bigpigeon.us webpage WWII-Germany > The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army, © 2023 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 29 Sep 2022.

The US Seventh Army fought in Alsace in northeastern France from mid-November 1944 to mid-March 1945.
Alsace
Alsace, in extreme northeastern France, borders the Rhine River and has a mixed French and German population. In fact, Alsace was part of the German Empire from 1870 to 1918.

In November 1944, most of Alsace was liberated by the US Seventh Army and the French First Army, crossing the Vosges Mountains from Lorraine and advancing to the Rhine River in the Strasbourg and Mulhouse areas.

However, two major battles and a portion of a third occurred in Alsace early in 1945.
Alsace
Alsace
The Vosges Mountains
The November 1944 liberation of the Strasbourg and Mulhouse areas of Alsace used a two-prong attack, the main efforts being a French First Army advance  through the Belfort Gap just south of the Vosges Mountains and the US Seventh Army through the Saverne Gap just north of the High Vosges.

Several mountain passes in the High Vosges were also used, as shown below.
The Vosges Mountains
The Vosges Mountains
The High Vosges Area
The High Vosges Area
The Allied Attack into Alsace
On 13 Nov 1944, the four corps of the 6th Army Group began their attack east into Alsace, as outlined on the accompanying map of the attack plan:
  • The US XV Corps in the north through the Saverne Gap.
  • The French I Corps to the south through the Belfort Gap.
  • The US VI corps through the Vosges Mountains, protecting the right flank of the XV Corps.
  • The French II Corps protected the left flank of the French 1 Corps.

Like all military plans, this plan had to be altered. VI Corps moved slower than expected, not securing the key road junction of St. Die until 22 November. Thus, Strasbourg was liberated on 23 November by XV Corps' French 2nd Armored Division rather than by VI Corps.
6th Army Group Plan of Attack
6th Army Group Plan of Attack, November 1944
Scalable Version
The Colmar Pocket
The November 1944 6th Army Group drive into Alsace failed to liberate a portion of southern Alsace, subsequently known as the Colmar Pocket.

This pocket of German troops west of the Rhine remained until it was eliminated by a joint French and US operation in late January and early February 1945.
The Colmar Pocket
The Colmar Pocket, Southern Alsace, 5 Dec 1944
Scalable Version
Seventh Army Advance to the German Border
​In December 1944, the Seventh Army's XV and VI Corps advanced northward through the extreme northeastern edge of France, paralleling the move towards the Saarland by the Third Army to the west.

ETO offensive operations were cancelled after the German 16 December Ardennes counteroffensive began. Seventh Army's XV Corps extended westward to cover much of the front vacated by Third Army's XII Corps.

Much of Seventh Army December gains were lost during the German Operation Nordwind counteroffensive in January 1945 and were not recaptured until Operation Undertone in mid-March 1945.
Seventh Army Advance December 1944
Seventh Army Advance to the German Border - December 1944
Sources for Big Pigeon's The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army webpage:
Major Sources: Sources for webpage images: (C/O = courtesy of)
Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army: 03-03 - The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army 
(5 dead, updated 30 Dec 2022)
  • The 3rd Infantry Division, originally with VI Corps was attached to II French Corps from 15 December to 28 January.
† Carlson, Robert Andrew, SN 39-128-015, US Army, Montgomery Co.
  • 15th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., II French Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 26 Dec 1944 N of Colmar Pocket, Alsace, France; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army.
† Johnson, Melvin Wallace, SN 37-483-507, US Army, Harrison Co.
  • 314th Inf. Regt., 79th Inf. Div., XV Corps, Seventh Army; DOW 18 Nov 1944 Saverne Gap, Alsace, France; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army.
​ † Nielsen, Nis, SN 37-197-752, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • Co. A, 111th Engineer Combat Bn., 36th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 14 Dec 1944 from artillery shrapnel during German counterattack near Selestat, Alsace, France; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army.
† Paulsen, Vernon Nels, SN O-1308538, US Army, Shelby Co.
  • Co. H, 324th Inf. Regt., 44th Inf. Div., XV Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 8 Dec 1944 approaching Maginot Line, near Siersthal, W of Bitche, Moselle Dept., Lorraine, France; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army.
† Wilson, Joseph Francis, served as Williams, Joseph L, SN O-1692505, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • Co. M, 30th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., II French Corps, Seventh Army; KIA 16 Dec 1944 near Kaysersburg, NW of Colmar, Alsace, France; The ETO > War of Attrition > Lorraine/Alsace 1944 > Alsace/Seventh Army.