1945
Following the breakout and planned spring offensive First Army was racing across Germany in an effort to be the first to cross the symbolic Rhine River. On 7 March 1945 Soldiers assigned to First Army reach the Rhine River and capture the Ludendorf Bridge at the town of Remagen. Due to an oversight, the Germans had left a very small defense force at the bridge allowing it to be captured and creating a First Army bridgehead over the Rhine.