The German Plan, Dec. 1944

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Eindhoven The Ardennes Counter-offensive: Schelde Estuary The German Plan, Dec.Krefeld 1944

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a h a i NETH. AlliedM front line, 15 Dec. n

e 6th BELGIUM Pa West Wall nze Roermond r A ANTWERP Alb rm H ert y XXXXX Rheydt Ca O B lde nal bje che ct NETH. S ive Susteren GERMANY R o er

BRUSSELS Jülich 5 Louvain th Panzer Maastricht Düren Aachen

A rmy Objective 15 Liège XXXX Eupen 6 PZ Verviers xxx Huy LXVII e Namur Meus Malmédy xxx Charleroi 1 SS 6 PZ XXXX 5 PZ bre Werbomont Sam Dinant St Vith xxx LXVI

r La Roche u Prüm O Houffalize S Givet Rochefort xxx E I F E L E LXVIII

N Dasburg 5 PZ xxx XXXX N 7 Bastogne XLVII BELGIUM E GER. xxx FRANCE D R LUX. LXXXV Bitburg A BELG. xxx Libramont LUX. Diekirch e LXXX N ûr Neufchâteau S Mo 7t Ettelbruck xxx sel h Ar LIII S my Ob em jectiv 0 20 miles o e Trier is B Meuse Sedan XXXXXG 0 20 km

ix x 0 4 miles III 424 The Fifth Panzer Army Attacks 0 4 km Gouvy LXVI N XXX the 28th Infantry Division, LVIII SS

16–19 Dec. 1944 Huldange Beiler III U.S. front line, P.M. 15 Dec. he Malscheid Our Ourt 112 28 U.S. outpost unoccupied at night xx 116 Lützkampen U.S. forward positions, P.M. 19 Dec. Steinbach Weiswampach German infantry attacks, 16–19 Dec. Ouren Horspelt xx German armoured attacks, 16–19 Dec. Leiler 116 Houffalize Trios Vierges Sevenig West Wall xx 16–17 Dec. 560VG xx LVIII SS XXX XLVII116 PZ Heinerscheid 18–19 Dec. Bertogne Hardigny

xx xx Fishbach 116 2 erf Noville Cl xx Salle Givry Longchamps Donnange 2 Bourcy Marnach Roder III Clerf Dasburg 502 Foy III III 506 Longvilly Allerborn Munshausen 327 Bizory Oberwampach Hosingen xx Mageret xx Hubermont Bastogne III 26VG Senonchamps 501 LEHR II xx E 326 Wardin LEHR Eschweiler Chenogne III 327 W Erpeldange ilt II Marvie Bras z Holzthum 5 PZ XXXX O TF CARAWAY Wiltz u 7 II r Sibret Assenois 3 2110(+) Weiler III Roullingen Stolzembourg 5 Hoscheid Tarchamps Nothum Nocher

Vill l B E Buderscheid II 19 Dec. To Houffalize Tenneville Rcn 116 Trois Monts 19 Dec. 21 Dec. Bertogne Hardigny Rachamps Ortheuville Compogne TEAM 19 Dec. DESOBRY xx 20 Dec. 2(-)

II Givry Monaville Noville Bourcy Rcn(+) 2 Recogne Salle Herbaimont Longchamps III Moinet 502 Foy TEAM Sprimont BOOTH III Flamierge xx Flamizoulle Champs 506 xx CCR(-)/9 III AM 19 Dec. TEAM elts 2 Amberloup 26 xx 26 VG(-) 39 VG(-) II xx CHERRY(-) 101 19 Dec. 3 327 101 Longvilly 21 Dec. X III Mandé- B 10 158th Bizory 26 II Hemroulle Savy 77 St. Étienne X Engr. VG 58 Bn(-) R 9 Mageret 19 Dec. Oberwampach 21 Dec. III xx 21 Dec. Tillet 21 501 elts LEHR xx Niederwampach II Bastogne LEHR(-) Benonchamps I TEAM C E 35 BROWN 35th Engr. II Senonchamps II Bn(-) Rcn 26VG Team Moircy 1 327 II II Cherry 21 Dec. Chenogne E 326 2 327 HQ Wardin

Marvie Villeroux TEAM Bras II O’HARA Bastogne, 19–23 Dec. 1944 Rcn(+) LEHR U.S. unit locations, AM 19 Dec. III Sibret 901 LEHR N U.S. front line, 21–23 Dec. Assenois Remonfosse German attacks, 19–23 Dec. Axis of other German movements Clochimont 0 5000 yards xi U.S. movements 0 5000 metres N Bras Longvilly 4000 yards Niederwampach Benonchamps Bourcy Wardin Mageret 26 VG 0 0 4000 metres III To Houffalize To 76 Noville Neffe 2 Bizory 26 VG II LEHR Marvie II E 2

