page_title: John F. R. Seitz
section_title: The Siegfried Line or Westwall
hierarchical_section_title: John F. R. Seitz / World War II / The Siegfried Line or Westwall
caption_attribution_description: English: Anti-tank obstacle (Dragon's teeth type) at Walheim near Aachen (part of the Siegfried Line) Deutsch: Panzersperre bei Walheim, Aachen (Teil des Westwalls) Français&#160;: Barrière antichar (type Dent de dragon) à Walheim près d'Aix-la-Chapelle (partie de la Ligne Siegfried)
context_page_description: John Francis Regis "Jeff" Seitz was a career United States Army officer who retired as Deputy Commander of the First United States Army in 1966 at the grade of major general. Seitz graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1929. He served in several assignments before commanding a battalion at Schofield Barracks at Oahu, Hawaii on December 7, 1941 during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. After the United States entered the Second World War, Seitz served in important staff positions from early 1942 to late 1943. He was highly decorated for his service as colonel commanding the 26th United States Infantry Regiment in combat in the European Theater of World War II for most of the remainder of the war, which was especially distinguished.
  From November 26, 1943 to April 9, 1945, Seitz commanded the 26th Infantry Regiment. CT 26 was a unit of the 1st Infantry Division. Seitz commanded the combat team at Omaha Beach during the Normandy landings on D-Day, in the breakout from Normandy and at the approach to close the gap in the Falaise Pocket.
context_section_description: The Siegfried Line or Westwall of German border defenses around Aachen Forest and the city of Aachen had a line of dragon's teeth and pillboxes (the Scharnhorst Line) near the border. A second set of more extensive fortifications (the Schill Line) was 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) inside Germany. The city of Aachen was defensible despite being ringed by hills. Although the city was nearly undefended when the 1st Infantry Division arrived in the area, the subsequent delays in the 1st U.S. Army advance allowed German Army reinforcements to reach the city and set up a heavy defense before American commanders decided the city had to be taken.
  Although the 1st U.S. Army's supplies needed replenishing, Major General Collins asked Lieutenant General Hodges to allow his three VII Corps divisions, including the 1st Infantry Division, to attack the Westwall. He surmised the defenders might be demoralized or even in flight. Hodges approved the request but cautioned against launching a major attack while supplies, including artillery ammunition, were low. Collins ordered the 1st Infantry Division to probe the Westwall and exploit any weak points with the ultimate objective of encircling Aachen. On September 12, 1944, two battalions of CT 16 moved against bunkers 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of Aachen, ran into heavy resistance and had to call for reinforcements. On the same day, Major General Huebner viewed Aachen from a nearby hill and concluded that the city would be difficult to take. Collins also realized that the Siegfried Line was well-manned and his effort to take the German border defenses quickly and easily had failed.
  On September 13, 1944, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment supported CT 16's push north while the 1st Battalion of the 26th was detached from the Task Force Hogan (commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Hogan, commander of the 3rd Battalion, 33rd Armor Regiment) unit of Combat Command B (CCB) and placed with Combat Command A (CCA). During the rest of September, the other battalions of CT 26 consolidated positions and tested German defenses near the southern edge of Aachen with help from the 33rd Field Artillery's counterbattery fire. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment reinforced CCA and attacked the line of dragon's teeth in the Westwall in an effort to advance 1,500 metres (1,600 yd) to 2,000 metres (2,200 yd) to the northeast toward the town of Nütheim. Despite the loss of 3 platoon leaders, Company A of the 1st Battalion moved through the defenses during twilight, accompanied only by its forward observer's tank. Companies B and C of the 1st Battalion advanced as darkness fell. Their objective was to clear German positions that had destroyed 12 CCA tanks and were holding up progress of U.S. forces. After Company A cut German communication lines, the detached companies rejoined the entire 1st Battalion as they assembled west of Nütheim at about 10:00 p.m.
  On September 14, 1944, companies of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment coordinated actions with tanks of CCA in order to overcome the defenders of pillboxes and provide paths through the defenses. The drive stalled, however, as the Germans were able to bring reinforcements to the area on September 16 and 17 enabling them to prevent an immediate further advance by the VII Corps divisions. Over 4 days, CCB captured Weisenberg, an area of high ground north of Mausbach, but could go no further. The 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment was reduced to 40 percent strength and the tank companies of the 3rd Armored Division had fewer than 20 operational tanks each and could not continue to advance.
  On September 14 and 15, 1944, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 26th Infantry Regiment, advanced to the southeast edge of Aachen with the 3rd Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment to their left and 3rd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment to their right. There they held defensive positions until Colonel Seitz was ordered to take Aachen almost a month later. On September 16, the 12th Infantry Division (Wehrmacht) arrived to reinforce the defenders in the area.
caption: Siegfried Line dragon's teeth near Aachen, 2004
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