27 December 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

27 December, 1944        1330

My dearest darling –

It’s another clear, cold crisp day with not a cloud in the sky. Certainly the Air Corps can’t complain. It’s the nicest stretch of weather we’ve had since we first arrived in Normandy and it comes at an opportune time.

I’ve been here at battalion all day so far and I think I’ll be sticking around for the rest of the day, anyway. We were busy this a.m. – here at the Dispensary and took care of quite a few civilians, too. We had a B.C.’s meeting the latter part of the morning – the meeting being chiefly devoted to Orientation. Later this afternoon I have several house calls to make – a sick kid, a woman with phlebitis, a boy with a bad Rheumatic heart etc. Our evenings here are uncertain; last night we sat around and waited; tonite we’ll try to play some cards, I guess. The mail continues to be elusive – but we expect that. The only letters I want are those from you and my folks, darling. I still have about a dozen letters to answer but I haven’t the time or the desire, for that matter.

I still have a couple of your letters as yet unanswered, sweetheart – and that reminds me, I want to take exception to a statement you once made in reference to my failure to answer some of your questions. Darling – I answer every one of them, sometimes vaguely, I know, due to necessity, but I always mention the subject. I never destroy one of your letters before re-reading it and making certain that I’ve covered every subject. And that reminds me – your mention of dog-tags and changing them with others – seems to affect the infantry more than any other branch of the service. Don’t worry, mine are around my neck at all times, dear. And another thing – give one of my T3 Sergeants credit for packing the clock; all I did was to watch and advise. I wonder how that clock is going now and whether you’ve grown to like it or not.

Say – your cigarette shortage must really be something. If nothing more – I hope it makes you smoke less – and your mother, too. I have a sneaking suspicion, darling, that you must be smoking more than is good for you. We get a pretty good supply here – with our rations and therefore, gratis. I had quite a supply at one time – Camels and Chesterfields – but I couldn’t send them home to you, Sweetheart, because they’re tax free and not mailable. I don’t smoke a pack a month but I have used them for getting my laundry done etc. Incidentally – I had quite a bunch of dirty laundry, O.D.’s, field jackets etc and I’m getting them washed in this town. The women come to the Aid Station and ask if we want our laundry done. Imagine that! After they talk us into it – we say “Yes!”

You wrote (28 Nov) that you sat around one evening, all dressed up, smoking cigarette after cigarette, listening to the radio, perfume and all (what perfume?) and you ended your sentence thus “ – and I was ready”; ready for what, darling –– and you shouldn’t write like that – because you make me feel like jumping out of my boots and heading straight for home – which, of course, I feel like doing anyway. But – boy – oh boy! When you write “I’m ready” – you don’t know what you’re in for – so beware! I’m ready too, darling, and – well what’s the use. I’ll tell you when I see you. For now – I’ll say only that I love you, darling – and that I’ve been ready for a long long time. Love to the folks, dearest –

And my sincerest love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about More from General Hodges

The snapshots that follow were taken from Normandy to Victory: The War Diary of General Courtney H. Hodges & the First U.S. Army, maintained by his aides Major William C. Sylvan and Captain Francis G. Smith Jr.; edited by John T. Greenwood, copyright 2008 by the Association of the United States Army, pp.238-241.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

26 December 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

26 December, 1944      1430

Wilma, darling –

I’ve just returned from Dog Battery, having spent all morning and the early part of the p.m. there. I should have been there the past two days also – but I couldn’t make it.

And today is just like you’d expect the day after Christmas to be – more quiet and subdued. So I’ve spent two Christmases away from you and home – sweetheart. Gosh – it’s really 3 of them away from home – because I was on maneuvers 3 yrs ago and had my pick of Christmas or New Years for my Leave, and I took the latter. It surprises me how used to things a fellow can become. I guess it’s because even mental resistance seems futile after awhile and you begin to realize that there’s not a goddam thing you can do except to have patience. And that’s what I’m trying to have, darling. I suppose the Christians mind being away on Christmas more than I do – but it’s just the idea of it’s being a Holiday that I mind.

