The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The Defense of Lanzerath (12/16/1944) - Sep. 8th, 2004

www.fas.org ^ | Captain John Della-Giustina

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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The Heroic Stand
of an Intelligence Platoon:
A Symbol of the Combat Ability of MI Soldiers

On 16 December 1944, Nazi Germany commenced its last great offensive of World War II against the thin line of U.S. Army defenders in the Ardennes forest. The crucial Battle of the Bulge lasted until 28 January 1945, but the majority of the heavy fighting occurred during December and was among the most ferocious of the entire war. This campaign produced many acts of bravery and demonstrated the courageous character of the American fighting spirit.

99th Infantry Division Patch

One of the most gallant combat actions was that of an intelligence and reconnaissance (I&R) platoon's defense near Lanzerath, Belgium, on the first day of the battle. For their exploits, the I&R Platoon, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division, would later become "the most heavily decorated platoon for a single action in World War II." Their incredible story is a prime example of how tactical intelligence leaders and soldiers should be able to accomplish any mission required in combat.

Organization

An intelligence and reconnaissance platoon was organic to each infantry regiment during the war. The 25 soldiers in the platoon consisted of 2 9-man reconnaissance squads and a 7-man headquarters section who worked in the regimental S2 section. The platoon's primary mission:

To serve as the special intelligence agency of the regimental commander for the collection of information under the supervision of the regimental intelligence officer (S2)....To accomplish this mission and to provide the regimental commander with vital information of the enemy, the platoon must operate patrols, man observation posts, and coordinate the intelligence activities of the regiment.



In simpler terms they were the "eyes and ears" of the regiment. But on the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, the 394th Infantry Regiment's I&R platoon faced the entirely different mission of direct combat.

Disposition

The untested 99th Infantry Division and its three subordinate regiments entered the front line in the quiet Ardennes sector in mid- November 1944. The 394th's I&R platoon leader, 20-year old First Lieutenant Lyle J. Bouck, Jr., and several of his men were among the first group in the regiment to receive the Combat Infantryman's Badge for actions during one of their initial patrols. Until early December, they conducted numerous reconnaissance patrols and manned various observation posts. On 10 December, the regimental commander, Colonel Don Riley, sent the entire 18-man platoon to the vicinity of Lanzerath to observe the area and provide warning of enemy movement on the regiment's right flank.



The assigned position also coincided with the 99th Division's and V Corps' right boundary. To the south was the 14th Cavalry Group of VIII Corps. The location the I&R platoon chose was in the woodline northwest of the small village of Lanzerath. This was actually across the corps boundary, but Lieutenant Bouck was not aware of this. The position offered good observation to the highway, which ran north through Lanzerath to the main defensive positions of the regiment, and to the east towards the town of Losheim just inside the German border.

In the tree line, Bouck's soldiers found well-dug foxholes left by another American unit. Over the next five days the platoon improved its position, developed a strong defensive plan, sent out patrols, and ran a communication line to the regimental command post. However, it conducted little coordination with a tank destroyer section from the 14th Cavalry Group which had set up in Lanzerath about 200 yards to the southeast.



The I&R platoon also gathered many weapons to supplement its authorized M1 rifles. These weapons included Browning automatic rifles, a .30-caliber light machine gun, and a great amount of ammunition and hand grenades. In addition, the platoon brought its one organic heavy weapon, a .50-caliber Browning machine gun, mounted on one of its seven jeeps. On 16 December, the platoon thus had "a sustained firepower capability" which was essential to its defense.

Contact

In the early morning of 16 December, the German army commenced its attack with a huge rolling artillery barrage which lasted about two hours. The I&R platoon suffered minimal damage in its heavily protected foxholes, but the shelling cut their landline communications to regiment. Several minutes after the artillery stopped, the two exposed American tank destroyers in Lanzerath withdrew to the rear. Thus, the I&R platoon was the sole front-line unit along the corps boundary guarding an important avenue of approach into the sector. By SCR-300 radio, the regiment ordered them to maintain their position and to send a patrol down to Lanzerath.



The patrol observed the German- held town of Losheim, to the east, from the upstairs of one of the houses in Lanzerath. Soon they saw a large German formation emerge out of the fog marching to the southwest. If this German unit turned north at the first major intersection, they would march through Lanzerath on the road directly in front of the I&R platoon's position and into the unprotected flank of the regiment.