III

501

3 Foy III II

501 506 III Recogne

II 327 901 3 Mont 2 II II 9 10 101

III 506 X X

xx 502 Remonfosse II R B Savy Monaville 326 II E Sonne-Fontaine Bastogne 4 Hemroulle Longchamps 2 1/502(-) A.M. 25 Dec. x II 26 VG 26 Dec. R 1 Rolle Assenois III II Champs 39 25 Dec. 26 Dec. 3 1 II

502 III II 327 25 Dec. 25 Dec. 26 VG(-) 26VG III II Villeroux Mandé- St. Étienne Sibret Senonchamps 77 15 Rcn III Givry 115 Flamizoulle Chenogne Flamierge Salle U.S. front line, 25–26 Dec. Major German attacks, 19–23 Dec. Axis of U.S. movements Bastogne, 25–26 Dec. 1944 Herbaimont

xii 22 N III Osweiler

212 VG Echternach

10 XX 5 III 2 5 miles 12 III III Scheidgen Bollendorf Berdorf 276 VG 11 Consdorf TF L XX III

Beaufort Haller U.S. positions, P.M. 21 Dec. U.S. positions, P.M. 26 Dec. U.S. positions, P.M. Axis of U.S. armoured attack Line of departure Wall West Waldbillig

0 0 5 km

The Southern Shoulder, 22–26 Dec. 1944

10 ARM 10 XX

LXXX

XXX A

Christnach ARM 9 LXXXV 109 Savelborn X Bettendorf III Eppeldorf Emsdorf 90 Rcn II

Our Gilsdorf 352 VG 90 Rcn XIII XXX XX

II III Diekirch Dasburg Stolzembourg 318 79 VG 318 III Weiler XX III 22 Dec. Roder Mersh

3 LD Holzthum 317 Ettelbruck 319 Hosingen Bissen 109 III Hoscheid III Munshausen III

22 Dec.

Fishbach

LXXXV Vichten Kehmen 319 XXX

Merzig Clerf LIII 80

III XX

Heiderscheid 26 104 Nocher 104 Donnange III FUEHRER III Grosbous 22 Dec. X 328 Pratz III Wiltz

328

LD f Eschdorf

Erpeldange

Eschweiler r

26 Dec.

l C III 101 22 Dec. z Roullingen ilt III Grevils-Brésil

Oberwampach W

7 5

Arsdorf XXXX Nothum

Bovigne

Longvilly 26

Hostert

XX 4 ARM 4 26 VG Bras Michamps Arloncourt Niedercalpach Tarchamps 6 Rcn III Wardin Mageret Harlange Surré Bourcy II Boulaide R Baschleiden

78 VIII 5 15(-)

Rodenhof XXX A LEHR

X III Bigonville 23 Dec. Marvie Foy XX XX X III 501 Lutrebois A Tintange Noville AM 22 Dec. 506 III X 901 III Sainlez 502 327 26 Dec. Martelange B III Assenois III X 26 VG Bastogne Hollange AM 22 Dec. 26 VG III B 24 Dec. III X 15 Givry 26 VG 39 Burnon III 77 178 II Sibret II E R 115 Rcn Hubermont Chenogne Salle X Habay-La-Neuve elts Remichampagne 28 Herbaimont XX Rosieres Tillet Vaux-les- elts p heuville

xiii Ortheuville xiv

To Houffalize 0 4 miles

Widening the Bastogne Corridor, 0 4 km Givry Longchamps xx Noville 27 Dec. 1944–17 Jan. 1945 Monaville Bourcy N Herbaimont Salle III 9 SS U.S. front line, P.M. 26 Dec. 26 Recogne 1 SS PZ 77 VG XLVIIXXX PZ xx Moinet Bastogne southern perimeter II Sprimont Foy Michamps & corridor, P.M. 26 Dec. 902 LEHR Champs III 12 SS Flamierge Flamizoulle 502 U.S. frontline, P.M. 2 Jan. Amberloup III Arloncourt 26 III Longvilly 39 VG Savy xx 506 III Oberwampach St. Hubert Hubermont II 26 3 Bizory 78 VG III x 327 Tillet Mageret X 115 15 FB X Bastogne Niederwampach Bonnerue Pironpré B xx Vesque Jenneville B 101 ABN 340 VG Houmont X Senonchamps 9 ARMXX Wardin III Moircy A X 1 SS PZ X XXX 346 X Chenogne A A XXXIX PZ R Lavaselle Villeroux Marvie xx Bras

