Spearhead "Firsts"

FIRST - Division unit to cross German border: Task force under Lt. Col. William Lovelady, of Soddy, Tenn., east of Eupon, at 1451 hours, September 12, 1944.

FIRST - To take a German town in this war: Roetgen, occupied by elements of the 83rd Armored Reconnaissance Bn., on September 13, 1944.

FIRST - Breach of the Siegfried line: By Task Force "X", commanded by Lt. Col. Leander L. Doan, of Combat Command "A", in the vicinity of Scheidmuchle, Germany, on September 13, 1944. 

FIRST - To shoot down an enemy plane from German soil: By the 486th Automatic Anti-Aircraft (AW) Bn., on September 18, 1944. 

FIRST - To fire an artillery shell at German soil: By the 991st Field Artillery Bn. (155 mm. SP guns), on September 10, 1944. 

FIRST - American division to completely pierce the Siegfried Line: Combat Command "A", on September 15, 1944. 

FIRST - Invasion of Germany in force since Napolean: The Third Armored "Spearhead" Division.