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bigpigeon.us webpage  WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 24 Jun 2025
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During the two weeks after the major amphibious Rhine crossings around 23 March, the US Ninth and First Armies in central Germany encircled the Ruhr industrial district, while further south the Third Army advanced eastward past the Main River valley.
On the Western Front in the spring of 1945, major elements of most Allied armies had crossed the Rhine by the end of 26 March.

By 4 April, they had pushed further east and the US Ninth and First Armies had achieved the major goal of surrounding the Ruhr, Germany's major industrial district.
The ETO - 4 April 1945
The ETO, 4 April 1945
Scalable Version of above Map
Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine webpage:
  • None yet.
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine:03-08 - WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine: (nine dead, updated 30 Jun 2025)
  • US ground forces deaths after the Rhine crossings through 4 April 1945.
  • Area deaths before 25 March are in the Crossing the Rhine webpage.
† Baraks, Frederick August, served as Barracks Frederick A, SN 36-448-659, US Army, Rock Island Co., IL
  • 449th Military Police Co., unknown corps & army, landed at Utah Beach 6 Jun 1944, served in the Battle of the Bulge; WIA early Apr 1945, KIA (sic) 4 Apr 1945, death location unknown.
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine
† Carley, Albert Boyd, SN 37-035-663, US Army, Audubon & Shelby Cos.
  • 712th Tank Bn., attached to 90th Inf. Div., XII Corps, Third Army; KIA 1 Apr 1945 between Fulda & Kassel, Hesse Germany.
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine
† Frazier, Arthur Thompson, SN 37-466-728, US Army, Mills Co.
  • Co. D; 786th Tank Bn., attached to 99th Inf. Div., III Corps, First Army; KIA 28 Mar 1945 near Giessen, Hesse, Germany.
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine
† Herrell, George Walter, SN 37-699-107, US Army, Pott. Co. & Douglas Co., NE
  • Co. A, 60th Armored Inf. Bn., 9th Armored Div., V Corps, First Army; KIA 31 Mar 1945 attacking Luftwaffe airfield near Fritzlar, SW of Kassel, Hesse, Germany.
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine
† Mead, John Lincoln, SN 31-374-517, US Army, Pott. Co. & Hillsborough Co., NH
  • Field Artillery, unit unknown; KIA 26 Mar 1945 unknown location in Germany.
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine
​† Montgomery, Eugene, SN 37-599-300, US Army, Wayne Co.
  • Co. I, 328th Inf. Regt., 26th Inf. Div., XII Corps, Third Army; DOW 30 Mar 1945 near Hanau, Hesse, Germany. 
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine
† Moore, Walter Lee, SN 37-699-139, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • Co. F, 33rd Armored Regt., 3rd Armored Div., VII Corps, First Army; KIA 30 Mar 1945 east of the Ruhr, near Schloss Hamborn, south of Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine
† Punteney, Charles Edward (both Punteney & Puntney in army records), SN 37-699-132, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • 33rd Armored Regt., 3rd Armored Div., VII Corps, First Army; KIA 26 Mar 1945 east of Bonn near Altenkirchen, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany.
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine
† Scully, John Edward, SN 37-684-887, US Army, Audubon & Webster Cos.
  • Co. B, 23rd Armored Inf. Bn., 7th Armored Div., III Corps, First Army, KIA 27 Mar 1945 near Oberbiel, W of Wetzlar, Hesse, Germany; one of six killed in combat with a German anti-tank team.
  • WWII Germany > The ETO > Central Europe > Beyond the Rhine