Battle of the Bulge 75th

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Wednesday, 11 December 2019 - Explored Bastogne and its World War II history on the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, visited memorials and museums honoring the American 101st Airborne and other units, saw Sherman tanks and plaques telling stories of the siege, walked through Peace Woods planted for veterans, viewed historic fortifications including the only standing medieval gate, and captured monuments, stained-glass windows, and cemetery sites that reflect both wartime sacrifice and remembrance.

The village of Bastogne is small. I suppose its claim to fame is now the war in which it played a critical role some 75 years ago. There are several museums and monuments - each memorial holds a story and the museums have cataloged an incredible number of found artifacts to document this monumental battle.

belgium2019 — This Sherman M4A3 tank of the 11th armored "Thunderbolt" Division was destroyed on December 30, 1944 in the surroundings of the hamlet Renuamont and is currently standing in the middle of the McAuliffe square in Bastogne.

belgium2019 — Memorial for General McAuliffe, commander of the American 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

belgium2019 — Brigadier General McAuliffe commanded the division artillery of the 101st Airborne Division. In December 1944, the German army launched the surprise attack that became the Battle of the Bulge. Major General Maxwell Taylor, commander of the 101st Airborne Division, was attending a staff conference in the United States at the time. During Taylor's absence, McAuliffe commanded the 101st and its attached troops.

The Germans had the 101st surrounded in Bastogne and asked the Americans to surrender. According to those present when McAuliffe received the German message, he read it, crumpled it into a ball, threw it in a wastepaper basket, and muttered, "Aw, nuts". Lt. Col. Harry Kinnard suggested that McAuliffe's first response summed up the situation pretty well so the reply to the Germans was simply "Nuts".

belgium2019 — A memorial to General George Patton who reinforced Bastogne breaking the siege.

a rather subtle monument for such an unsubtle soldier.

belgium2019 — Gate of Trier - The construction of ramparts surrounding Bastogne and comprising a dozen defense towers and two doors were erected between 1341 and 1360. Of all these fortifications, the Trier gate is the only element still standing.

belgium2019 — Church of St. Peter of Bastogne a Catholic Church built in the 9th century was heavily damaged during the Battle of the Bulge.

In the Band of Brothers miniseries this church is used as an aid station and then bombed on Christmas Eve. That did not happen - the aid station and bombing were at a chapel across the street. Our guide had great things to say about the BoB series as he thought it gave a good representation of the conditions during the Battle of the Bulge.

belgium2019 — The area around Bastogne is known for sausage and ham products - so a stained-glass representation of little pigs is appropriate.

belgium2019 — The altar dates from the Romanesque period in the 9th century.

belgium2019 — An interesting stained-glass window restored after the Battle of Bastogne includes the US Shield.

belgium2019 — Our Lady of Lourdes in a small cave.

belgium2019 — Close to Bastogne Historical Center is the last marker (number 1147) of Liberty Road. The Liberty Road is the route the Allies took from Sainte-Mere-Eglise in Normandy, through Northern France to Bastogne. There is a marker like this one every kilometer.

belgium2019 — The Mardasson Memorial is a monument honoring the memory of American soldiers wounded or killed during the Battle of the Bulge. Designed in the shape of a five-pointed American star.

The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Counteroffensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II, launched against the American First Army in the early morning hours of December 16, 1944, and would result in the greatest single extended land battle of World War II. The battles were fought in the Ardennes forest of Belgium and Luxembourg from December 1944 through January 1945. Almost one million soldiers would take part in the fighting. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill would state in the House of Commons on January 18, 1945, that this was "undoubtedly the greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be regarded as an ever-famous American victory." The price paid by the Western Allied forces was terribly high with 80,000 men lost, all but 1,400 were Americans. Estimates of German casualties range from 90,000-120,000.

From "War Stories of the Battle of the Bulge," by Michael Green and James D. Brown.

belgium2019 — Insignia of most participating battalions are shown on the walls, representing the 76,890 killed and wounded during the Battle of the Bulge.

belgium2019 — The ten carved panels ringing the inside of the memorial tell the story of the battle.

belgium2019 — The 50 states are represented around the parapet.

Thought it was appropriate to take a picture of my current home.

belgium2019 — The plaque at the center of the memorial.

belgium2019 — Below the structure a crypt with three altars, one each for Protestant, Catholic and Jewish services were carved, and decorated with mosaics by French artist Fernand Leger.

belgium2019 — The plaque in the crypt.

belgium2019 — The 1st Infantry Division, in which Cal served, fought on the North side of the Bulge.

belgium2019 — A short way from the Mardasson Memorial is a memorial commemorating the 101st Airborne Division donated by the city of Bastogne and its residents.

Text on the plaque:

May this eagle always symbolize the sacrifices and heroism of the 101ste Airborne Division and all its attached units.
December 1944 - January 1945
The city and the citizens of Bastogne

belgium2019 — A decorated Sherman Tank in an art display outside the Bastogne Historical Center.

belgium2019 — 4,000 trees making up Bois de la Paix (Forest of Peace) were planted for the 50th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge. They were dedicated to the American veterans who fought in the Ardennes, Belgian combatants and all the civilians and military who died in the winter of 1944-45.

belgium2019 — Peace Woods was especially moving where the children in Bastogne have planted a seedling to honor every veteran of the Battle of the Bulge who returned to Bastogne in 1994. During the anniversaries, the children guided veterans to their tree which is especially moving. Not too long ago, a Palestinian and an Israeli woman who both lost sons in the Middle East conflict came together in Peace Woods to signify the casualty of war and the importance of finding peace.

belgium2019 — Every military unit was also represented in an arc of trees. Cal stands next to the 1st Infantry division in which he served.

belgium2019 — Our guide for this part of our trip was only nine when the war began. His father was a forest ranger and they lived in a cabin in the Ardennes woods. His father was killed in the front yard when struck by an explosion. He went on to study history and specialize in military history of this period and he shared many stories which made the people and the conflict come to life for us.

belgium2019 — A veteran airborne soldier of the 101st Airborne and his placard next to his tree.

belgium2019 — 101st Easy Company Battle of the Bulge Memorial.

Easy company was made famous in the Band of Brothers series. The series follows a company of 101 Airborne troopers through Europe and several episodes on the Battle of the Bulge.

belgium2019 — During the Battle of the Bulge, Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division dug in near the German occupied town of Foy in Bois Jacques (Jack's Forrest). There are still depressions where the foxholes were dug by the soldiers all through the woods.

belgium2019 — Bois Jacques (Jack's Woods) with a small cross in the distance.

belgium2019 — Homemade memorial to the soldiers of Easy Company 101st Airborne.

belgium2019 — Jack's Woods with colorful moss.

belgium2019 — Recogne German war cemetery contains the graves of 6,807 Second World War German soldiers, many of whom lost their lives during the Battle of the Bulge.

belgium2019 — "STRM" indicates a soldier from the infamous SS units. The phrase "Ein Deutscher Soldat" indicates an unknown soldier. There are 6 buried to a plot with 3 listed on each side of the headstone.

belgium2019 — A memorial for one of the graves.

belgium2019 — Very sad to see so many dates of death from Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 1944.

belgium2019 — There is a small chapel on the cemetery grounds which had several remembrances of the Battle of the Bulge for German soldiers.

belgium2019 — Viewing the cemetery from the chapel.

belgium2019 — A howitzer outside the 101st Airborne Museum in Bastogne.

belgium2019 — An Airborne Paratrooper in parachute inside the 101st Airborne Museum.

belgium2019 — A diorama inside the 101st Airborne Museum.

belgium2019 — A plaque indicating the location of the aid station for the 10th Armored Division in Bastogne where 30 US wounded and a volunteer Belgian nurse lost their lives in the German bombing on 24 December 1944.

belgium2019 — The reason Bastogne was so critical for the Germans - all the roads run through Bastogne.

belgium2019 — Storefront windows were painted reminding us, lest we forget, how this battle changed the future course of, not only Europe, but of the world.

belgium2019 — Another storefront message.

belgium2019 — The hams and salamis from this area are simply delicious and became my go-to meal with cheese and a baguette for breakfast.

belgium2019 — A soldier handing out treats to children on storefront artwork.

I learned a new Army acronym from this era that became one of my favorites, SNAFU, Situation Normal All Fouled Up! How many times have we been in a situation when something abnormal occurs?

belgium2019 — 75 years since December 1944 - the anniversary we traveled to Bastogne celebrate.

belgium2019 — A WWII reenactor outside a Battle of the Bulge themed cafe.

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