SAVING BASTOGNE: A CHRONOLOGY

The first steps to save Bastogne were taken on 18 December, when Middleton dispatched the recently arrived Combat Command B to the northeast, east, and southeast of the town with orders to hold their positions at all cost. Such action indicated to the Germans that Bastogne would not be surrendered. In the week that followed, the Germans squeezed the perimeter around Bastogne tighter and tighter, but it did not break.

Throughout the defensive sector, McAuliffe organized the 101st and its attachments into regimental task forces. Each had its proportional share of artillery, tanks, antitank, and antiair forces. Thus, light infantry received supplemental firepower in their defense. With the exception of artillery, the Germans were similarly organized. Their artillery was kept primarily in general support.

On 19 December, small German infantry-armor forces, both with and without artillery support, infiltrated under cover of bad weather. German action also included night fighting with tanks. The Americans resisted strongly in all sectors, defending outlying villages and road intersections. By nightfall, XLVII Corps had been contained along the line Noville-Bizory-Neffe. The inadequate road network; old, brokendown and overloaded German vehicles; and the American artillery around Bastogne were slowing the German advance. With pressure from Heeresgruppe to push beyond Bastogne, Fifth Panzer Army and XLVII Corps decided that the Panzer Lehr Division should take Bastogne on the twentieth while the other forces continued their westward advance.

101st Airborne at Bastogne, 20-26 Dec. 1944

On 20 and 21 December, the same pattern of small-unit infiltration continued, with some gains accruing to the Germans. The villages of Noville and Bizory were finally taken, but an attack against Marvie was repulsed. Bastogne continued to be a matter of concern to XLVII Corps. But it was believed on the twentieth that, with advances continuing north and south of the town, Bastogne would soon be encircled and that the 26th Volksgrenadier Division following the panzer divisions could capture it. Indeed, the town was surrounded on the twenty-first, but the 26th Volksgrenadier Division was not strong enough to take it. Though surrounded, the 101st was not cut off. The division still maintained communication with VIII Corps and knew an American relief column was pushing toward them as German advances along the entire Western Front were diminishing. The Fifth Panzer Army refused to authorize sufficient additional forces to take Bastogne and to keep the faltering offensive alive. But the 26th Volksgrenadier Division still had the mission, with some help from the Panzer Lehr Division. On the evening of 21 December, Manteuffel and Luettwitz composed the now famous surrender note that, after being delivered to the 101st on 22 December, received McAuliffe's more famous reply: "Nuts."

In addition to the note on 22 December, there were continuous probes along the entire perimeter . Only two German attacks of any significance occurred, however, and both were no larger than company size. On 23 December, probes continued to the west and southeast, but the weather had cleared and American airpower was beginning to take its toll of German forces and equipment. Aerial resupply also began that day, bringing the 101st badly needed supplies and sending American morale soaring.

The Germans were becoming desperate. The XLVII Corps was informed that the 9th Panzer Division and 15th Panzergrenadier Division would come under corps control on 24 December, and the 3d Panzergrenadier Division would arrive later. Heeresgruppe still insisted on Bastogne being taken in conjunction with the advance to the Meuse, but with Fifth Panzer Army now on the defensive almost everywhere and the possibility of advancing to the Meuse River becoming slimmer each day, Army Chief of Staff General Wagener felt "the initiative seemed to have passed to the enemy."

The situation on 24 and 25 December revived Luettwitz' hope that his corps could take Bastogne. Reinforcements now promised by Fifth Panzer Army were essential for this success. During the night of 24 December, German combined arms and infantry attacks by pessimistic commanders and uninspired soldiers were uncoordinated and failed. On the twenty-fifth, the ring around Bastogne was tightened as a result of regimental-size attacks, but again, they were uncoordinated. The American advantage of interior lines clearly served to complicate German attempts to coordinate their efforts. That evening, XLVII Corps, apprehensive about the American relief column pushing through, requested reinforcements and wanted to call off the attacks. The German Fifth Army, appreciating the situation but powerless to act, could only offer sympathy and a promise to look for more reinforcements.

