[Vigilanteman]

And the debate still continues over what Gen McAuliffe (division commander at Bastogne) actually said to the German commander, when he was asked to surrender...

The Nuts letter is for real. I saw one of the original carbon copies (I think there were three) in a superb military museum southwest of Chicago. I wish I could remember the name of the town or the museum, but it was put together by a foundation of one of the former publishers of the Chicago Tribune . . . back in the day when that fishwrap was on the American side.

The typewriting was clear and I don't remember the full content of the entire letter. But I cannot forget the opening line: Nuts.

Gen McAuliffe was too proper of a gentleman to use the more appropriate expression "Go p*ss up a rope!"

[ken5050]

There are many who believe that McAuliffe did in fact suggest a scatalogical impossibility to the Germans. Supposedly the orders to scrub McAuliffe's comments came directly from Ike....he'd have the means, and metjods, to make it happen.

Also, we shouldn't forget the incredible logistics feat of Patton's 3rd Army, to rescue the troops trapped at Bastogne. He literally turned 3rd Army around, 180 degrees..and had it attack 100+ miles to the north, in under 3 days..in rotten weather.

[TurboZamboni]

I own a presentation coin that McAuliffe gave to a lady in Germany on behalf of the 101st for letting his men use her house(basically a castle that is still there) for a temporary HQ.