The Battle for Obergailbach.
On January 1st 1945 elements of the 749th Tank Battalion, supporting the 44th Infantry Division were attempting to push enemy forces eastwards in the Saar/Alsace area of France. On this day they were attacked in force by Two Infantry Divisions and 20-40 Panzers. The average age of those enemy troops, in this last big offensive of the war on the Western front (Nordwind) was between 38 and 40 years. Hitler was now wringing out the very last of his manpower in an attempt to stop the inevitable.
even so, the 749th Tank Battalion still had a tough job on their hands as the enemy was in no mood to give in. The Germans belonged to the 165th Grenadier Regiment of the 36th Volksgrenadier Division.
The 165th came into being on August 3rd 1944 in Baumholder and was allocated entirely to the 36th Grenadier Division. During the Ardennes offensive and the Nordwind operation it was under the command of the XIII Armeekorps, 1st SS Armee army group G.
The Americans attacked Obergailbach and hit the Grenadiers hard, their tanks firing directly into the groups of Grenadiers and killing at least 22 soldiers in the town itself.
The pitiful remnant of an M42 helmet are shown on this page. The helmet was found near Obergailbach and not only bears the vivid scars of that battle 64 years ago, it also bears the remains of a Heer eagle on the side and is undoubtedly from a landser of Grenadier Regiment 165.
Above: In the picture on the left you can clearly see two entry holes, which appear to have been caused by large calibre bullets, i.e. .50 calibre rounds from a tank or Heavy MG. On the right can be seen the exit holes. Upon closer inspection the feint remains of a Heer Eagle are visible.
Remains of the Heer Eagle decal remain as well as traces of paint.