One of the most storied battles in U.S. Army history, began on this day at dawn, 16 Dec 1944.
My words are inadequate to describe how I feel about the heroic efforts by our forces in this battle. Their bravery in facing a determined enemy, as well as brutal winter conditions, without adequate supply, makes this battle unique, and truly inspiring.
Jules Crittenden has made an outstanding post on this occasion, and I highly recommend going there, viewing the numerous photos, and clicking on the numerous links he has compiled. It is one of the most comprehensive posts I have ever seen, and he is to be commended for making this wealth of information available to us.
I am still in awe, of the men who fought in this battle, which resulted in the destruction of Germany’s ability to fight in the Western front, and paved the road to victory.
Thank you, for all the veterans, and those who perished in this fight, you make us proud.
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*UPDATE* An amazing video. Thanks to Castle Argghhh!!!
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A German doctor I knew told me that when he was 18 y/o he broke his leg during the invasion of Poland. This was a stroke of luck because after being released from the hospital, he was allowed to enter university and study to become a doctor. He graduated in 1944 and was sent to Bastogne just in time for the Bulge. He prayed every day for the cloud cover to not break up because he knew when it did, the Allies would bomb the crap out of them, which indeed they did. He immigrated to the US in 1951.
Thank you for this post. My dad was with the Third Army and fought in the Bastogne Bulge. He always said, when asked what his most difficult experiences were during the war, that it was a tie between the Bastogne Bulge and the landing at Normandy (he arrived on the beach of Normandy in a landing craft just a few hours after the initial invasion). Regarding Bastogne, I found it striking how he vividly recalled the bitter, bitter cold.
Tracy,
Thank me?
No, thank you, and your wonderful Dad.
What he and his buddies did still leaves me in awe.
Would our young men today, be capable of withstanding such horrific conditions, such mind-bending terror, live through it, win the war, and come back and rebuild the world?
I don’t know, but your Dad, and many like him, did just that, and I am eternally grateful.
No need to thank me, but I certainly do share your admiration and gratitude for those who have served.
I have always been so proud of my dad for his service to our country. Since he is old enough to actually be my grandfather, when I was in school I was the only one out of all my classmates who could say that my dad had served in WWII (though plenty of their grandfathers had served). I clearly remember how proud I was to take my dad’s Eisenhower jacket to school to share with my high school history class when we were learning about WWII.
Your sentiments on behalf of my dad (and for all of his brothers in arms who suffered through so much, yet stoically persevered) are very much appreciated and I will share them with him this weekend as I will be traveling to visit my parents this Friday.
I want my dad and all veterans to know that what they went through will always be appreciated and will never be forgotten — no matter how many years have passed. I have printed out Crittendon’s post recognizing the anniversary of this battle. The pictures did not show up, so I printed each picture one by one and then painstakingly cut each one out manually, pasting them into the story I had printed so that I could show this post to my dad (no Internet in their home!).
This Christmas I will count my blessings that our dad is still with us . . . and I will reflect upon how he survived despite all the bullets and the bitter cold he faced in the trenches that Christmas day — and for so many other days both before and after that Christmas so long ago.
Some character traits which I have always noted and admired in the WWII generation is a striking humility and a no-nonsense “get-the-job done” practicality. My feelings about the WWII generation is best summed up by Tom Brokaw. I gave my dad each and every one of Brokaw’s books from the Greatest Generation series, purchasing each one for him as soon as they were published. I sincerely endorse the sentiment expressed by the title of this series as I believe that the generation who grew up during the Great Depression truly was the greatest generation.
Tracy, I was thanking you for telling us about him.
I didn’t want to ask if he was still with us, but you answered that unasked question perfectly.
Did you notice I made an update to the post? There is a great video added.
You have every right to be proud of him for surviving the war, and returning home to raise a family.
You are correct about how the men from that era had a quiet determination and humility. My Dad was in WWII as an aircraft mechanic, so he never saw combat, but nearly all of his friends, colleagues, and contemporaries were. When we would have a backyard Bar-B-Que, and his friends would come over, I used to sit just outside their circle, and listen to the stories of those in combat, of those who flew bomber missions, of those who were captured and survived years in POW camps. These were all good men, that were involved in my life as coaches, Sunday school teachers, and parents of other kids that I went to school with. Having respect for them, and what they had done for us and the world, just came naturally.
When you see him this weekend, give him an extra hug, and a thank you, from me.
When you see him this weekend, give him an extra hug, and a thank you, from me.
I’ll certainly do that! I’m printing the post from Robbie’s site right now so he can see it for himself.
Oh, and I’d like to send out a big thank-you to all the veterans out there . . . as well as to all those who are no longer with us and all those who never made it back, but will never be forgotten. The cherished memories of those who never made it home have always been carried by their brothers in the trenches — you can see this reflected in veterans’ eyes when they talk about their experiences. The best way for them to honor the memories of those who fell was exactly what they did — they went on to live good lives, raising families, and rebuilding the world to be a better place.
So, thank you, once again . . . and this Christmas may you and your families reflect on just how much you contributed by quietly going about fulfilling your sense of duty to your country when the need arose.
Thank you for serving our country. Dec, 16th will always be remembered. Please help to save your history. I have numerous magazine articles on the Battle. I can send info to you.