U.S. force cross Roer River in new drive. Troops of the Ninth U.S.

U.S. force cross Roer River in new drive. Troops of the Ninth U.S. Army, entrenced along the Roer River in Germany, watch the terrifi artillery barrage, laid down before they crossed to enter the Cologne plain February 23, 1945, at the beginning of a new offensive. The U.S. forces battered through 13 villages and took 1,400 prisoners during the first 24 hours of a push along a 22-mile front.