patton’s Third Army in late 1944 on the Saar River and Merzig was a critical battle in the closing stages of World War II. The battle marked a significant turning point in the war, as it represented the first successful breach of the heavily fortified Siegfried Line, which had long served as Germany’s primary line of defence against an Allied invasion.

The Siegfried Line was a massive system of fortifications that stretched for hundreds of miles along the western border of Germany. The line consisted of concrete bunkers, anti-tank obstacles, and barbed wire entanglements, and was designed to slow down an invading army and provide time for the German army to mobilize and respond to an attack.

In late 1944, as the Allies continued their advance into Germany, Patton’s Third Army was tasked with breaching the Siegfried Line and pushing the German army back across the Saar River. The assault was a formidable challenge, as the Third Army was faced with a well-entrenched and determined enemy, as well as difficult terrain and harsh weather conditions.

Despite these challenges, Patton’s Third Army was able to achieve a decisive victory over the German forces in the Saar River and Merzig areas. The battle was fought with incredible ferocity and determination, with both sides showing remarkable bravery and resilience in the face of heavy casualties.

One of the key factors in the Third Army’s success was Patton’s aggressive and unorthodox tactics. Unlike many other military leaders of the time, Patton was known for his willingness to take risks and to think outside the box. He believed in the importance of speed and surprise, and he put these principles into action in the Siegfried Line assault.

One of the most notable examples of Patton’s unconventional tactics was his use of armored vehicles in the assault. He realized that the heavily fortified bunkers of the Siegfried Line would be nearly impervious to direct attacks by infantry, and he therefore ordered his tanks and armored vehicles to take the lead in the assault. This strategy allowed the Third Army to quickly break through the enemy’s defenses and establish a foothold on the other side of the Saar River.

Another critical factor in the Third Army’s success was the relentless determination of its soldiers. Despite the difficult conditions and heavy casualties, the soldiers of the Third Army fought on with incredible bravery and determination. They were motivated by a deep sense of duty and a desire to bring an end to the war and restore peace to Europe.

In the end, the Siegfried Line combat assault was a decisive victory for the Allies, and it marked a critical turning point in the war. The success of the Third Army in breaching the heavily fortified Siegfried Line paved the way for the final push into Germany and the eventual defeat of Germany.

The Siegfried Line combat assault was a testament to the bravery and determination of the soldiers who fought in the battle, as well as the strategic brilliance of their leader, General George Patton. It remains an important event in the history of World War II, and it serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by those who fought and died to secure freedom and peace for future generations.