Page:Charles Robert Anderson - Algeria-French Morocco - CMH Pub 72-11.pdf/16



on the east end of the landing site the Americans turned misfortune to great advantage. Part of 2–7 Team had been carried three miles from its assigned beach to a point east of the Nefifikh; to the west of the river, the 2–30 Battalion Landing Team landed as planned. When the two battalion commanders on the scene discovered they had troops on both sides of a French battery, they quickly moved against the battery from opposite sides and overran the gunpits by 0730.

On the west end of the landing site a hostile battery atop Cap de Fedala held out much longer. As if to mock American naval superiority, a number of French guns kept firing on the landing beaches between salvos from offshore. Each renewed request for naval fire support delayed the assault on the cape. For over five hours the frustrating duel continued. Only a ground assault could win a final decision against the hostile guns, but the troops needed more than rifle fire.

Late in the morning a fortuitous meeting of personality and circumstance occurred to break the impasse at the cape. Col. William H. Wilbur had come ashore with the leading waves on a one-man mission direct from General Patton. Leaving the troops on the beach, the colonel commandeered a vehicle and ordered the driver to head south.