Traffic jams on both sides of the front were a major problem for both Armies. The 7th Armored Division fought a running battle out of St. Vith on December 23, 1944. St Vith was a very important place to the Germans because of all these roads and railroad. But a few war gaming sites are of sufficient quality and historical depth about the unit's actual experiences to merit inclusion. It is significant to note that the 7th Armored Division was near Aachen, Germany when the German attack began. December 1944 World War II Combat Interviews of the 7th Armored Division: The Battle of the Bulge -- Defense of St. Vith, Belgium. On December 23, the weather cleared, and Allied planes finally filled the skies in support of the besieged American troops. The Story of the 95TH AFABN, 5TH ARMDD. They always say American tanks can't go here or there over these roads, but we found out that German tanks could when they went from Beho to Rogery. Then I think the traffic -- well we had a schedule and everybody kept to it. I always had some sort of reserve – it didn't amount too much. Even when the 7th Armored Division had reached St. Vith, it was the troops on the northern shoulder and the newly arrived 82nd Airborne Division that kept a very narrow escape route open for the virtually surrounded defenders of St. Vith. Our people were on the road trying to go east. Unfortunately, due to the complexity of the battle and to other circumstances, there are a great number of popular misconceptions about the Battle of the Bulge; so I hope to set some of these straight. According to War Department General Order 114, December 7, 1945 there were approximately 2,000 units that received the Ardennes Credit, (The Battle of the Bulge). This article was taken from the maps, memoirs, and memories of Sgt. reunions, veterans, primary source material, published histories. The devastating successes of the German armored units in Poland and France underscored America's need for an effective armored force. The Division landed on Omaha Beach and Utah Beach in August 1944, being assigned to the U.S. They had their Command Posts close enough together so that they could talk with one another. It was a Corps order, not written but oral. Finally First Army ordered XVIII Corps to withdrawn and General Ridgway didn't like it.He came to see me, wanted to know why. The 7th Armored Division arrived in England in June 1944. The ending date of the Bulge is considered as January 25, 1945, since this was the date on which the lost positions were officially thought to have been completely regained. Gregory Fontenot is a retired Colonel of the U.S. Army. The First US Army troops from the north met the Third US Army troops from the south at Houffalize, Belgium on January 16, 1945. 304th Engineer Combat Battalion Interview with: Brigadier-General Robert W. Hasbrouck. General Clarke had two battalions of infantry, an engineer company, a battalion of tanks, one tank destroyer company and as time went on got another battalion of tanks. I heard a story, but you'll have to check on it, that some wounded German said, "Hell this is no green division, this is the 7th Armored. I had very little communication with Generals Bruce Clarke and Hoge. Closes a gap in the record of the Battle of the Bulge by recounting the exploits of the 7th Armored Division in a way that no other study has. It was jammed up so that it was impossible to travel. Order of Battle - WWII - ETO; 7th ARMORED DIVISION; Return to Table of Contents "Lucky Seventh" The mixture of insignia and distinctive colors of several arms incorporated in the Armored Force symbolize integrity and esprit. These units vary in size from a small number of people up to and including an Army Group. The 7th Armored Division trained at Camp Coxcomb in California. (Keep in mind that the southern shoulder was one that the Germans themselves intended to form with their Seventh Army -- which they pretty much succeeded in doing.). Since the battle was so complex, it is important to consider some basic organizing themes. A training com… While he covers the entire history of the division, Fontenot concentrates his account on the unit's stand at St. Vith (Dec. 16-22). The withdrawal was pretty well set up. I had something at Bouvigny for a time, but I don't know just now what it was. I finally decided I was wasting time. We had prisoner identifications from seven different divisions. If the 99th Infantry Division and 291st Engineer Combat Battalion had not held on the northern shoulder, the 7th Armored Division never would have reached St. Vith. In the largest battle ever fought by the