Our present set-up perhaps helped us through Christmas more easily than had we remained at our last C.P. The natives here were wonderful to us and they were coming in all day with bottles of wine, cognac and liqueur – and of course they had to insist that we drink it. By 5 o’clock we were feeling pretty high. Pete came into Battalion mid-afternoon, sent his love, and had a couple of drinks. We had our Turkey dinner – not quite with all the fixings – in the evening. It was well roasted and well enjoyed. We played a little Bridge later on and then to bed.

The best part of yesterday, darling – you’ll never guess – I received a, one (1) letter from you, dated the 1st of December, and believe me, dear, it was nicer than any Christmas gift I could get. It was the first and only letter I’ve received in some time and came unexpectedly. I found it very interesting, too, dear – because you discussed somewhat in detail things about your folks. I didn’t get to know your folks very well due to the shortness of time but I depended on my ability to make good judgements and I know I wasn’t wrong. Your letter helped me get a clearer picture of some of the things I didn’t know and about which I’ve sometimes wondered. The very first important thing I liked them for was their fairness in allowing us to become engaged. That – in my mind – took a little courage and a good deal of broadmindedness – and I admired them for both.

You mention that your mother is hypersensitive and I wonder if she’s always been that way or only in recent years. Women often get that way at about you mother’s age. You say that in spite of all her faults – you love her, dear, and that I’ll feel that way, too. Well – she may have faults that you didn’t mention; what you did enumerate were characteristics, not faults – and I’m certain, too, that I’ll love her for what she is.

Being in a rut – is another thing entirely and it’s difficult to say what causes a married couple to get that way. Usually it’s the fault of both sides because if one half has the energy he can usually persuade the other to “get going”. I hope we never get that way, darling, and I doubt if we will. I don’t think it would make any difference what profession I was in. I like to get around, visit, go places and I know you’ll be the same. As a matter of fact – the medical profession is a handicap to all that but I hope it won’t get in our way.

I think your dad is swell and as regular as they come and what you have to say about his disposition gibes with my own impressions. All in all I know we’ll get along. I guess I have plenty of faults of my own – but I’ve never had much difficulty in getting along with people and when those people happen to be my relatives – I know all will be swell.

You also ask me in the same letter – how I can bear this war, and the fighting and the suffering. I honestly haven’t suffered a heck of a lot myself although I’ve seen my share of it and perhaps have been near enough to it. But if I stand it – it’s because I too have faith that all will be well, that I’ll return safely, that we’ll be married and will get out of life what we want. I’ll repeat again, darling, that this war would have been infinitely more difficult for me had I not met you, learned to love you, became engaged to you and always remembered that you were at home and willing to wait for me. For that, darling, I thank God – and you.

Have to stop now, dear. Hope to write again tomorrow. My love to the folks – and

All my sincerest love,

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about The Third Army to the Rescue

This summary was found on Dave Depickere's web site which was called World War II, analyzed!: "The Battle of the Bulge: The Third Army in the Bulge", which is no longer found on the web.

When Eisenhower and his staff at SHAEF began to worry that they had underestimated the ability of the Germans, they feared that the Germans might be able to use their massive offensive to go to the north and west to capture the cities of Liege and Antwerp. Liege was extremely important because the Allies had large supply dumps there. If the Germans managed to seize those supplies, they could possibly push the Allies back to the coastline, causing them to lose all the ground they had gained. Antwerp was important because it was a port city. If captured, the Germans could use it to bring in badly needed supplies.

At a special meeting of all the highest ranking generals in the American, British, and Canadian armies, it was decided that the toughest job would go to General Patton and his Third Army. They would have to relieve the soldiers who had been surrounded by the Germans at the Belgian city of Bastogne. After the meeting, Eisenhower, who had just been promoted to the five-star rank of General of the Army, was talking with General Patton. He remarked, "George, every time I get promoted I get attacked." Patton shot back with the comment, "And every time you get attacked, I pull you out!"

