Battle of Heilbronn | |||||||
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Part of the Western Allied invasion of Germany in the Western Front of the European theatre of World War II | |||||||
A 7th U.S. Army soldier of the 100th Division looks out of a building overlooking the German city of Heilbronn. 9 April, 1945. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States | Germany | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Withers A. Burress | Georg Bochmann | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
100th Infantry Division |
17th SS Panzergrenadier Division Volksturm units | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
60 killed 250 wounded 112 missing Total: 422[1] | 1,500 captured |
The Battle of Heilbronn was a nine-day battle in April 1945 during World War II between the United States Army and the German Army for the control of Heilbronn, a mid-sized city on the Neckar River located between Stuttgart and Heidelberg. Despite the impending end of World War II in Europe, the battle was characterized by very firm German resistance and the presence of various Nazi Party auxiliaries among the regular German troops. Following days of house-to-house combat, troops of the U.S. 100th Infantry Division captured Heilbronn and the U.S. VI Corps continued its march to the southeast.