On 26 December, German forces again attacked with battalion-size infantry and armor teams. Striking American combined arms teams arrayed in depth, the Germans were again unsuccessful. Other units, forming for attack in assembly areas, were attacked by American artillery and dispersed. At 1600 that afternoon, American tanks broke through the 2d Panzer and 26th Volksgrenadier Divisions and linked up with the 101st. All hope for German success had died. The XLVII Corps had no forces available to eliminate this penetration, and the Fifth Panzer Army's offer of the Führer Begleit Brigade was too little and too late. Light German probing attacks continued on the 27th and 28th, but the XLVII Panzer Corps' defensive inclinations were more predominant. The 101st had held Bastogne and seriously retarded the German Ardennes offensive. In action from 18 through 27 December, the 101st and its attachments had suffered 115 officer and 1,933 enlisted casualties. They had killed 7,000 Germans, captured 697 prisoners, and destroyed approximately 200 armored vehicles.

APPLICATIONS OF FORCE

Though fighting in the villages around Bastogne pitted a multidivision force against a reinforced light division, combat for the most part was characterized by small-unit actions. Fate, as it always does, played a significant role in the outcome, but a more detailed look at how the 101st was organized and equipped to fight also provides insight into its success. Firepower for the light division was far greater than would have ordinarily been the case. In addition to its own artillery of four battalions, the division had at its disposal a field artillery group consisting of two 155-mm gun battalions and a 4.5-inch howitzer battalion. It also had one 155-mm gun and two 105-mm howitzer battalions (which had fallen back after initial German assaults on 16 December). In all, that meant that as many as ten field artillery battalions could have supported the division at any one time. Two battalions of the attached group were overrun and lost on 20 December after the group commander moved them without permission. For his actions, he was summarily relieved that day by General McAuliffe. But even with that loss, the American artillery in Bastogne was still a potent force, especially when compared to the weaker German artillery.

The pathfinder unit of the 101st Airborne Division, dropped by parachute, sets up radar equipment near Bastogne, Belgium. It is their job to guide planes with medical supplies and ammunition to the division, besieged by the Germans.
National Archives Photo

When alerted for movement to the Bastogne area, the 101st Division's artillery was still reconstituting from operations in Holland. Many of the howitzers were in poor condition but were repaired or replaced before the road march. Anticipating a departure from their traditional airborne role, the artillerymen reconfigured for land movement and consequently carried with them far more ammunition than they would, or could, otherwise have taken via aircraft. Without the additional loads, they would have run out of ammunition before aerial resupply was possible.

Upon arrival at Bastogne, all battalions task organized for a static defense. Personnel shortages, especially in forward observer and liaison teams to supported infantry, quickly became acute. Headquarters and firing units were stripped to fill the void. Command, control, and communications problems, as well as general supply shortages, occasionally detracted from the effectiveness of the defense but were never insurmountable. The biggest problem remained a shortage of ammunition. As the intensity of the fighting increased and overland supply lines were cut, ammunition conservation became critical.

The majority of all rounds fired were directed against enemy armor. Firing in the direct and indirect mode, artillery was effective against German tanks, while unsupported infantry rarely stopped the German armor. But had it not been for the timely aerial resupply of 23 December and subsequent drops on succeeding days, the guns would have fallen silent and been easy prey for attacking German forces. By that day, some units were down to less than three high-explosive rounds per howitzer and had no remaining rations.

(Operation Repulse) On 26, 27 December 1944, The heroic efforts of American forces in the action at Bastogne need no retelling. However, few historians give more than a casual mention of the part that gliders and glider pilots played in this important action. Flying their frail aircraft into a hail of enemy flak and ground fire, the glider pilots who participated in this battle carried to the besieged defenders badly needed ammunition and medical supplies that enabled them to hold out and secure the ultimate victory.

As it was, the Germans had much to be concerned with when in the vicinity of American artillery. The cold, hungry, and exhausted artillerymen manning the guns repeatedly stated their willingness to endure any deprivation if only they could get some more ammunition. American morale was excellent, and no German tank within range of American artillery was safe. The encirclement and the widely disseminated 22 December surrender note were considered amusing incidents rather than aweinspiring threats. On Christmas Eve, an entry in one battalion journal read, "Christmas Eve, and all personnel here wish for plenty of ammunition and one good supply route." On Christmas day, the entry read, "Three cooks in C Battery took a little time from their regular chores to kill two Germans in a tank with a grenade, and captured six others." That same day, another artillery battalion, under attack by seven tanks and accompanying infantry, employed its howitzers as antitank guns and destroyed two tanks, captured one intact, killed a number of infantrymen, and captured twenty-four others. Similar actions occurred throughout the operation. On 20 December alone, no less than seven battalions fired 2,600 rounds solely at enemy armor. The incomprehensible German failure to attempt to destroy or neutralize American artillery only served to bolster the cannoneers' confidence and determination. In his after-action report, one direct-support battalion commander wrote, "After arriving at Bastogne and going into position, we found ourselves in exactly the situation we had been trained to handle." Perhaps that was ultimately why they acquitted themselves so well.

