I have watched Band of Brothers several times without realizing the significance of the German armor attacking their position outside Bastogne. Obviously the rifle company alone is not going to stop them, but not until I read Charles B. Macdonald’s book A Time for Trumpets did I realize a lot of other folks were ordered to or retreated into the town.
Overall General McAuliffe directed eleven artillery battalions and tanks from two armored divisions as well as his paratroopers. 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 race and 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. The 28th Division contributed 109th and 687th Field Artillery Battalions when they were driven back by the Germans. He says there 155mm cannon detached from Corps artillery and there was also a Team SNAFU that accumulated the many stragglers that ended up in this road junction.