While the 101st Airborne Division, commanded by Major General Maxwell D. Taylor, was holding out and fighting off the fierce attempts by the Germans to overrun Bastogne, the Third Army had to stop a full scale attack they had started to the east, pull back the entire army, swing around ninety degrees to the north, and then begin another full scale attack on the southern flank of the German forces. Nothing like that had ever been done in the history of warfare. Everyone thought it was impossible except General Patton. He knew his men could do the impossible.

It only took three days for the Third army to perform that massive maneuver. Today, military historians readily admit that only Patton's Third Army could have accomplished a maneuver like that and make it look easy. Patton always demanded more from his soldiers than other commanders did and they never let him down. One of the reasons the Third Army performed so well is because they expected the German attack. While Eisenhower and his friends were playing cards in London and the First Army turned part of their area into a R & R (Rest and Recuperation) area, Patton's intelligence officers were hard at work.

The events leading up to the Battle of the Bulge have, like the Falaise Gap and Operation Market-Garden, become controversial issues. Many people believe that Eisenhower's staff at SHAEF made poor decisions when they ignored Third Army reports about a possible German offensive in the Ardennes. Colonel Oscar Koch, head of Third Army's G-2 Intelligence department, had sent intelligence reports warning SHAEF that the Germans were probably planning a major attack against the First Army's R&R area. His report was ignored. They refused to believe the Germans could collect the mass of weapons, men, and material to launch a large attack. It was a classic case of under-estimating the enemy. At Colonel Koch's suggestion, General Patton gave the order for his staff to design two separate plans in the event of a German attack. General Patton believed Colonel Koch and considered him to be the best G-2 in the European Theater of Operations.

Colonel Oscar Koch
"The best G-2"

When Patton attended the meeting with the other Allied commanders he told them he could attack in two days with at least two divisions. Everyone thought he was crazy, but he told them that he had already set plans in motion before he left his headquarters. All he had to was place a phone call. When it was finally decided that he should attack as soon as possible, he phoned his headquarters and said, "Nickel." The attack was on. The General never returned to his headquarters. Instead, he and his driver, Sergeant Mims, began traveling along the roads where he knew he would meet his soldiers heading north. He gave orders on the spot and told everyone he met to head north and kill Germans. Sergeant Mims once said to Patton, "General, the army is wasting a lot of money on your staff officers. You and I can run the whole war from your jeep."

While watching his men heading toward the Germans surrounding Bastogne, he said, "No other army in the world could do this. No other soldiers could do what these men are doing. By God, I'm proud of them." By this time, urgently needed snow camouflage for both troops and vehicles was being quickly supplied. Because of the problem of tanks slipping on the icy terrain, supply troops had installed special cleats on the treads of the tanks, much like the cleats on athlete's shoes.

At 1650 on the 26 December 1944 Company C, 37th Tank Battalion, a 4th Armored Division Task Force of Patton's Third Army, commanded by Major General H.J. Gaffey, made contact with the soldiers at Bastogne. Here is how it happened according to "The Cobra King Project" page of the "Armor for the Eagles web site:

On the road from Assenois to Bastogne, Belgium, Lt. Boggess, commander of an M4A3E2 Jumbo Sherman named Cobra King was leading a relief column to the surrounded soldiers in Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

The crew of Cobra King near Bastogne, Belgium
after breaking through enemy lines on 26 December 1944

Cobra King was way ahead of the rest of the column and had just destroyed a German bunker along the road when Boggess spotted several uniformed figures in the woods near the bunker. They wore the uniforms of U.S. soldiers, but knowing how Germans were disguising themselves as Americans, he maintained a wary eye. "Come out here, come on out. This is Fourth Armored," he shouted to the figures. After no response, he called out again and one man approached the tank. "I'm Lieutenant Webster of the 326th Engineers, 101st Airborne Division. Glad to see you."

25 December 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Belguim

25 December, 1944       1040

My dearest Sweetheart –

A Merry Christmas to you and to the folks and I hope you spend a very pleasant day. It’s a clear, cold, sunny day here – and it has been so for the past 3 days – and believe me, darling, the clear weather is certainly appreciated. It’s the first cold weather we’ve had in a year – but a good dry cold and nowhere near as hard to take as the raw mess of an English winter. Dressed warmly – it’s really exhilarating – and we have enough clothes to dress warmly.