A prime example of task organizing can be seen in the case of the division's 81st Airborne Antiaircraft Battalion. Entering combat with three antiaircraft and three 57-mm antitank batteries, that unit found its role quickly changed to meet the German armor threat. Initially, the antiaircraft batteries supported the division's artillery, but they were shifted to the main line of resistance (MLR) to strengthen the defensive perimeter. While that action caused division headquarters and the division artillery to be more vulnerable to German air strikes, it provided firepower where it was most needed-in ground support in the secondary line of defense.

The antitank batteries were also positioned on the MLR, where, in conjunction with the larger vehicles of the tank destroyer battalion, they formed a defense in depth that the Germans could not penetrate without unacceptable losses. The 81st's weapons would engage German tanks at maximum range, slow the German tanks, and thus give the more mobile tank and tank destroyer units time to move to the point of the German attack and defeat the enemy's armor. Time and again, this technique was used to counter uncoordinated enemy thrusts that came from all directions.

Other effective antitank measures included active infantry patrolling to give early warning of German assembly or attack, preparation of tank barriers and obstacles, and aggressive hand-to-hand fighting to separate German infantry and tanks after penetrations had occurred. Most tanks were destroyed after they had penetrated the defenses and had been separated from their infantry. That task was most frequently accomplished by direct-fire artillery, antitank weapons, and bazooka fire at close range.

Typical of the close-in violence of the battles was an incident on 23 December in the town of Marvie. There, Pfc. Norman Osterberg, a member of the 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, exposed himself to intense enemy fire and, using his bazooka, repeatedly drove attacking tanks away even though they came within ten yards of his position. Wounded in the process, he continued his stand for three hours, thus stopping the attack in his sector. Such bravery and esprit were common throughout the elite division. Fighting against tanks, soldiers quickly discovered that digging in around a town was far preferable and more effective than occupying its buildings and being crushed in the rubble. Teamwork, cooperation, effective combined arms attacks on targets, and stubborn and brave resistance gave the paratroopers a fighting edge they never relinquished.

COMBAT SUPPORT

The successful defensive activities at Bastogne were made possible in good measure through the efforts of the 101st Signal Company, which provided outstanding communications support and ensured excellent command and control. From the beginning, the signal company was hard pressed to keep communications operational in an encircled town subject to intense enemy fire. Their task began when the division was first alerted. Signal loads had to be configured for ground, rather than airborne, operations. Their deployment was excellent, and by 0600, 19 December, all elements were in radio and wire contact with division headquarters. Secure and nonsecure communications with VIII Corps were also established and never lost throughout the operation. Indeed, these were the only links with the outside after Bastogne was surrounded.

Batteries for radios posed a problem. With only a three-day supply, the division had to rely on strict supply economy and conservation. Even with such conservation measures, many divisional units ran out of essential batteries on the 23d; but that was the day they were resupplied by air. Wire was also constantly being broken by shelling, bombing, and heavy equipment passing over it. Teams serviced the lines constantly, often under fire. From the first day, signal personnel continuously expanded the net, establishing alternate routes, laterals, and additional circuits.

Communication among units was rarely lost. Radios were in poor condition from the Holland operation, but they were sufficient to meet all divisional requirements. The nets established allowed for real-time dissemination of intelligence information from all sources, even down to local patrols. Frequent German jamming was overcome, as was the problem of friendly elements nearby operating on division frequencies. Contact was established with the 4th Armored Division two days before that element broke through to the 101st, and it was maintained continuously from that point until no longer needed. Wire communication was established as soon as the linkup occurred. With such signal efficiency, it is no wonder that the Americans enjoyed communications superiority.

