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 ...
When my Uncle escaped and ran into the 101st they thought he was a spy.
Luckily he found another soldier who attended Denby High School in Detroit.
He told me: “Mikey, I was a POW to two different Armies in a span of 4 days... and one of them was mine!”
Yep, old Homer was one of a kind! He woulda made a good private eye.
Or in today’s world, a great under cover Muzzy snuffer!
Glad you got the disc, enjoy!
Excerpts from "General George S. Patton and the Battle of the Bulge" at HistoryNet.com:
Eisenhower met with the general staff at Verdun on December 19 and all agreed that the Third Army had the best chance of relieving Bastogne.
Ike instructed Patton, “I want you to command this move—under Brad’s supervision, of course—making a strong counterattack with at least six divisions. When can you start?”
“As soon as you’re through with me,” Patton claimed. “I can attack the day after tomorrow morning.”
Codman, recalled “a stir, a shuffling of feet, as those present straightened up in their chairs. In some faces skepticism. But through the room a current of excitement leaped.” Taking tens of thousands of men facing eastward, swiveling them north, and moving them—with their armor and supplies set up for a different thrust, and over inadequate and icy roads—to counterattack two days later seemed logistically unsound. Patton was confident he could do it.
Turning toward Bradley as he described his plans for the southern shoulder of the Bulge, Patton contended, “Brad, the Kraut’s stuck his head in a meat grinder. And”—he turned his fist in simulation—“this time I have hold of the handle.”
On December 23 in Luxembourg Patton, on his knees, prayed aloud, "Give me four clear days so that my planes can fly, so that my fighter-bombers can bomb and strafe, so that my reconnaissance may pick our targets for my magnificent artillery. Give me four days of sunshine to dry out this blasted mud, so that my tanks roll, so that ammunition and rations may be taken to my hungry, ill-equipped infantry. I need these four days to send von Rundstedt and his godless army to their Valhalla."
That same day enemy tanks had broken through the southern perimeter at Bastogne.
Headquarters at the 101st estimated that Bastogne had “one more shopping day.” Yet the weather was indeed changing.
Patton radioed to McAuliffe on the morning of the 24th, referring to Brig. Gen. Hugh Gaffey’s forward tanks: “Xmas Eve present coming. Hold on.”
On the morning of the 25th, Patton noted in his diary, “A clear cold Christmas, lovely weather for killing Germans.
Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams’ tanks made it through late in the afternoon of the 26th.
"December 26, 1944, right after a cold Christmas, our unit was only three miles from Bastogne .
"I mounted my CO’s personal tank (Lt Col Creighton W. ABRAMS Jr) for a very ‘special’ mission. It had been decided that a special team would take a secondary road, leading from Clochimont thru Assenois to Bastogne, in order to break the siege of that town and to contact the surrounded American defenders .
"Acting as point vehicle, I would lead with ‘Cobra King’ (mount of Lt Col C.W. Abrams) followed by another 7 tanks, half-tracks, and some other extra vehicles . We moved full speed, firing straight ahead, with the other tanks firing left and right . We weren’t supposed to stop on the way either .
"As soon as we cleared the first little town, I called for artillery support on Assenois, that is, ahead of the convoy – our column entered the place still under friendly fire, such was our speed and progress !
"After clearing Assenois, we ran into more enemy resistance, and mopping up was required with help of our half-trackborne C Company, 53d Armored Infantry Battalion . We then came across a large pillbox, which we at once destroyed . There certainly was a lot of confusion, since the Germans hadn’t expected us to break thru via this secondary road, nevertheless enemy fire was considerable, and we lost 4 Shermans on the way .
"As my tank cleared the following woods, we came upon an open field with colored canopies (from previous supply drops), I reckoned we were now approaching friendly lines . Our column subsequently slowed down, on the look out for friendlies, and we seemed to recognize a number of foxholes with helmeted figures .
"Taking no chances, I called out to them, shouting to come out to us, indicating we were part of the 4th Armored Division . After several calls, an officer emerged with a smile, and said; “I’m Lt. Webster, 326th Airborne Engineers, glad to see you guys !” It was 1650, December 26, the 4th Armored Division, had broken thru enemy lines, and reached its objective - the siege of Bastogne was over … although the fighting wasn’t yet." - Charles P. Boggess, 1st Lt, C Co, 37th Tk Bn, 4th Armd Div.
On December 27, Patton returned to offer a thank-you at the Pescatore chapel, anticipating that the Bulge was the enemy’s final counteroffensive—as it proved to be:
Sir, this is Patton again, and I beg to report complete progress. Sir, it seems to me that you have been much better informed about the situation than I was, because it was that awful weather which I cursed so much which made it possible for the German army to commit suicide. That, Sir, was a brilliant military move, and I bow humbly to a supreme military genius.
Pressing eastward as the Bulge was flattened in January, Patton passed through the Belgian town of Houffalize, above Bastogne. In His diary he entered his own version of a Christmas carol:
O little town of Houffalize,
How still we see thee lie;
Above thy steep and battered streets
The aeroplanes still fly.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
Not any Goddamned light;
The hopes and fears of all thy years
Were blown to hell last night.
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