After observing the size of the German force, those returning from the patrol wanted to withdraw to the rear but Lieutenant Bouck ordered the soldiers to their foxholes. He believed their strong defensive arrangement might be able to delay the Germans. He also called for artillery fire on the marching column as it turned north, but there was no support available due to German attacks throughout the division sector.



As the column marched through the tiny town of Lanzerath, Bouck allowed a small group of soldiers to pass and march to the north. He recognized the Germans' uniforms as belonging to a paratrooper unit. As the main body arrived and halted, Bouck noticed three men, one of whom appeared to be the commander. But before the I&R platoon was able to commence firing on the German force, a teenage girl ran out of a house to the command group and stated something to them while pointing in the general direction of the I&R position. The second attack again decimated the German unit. A German then quickly barked an order to the column, and they dove into roadside ditches. The Americans had held their fire because of the presence of the girl, and thus lost an excellent opportunity to ambush the column. Fire erupted almost immediately from both positions. The battle of Lanzerath had begun.

[SAMWolf]

Battle

The German force initially attempted to frontally assault the I&R platoon's defensive position. They attacked across a snow-covered, gently rising field that was over a hundred yards long and bisected by a fence. The snow superbly camouflaged Lieutenant Bouck's foxholes along the woodline. Each fighting position provided interlocking fields of fire with the others. The I&R soldiers had zeroed their automatic weapons on the fence line which ran parallel to their location. Furthermore, the .50-caliber machine gun was in a defilade position and could easily interdict reinforcements coming from the south. Despite the advantages of this defensive position, the Germans continued to attack across the open field with devastating results for the paratroopers.

The fighting between the 18 men of the I&R platoon and a German battalion from the 9th Regiment, 3d Parachute Division, raged all day. The Germans attempted three separate concerted assaults at Lieutenant Bouck's positions and the Americans repulsed them each time.

After a pause to recover their wounded, the German paratroopers started another attack. Lieutenant Bouck again radioed for artillery support, but was not given any because of other priorities. When Bouck asked what he should do without artillery, he was told to "hold at all costs." A few minutes later enemy fire ripped through the I&R platoon radio making it inoperable.

Despite heavy fighting, the I&R platoon's status was good. Only one soldier had been wounded. He was hit in the face by a rifle grenade, which miraculously failed to explode. The second attack again decimated the German unit. The paratroopers managed to bring in some mortar support, but the I&R platoon was safe in their covered foxholes. The third attack by the Germans in the afternoon yielded the same outcome. Hundreds of German soldiers lay dead in the snow. The Germans had been unable to approach the I&R position. Several U.S. soldiers had exhibited extreme boldness to prevent penetrations of their perimeter.

As the afternoon continued the I&R platoon's efforts started to wane. Many soldiers had been up most of the night, and the day's fighting had exhausted them. Some were also running low on ammunition. A U.S. field artillery forward observer had shown up but helped the situation little due to the confusion caused by the German attack throughout the Ardennes sector. Lieutenant Bouck sent two soldiers to regimental headquarters for reinforcements or orders to withdraw. They were both captured before reaching the headquarters.

Lieutenant Bouck planned to withdraw his platoon when they had expended all ammunition. However, as dusk arrived on 16 December, about 50 paratroopers flanked the platoon's position and were quickly inside the perimeter. The Germans moved to each foxhole clearing them out as they went. A German soldier fired into Bouck's position hitting the lieutenant in the leg and seriously wounding his foxhole mate in the face. Every platoon member became a prisoner, except one who was killed in action.

Consequence

The engagement at Lanzerath was over but its effect was astounding. The 18 men of the I&R platoon had inflicted between 400 and 500 casualties, decimating an entire battalion of the German 3d Parachute Division. The platoon had halted the mission of the paratroopers to rapidly break through the American front and allow armored units of the German main effort the Sixth Panzer Army immediate access to open roads toward the Meuse River On the night of 16 December, the 9th Parachute Regiment in Lanzerath failed to continue to the west. They feared heavy resistance from American defenses such as they had encountered from the I&R platoon.

