where Seventh U.S. Army defensive lines were stretched taut by the length of frontage they had to cover. With the failure of Nordwind in late January, the 1st Army was first pushed back to the Siegfried Line and then forced to retreat across the Rhine River. From March 15 to March 24, 1945 during Operation Undertone, the 7th US Army on a broad front surrounded to the 1st Army near Kaiserslautern. However, when the Allies pierced the German fortifications, they were forced to retreat. Thereafter, the First Army made an ordered withdrawal to the Danube River, and later to Munich. On May 6, 1945, near the Alps, the 1st army surrendered to allied forces. Noteworthy individuals Commanders Chiefs of Staff Generalmajor Friedrich Mieth (26 May 1939 – 5 Feb 1940) Generalmajor Carl Hilpert (5 Feb 1940 – 25 Oct 1940) Oberst Edgar Röhricht (25 Oct 1940 – 16 June 1942; promoted to Generalmajor 1 Feb 1942) Generalmajor Anton-Reichard von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim (16 June 1942 – 1 Aug 1943) Oberst Gerhard Feyerabend (1 Aug 1943 – 10 Sep 1944; promoted to Generalmajor 1 Feb 1944) Oberst Willi Mantey (10 Sep 1944 – 7 Dec 1944) Oberst Walter Reinhard (7 Dec 1944 – 20 Feb 1945) Generalmajor Wolf Rüdiger Hauser (20 Feb 1945 – 8 May 1945) Organization Assignment and attachment to higher units 26 Aug 1939 Army Group C 27 Oct 1940 Army Group D 13 May 1944 Army Group G 12 Aug 1944 Army Group B 8 Sep 1944 Army Group G Order of battle See also 1st Army (German Empire) for the equivalent formation in World War I. References 01 Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945