Flexibility and adaptability also characterized the 101st's operations in and around Bastogne. The most serious problem occurred during the night of 19 December, when the Division Clearing Station, operated by the 326th Medical Company, was overrun by six German vehicles (half-tracks and tanks) supported by 100 infantrymen. In that action, the Germans captured 18 American officers and 124 enlisted men, as well as most of the unit's medical equipment and supplies. Until a surgical team arrived by glider on 26 December, only two medical and two dental officers, four medical administration officers, and 113 enlisted men remained to handle all of the division's medical needs. A makeshift casualty collection station had to suffice because there were no means to evacuate the wounded after 20 December. The station quickly became overcrowded. Medical supply shortages soon plagued the operation, and the overworked staffs primary focus became the survival of the wounded by any means available. Over 1,000 American and German wounded eventually were treated at the collection center.

Another major problem for the division was the constant shortage of supply and maintenance troops. The 801st Ordnance Company started for Bastogne on 19 December. Five miles from the town, the Germans ambushed them. The Allied command then diverted the unit and placed it under VIII Corps' control until 29 December. Therefore, the division had no direct support maintenance or evacuation capability until after the Allies broke the German encirclement.

More serious was the supply situation. Convoying supplies to Bastogne on 19 December, the 426th Quartermaster Company was ambushed and subsequently diverted to VIII Corps' control until 27 December. The division was, in effect, without normal supply operations during the entire period. Further complicating matters was the loss of the division's reconnaissance platoon on 22 December. The platoon had been used to establish an antitank warning net and had called for and directed field artillery fire to destroy German tanks. But on leading a cut-off artillery battalion to safety at Neufchâteau, the platoon was isolated and would not return until 28 December.

According to its commander, the 326th Engineer Battalion might as well have been among the missing. Its deployment around Bastogne was a classic case of misuse through ignorance. Although the men set up a few roadblocks and prepared several bridges for demolition, they were committed piecemeal as infantry early in the battle rather than in their engineer support role with the different regiments. When promised infantry protection to accomplish engineer tasks, the engineers frequently found themselves alone, unprotected, and exposed. Fighting as infantry, they had no responsive, designated artillery support. Strangely, no one used them in any way to prepare antitank obstacles.

Resupply was the most serious problem, which was exacerbated further by the absence of the 426th Quartermaster Company. Soldiers could fight only as long as supplies of food, ammunition, fuel, and equipment were available. Some food and medical supplies were found in abandoned dumps in Bastogne, but most of the critical items had to be brought in from the outside. After the German encirclement on the twenty-first, aerial resupply was the only way to accomplish this. The first request for aerial resupply was sent by the division on 20 December. The G4 maintained strict supply control and accountability and required and received daily status reports from all units. Redistribution was accomplished as needed. Despite all possible supply economy, the division could not hold out without resupply. On 23 December, the weather finally cleared, and 241 cargo planes dropped supply bundles that gave the division new life. They contained ammunition, rations, medical supplies, signal items, and gasoline.

Bolstered by this resupply and the knowledge that an American relief column was fighting its way through to Bastogne, the soldiers of the 101st had reason to feel optimistic. Succeeding resupply drops on the 24th, 26th, and 27th eased the supply difficulties considerably. With the linkup of attacking Ainerican troops and a more stable supply situation, the 101st could predict success. But the battle was not over. Weeks of hard fighting lay ahead. Nevertheless, a light infantry division, complemented by key attachments, especially artillery and antitank support, had stopped an armor-heavy German corps. At the outset, no one would have dared expect such success-no one, that is, but the men and their leaders who were given the mission.

Additional Sources:

www.printsofthecivilwar.com
www.grunts.net
www.ww2gp.org
home.hiwaay.net
www.dean.usma.edu
ardenne44.free.fr
history.amedd.army.mil
www.thedonovan.com
www.oldgloryprints.com
www.interet-general.info
perso.edeign.com
www.thetrainingco.com

CONCLUSIONS

Assessing their actions at Bastogne, German generals concluded that they had failed for a number of reasons. Poor terrain and a restrictive road net had caused them to have disastrous traffic jams that disrupted their timetable from the start. Moreover, they had no forces available for traffic regulation. Poor weather favored a German advance until 23 December but created a thaw which kept German tanks bound to the roads. After 23 December, Allied air superiority made any German advance difficult and interdicted lines of communication, causing all logistical activities to be slow and cumbersome. Supply depots could not be moved forward with the advance, nor could fuel depots remain operational for long. Fighting under such circumstances was an army whose leaders and soldiers were weary from six years of war. Commanders doubted the feasibility of their mission, and after a small surge of morale as the offensive kicked off, the already tired soldiers soon lost the will to fight. Units were understrength in personnel and equipment, and there were significant shortages in the officer and NCO ranks. Replacements for the ground forces were not well trained, many having come from the naval and air forces. Combined arms tactics were either nonexistent or uncoordinated.