U. S. Army, with 600,000 GI's involved, it is difficult to place one unit or location ahead of another in importance. This is NOT an interactive map. "Colonel Greg Fontenot's compelling account of the 7th Armored Division in the Battle of the Bulge provides wonderful insight into the hitherto unheralded but inspirational performance of the 'Lucky Seventh' and the units that fought alongside it. Then when 112 th came in it naturally attached itself to the infantry division. Any unit anywhere in the Bulge or along the edge of the Bulge was in combat with German units. [Manteuffel press conference of 22 December 1964 in Watertown, NY], Hitler did not accept Manteuffel's recommendation, and the German supplies began to run out. They arrived in England June 1944 to begin their World War II combat assignments. Here is the layout of the geographic areas of the battlefield. And it is a work in progress. They had an idea that 3, The withdrawal was pretty well set up. (Some of the GI's had wondered why they saw German planes before that, despite the conditions, but saw no American planes.). Fontenot combines the experience of a combat commander, the eye of a serious historian, and the understanding of a professional soldier in relaying … You have to disentangle yourself first. Charles Harman, Tank Commander, father of Gail Larke, BOBA recording secretary, and was compiled … Most accounts of the Battle of the Bulge give short-shrift to the interval during which the German forward progress stopped and the American counterattack began. For example, the hierarchy here places the U. S. 7th Armored Division in XVIII Corps in U. S. First Army in 12th Army Group. 281st Engineer Combat Battalion 290th Engineer Combat Battalion Planning covered about four to four and one-half hours. Even when the 7th Armored Division had reached St. Vith, … 289th Engineer Combat Battalion 297th Engineer Combat Battalion It took about five hours to get back to Vielsalm because all the roads were blocked both ways. Originally the plan was to withdraw at 0300 hours but Combat Command "B" of the 9th Armored Division was so involved with the attack, it had to wait till things quieted down. I sent General Bruce Clarke (Commanding General CCB) down the preceding night (16 December) to report to the VIII Corps. Initially when we came down we were not given an Army order. Holding St. Vith: The 7th Armored Division and the 106th Infantry Division, with elements of the 9th Armored Division and 28th Infantry Division, held St. Vith four days beyond the German timetable. Usually this means Division level. To fully understand the hierarchy at any given moment in the Battle, you must not rely on this page alone. Footnote: Earl Combs was serving with the 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division when he was in action during the Battle of St, Vith in Belgium, one of several battles constituting the opening of Germany's Ardennes counteroffensive (more commonly known as the "Battle of the Bulge"), when he was captured on December 21, 1944 and taken as a Prisoner of War. 303rd Engineer Combat Battalion Fontenot combines the experience of a combat commander, the eye of a serious historian, and the understanding of a professional soldier in relaying … The hierarchy given here is at a moment nearly at the end of the Battle. 260th Engineer Combat Battalion A month later the tankers wanted it back. General Clarke had two battalions of infantry, an engineer company, a battalion of tanks, one tank destroyer company and as time went on got another battalion of tanks. And the famous "Nuts" did not come until December 22, Day 7. Two later attacks on New Year's Day 1945 attempted to create second fronts in Holland (Operation Schneeman) and in northern France (Operation Nordwind). I heard a story, but you'll have to check on it, that some wounded German said, Remembering and Honoring a Young Soldier - Pfc Solomon D. Mosner, St Vith and the 106th Division In the Bulge, My Battle of the Bulge – Before and Beyond, Loss and Redemption at St. Vith: The 7th Armored Division in the Battle of the Bulge (Book), Foxholes and Christmas of long ago Remembered…, Breakfast in the Beautiful Snowy Ardennes Forest, The 318th Inf Regt in the Bastogne Saliant, German Officer Vindicates 106th Recc Troop. He would have taken care of his right flank, but we moved back anyway. Slowly but surely the Allies -- from the North, the West, and the South -- closed the salient, the Bulge. Click here to order on Amazon.com. The dense forest had very few roads, none of which were large. 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