In the spring of 1945, United States Army forces were pursuing what was left of the Nazi war machine through southern Germany, to prevent an escape to the relative safety of the Austrian Alps.  It was feared that the German Army would set up a 'National Redoubt' in the mountains that could hold out almost indefinitely.  Included in the mass of advancing men and vehicles were Task Force 65 and Combat Command 'A' of the 20^th Armored Division.

     Task Force 65 consisted of the 65^th Armored Infantry Battalion, less one of its companies and two AT platoons, plus a platoon of the 220^th Armored Infantry Battalion and Company 'B' of the 20^th Tank Battalion.  The 20^th Armored Division's Combat Command 'A', included the 8^th Armored Infantry Battalion, the 9^th Tank Battalion, and the 412^th Armored Field Artillery Battalion.  It was commanded by Brigadier General Cornelius M. Daly (Annandale, Virginia) who was perceived as strict and even cruel at times by some junior officers, but more senior commanders found him to be kind-hearted, fatherly, and had great respect for him.  General Daly was ill at that time and replaced temporarily by Colonel Thomas McCrary (Gainesville, Georgia).  Pointing the way, and performing recon duty was the 33^rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized), also of the 20^th Armored Division.  These forces were supplemented by, and were in support of, units of the 3^rd, 42^nd, and 45^th Infantry Divisions.  Division S-2 journal entries indicate that prisoners captured at the time belonged to various units including the 79^th and 212^th Infantry Divisions (Volkgrenadier), the SS Hohenstaufen Division, SS Hilter Jugend, and the XIII SS Corps.

     On April 24^th, as the men of Combat Command 'A' prepared to move out, some of the officers were addressed by the brass from the 4^th Armored Division, and by Combat Command CO Colonel Thomas McCrary (Gainesville, Georgia).  "I've been in the Army a long time," said the Colonel, "and never had a chance to do much fighting.  We will now have that chance.  CCA will leave a path of destruction through the heart of Germany.  Burn it!"  At 1400 on 24 April, they moved out to do just that.  The 20^th Armored Division had been given the mission of spearheading the drive of the center of III Corps, attacking towards Munich.  After hearing so much about the "Redoubt Area" of southern Germany, they were now going to have the opportunity to see it first hand.  The Task Force had received a General Field Order that directed them to pursue German Forces, and head for the birthplace of National Socialism, the city of Munich.