regiment was moving quickly in open country towards Belgium. The 30th (US) Infantry Division (with the 117th Infantry Regiment) was the first American infantry division to enter Belgium 2 September 1944, and advanced over the Meuse River at Vise and Liège 11 September 1944. The 117th Infantry Regiment was the first Allied unit to enter the Netherlands on 13 September 1944. On 14 September 1944 the 117th and 119th Infantry advanced into Maastricht east of the Meuse River where the 2d Battalion, 117th Infantry Regiment cleared the area west of the river. The 117th Infantry Regiment attacked from Maastricht towards the German border in the vicinity of Scherpenseel Germany starting on the morning of 17 September 1944. Here German resistance intensified as the Germans employed 155 mm artillery against the regiment as they approached the border. On the afternoon of 19 September 1944 the 1st Battalion crossed into Germany and entered the town of Scherpenseel. The next morning, the regiment planned the attack on the Siegfried Line, which the German claimed to be invincible fortress. The 119th and 120th Infantry attacked toward the West Wall north of Aachen and the former reached positions commanding the Wurm River on 18 September 1944. The 30th Infantry Division attacked across the Rhine River between Aachen and Geilenkirchen 2 October 1944 against strong German opposition. On the following day the 117th Infantry Regiment seized Uebach after house-to-house fighting as the 119th Infantry finally captured Rimburg Castle. At 11:00 hrs, 2 October 1944, the 117th Infantry, along with the rest of the 30th Infantry Division, launched an attack on the Siegfried Line near Palenberg, Germany. It was here that Private Harold G. Kiner from Aline, Oklahoma, of Company F, 117th Infantry Regiment won the Medal of Honor. With four other men, Private Kiner was leading a frontal assault on a Siegfried Line pillbox near Palenberg, Germany. Machinegun fire from the strongly defended enemy position away pinned down the attackers. The Germans threw hand grenades, one of which dropped between Private Kiner and two other men. With no hesitation, Private Kiner hurled himself upon the grenade, smothering the explosion. By his gallant action and voluntary sacrifice of his own life, he saved his two comrades from serious injury or death. The Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously to Private Kiner. Private Kiner was the fourth soldier from the regiment to be awarded the Medal of Honor.