A good many things must be obvious to you by now, dear, but the whole story will have to wait for some time in the future. The fact is – that all goes well with us and things could be a whole lot worse.

I wasn’t able to write you or the folks yesterday, sweetheart – but that was to be expected. Today things are a bit more settled and I’m getting a fairly early start; I say fairly early because I didn’t get up until 0900 and that’s about the latest I’ve stayed in my sleeping bag for over a year. The reason is that we were up until 0130 last nite – or rather this a.m. – and believe it or not it was because we were celebrating Christmas Eve. We started playing Bridge at 2200, played until shortly before midnight. We drank some Scotch, sang Christmas Carols, ate melba toast and boneless chicken, lobster, peanuts, peanut butter sandwiches, etc. So you see, darling, war or no war – we manage to celebrate. The boys just turned the radio on and I hear President Roosevelt addressing the troops. It’s 1105 now and it’s good to hear his voice; it makes me feel as if I were at home again. How I’d love that, sweetheart! Just for a little while, at least – to see you again, to hold you tightly, look at you, talk with you, love you. I could go on after that so much more easily.

We’re living in a house – and lucky to get it, too. It’s not as warm as we’ve been used to – but good enough. One thing that’s different is the number of civilians that keep coming into our station – just to visit, say ‘hello’, thank us, wish us well. They’ve been coming in all this morning and two men are sitting near me now jabbering away. One just asked me what I was writing and to whom. I said I was writing to my fiancée and I showed them your picture, dear and they told me to write you that you are a ‘belle mademoiselle’ – so there you are.

The Colonel was just in wishing the Medical detachment a Merry Christmas. He stayed only a couple of minutes. This place is noisy and confused and I’m now beginning to wonder what this letter sounds like, darling. Whatever it reads like, dear, I mean to convey to you that I love you strongly, miss you just as strongly and as usual – feel worse about being away from you on Holidays. Somehow or other – it always sees more acute then.

That’s all for now, sweetheart, it’s too noisy to write much more. I hope you’re having a swell day at home. Wish your folks and Mary a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, give them my love and for now, so long.

All my everlasting love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about FDR's Address to the Nation
Christmas 1944

Greg heard Franklin D. Roosevelt address the troops on the radio on Christmas Day. The nation heard a speech as well. Here is that address, taken directly from The American Presidency Project's site containing Franklin D. Roosevelt's Address to the Nation, 24 December 1944.

It is not easy to say "Merry Christmas" to you, my fellow Americans, in this time of destructive war. Nor can I say "Merry Christmas" lightly tonight to our armed forces at their battle stations all over the world- or to our allies who fight by their side.

Here, at home, we will celebrate this Christmas Day in our traditional American way- because of its deep spiritual meaning to us; because the teachings of Christ are fundamental in our lives; and because we want our youngest generation to grow up knowing the significance of this tradition and the story of the coming of the immortal Prince of Peace and Good Will. But, in perhaps every home in the United States, sad and anxious thoughts will be continually with the millions of our loved ones who are suffering hardships and misery, and who are risking their very lives to preserve for us and for all mankind the fruits of His teachings and the foundations of civilization itself.

The Christmas spirit lives tonight in the bitter cold of the front lines in Europe and in the heat of the jungles and swamps of Burma and the Pacific islands. Even the roar of our bombers and fighters in the air and the guns of our ships at sea will not drown out the messages of Christmas which come to the hearts of our fighting men. The thoughts of these men tonight will turn to us here at home around our Christmas trees, surrounded by our children and grandchildren and their Christmas stockings and gifts—just as our own thoughts go out to them, tonight and every night, in their distant places.

We all know how anxious they are to be home with us, and they know how anxious we are to have them- and how determined every one of us is to make their day of home-coming as early as possible. And- above all- they know the determination of all right-thinking people and Nations, that Christmases such as those that we have known in these years of world tragedy shall not come again to beset the souls of the children of God.