The piecemeal German attacks at Bastogne illustrated the deficiencies. American forces were allowed time to react at each decisive sector where the Germans attacked, thus preventing any serious breakthroughs. Continued refusal by Heeresgruppe and Fifth Panzer Army Headquarters to permit XLVII Panzer Corps to concentrate all of its forces against Bastogne (obviously influenced by Hitler's insistence that the offensive continue) clearly saved its gallant defenders from a horrible defeat. Sheer weight of forces would have given the Germans control of Bastogne, if they were willing to pay the price in casualties. But the German's overall timetable was considered more important. German generals also expressed grudging admiration for the Americans who rapidly met the German offensive with strategic forces. The American tactic of delaying through the use of successive positions was highlighted as was the continuous artillery support made available to the infantry. The continuing ability of American artillery units to fight was also cited. Proper credit was given American leadership, which "played a very essential role by making the proper tactical resolution with great flexibility and with equal rapidity adopting all countermeasures and performing them with great energy and skill." Repeatedly cited was the brave determination of the men of the 101st Airborne Division.

An in-depth analysis of the Battle of Bastogne, focusing on the ability of a light division to defeat heavier ones, leads to predictable conclusions. At Bastogne, well-coordinated combined arms teams defeated uncoordinated armored and infantry forces committed to an unrealistic plan. Results of isolated cases in which American infantry fought German armored forces point out how important the attached package of tanks and tank destroyers was to the 101st. Without them, even the bravest of infantry actions would have been no match for the tanks. The infantry, fighting alone, would have lost Bastogne early in the battle. Coordinated German attacks in mass, rather than the small-unit attacks they employed, might also have resulted in a decisive German victory over the 101st and its attachments.

In the final equation, moral strength, luck, and the "fog of war" must also be considered. The Americans had advantages in all three of these categories. The right combination of events and situations-conditions unfavorable to the Germans and favorable to the Americans-produced the American victory at Bastogne. At Bastogne, a light infantry division, properly augmented by good artillery and armor support, was able to defeat a numerically superior and heavier opponent. But the conditions of that victory were particular, not universal in application.

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.

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

UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004

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

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Good Night Snippy.

"One panzergrenadier battalion was on bicycles to save fuel and vehicles. It would be totally unfit for combat in the hilly roads of the rugged Ardennes and ultimately would have to be used only for replacement troops."

I am sure those old boys were not remotely as attractive as Snippy's crew!

Seriously, as much as I respect the men of the 101st at war, dealing with the von Rundstedt offensive was a group effort. Many fine men died unsung that December in the Ardennes.

Besides, the CO of the 101st was Maxwell Taylor, as I recall. Remember the profound damage this political general caused in the early days of the Viet Nam war. Luckily Taylor was at SHAEF noodling with the Big Boys when his troops went to war on twenty four hours notice, so he missed the show.

Good morning Snippy.

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Foxhole.

Today is Norton update day. Donwload them when they arrive.

Our thoughts and prayers with those in the path of Hurricane Ivan. Stay safe.

Present!

September 15, 2004

Led By The Spirit

Read: Romans 8:5-17

As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. —Romans 8:14

Bible In One Year: Proverbs 22-24; 2 Corinthians 8

As a young pastor during the 1940s, Francis Schaeffer was known for his organizational skill. A summer Bible school at his St. Louis church drew 700 children from all over the city and sparked a full-page story in the local newspaper. But when he and his wife began L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland, Schaeffer intentionally set no organizational goals.

He described this unusual approach as God's specific leading for them and said it was the hardest thing he had ever done. But he wanted God's hand to be seen and not the success of well-organized programs.

Schaeffer said, "It's a very hard thing in our own generation, it seems to me, to find anything that can't be explained on the basis of public relations. We'll look to the personal God to see what He wants to do with this work."

