Some forts offered tenacious resistance. On the 10th the 417th Infantry's 1st Battalion was attacking north of the Sauer along a draw approach to the high escarpment overlooking Echternach. Suddenly the air was filled with the thunderous din of exploding shells. Heavy enemy mortar and artillery fire opened up simultaneously on Company C in positions along the draw, and on the battalion command post in Ernzerhof. In the west, Companies A and B were pinned on high ground by flanking fire coming from a pillbox overlooking approaches from the river. Its two main firing embrasures covered a 180 degree field of excellent observation. There was only one likely approach, the wooded draw which terminated about seventy-five yards from the fortification.

The pillbox was divided into two compartments. There was no connecting door but both rooms opened into a depressed and concealed outdoor pit at the rear of the box. The firing compartment contained two offset embrasures at slightly different elevations, but these firing positions were reached via a narrow corridor with several ninety degree turns and were so staggered as to make grenading of the defenders extremely difficult. At the rear of the pillbox, however, was a firing port which, due to its depressed position, had a limited field of fire. Under cover of darkness on the night of the 10th a twelve-man assault squad attempted to take the position. At 200 yards, efficient machine gunnery, and then mortar fire, stopped the squad, seriously wounding one man. No further attempt was made to take the pillbox that night.

On the morning of the 11th a combined assault was planned by Lt Col Mette; assisted by Capt Stanley G. Maynard; Capt Charles H. Wilson, Artillery Liaison Officer from the 901st FA Battalion; 1st Lt Henry E. Gerry, Battalion Intelligence Officer and acting Operations Officer. At 1500 a twenty-five-man assault team commanded by 2d Lt Walter W. Henderson of Company C moved up along the wooded draw toward the pillbox. Working in three sections, a group of five men under S/Sgt Roko Smiljanic protected the left flank; four men led by Sgt Vito A. Pusco flanked on the right; sixteen men formed the assault group, including a demolition man toting two eighteen-pound satchel charges. With the team was aid man Pfc Enoch Machinis.

The kick-off was at 1515. From an observation post in an old barn at Ernzerhof Capt Wilson directed 901st FA Battalion, firing on the pillbox and surrounding enemy area. The barrage lasted fifteen minutes. Simultaneously Capt Maynard's men opened fire directly on the pillbox with a captured 80 MM mortar set up south of Ernzerhof. Under this combined cover the assault squad carefully worked its way up the draw. At 1550 the pallid, death signal of a green flare appeared in the sky; the artillerymen understood. They ceased firing, their concluding shell a screaming echo of the whisper in their hearts, "Good luck, doughboys, give 'em hell!"

Immediately two .50 caliber machine guns north of Ernzerhof opened up with crossfire on the pillbox. From the adjacent woods it also received the whooshing rockets of bazookas. Up the ridge in a staggered wedge formation came the assaulting infantrymen. An antipersonnel mine exploded, the wire tripped accidentally by Lt Henderson. He and Pfc Jack W. Wardle were slightly injured, but the lieutenant continued to lead the assault. The pillbox was completely buttoned-up; fire from machine guns, bazookas, automatic and M-1 rifles completely prevented the enemy from firing. The assault group was now twenty-five yards from the fort. The machine gunners lifted their fire and the demolition carrier, Pfc Leslie M. Roderick, rushing forward, placed one of the satchel charges against the door of the large front embrasure. Part of the door was blown away. A second charge was placed but failed to explode, so Sgt Pusco dashed up and tossed two grenades through the hole made by the initial explosion.

At noon of the 11th, Combat Team 417 reverted to 76th Division control after having pressed its first attack with such vigor, determination and power that it was later commended by the XII Corps Commander. At the same time the 76th was given the new mission of seizing and holding that portion of the Sauer bridgehead in its zone; immediately plans for the support and relief of the 417th Infantry were put into effect. During the night 11--12 February the 385th Infantry was motorized and dispatched over the 5th Division bridge to the north as relief for the 1st Battalion, 417th Infantry.