Just after midnight, German Lieutenant Colonel Joachim Peiper, commander of the 1st SS Panzer Regiment, 1st SS Panzer Division the spearhead of the Sixth Panzer Army's drive for Antwerp arrived in Lanzerath. He had been delayed by horrendous road traffic, blown bridges, and the tenacious defensive operations by the units of the 394th Infantry Regiment, including the I&R platoon. Irate at the lack of progress, Peiper ordered his force forward at about 0400, some 18 hours behind schedule. The delay altered the crucial timetable for Peiper and other Panzer units. This situation allowed the U.S. Army valuable time to counter the German main thrust in the north. Although Peiper's unit progressed the furthest of any Sixth Panzer element, the Americans defeated the remainder of the German divisions in what became the critical northern shoulder of the bulge. The Germans shifted their main effort to their Fifth Army to the south for the remainder of the campaign.



The tiny I&R platoon had been the anchor of the 394th Regiment's and 99th Division's front-line defense on 16 December. Without their heroic stand, the battalion of German paratroopers they defeated would have attacked into the flank of the 1st Battalion, 394th Infantry Regiment, which was defending the vital road junction at Losheimergraben. Perhaps they would have turned northwest against the regiment's understrength 3d Battalion instead . This would have reinforced the 12th Volksgrenadier Division's offensive against these positions and probably overwhelmed the southern flank of the 99th Division on the first day. Panzer exploitations of this opening in a quick drive to the Meuse River thus would have been possible.

[SAMWolf]

Recognition



Due to the capture of the I&R platoon soldiers and the blur of events during the first week of this massive campaign, the U.S. Army did not recognize the platoon for its courageous deeds for thirty-seven years. In 1969, John S. D. Eisenhower, a participant in the campaign and son of the Supreme Allied Commander, published The Bitter Woods which detailed the platoon's bravery. In the late 1970s, congressional and presidential interest, and an article by columnist Jack Anderson, focused on the Army's oversight of the platoon's actions. Finally, in October 1981, the Army awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for Extraordinary Heroism to the I&R platoon. Lieutenant Bouck and three other men received the Distinguished Service Cross, five others the Silver Star, and the nine remaining platoon members who fought at Lanzerath received the Bronze Star with a Valor Device. The platoon thus became World War II's most decorated for a single enemy engagement.



One historian succinctly summarized the I&R platoon's exploits stating, "The I&R platoon's action exemplifies the determination of the American soldier and what he can do when properly prepared, motivated, and led." Their conduct offers military intelligence soldiers and leaders a superb example of the initiative, adaptability, and bravery necessary when faced with any combat situation.

Additional Sources:

www.ibiblio.org
www.thebattlezone.com
www.americanweststeamboat.com
hsgm.free.fr/rajoutsguerre/ardennes
www.35thinfdivassoc.com
www.army.mil
www.geocities.com/ww2_pictures
www.midastours.co.uk

[SAMWolf]

'A miracle by definition is "an accomplishment or occurrence so outstanding or unusual as to seem beyond human capability or endeavor." In military history, miracles are not common, but they do occur, and the events effecting a miracle are magnified by the life and-death struggle surrounding the event. In the book Infantry in Battle, a chapter on miracles details episodes it claims meet that definition. In the process of effecting miracles, the author says, "resolute action by a few determined men is often decisive." This description aptly applies to the heroic defense conducted by the Intelligence and Reconnaissance (I&R) Platoon of the 394th Infantry, 99th Infantry Division, on 16 December 1944.'

Lieutenant Colonel John R. Finch, U.S. Army, Retired

Dr. Lt. Lyle Bouck, Jr., United States Army, Awarded Presidential Unit Citation, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Combat Infantry Badge, European Campaign Medal with 3 Stars, Pacific Campaign Medal, and POW Medal.

Born on December 13, 1923, in a suburb of St. Louis, Lyle Bouck became a member of the National Guard at the young age of 14 years old. It was the suggestion of his father. Serving in the National Guard for two years, he later enlisted in the Army at age 16, lying about his real age. He served his country for six more years. After receiving his commission as 2nd Lieutenant, he eventually became the leader of the Intelligence ad Reconnaissance Platoon for the 394th Infantry Regiment.

