70 years ago today..................

[Pat Carry]

The US Army was battling not only the latest push by the german army but a brutal winter as well. Of course this battle later became known as the Battle of the Bulge. 19,000 Americans were killed and 90,000 were wounded. Let us never forget the sacrifices made there in the fields and forests of Belgium.

Last edited by Pat Carry on Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[N3Njeff]

NUTS

[Fouga23]

battle of the bulge

[JimH]

Earlier this year the crew went or a guided tour of key Battle of the Bulge sites. Memorials are as prevalent all across the region and it is safe to say they have not forgotten the events that took place here. Here are some photos, in no particular order.

Jim

Just outside Bastogne is the Bastogne Barracks in which General McAuliffe made his HQ

walking up to the 101st Airborne command center

the large black and white photo on the building depicts Patton and McAulliffe outside this door

General McAuliffe's office in the basement of this building, and where he issued is reply "NUTS"

[Mark Allen M]

Two uncles battled through the Bulge in December. Both KIA in January

[JimH]

This is the site of the Malmedy Massacre initiated by Joachim Peiper ...December 17, 1944

Jim



This is a view from the Malmedy Memorial across the street looking toward the site of he shooting


The rebuilt Café in which some tried to take refuge but the Germans set it on fire and shot those fleeing the burning building

[JimH]

This is the factory in Malmedy from which Frank Currey defended the bridge around the corner and nearly single handedly stifled a German attack, winning him the Medal of Honor.

jim

if you guys have anything to add to this please do...I'm still researching all the places we went


according to our guide this was the approximate location of where he crossed the street under heavy fire to re-supple with rockets

another shot of the factory building, around the corner is a bridge that they were also defending.

[Milmart Militaria]

This is the site of the Malmedy Massacre initiated by Joachim Peiper ...December 17, 1944 Jim

Can highly recommend this book - best account I have read on the massacre and the participants

Fatal Crossroads: The Untold Story of the Malmedy Massacre at the Battle of the Bulge
Danny S. Parker
ISBN-10: 0306821524
ISBN-13: 978-0306821523

[Pat Carry]

Awesome photos Jim, thanks. I need to order that book.

[Milmart Militaria]

another good site

http://www.battledetective.com/battlestudy11.html





This map is from the book I suggested "fatal crossroads"

[Milmart Militaria]

The book asserts that Werner Poetschke ultimately gave the order to "bump them off" (the POW's) to assert more control in front of the SS grenadiers after being dressed down by Pieper for holding up the advance. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in between.

Werner_Poetschke


Poetschke was later killed in Hungary so never stood trial

[JimH]

here are a few more if you guys

Jim

This is the high ground above St. Vith, this area is full of foxholes


Like many European towns you can tell the old from the new and where buildings were completely destroyed and rebuilt with modern architecture
St Vith is a good example of this

[Tim Savage]

Jim: My son and I were in that same area this summer....he picked up some pretty good size pieces of shrapnel that he brought home.

Being at those sites really brings it all into reality.

Who was your tour guide?

[JimH]

In continuing with Peiper's advance...on the morning of the 18th they over ran the small town of Stavelot across this bridge...


The heaviest fighting took place around this square...the Germans left Stavelot on the night of the 18th...short stay, but a lot of casualties.


We had a really good guide and he showed us some really obscure bits of Bulge history. Bazooka man Private Mason Armstrong single handedly took out 3 key pieces of German armor from this second story window. It halted at least one of Peiper's westward advances.

[Pat Carry]

those are such great pics. thanks again