it wouldn't be long until they accompanied it. Roer to Rhine American tanks and infantry could stream into the Cologne plain thanks to American wins and advance in the Monschau region, near the Roer River, giving them a clear shot across the Rhine River into the heart of Germany. This thrust into German territory would include the 78th "Lightning" Division. On March 3, they left Kloister-Mariawald and traveled toward Heimbach, which had been heavily bombarded. The Company established itself on the outskirts of the town. Because of broken water lines, the streets were overrun entirely with water. The next day, while still a part of Combat Command "A" of the 9th Armored Division, they left Vlatten. They started an arduous day-long forced march to the unopposed cities of Wollersheim, Embken, Fussenich, and Geich. The Company spent the entire night in Geich before departing again in the early hours of March 5. Euskirchen, a sizable city, had been captured by the Third Battalion. Without a struggle, Zulpich and Elsig were captured. Fox received an unexpected reward when many boxes of cookies were taken from a store. Units of the 9th Armored Division were being held up between the Erft canal and Kuchenheim town. Fox Company had trouble crossing the canal because the bridge had been destroyed, but they eventually made it to a large factory where they waited for the promised tank support. Despite waiting for almost an hour, no tanks appeared. Snipers appeared to be firing from workplaces, homes, and fields all around. The first and second platoons, the third on the right, and the fourth in support were to be in the attack on Kuchenheim. Lt. Bowman exclaimed, "The hell with the tanks; we will take this damned town without them!" Fox had to finish the assignment, tank or no tank. There was just one route to the main point of resistance, about 200 yards over a wide-open field. A train track was on the left and parallel to their line of attack. Along this track, several enemies were dug in; Fox company suffered severe casualties before these threats were eliminated. A few yards from the factory, Lt. Roger T. Duncan was wounded. 2nd Platoon suffered significant casualties; Pfcs William T. Puhl and Daniel G. Dailey were fatally wounded, and S-Sgt Wade R. Peeler and Pfc Billie Brown were wounded during the opening exchanges of fire. Many members of