Parker’s Crossroads

Route N15 is the major road from Liege to Bastogne. U.S. Major Arthur C. Parker, withdrawing with remnants of his 598th Field Artillery Battalion, realized the value of the crossroads at Baraque de Fraiture, decided to dig in and make …

1944-12-23

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Route N15 is the major road from Liege to Bastogne. U.S. Major Arthur C. Parker, withdrawing with remnants of his 598th Field Artillery Battalion, realized the value of the crossroads at Baraque de Fraiture, decided to dig in and make a stand. Bolstered with reinforcements, including AA vehicles and several tanks, Parker withstood everything the Germans threw at him. On the afternoon of the 23rd, the crossroads were attacked from the North by Pzkw IVs, while Panzergrenadiers with halftracks attacked from the West. Eventually, Parker’s forces were surrounded and attacked from all sides. Obeying a “hold at all cost” order, the U.S. guns fired until they were knocked out one-by-one. German tanks raked the lines and groups of SS Panzergrenadiers swarmed over the crossroads. As dusk approached, the order to withdraw was given and the position now lay in German hands.

Baraque de 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

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