American artillery eventually rain down and silence the enemy guns
April 3, 1945. The drive toward Gotha continued. Combat Command A moved swiftly until reaching the vicinity of Leina, where a combination of a blown overpass and two batteries of 88mm dual-purpose guns brought Colonel Sears' command to a dead stop. American artillery would eventually rain down and silence the enemy guns, but not before CCA lost 6 tanks, a 105mm assault gun, two half-tracks and two peeps. While CCA tangled with the beehive of 88s, Lt. Colonel Abrams' CCB made a smooth, uneventful advance toward Gotha. By 1300, Abrams' tanks and armored infantry occupied the high ground overlooking the city. An attack launched into the city met heavy resistance and was forced to withdraw after nightfall. The 35th Tank Battalion and 51st Armored Infantry Battalion established defensive positions on the outskirts of the city. Earlier that day, a trial convened involving two soldiers from the 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Both of the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges a...