XX 167 VG x Remagne 87 Magerotte 11 ARM 9 ARM Bras XX FUEHRER III 6 ARMXX III 11 ARM Sibret 6(-) Assenois III Lutrebois35 901 LEHR 26 Dec. Morhet 134 Roullingen xx Tarchamps Rondu xx 1SS Clochimont 5 9 VG XXXX Nothum Hompré II Lutremange 7 xx Rcn III 5(+) VIII X Villers-la-Bonne-Eau Buderscheid XXX 104 15 III 87 III III XX B(+) III Harlange Bovigne 101 104 11 ARM Sainte III 4 5 Libramont Livarchamps 137 III 320 Flohimont Vaux-les- XX Rosieres XX X 4 ARM 35 11 Surré Baschleiden A(+) 29 Dec. Boulaide XX 35 III 87 XX Tintange 26 101 29 Dec. II 6 Rcn III X 26 Dec. 104 A 9 III A.M. 27 Dec. XXX Neufchateau VIII 1. A rare photo of African-American gunners of the 969th Field Artillery Battalion readying their heavy 155mm pieces just west of Bastogne as the Germans approach from the east. 2. A drawing by Horst Helmus, a soldier from Kokott’s 26th Volksgrenadier Division, depicts a German anti-tank team in action at Assenois, just south of Bastogne, during the siege on December 21.

3. A blurred image of medics of the 101st Airborne at work inside Bastogne as winter tightens its grip. 4. The wreckage of an L-4 Grasshopper near Sibret. The light and agile spotter aircraft played a crucial role in bringing down American artillery barrages on enemy targets all around Bastogne.

5. Pathfinders of the 101st Airborne set up their equipment on a pile of bricks on December 23. They have just been parachuted into town and will guide C-47s loaded with urgently needed medical supplies and ammunition to the drop zones inside the besieged town’s perimeter. 6. A crashed P-47 Thunderbolt near Marvie. German troops feared the powerful fighter-bomber, which they called the Jabo, more than anything else.

7. Another drawing from the hand of Volksgrenadier Horst Helmus shows Germans scanning the horizon at Assenois, the village through which Patton’s 4th Armored Division would force its way into Bastogne from the south on December 26. 8. A 4th Armored Division half-track passes German POWs on a road south of Bastogne.

9. Belgian civilians stream out of Bastogne with few belongings. The photo appears to have been taken at the end of December, not long after the arrival of Patton’s spearheads. 10. In Bastogne at the end of December, General Maxwell Taylor, commander of the 101st Airborne, congratulates Colonel William Roberts on receiving the Silver Star. The commander of the 10th Armored Division’s Combat Command B played a vital role in helping the paratroopers withstand the German siege. 11. Another Silver Star from the hands of General Taylor in the same ceremony. Here the recipient is Colonel Clifford Templeton, commander of the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion, an outfit that proved equally crucial in the Belgian town’s defense. 12. American anti-aircraft artillery in position on Bastogne’s perimeter. Although the Luftwaffe proved very weak in the Ardennes, several bombing raids caused massive destruction and much mayhem in and around the town.

13. American radar equipment joins anti-aircraft artillery on Bastogne’s outskirts to help stave off more air attacks against the devastated town. 14. Troops and vehicles of Kilburn’s 11th Armored Division mass southwest of Bastogne. These soldiers belong to the 63rd Armored Infantry Battalion.

15. GIs of the 345th Infantry on a road in Moircy. Culin’s 87th Infantry Division played a key role in cutting the road to Marche and in helping American troops swing around Bastogne from the west. 16. Green troops of the 17th Airborne Division march towards the front line west of Bastogne in blizzard conditions in early January. Miley’s men were to suffer heavy losses at Dead Man’s Ridge.

17. A machine-gun team of the 35th Infantry Division in a frozen foxhole on the edge of the Harlange pocket, southeast of Bastogne. 18. Tanks and troops of Grow’s 6th Armored Division go on the attack east of Bastogne on the last day of 1944. The medic and infantrymen are part of the 44th Armored Infantry Battalion.

19. “Führer command us and we will follow you!” A Waffen SS slogan on a wall in Moinet, a hamlet northeast of the Bastogne perimeter. 20. Two disabled German tanks on a road in the village of Neffe after renewed and bitter fighting at Bastogne’s eastern gates in early January. 21. German soldiers surrender and are frisked by men of the 6th Armored Division.

22. A team of American litter bearers from the 64th Medical Group in action at a clearing station near the Neufchâteau highway, southwest of Bastogne. 23. Heavy casualties in the battle for Bastogne forced American commanders to rush in large numbers of inexperienced replacements. Here, newcomers on January 4 are hurriedly instructed in how to handle bazookas in a training area at Hompré, not far from the Arlon highway. 24. Men of Van Fleet’s 90th Infantry Division march past a shrine to the Virgin Mary after the collapse of German forces in the Harlange pocket.

25. GIs of the 90th Infantry Division march captured Germans to prison pens in the rear. 26. On January 16, exactly one month after the start of the German counteroffensive, Patton’s Third Army links up with Hodges’ First Army at Houffalize, cutting off the bulge. Here, reconnaissance troops of the 11th Armored Division pose with patrols of the 84th Infantry Division. The infantrymen had pushed down from the north side by side with the 2nd Armored Division.