The Battle of the Bulge

Self | DEc16, 2019 | Self

[Retain Mike]

Seventy-five years ago, on December 16, the Germans launched the Ardennes Offensive, which proved the bloodiest American battle of WW II with 89,000 casualties including 19,000 dead. At the center of the offensive beleaguered Bastogne featured the 101th Airborne withstanding a German siege.

However, these 10,000 paratroopers did not alone forge the severe impediment presented to 500,000 Germans troops attacking with tanks. Contributions from the 9th and 10th Armored Divisions, and the 28th Division’s 109th and 687th Field Artillery Battalions provided needed firepower. Remnants of the 9th Armored CCR including the 73rd Armored Field Artillery retreated into the town. The CCB of the 10th Armored was detached and ordered to occupy Bastogne ahead of the Nazi’s. It took heavy casualties along the way but arrived with 30 tanks and the 420th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. The 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion was ordered forward and arrived with 36 powerful 76mm long cannon.

Overall General Anthony McAuliffe, as former division artillery commander for the division, directed eleven artillery battalions and tanks from two armored divisions as well as his paratroopers. The paratroopers alone would probably have been annihilated and not have withstood the siege. The tanks and artillery alone could not have prevailed against the combined arms of the German assault without this airborne infantry support.

No wonder at the Battle of the Bulge McAuliffe could say “nuts” when the Germans demanded his surrender.

Partial Bibliography:

A Time for Trumpets by Charles B. MacDonald

Death Traps: The Survival of an American Armored Division in WW II by Belton Y. Cooper

WWII Armored Division http://xbradtc.com/2008/10/24/wwii-armored-division/

10th Armored Division (United States) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._10th_Armored_Division http://www.combatreels.com/10th_Armored_Division.cfm

9th Armored Division (United States) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._9th_Armored_Division

Battle of the Bulge http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge

Siege of Bastogne http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Bastogne

705th Tank Destroyer Battalion http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/705th_Tank_Destroyer_Battalion

[Bull Snipe]

Not B52s. B-24s. The Ford Plant at Willow Run finished a B-24 bomber every 59 minutes when running at top capacity..

[skepsel]

Sorry, being nit picky, experimenting with pink gin, shouldn’t have used cheap gin, late night.

[skepsel]

“...a single strong defensive force was built from separate commands of armor, airborne infantry, and tank destroyers.”

Sounds like what the Germans did repeatedly, forming shattered units into ad hoc kampfgruppes; establishing defensive perimeters, counter-attacking to stabilize a fluid situation...breaking out of, or into a pocket to rescue trapped formations.

Not taking anything away from the valor of the defenders of Bastogne, the Bulge was a triumph of defensive warfare and the relief of an encircled force.

[JoeFromSidney]

At that time I was out of school with the measles. I had a radio, and followed the news on a map, plotting the Battle front as the movements were reported. I still remember the excitement of keeping up with the news.

[Sam Gamgee]

Thanks for the clarification. Still impressive.

[Retain Mike]

I appreciate the help. I am really picky too.

[SMARTY]

Right-and in the Churchill bio’s, the old guy actually liked Stalin, at first. That changed.