Baraque de Fraiture (Parkers Crossroads)

Under orders from command to "hold at all costs", Major Arthur C. Parker of the 589th Field Artillery unit assembled a makeshift force of glider and parachute infantry, armored infantry, a few anti-tank guns and some Sherman tanks at the …

1944-12-20

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Under orders from command to "hold at all costs", Major Arthur C. Parker of the 589th Field Artillery unit assembled a makeshift force of glider and parachute infantry, armored infantry, a few anti-tank guns and some Sherman tanks at the crossroads near the Belgian village of Fraiture. Repeated German attacks over the next few days were turned back as fuel supply problems limited the 2nd SS Panzer Division and 60th VolksGrenadiers. By the 23rd, however those fuel problems were solved and a powerful combined arms attack finally overwhelmed the out-manned Americans. By evening the position was lost. While the final outcome was never in doubt, by holding the crossroads for over 2 days, Parker's hastily-assembled troops prevented the German forces from advancing - giving the Allied forces in the area precious time to recover and reform.

Fraiture, Belgium

The Battle of St. Vith was an engagement in Belgium fought during the Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine in World War II. It was one of several battles on December 16, 1944 constituting the opening of Germany's Ardennes counteroffensive. The town of St. Vith, a vital road junction, was close to the boundary between the 5th and Sepp Dietrich’s Sixth Panzer Army, the two strongest units of the attack. St. Vith was also close to the western end of the Losheim Gap, a critical valley through the densely forested ridges of the Ardennes Forest and the axis of the entire German counteroffensive. Opposing this drive were units of the U.S. VIII Corps. These defenders were led by the U.S. 7th Armored Division and included the 424th Infantry (the remaining regiment of the 106th U.S. Infantry Division), elements of the 9th Armored Division's Combat Command B and the 112th Infantry of the U.S. 28th Infantry Division. These units, which operated under the command of Generals Robert W. Hasbrouck (7th Armored) and Alan W. Jones (106th Infantry), successfully resisted the German attacks, thereby significantly slowing the German advance.

Wikipedia: Battle of St. Vith

German

American

Game Type: Standard

Board Type: Winter

Website Access: Available