Paul said, "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Romans 8:14). This may apply to specific decisions, but it also speaks of a general approach to life. God's children should not attempt anything without the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Being led by the Spirit and following His direction is a walk of faith that brings honor to God and leads to life and peace (vv.6,13). —David McCasland

Led by the Spirit means yielding to Him
In all of the facets of life;
Trying to do all the work on your own
Leads to disorder and strife. —Hess

A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. —Proverbs 16:9

Good morning...off camping untill Sun..see ya'll then.

Good morning everyone!

Love the tagline, SAM. Now I'll have to watch "Band of Brothers" again this weekend.

On This Day In History

Birthdates which occurred on September 15:
0053 Trajan 13th Roman emperor (98-117), second of the "five good emperors"
1789 James Fenimore Cooper 1st major American novelist (The Last of the Mohicans)
1830 Porfirio Diaz soldier, president of Mexico (1877-1911)
1852 Jan E Matzeliger Surinamese inventor (shoe lacing machine)
1857 William Howard Taft Cin, (R) 27th pres (1909-13), chief justice
1876 Frank E Gannett Rochester, newspaper publisher (Gannett)
1881 Ettore Arco Isidoro Bugatti Milan, race car builder (Amaz Bugattis)
1889 Robert Benchley author (My 10 Years in a Quandary)
1890 Dame Agatha Christie mystery writer (Murder on the Orient Express)
1899 Milton S Eisenhower Dwight's brother/Pennsylvania State president
1903 Roy Acuff Maynardville Tenn, country musician (Hee Haw)
1904 Umberto II king of Italy (1946)
1906 Kathryn Murray Jersey City NJ, dancer (Arthur Murray Dance Party)
1906 Penny Singleton Phila Pa, voice (Jane Jetsons)/actress (Blondie)
1907 Fay Wray Alberta, actress (King Kong)
1907 Jack Bailey Hampton Iowa, TV host (Queen for a Day)
1913 John Mitchell Nixon's attorney general who went to jail
1914 Creighton Abrams US, army general (Vietnam War)
1921 Jackie Cooper LA Calif, actor/director (Hennesey, People's Choice)
1924 Bobby Short singer/pianist (Carlisle Hotel)
1925 Blues musician B. B. ("Blues Boy") (Riley B.) King. In the mid-1950s, while King was performing in Twist, Arkansas, some audience members got into a fight over a woman named Lucille. They knocked over a kerosene stove and set the place on fire. Everyboy ran outside...but when King realized he left his guitar inside, he rushed back to retrieve it. From then on, King has named all his guitars "Lucille."
1927 Norm Crosby Boston Mass, comedian/double talker (Liar's Club)
1929 Murray Gell-Mann physicist who predicted quarks
1938 Gaylord Perry baseball player (1972 AL Cy Young winner)
1940 Merlin Olsen UT, NFL tackle (Rams)/sportscaster/actor (Father Murphy)
1941 Miroslaw Hermaszewski 1st Polish space traveler (Soyuz 30)
1946 Oliver Stone NYC, director (Wall St, Good Morning Vietnam, Platoon)
1946 Tommy Lee Jones actor (Executioner's Song, Men In Black)
1961 Dan Marino NFL quarterback (Miami Dolphins)
1984 Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales, 3rd in British sucession

Deaths which occurred on September 15:
0009 Publius Quinctilius Varus, Roman viceroy of Syria, suicide at 59
1736 Gabriel Daniel Fahrenheit. He discovered that water boils at 212F and froze at 32F.
1883 Joseph Antoine Ferdinand Plateau (Mathematician)
1938 Thomas Wolfe, US writer (Enigma), dies at 62

1963 Denise McNair, eleven years old, Carole Robertson, fourteen years old, Cynthia Wesley, fourteen years Addie Mae Collins, fourteen years old, killed in bombing at the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, a site of past civil rights rallies.

1978 Willy Messerschmitt, German aircraft builder, dies at 80
1979 Tommy Leonetti singer/actor (Gomer Pyle USMC), dies at 50
1982 Sadegh Ghotbzadeh Iran's former foreign minister, executed by Iran
1983 Willie Bobo jazz drummer (Cos), dies at 49
1986 Virginia Gregg actress (Little Women), dies at 69
1994 Alain Berdarin founder/owner of "Crazy Horse Saloon," suicide at 78

Reported: MISSING in ACTION
1966 TICE PAUL DOUGLAS BUFFALO NY.

