Fields of Blood

After a pause to tend to the wounded, the German paratroopers launched another attack on the American positions along the woodline above Lanzerath. Lieutenant Bouck again called for artillery support and was again denied due to more pressing concerns elsewhere. …

1944-12-16

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After a pause to tend to the wounded, the German paratroopers launched another attack on the American positions along the woodline above Lanzerath. Lieutenant Bouck again called for artillery support and was again denied due to more pressing concerns elsewhere. When he asked what he should do without artillery support the reply was succinct: "hold at all costs". Shortly thereafter, an enemy fire attack pierced the radio, destroying it. Despite the morning's intense fighting, only one American soldier had been wounded, having been hit in the face by a rifle grenade that luckily failed to explode as it fell to the ground. As the afternoon attacks across the open fields continued, the lack of sleep from the previous night and dwindling ammunition supplies began to take its toll on the vastly outnumbered American defenders. In the end they held out for 18 hours before being outflanked, effectively crippling a good portion of the 3rd Fallschirmjaeger's manpower while allowing critical time for the US Army to reposition itself in order to meet the Germans' main thrust. Because of their actions during that first morning of what would later be called ”The Battle of the Bulge" this group of brave men became the most decorated platoon of WWII.

Lanzerath, Belgium

The Battle of Lanzerath Ridge was fought on December 16, 1944, the first day of the Battle of the Bulge during World War II, near the village of Lanzerath, Belgium, along the key route for the German advance on the northern shoulder of the operation. The American force consisted of two squads totaling 18 men belonging to a reconnaissance platoon and four forward artillery observers, against a German battalion of about 500 paratroopers. During a day-long confrontation, the American defenders inflicted dozens of casualties on the Germans and delayed by almost 20 hours the advance of the entire 1st SS Panzer Division, the spearhead of the German 6th Panzer Army.

Wikipedia: Battle of Lanzerath Ridge

German

Americans