The Battle of El Har was fought in March 1943 between divisions of the US Army and the German Afrika Korps during the Tunisian campaign of World War II.
The US 34th "Red Bull" Infantry Division, which landed in French Algeria on 8 November 1942 during Operation Torch, pushed into Tunisia in early 1943, defeating the Germans at the Battle of Sidi Bou Zid in February. In March 1943, the Red Bulls battled the Germans in several towns during their advance on Tunis. At the town of El Har, the Americans - supported by British Army infantry units - came up against the Afrika Korps' majority-Austrian 334th Infantry Division, reinforced by armor and Italian troops from Panzer Army Africa. In the ensuing battle, a spirited German armored counterattack initially pushed the Americans back, resulting in heavy fighting for control of the town's mosque. However, the Americans and British were able to launch an attack of their own that reclaimed the village and forced the Germans to continue their retreat towards Tunis.
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