This generation has passed through many recent years of deep darkness, watching the spread of the poison of Hitlerism and Fascism in Europe—the growth of imperialism and militarism in Japan- and the final clash of war all over the world. Then came the dark days of the fall of France, and the ruthless bombing of England, and the desperate battle of the Atlantic, and of Pearl Harbor and Corregidor and Singapore.

Since then the prayers of good men and women and children the world over have been answered. The tide of battle has turned, slowly but inexorably, against those who sought to destroy civilization.

On this Christmas day, we cannot yet say when our victory will come. Our enemies still fight fanatically. They still have reserves of men and military power. But, they themselves know that they and their evil works are doomed. We may hasten the day of their doom if we here at home continue to do our full share.

And we pray that that day may come soon. We pray that until then, God will protect our gallant men and women in the uniforms of the United Nations- that He will receive into His infinite grace those who make their supreme sacrifice in the cause of righteousness, in the cause of love of Him and His teachings.

We pray that with victory will come a new day of peace on earth in which all the Nations of the earth will join together for all time. That is the spirit of Christmas, the holy day. May that spirit live and grow throughout the world in all the years to come.

24 December 1944

No letter today. Just this:

Christmas Message from the President, 24 December 1944

CLICK TO ENLARGE


HEADQUARTERS
FIRST UNITED STATES ARMY
APO 230
006/71 (AGM)                                                                               24 December 1944

SUBJECT:   Christmas Message from the President.

TO            :   Corps, Division and Separate Unit Commanders

         The following message from the President will be disseminated to military personnel within your command exclusive of ill and wounded:    

 

"TO: The men and women of the Armed Forces:

           On behalf of a grateful nation, I send to the men and women of our Armed Forces everywhere warm and confident good wishes this fourth Christmas of war. On Christmas Day more than on any other day, we remember you with pride and with humility; with anguish and with joy. We shall keep on remembering you all the days of our lives. It is, therefore, with solemn pride that I salute those who stand in the forefront of the struggle to bring back to a suffering world the way of life symbolized by the spirit of Christmas.

(signed)  FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
Commander-in-Chief"

                              By command of Lieutenant General HODGES:

                                                                                                         R. S. MOURSE
                                                                                                         Colonel, AGD,
                                                                                                         Adjutant General.
DISTRIBUTION:
         "C"

 

* TIDBIT *

about The Siege of Bastogne (continued)

The information that follows was excerpted from The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge, part of the "European Theater of Operations" portion of the U.S. Army in World War II, written by Hugh M. Cole and published by the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army in 1965, Chapter XIX, page 474.

The morning of 23 December had broken clear and cold. "Visibility unlimited," the air-control posts happily reported all the way from the United Kingdom to the foxholes on the Ardennes front. To most of the American soldiery this would be a red-letter day-long remembered-because of the bombers and fighter-bombers once more streaming overhead like shoals of silver minnows in the bright winter sun, their sharply etched contrails making a wake behind them in the cold air.

In Bastogne, however, all eyes looked for the squat planes of the Troop Carrier Command. About 0900 a Pathfinder team dropped inside the perimeter and set up the apparatus to guide the C-47's over a drop zone between Senonchamps and Bastogne. The first of the carriers dropped its six parapacks at 1150, and in little more than four hours 241 planes had been vectored to Bastogne. Each plane carried some twelve hundred pounds, but not all reached the drop zone nor did all the parapacks fall where the Americans could recover them. Nevertheless this day's drop lessened the pinch-as the records of the 101st gratefully acknowledge.

Airdrop to Resupply Bastogne

The airdrop on the 23d brought a dividend for the troops defending Bastogne. The cargo planes were all overwatched by fighters who, their protective mission accomplished, turned to hammer the Germans in the Bastogne ring. During the day eighty-two P-47's lashed out at this enemy with general-purpose and fragmentation bombs, napalm, and machine gun fire. The 101st reported to Middleton, whose staff was handling these air strikes for the division, that "air and artillery is having a field day around Bastogne."

