Posted on 12/26/2008 2:09:07 PM PST by LibWhacker
Approximately 19,000 Americans were killed and 41,000 wounded during the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle ever fought by the U.S. Army. An Allied victory was secured shortly after General George S. Patton's 4th Armored Division broke through the German rear.
On December 26, 1944, General George S. Patton’s 4th Armored Division broke through the German rear during the Battle of the Bulge, effectively ensuring an American victory there.
The largest land battle fought on the Western Front during World War II – as well as the largest battle ever fought by the U.S. Army – the Bulge began on December 16, when German troops unexpectedly attacked the American 14th Cavalry Group, 9th Armored Division, and 4th, 28th, and 106th Infantry Divisions. Eisenhower had kept force levels in the Ardennes (a forested region along the Belgian-German border) low, intending to use it as a training ground while larger forces to the north and south conducted operations that would help the Allied forces break into Germany. Unprepared for combat (the 9th Armored and 106th Infantry Divisions hadn’t seen any combat, and the 4th and 28th were recouping from heavy losses suffered in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest), American troops in the Ardennes were caught off guard. (See December 23rd’s Today in military history for the story of a young private who refused to fight in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest.) The German army made a “bulge” in the American line, some 50 miles wide and 70 miles deep.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/abrams.htm
Creighton W. Abrams, Jr.
“Abrams was known as an aggressive and successful armor commander. General George Patton said of him, “I’m supposed to be the best tank commander in the Army, but I have one peer: Abe Abrams. He’s the world champion.” His unit was frequently the spearhead of the Third Army during WWII. Abrams was one of the leaders in the relief effort which broke up the German entrenchments surrounding Bastogne and the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge.”
19,000 Americans KIA in a month long battle.
And today we want to surrender to islamic butchers after sustaining 3,000 KIA over 5 years...
The man, for all intents and purposes, won the Vietnam War.
Naming a tank after him was the least the country could do.
“Brave men are dying up there. I won’t wait, not an hour, not a minute...”
George Patton
Patton himself might dispute that. Bastogne was in the geographic middle of the pocket at a major crossroads. It was strategically important, yes, but it really wasn't the 'rear'.
Patton would liked to have 'pinched-off' the Bulge at its base & bag the entire German force. Instead we just sort of pushed the Bulge back & stabilized the lines. This was more in keeping with Eisenhower's "Broad Front Strategy". It allowed a lot of Germans to escape, albeit without the vast majority of their heavy equipment.
I hear 'ya! I'm glad we sent them to Iraq and not Mexico City; over 4,000 people in MC were killed last year in the war on drugs.
Okay, just kidding there... But seriously, it's amazing to me: Libs are screaming over 3,000 dead in five years despite all the good we've done, meantime 4,000 die in MC in a year for nothing (these are drug criminals killing people, so it's for nothing) and nobody bats an eye.
A good argument that the ‘Bulge’ need never have been fought. The ill-considered Market Garden operation used up scarce resources that could have been used to support Patton’s drive across France and on into Germany.
This is about the time that my brother and his fellow POWs were forced to evacuate Stalag Luft III and march in the same storm that had hit the front and my brother in law was ordered to leave his 9th Air Fore construction batallion and haul fuel to Patton for his tanks. I think the POWs marched 56 miles in the freezing weather...
Iraq is the most efficient war in histoir. An amazing accomplishment by our military to conquer and replace a gummit with a Democracy. Truly historic if reported honestly.
Pray for W America and Our Freedom Fighters
The guards had just abandoned the camp and some of the POWs had fled before Patton got there.
“Market Garden “
Market Garden was a political operation done to keep Monty feeling good.
The Germans saw that though, and psychological effect was detrimental to them. Patton was a major concern for the Germans in their planning. So alone was worth the risk.
God bless your cousin ~ and all our vets. Something to be proud of!
Hey, what do you think of The Examiner?
Seems like a nice alternative to the MSM?
You might be interested to know that the USA had lost 423,000 men in the four years of WWII !!
"What the hell took you people so long?"
Yeah, old Homer... 
had a way with words!
BTW got the Express Mail this afternoon and when my Dallas computer pard has time, we'll get my old CPU up and running again. Thanks for the disc!
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