XX Corps (United States)

XX Corps
Shoulder sleeve insignia of XX Corps
Active	1943–46 1957–70
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Size	Corps
Part of	Third United States Army (World War II)
Engagements	World War II
Commanders
Notable commanders	Horace L. McBride Walton H. Walker

The XX Corps of the United States Army fought from northern France to Austria in World War II. Constituted on 10 October 1943 by re-designating the IV Armored Corps of the Army Ground Forces, a training organization which had been activated at Camp Young, California on 5 September 1942, XX Corps became operational in France as part of Lieutenant General George S. Patton's U.S. Third Army on 1 August 1944.

Initially assigned to protect the south flank of the U.S. Third Army, XX Corps secured the bridgehead at Le Mans and liberated Angers on 10 August 1944. The corps fought a successful five-day battle for Chartres from 15 – 19 August, and seized a bridgehead over the Aunay River. Liberating Fontainebleau on 23 August, the corps moved rapidly east against disorganized German resistance and seized bridgeheads over the Seine River at Melun and Montereau. Still pushing east at a rapid rate of advance, XX Corps liberated Château-Thierry and captured a bridgehead across the Marne River on 27 August 1944. This feat was followed by the liberation of Reims two days later. The August succession of bridgehead captures culminated in the liberation of Verdun and seizure of a bridgehead over the Meuse River on 31 August. Although the corps had conducted a brilliant pursuit of the Germans in August, a crippling shortage of gasoline caused by the unexpectedly rapid advance of Allied armies across France practically immobilized XX Corps at the onset of September 1944.

Movement of XX Corps units was practically nil for the first week of September, 1944, although corps units feinted in the direction of Sedan and the U.S. 90th Infantry Division crossed the Meuse River to join the rest of the corps near the Moselle River. While the corps was at a standstill for a lack of gasoline, the Germans in and south of the fortress city of Metz had been hurriedly reorganizing and establishing cohesive defensive lines. In Metz itself, the German Ersatzheer (Replacement Army) stood up the 462nd Division with odds and ends such as fortress infantry battalions and infantry leader schools. Despite its less than impressive heritage, the 462nd Division would prove to be a determined foe for no less than three months, significantly delaying XX Corps' push to the German frontier. When XX Corps advanced again, the tactical situation had transformed from a pursuit against a disorganized foe to a slogging advance against regrouped German forces. On 7 September 1944, elements of XX Corps, again refueled but still facing persistent shortages of gasoline and artillery munitions, moved out towards Metz and Thionville.