Six months after D-Day, Bouck, a young first lieutenant one day shy of his 21st birthday, moved his intelligence and reconnaissance platoon of the 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division, into a quiet sector of the Ardennes front. The following morning, Bouck found himself squarely in the path of the German 9th Regiment of the 3rd Parachute Division, a spearhead of the German offensive. Heavily outnumbered, Bouck repelled numerous attacks before the Germans overran his platoon. By late afternoon, several hundred enemy casualties littered the field in front of Bouck's position. Bouck himself was eventually wounded and subsequently captured, spending the remainder of the war in a German stalag. He was captured on a hill in Lanzerth, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge, and then held in four different POW camps including: Nurenbergh, Hammelburgh, Dachau, and Moosebergh.

[SAMWolf]

John Kerry told the world we were war criminals who raped, tortured and murdered in Vietnam. Now, thirty-three years later, we will tell America the truth.

Join us at the rally we call:

What: A peaceful remembrance of those with whom we served in Vietnam - those who lived and those who died.
We will tell the story of their virtues and how that contrasts with the lies told by John Kerry.

When: Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004 @ 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM EDT

Where: Upper Senate Park, Washington, D.C. It is easy to get to, shady and pretty, with a great view of the Capitol dome in back of the speaker's platform. THIS IS A NEW LOCATION AS OF 7/17/04

All Vietnam veterans and their families and supporters are asked to attend. Other veterans are invited as honored guests. This will be a peaceful event--no shouting or contact with others with different opinions. We fought for their rights then, and we respect their rights now. This is NOT a Republican or a pro-Bush rally. Democrats, Republicans and independents alike are warmly invited.

Our gathering is to remember those with whom we served, thereby giving the lie to John Kerry's smear against a generation of fine young men. B.G. "Jug" Burkett, author of "Stolen Valor," will be one of our speakers. Jug has debunked countless impostors who falsely claimed to be Vietnam veterans or who falsely claimed awards for heroism. Jug recommends that we refrain from dragging fatigues out of mothballs. Dress like America, like you do every day. Dress code: business casual, nice slacks, and shirt and shoes. No uniform remnants, please. Unit hats OK.

Selected members will wear badges identifying them as authorized to speak to the media about our event. Others who speak to the media will speak only for themselves.

The program will be controlled in an attempt to stay on-message. Speakers are encouraged not to engage in speculative criticism of John Kerry but (1) to stick to known and undisputed facts about John Kerry’s lies while (2) reminding America of the true honor and courage of our brothers in battle in Vietnam.

Send this announcement to 10 or more of your brothers! Bring them by car, bus, train or plane! Make this event one of pride in America, an event you would be proud to have your mother or your children attend.

Contact: kerrylied.com

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Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization. The primary area of concern to all VetsCoR members is that our national and local educational systems fall short in teaching students and all American citizens the history and underlying principles on which our Constitutional republic-based system of self-government was founded. VetsCoR members are also very concerned that the Federal government long ago over-stepped its limited authority as clearly specified in the United States Constitution, as well as the Founding Fathers' supporting letters, essays, and other public documents.

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Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

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UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

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[snippy_about_it]

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Good Wednesday Morning Everyone.


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[Diver Dave]

Evenin' SAM.

Something caught my eye here and triggered a memory chip in my old brain. Howlin's dad was with an intel unit during WWII but I don't remember the unit number.

Howlin, check out this presentation.

[SAMWolf]

Evening DD.

Pretty good fighting for an I & R Platoon. ;-)

The Book "The Damned Engineers" is an excellent account of how small groups of engineers slowed down or stopped KampfGruppe Peiper from reaching the Muese River.

[snippy_about_it]

Due to the capture of the I&R platoon soldiers and the blur of events during the first week of this massive campaign, the U.S. Army did not recognize the platoon for its courageous deeds for thirty-seven years.

37 years. Amazing. Thanks for today's thread Sam.

[SAMWolf]

You're welcome Snippy.

Stories like these are what makes the Bulge one of the most fascinating battles on the Western Front. So many small units actions and individuals who changed the course of the battle by their actions.

[snippy_about_it]

Think how many more stories there are we may never hear. God Bless all our troops past and present.

Goodnight Sam.