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

On this day...
0490 BC Battle at Marathon: Greek army under Miltiades beat Darius
0608 St Boniface IV begins his reign as Catholic Pope
1514 Thomas Wolsey appointed archbishop of York
1588 The Spanish Armada, which attempted to invade England, is destroyed by a British fleet.
1620 Mayflower departs from Plymouth, England with 102 pilgrims
1621 Swedish troops occupy Riga
1644 Giambattista Pamfili replaces Pope Urban VII as Innocent X
1776 British forces capture Kip's Bay Manhattan during the Revolution
1789 Dept of Foreign Affairs, renamed the Dept of State
1821 Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras & Nicaragua gain independence
1830 1st to be run-over by a railroad train (William Huskisson, England)
1853 1st US woman ordained a minister, Antoinette Blackwell
1862 Stonewall Jackson takes Harpers Ferry
1887 Phila celebrates 100th anniversary of US Constitution
1891 The Dalton gang holds up a train and takes $2,500 at Wagoner, Oklahoma
1893 More than 100 thousand people rushed to the Cherokee Strip as a large area of the Indian Territory - now known as Oklahoma - was opened to homesteaders.
1894 Japan defeats China in Battle of Ping Yang
1904 Wilbur Wright makes his 1st airplane flight
1912 Red Sox pitcher Joe Wood ties then record of 16 straight wins
1912 War between Turkey & Montenegro breaks out in Albania
1913 1st US milch goat show held, Rochester, NY
1914 Battle of Aisne begins between Germans & French during WW I
1916 1st tank used in war, "Little Willies" at Battle of Flors, France
1917 Russia proclaimed a republic by Alexander Kerensky
1918 CH Chubb gives Stonehenge to English state
1923 In response to terrorist activity by the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), Oklahoma was placed under martial law by Governor John Calloway Walton
1928 Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming discovers, by accident, that the mold penicillin has an antibiotic effect.
1930 1st intl bridge match is held in London. US team defeats England
1931 British naval force mutinies at Invergordon over pay

1935 Nuremberg Laws deprive German Jews of citizenship & makes the swastika the official symbol of Nazi Germany

1938 British PM Chamberlain visits Hitler at Berchtesgarden
1938 John Cobb sets world auto speed record at 350.2 MPH (lasts 1 day)
1938 Only time brothers hit back-to-back HRs (Lloyd & Paul Waner, Pitts)
1940 Tide turns in Battle of Britain in WW II, RAF beats Luftwaffe, On this day, a reported 185 German planes were shot down
1941 Nazis kill 800 Jewish women at Shkudvil Lithuania
1942 US aircraft carrier Wasp torpedoed at Guadalcanal
US 1st Infantry division pushes through to Westwall
1946 Dodgers beat Cubs 2-0 in 5 inns, games called because of gnats
1947 1st 4 engine jet propelled fighter plane tested, Columbus, Oh
1947 Yanks clinch pennant #15
1948 F-86 Sabre sets world aircraft speed record of 1080 kph
1949 The Lone Ranger premiers on ABC-TV
(A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty "Hi Yo Silver!" The Lone Ranger. "Hi Yo Silver, away!" With his faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early west. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. The Lone Ranger rides again!)
1950 During Korean conflict, UN forces land at Inchon in the south
1950 Longest game in Phila's Shribe Park, Phils beat Reds 8-7 in 19
1952 UN turns over Eritrea to Ethiopia
1953 Boxing's NBA adopts 10-pt-must-scoring-system (10 pts to round winner)
1957 "Bachelor Father" with John Forsythe premiers
1958 Commuter train crashes through drawbridge, killing 48 (Newark NJ)
1959 Soviet Premier Khrushchev arrives in US to begin a 13-day visit
1961 Hurricane Carla strikes Texas with winds of 175 mph
1962 Australia's 1st entry in America's Cup yacht race (US wins)
1962 KC A's Bill Fischer sets record of 69 1/3 innings without a walk
1963 4 children killed in bombing of a black Baptist church in Birmingham
1963 SF Giants play outfield of Felipe, Matty & Jesus Alou
1965 "Lost in Space" premiers
1966 Gemini XI returns to Earth
1968 "Barbra Streisand: A Happening in Central Park" Show on CBS TV
1968 Launch of Zond 5, the 1st lunar flyaround with Earth reentry. Probable test flight for a manned fly-around (scooped by Apollo 8)
1970 Decca awards Bing Crosby a 2nd platinum disc for selling 300 million
1971 1st broadcast of "Columbo" on NBC-TV (just one more question)
1971 The environmental group Greenpeace is founded.
1973 "Star Trek-Animated" premiers on TV

