28 February
The regiment (less the 3rd Battalion) and with Company C (-1 platoon) 643rd TD Battalion in support and Company C (-1 platoon) 308th Engineers and a Provisional platoon 453rd AAA Battalion attached, crossed the Roer River at Julich at 1010, 28 February and moved east and north via Stetternich-Steinstrass and Rodingen to Kalrath where guides met the columns and led them to assembly areas along the highway between Garzweiler and Jackerath.
1 March
Hostile high velocity guns obtaining tree bursts killed Lieutenant Bates and wounded seven men. Meeting light resistance and suffering no further casualties, the battalion had advanced to Rockrath by 0810 and pushed on across country reaching Grefrath at 0915 with Companies A and B in the lead. By 1030, Grefrath had been cleaned out.
During the advance on Buttgen, Lieutenant Ritchie with one squad of Company D had knocked out an enemy strong point at a cross road at 226876, captured thirty-six prisoners and two 88 guns, two AA guns and five trucks.
At about 1000 enemy tanks appeared at Bierkeller, a total of six being sited. One pushed on into the northern edge of Hemmerden, knocked out a T.D. gun and continued on into Hemmerden where it was destroyed by another T.D. P 47's worked over the remaining tanks and knocked out three. Tanks and T.D.'s fire forced the others to withdraw, to the northeast.
2 March
2 March was a red letter day for the 331st Infantry. Elements of the regiment were the first to reach the Rhine and the regimental command post saw more close action than at any time since Normandy.
At 2330, the 1st battalion on the left flank of the 330th moved through Hinterfield in the direction of Heide-Bruche and Meer. The 2nd battalion resumed operations toward the Rhine at 0130, with the mission of taking Nixhutte Grimlinghauserbrucke and the group of buildings at 295885 on the banks of the Rhine. At 0140, Company G reported that they had occupied Nixhutte, and by 0230, Company F had cleared Grimlinghauserbrucke and taken a few prisoners. Company E, however, seemed to have struck the German forces in the area. Two platoons led by Captain Oliver ran into stiff resistance near 295885. In the dark, the Germans closed in from the flanks and captured thirty-five men including Captain Oliver and Lieutenant Welch and inflicting some casualties. The 2nd platoon, however, reached the Rhine at 0500 and claimed the honor of being the first troops to do so. By 1130, it was obvious that Company E would need some help to kill or capture the Germans remaining in the area. Company G, a platoon of F and a company of tanks moved to the southern edge of Neuss, left the platoon of F to protect their rear and then swung east toward 295885. By 1500, the area was cleared and 200 prisoners captured. By 1900, the battalion was buttoned up with Company G consolidated on the Rhine, Company F in Grimlinghauserbrucke, and Company E in the southern edge of Neuss after being completely relieved by Company G.