[SAMWolf]

Night Snippy.

[Professional Engineer]

Good morning ladies. Flag-o-gram.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Snippy.

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Foxhole.

It's Norton Update day. Get those updates when they arrive.

[aomagrat]

Today's classic warship, USS Hopewell (DD-181)

Lamberton class destroyer

Displacement. 1,060 t.
Lenght. 314'5"
Beam. 31'8"
Draft. 9'4"
Speed. 35 k.
Complement. 101
Armament. 4 4", 2 3", 4 21" tt.

The USS Hopewell (DD-181) was launched by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va. 8 June 1918; sponsored by Mrs. Orote Hutcheson; and commissioned 22 March 1919 at Portsmouth, Va., Lt. Comdr. R. E. Rodgers in command.

Hopewell sailed from Norfolk.19 April 1919 to join the 3d Destroyer Squadron in New England waters, and in May was on observation station off the Azores during the historic crossing of the Atlantic by Navy seaplanes. The destroyer returned to New York 8 June to complete her interrupted fitting out, and rejoined her squadron in August for firing tests. The winter of 1920 was spent on intensive training and target practice in Caribbean waters.

The ship returned to New England in early May, where she remained until September training reservists and engaging in division maneuvers. Arriving Charleston 22 September, Hopewell carried out similar operations out of the South Carolina port, returning to New York in May 1921 for reserve training. Sailing from Newport 10 October. the destroyer was placed in reserve at Charleston until 10 April, when she departed for Philadelphia. Hopewell decommissioned there 17 July 1922.

She recommissioned 17 June 1940 as America girded herself for the conflict that was to come, and after operating with the Neutrality Patrol off New England arrived Halifax 18 September. She decommissioned 23 September 1940 and was transferred to Great Britain as part of the destroyers-bases exchange.

Renamed HMS Bath, she served in the Royal Navy until April 1941, when she became part of the Royal Norwegian Navy. As KNM Bath she began operation as part of the "Liverpool Escort Force" early in June, but had a very brief subsequent career, being sunk by a German submarine on 19 August 1941, while escorting a convoy bound for Gibraltar.

[manna]

Present!

[The Mayor]

September 8, 2004

Who's To Blame?

Read: Luke 13:1-5

Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners? —Luke 13:2

Bible In One Year: Proverbs 3-5; 2 Corinthians 1

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A husband and wife were killed when their car was struck by a drunk driver. Why did this happen? They were good people, active in their church, and dearly loved. They were in no way at fault, and we can't blame God for the other driver getting drunk.

Some people would blame the devil. Yet we must recognize the fact that an intoxicated driver who loses control of his car is likely to kill someone.

Jesus referred to two tragedies that occurred in His day. In one, Pilate had killed some Galileans and mixed their blood with their sacrifices (Luke 13:1). In the other, 18 Israelites died when a tower fell on them (v.4). The idea was that people who died like that must have been guilty of horrendous sins.

Jesus rejected that kind of thinking. He told His hearers that instead of trying to find someone to blame, they should see such events as a call to repentance. If they willfully rejected Him as their Messiah and persisted in that sin, they would face a fearful end.

When we hear of inexplicable tragedies, let's be content to leave the "why" question unanswered. Assured of God's love (Romans 8:39), let's look at these events as a time for self-examination and repentance. —Herb Vander Lugt

As members of a fallen race,
The question that we all must face
Is "Have we chosen to repent
And trusted Christ whom God has sent?" —D. De Haan

Life's tragedies are a call to reflect and repent.

[alfa6]

Improvosation Bump for the Foxhole

The Defense of Lanzerath was repeated many times during the first week or so of the Battle of the Bulge. The Nazis thought that the Americans would cut and run leaving them with a clear shot at the Muese and ultimately Antwerp. Many American soldiers did bug out but many stayed behind and fought as squads, plattons and companies in small unheralded battles. It was the actions of these small units that helped to disrupt the advance of the Nazis. An hour here, two hours there and pretty soon the attackers were behind by a day or two.

It was the actions of these soldiers that helped to buy the time that was necessary for SHAEF to get the reinforcements together to stop the German penetration and then drive it back.

More later

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[Professional Engineer]

Holy cow!

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone.