Bastogne (Battle of the Bulge)

December 1944

The 101st is most famous for their participation in the Battle of the Bulge. 

     In November the two divisions where final released so they could prepare for their next airborne mission. In late November the 101st moved to Mourmelon-le-Grande, France. There they got a well needed and well deserved rest. They got some new equipment and recruits. 

    On the 16 December the Germans launched their great offensive in Belgium, the Allies where unprepared. A bulge was drove into the Allied north-south line, so they call it the Battle of the Bulge. The 101st and the 82nd where in reserve because they still in the First Army. Gen Eisenhower released them so they could fight. 

    A misunderstanding in orders almost cause the 101st to end up in the wrong place. The 82nd was to go to Werbomont. Somehow the orders got switched and the 101st where told to go with the 82nd. The real orders where for the 101st to go to Bastogne. Due to General McAuliffe's sudden impulse to go to Bastogne to find out what was going on. Colonel Sherburne later stopped at the same intersection and asked if any members of the 101st had gone through there and if so where they had gone. When the MP on guard told him yes that they had got to Bastogne he decided to go to Bastogne. He told the MP that there would be a convoy headed his way from Mourmelon-le-Grande to tell all members of the 101st to go to Bastogne. 

    The 101st went from Bastogne and moved north to meet the Germans at Noville. They met the Germans alright and they met them with plenty of difficulty. The Germans had a great force tanks and artillery, so the 101st was under constant fire. The 101st had to withdraw but they didn't leave without blowing the church and any machinery or artillery that couldn't be carried or driven, but could be useful to the Germans.

    The 101st got back to Bastogne where they where surrounded by German forces. The Germans made a huge military error. The 101st had a small force but the Germans only attacked a small section at a time. This gave the division time to maneuver their forces to meet the German forces.

    On December 23, the American forces received a note, from the Germans, ordering their surrender. General McAuliffe reply when he first receive the note was "Aw nuts." The reply was given back to the Germans. They asked Colonel Joseph Harper what that meant. Col. Harper's reply was "If you don't know what nuts means, in plain English it is the same as 'Go to hell. And let me tell you something else if you continue to attack we'll kill every goddamned German that tries to break through our lines."

    The 101st was running very low on medical supplies, ammunition, and food. When forecast lifted the supplies arrived. Hundreds of brightly colored parachutes let the supplies sail down. Out of the supplies there where medical supplies, ammunition, and food. There was also real Christmas cards and fruit cakes. There was even things like razors, soap, and toilet paper.

    In the morning of December 26 German artillery started up again, but instead of artillery fire they Germans where firing fake Christmas cards. On the cards it would say Merry Christmas, or something along those lines, and then it would say to bring the card to the German line and you would be taken prisoner and treated with the best of care. Most men used the cards for toilet paper, they where running short on it. 

    The 101st had succeeded at Bastogne, making the Germans run all the way back to Germany. The 101st went on into Germany and made their way to Hitler's headquarters, also known as the Eagles Nest. On their way to the Eagles Nest they stopped at a concentration camp. They had the Nazis bury the dead. They arrived at the Eagles Nest where they found out that Hitler was dead. They took the Germans, that had remained in the Eagles Nest, prisoner. The 101st was not done yet though. After Germany they fought in Rhineland, Bavaria, and Austria.

**Remember click on thumbnails to enlarge pictures**

 The 101st prepare for another attack by the Germans.

The 101st wait patiently.                                     The map of the "Battle of the Bulge."