1974 President Ford offered conditional amnesty to Vietnam draft evaders.

1976 Soyuz 22 carries 2 cosmonauts into Earth orbit for 8 days
1978 Muhammad Ali beats WBA heavyweight champion Leon Spinks
1981 US Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously approves Sandra Day O'Connor

1982 1st issue of "USA Today" published by Gannett Co Inc

1982 Israeli forces began pouring into west Beirut
1990 Florida lottery goes over $100,000,000
1990 France announce it will send 4,000 troops to the Persian Gulf
1991 "The Party Machine with Nia Peeples" final show(liife is good)
1991 SD State freshman Marshall Faulk sets NCAA rushing record of 386 yds
1994 Moslem fundamentalists kidnap & behead 16 citizens in Algeria

Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Costa Rica, El Salv, Guatemala, Honduras & Nicaragua : Ind Day (1821)
Iran : Imama Ja'afar Sadeq's Death
Japan : Respect for the Aged Day
UK : Battle of Britain Day (1940)
Mexico : Independence Day
USA : Felt Hat Day, when men of fashion put away their straw hats
USA : Quarterly Income Tax Due.
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month

Religious Observances
RC : Memorial of 7 Sorrows of Mary
RC Nicomedes, martyr in Rome
Moslem : Id Al-Fitr

Religious History
1648 The Larger and the Shorter Catechisms -- both prepared by the Westminster Assembly the previous year -- were approved by the British Parliament. These two documents have been in regular use among various Presbyterians, Congregationalists and Baptists ever since.
1770 English founder of Methodism John Wesley wrote in a letter: 'To use the grace given is the certain way to obtain more grace. To use all the faith you have will bring an increase of faith.'
1853 In her home state of New York, Antoinette L. Brown, 28, became pastor of the Congregational church in South Butler -- making her the first woman to be formally ordained to the pastorate in the United States.
1920 Pope Benedict XV published the encyclical "Spiritus paraclitus," which restated the Catholic position on Scripture: '...the Bible, composed by men inspired of the Holy Ghost, has God himself as its principal author, the individual authors constituted as his live instruments. Their activity, however, ought not be described as automatic writing.'
1966 The American Bible Society published the New Testament of its "Today's English Version" (TEV), otherwise known as "Good News for Modern Man." It marked the end of a two-year effort led by chief translator, Robert G. Bratcher. (The complete Good News Bible was published in 1976.)

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

Thought for the day :
"Misery loves company, but company does not reciprocate."

Translating Southern United States Slang to English...
FAT - noun, verb. A battle or combat; to engage in battle or combat.

Usage: "You younguns keep fat'n, n' ah'm gonna whup y'uh."

How Many Dogs Does it Take to Change Light Bulb?
Lab: Oh, me, me!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeze let me change the light bulb! Can I?
Can I? Huh? Huh? Huh? Can I? Pleeeeeeeeeze, please, please, please!

Politically Correct Terms For Males...
He does not get : DRUNK
He is : ACCIDENTALLY OVER-SERVED

What's Your Business Astrological Sign?...
HUMAN RESOURCES
Ironically, given your access to confidential information, you tend to be the biggest gossip within the organisation. Possibly the only other person that does less work than marketing, you are unable to return any calls today because you have to get a haircut, have lunch AND then mail a letter.

Good morning ladies. Flag-o-gram.

Main gate to the Pukin' Chickens home post.

Morning Iris7.

The 101st gets the headlines for Bastogne, but there were elements of the an Armored Divison and stragglers from the 28th Infantry involved in the defense. Delaying tactics by mixed teams of infantry and armor like Team Desobry at Noville, Team Cherry at Longvilly and the Team O'Hara at Wardin paid dearly to buy the time for the 101st to get to Bastonge and set up a defense.

Morning Aeronaut.

Morning E.G.C.

Looks like New Orleans is in for a big hit. My prayers are with them.