| Original caption: “Soldiers of the Fifty-Fifth Armored Infantry Battalion and tank of the Twenty-Second Tank Battalion, move through smoke filled street.” Riflemen of the 55th Armored Infantry Battalion advance past an M4A3(76) with late production Vertical Volute Suspension System (VVSS) of the 22nd Tank Battalion, 11th Armored Division, that has just fired a white phosphorus round into a house, during fighting in Wernberg (today Wernberg-Köblitz), Germany, on April 22, 1945. To get across the Naab River, The Division drove a 3-pronged spearhead through scattered Nazi German resistance on April 22, taking Weiden and seizing a bridgehead across the Naab River, 30 kilometers (18 miles) further along the way to the final objective. Both air and ground operations were hampered by frequent showers and generally deteriorating weather. Combat Command A’s Tank Task Force Wingard left Grafenwohr at 0645 Hours, to join forward elements of the 41st Cavalry advancing on Weiden from Neustadt. 2 1/2 kilometers (a mile and half) North of Weiden, the cavalry encountered 2 roadblocks, but these were reduced in a half hour. Task Force Wingard passed through the Cavalry, entering Weiden against light small arms resistance and seizing it at 0925 Hours. Meanwhile, 41st Cavalry elements operating on the East flank reached Gornitz at 0752 Hours and went on through Wilchenreuth at 0907 Hours. Elements of the 90th Infantry Division were contacted at 0958 Hours, 2 kilometers Northwest of Neustadt. The nearly 2,000 Allied Prisoners of War who were liberated, and several 100 German soldiers captured in Weiden made the problem of restoring order an arduous task. Cavalry elements were sent South to seize the crossing of the Naab River at Rothenstadt after they reduced another roadblock on the South edge of the city of Weiden. 2 defended roadblocks were encountered at Rothenstadt at 1025 Hours. Attacking in conjunction with elements of Combat Command B on the West, the blocks were reduced, the town cleared, and the bridge seized intact by 1125 Hours. The bulk of Combat Command A remaining in Weiden, cleared the city and established order. The Division issued orders to the command around 1200 Hours to press forward in the attack, leaving but a small force in Weiden until relieved by the 26th Infantry Division. Led by A Troop, 41st Cavalry, Combat Command A advanced to Luhe, where a bridge was seized intact, and the town occupied by 1430 Hours. At this point tanks elements passed through the Cavalry; the armor proceeded South to seize Wernberg against scattered small arms and sniper fire. Many Nazi German soldiers surrendered. 1 kilometer West of Wernberg, a railroad overpass over the main road was actually blown by the Nazi German as the city was captured, but the main route bridge over the Naab River was reported in good condition. Continuing Southward along the good road, tank elements reached Pfreimd at 1600 Hours. The city was seized at 1630 Hours after lightly held Nazi German defenses had been smashed. A bridge at Pfreimd which had been weakened by demolition was strengthened, and the column resumed the advanced South toward Nabburg. An emissary from Nab-burg contacted leading elements and surrendered the city, which was occupied without resistance at 1915 Hours. The command post moved to Pfreimd at 2015 Hours and all units of the command were assembled in the Pfreimd-Nabburg area. The command had captured 1,294 Nazi German troops during the day, and liberated approximately 2,000 Allied Prisoners of War. 2 prime movers, 66 vehicles, 815 rifles, 61 machine guns, and 66 panzerfausts were also seized and destroyed. The Division issued radio orders to all units at 0830 Hours, directing a continuation of the advance to Cham as soon as possible after daylight on April 23. Division Troops and Combat Command R were advised that a shift to the Combat Command A axis, via Wernberg, would be made the following morning. A request from the engineers to replace the damaged bridge at Pfreimd with bailey material was approved, on the understanding that the road would be reopened by 0800 Hours on April 23. The Division troops column left Schnaittenbach at 0900 Hours on April 23, crossed the Naab River at Wernberg and turned South on the Combat Command A route to Pfreid. At this point, a supporting Engineer company, instead of installing a Bailey bridge the night before as directed, attempted an early morning rush job, delaying all trailing elements 4 hours. Reaching Allendorf after noon, elements of the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion, opened a cross route to the Combat Command B axis at Neunburg. Slowly following Combat Command B, the head of the column reached Stamsried at 1500 Hours where the Division command post was reestablished. Along a steep stretch of the Road just Northwest of Stamsried, seeping water undermined the roadbed, and it collapsed under excessive usage.Vehicles had to be towed or driven through singly. All elements closed in Stamsreid before midnight. Combat Command R moved from Schnaittenbach to Friedersreid at 1145 Hours. The column did not reach Wernberg until 1500 Hours, being delayed behind the Pfreid bridge At 0720 Hours, the command authorized to assemble in the Neunburg area for the night due to the road failure near Stamsried. The command post was opened there at 1720 Hours. At 2245 Hours Combat Command R was instructed to take over the guarding of all prisoners at Neunburg; and the following morning to cut across directly East of Combat Command A’s route to Rotz, proceeding as far Southwest on the Combat Command A route as Cham. Photographer United States Army Private Joseph Scrippens (March 19, 1925 – December 23, 1967), of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, enlisted without finishing high school on May 29, 1943. Assigned to a Signal Corps Photo Company, he was discharged on December 15, 1945. | |
| Image Filename | wwii0874.jpg |
| Image Size | 578.69 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2912 x 2300 |
| Photographer | Joseph Scrippens |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | April 22, 1945 |
| Location | |
| City | Wernberg |
| State or Province | Bavaria |
| Country | Germany |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NWDNS-111-SC-205298 |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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