Battle of Arracourt

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Battle of Arracourt

Date	September 18 - 29, 1944
Location	48°44′30″N 06°36′51″E / 48.74167, 6.61417 Lorraine
Result	U.S. victory

Belligerents

United States

Germany

Commanders

John S. Wood

Hasso von Manteuffel

Strength

1 armored division

2 armored brigades, and
elements of 2 armored divisions

Casualties and losses

39 tanks and TDs

86 tanks and assault guns

v • d • e Siegfried Line Campaign

Moerbrugge - Nancy - Market Garden - Hurtgen Forest - Overloon - Aachen - Crucifix Hill - Scheldt - Geilenkirchen salient - Metz - Queen

The Battle of Arracourt was a World War II clash of U.S. and German armored forces near the town of Arracourt (48°43′53″N 06°32′09″E / 48.73139, 6.53583), Lorraine, France, during September 18 - 29, 1944.

The German Fifth Panzer Army had as its objective the recapture of Lunéville and the collapse of the U.S. XII Corps bridgehead over the Moselle River at Dieulouard (48°49′52″N 06°05′44″E / 48.83111, 6.09556). Having a local superiority in troops and tanks, the German tankers expected to deliver a sharp defeat to the defending 4th Armored Division. Flaunting German expectations, the 4th Armored Division proved by far to have superior training and command of armored tactics, thoroughly defeating two Panzer brigades and elements of two Panzer divisions.

[edit] Further reading

Cole, Hugh M., The Lorraine Campaign, Washington D.C.: Center of Military History, 1997.
Fox, Don M., "Patton's Vanguard - The United States Army Fourth Armored Division", Jefferson NC: McFarland & Company, Inc. 2003 ISBN 0-7864-1582-7.
Zaloga, Steven J., Lorraine 1944, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-84176-0897.