The German attack on the 23d was mounted by the 26th Volks Grenadier Division and the attached regiment left behind by Panzer Lehr. Lacking the men and tanks for an assault around the entire perimeter, General Kokott elected to continue the fight at Senonchamps while attacking in two sectors diametrically opposite each other, the Marvie area in the southeast and the Flamierge area in the northwest. The Germans were becoming desperate.

On both sides of the line daylight of the 24th was spent in regrouping, punctuated with heavy gusts of artillery and mortar fire whenever the opponent showed signs of movement. Once again, however, a beautiful flying day gave the Americans an edge. P-47 's belonging to the 512th, 513th, and 514th Squadrons of the XIX Tactical Air Command worked around the Bastogne perimeter. At one point, the bombing was so close to the airborne lines that the 101st sent frantic word to the VIII Corps asking that the flight leader be told to call off the mission.

Early in the afternoon the VIII Corps relayed a message from General Patton and the Third Army: "Xmas Eve present coming up. Hold on." But there were more tangible items to lessen the nostalgia and depression of the surrounded garrison on Christmas Eve. The second day of air resupply had been "a tremendous morale booster" - so reported CCB and most of the regiments. Allied air activity on the 24th had heartened the men on the ground. When night fell they could see the fires left as aftermath of the fighter-bomber strikes blazing all the way round the perimeter. Less obtrusive but of considerable impact was the confidence that the commanders and the troops had in each other; a lesson for future commanders may be read in the considerable effort put forth by McAuliffe, Roberts, and the regimental commanders to apprise all the troops of the "situation."

Christmas Eve in the German headquarters brought forth some cognac and a few "Prosits" but in the main was devoted to preparations for a major attack on Christmas Day. The XLVII Corps had been informed that the 9th Panzer Division and 15th Panzergrenadier Division would come under corps control on 24 December, and the 3d Panzergrenadier Division would arrive later, but the Fuehrer had other ideas. Earlier in the day the Fifth Panzer Army commander posed a question which finally reached Jodl and Hitler: should he turn to finish off Bastogne or continue, with the bulk of his divisions, toward the Meuse and seize the Marche plateau in an attempt to widen the German thrust? Hitler's answer, finally relayed by Model, was that the attack to seize the Marche plateau should be continued with all available forces. This answer did nothing to relieve Manteuffel's worries about his thin and endangered southern flank. To leave Bastogne as a sally port onto his left rear made no military sense to this experienced soldier. Therefore, Manteuffel ordered that Bastogne be taken on 25 December.

During the night of 24 December, German combined arms and infantry attacks by pessimistic commanders and uninspired soldiers were uncoordinated and failed. Twice during the night of 24 December, however, the Luftwaffe retaliated with very damaging bombing sorties on Bastogne and the surrounding area, killing a Belgian nurse and a score of wounded paratroopers.

Street in Bastogne After Luftwaffe Strike

23 December 1944

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

23 December, 1944

Dearest Sweetheart –

Another Saturday, another weekend coming up - and so what? At least it’s one less to sweat out, dear. We got to reminiscing last nite and thinking of the various bars around town – the Merry-Go-Round, Statler etc. I thought about the Sheraton Roof, the Vendome – yes and of Nile’s Oasis. Oh well – they’ll all be there when I get back and we’ll visit them all – in one night.

By the way, sweetheart – I hope you’re not letting some of the news you’re hearing get you down. As usual – this outfit retains the good luck – so please don’t worry. Everything is fine right here and don’t forget, we still have the best damned Army in the world.

Mail is nihil, darling, but it’s sure to start up again one of these days. Anyway – I love you, you love me and that is all that matters.

Best regards

My deepest love, darling –

Greg

Route of the Question Mark


[CLICK TO ENLARGE]

(A) Stolberg, Germany to (B) Failon, Belgium (68 miles)
also showing (C) Bastogne, Belgium (38 miles from Failon)

December 23... Failon, Belgium. We took up our position to hold back the Nazi push and we took part in the Battle of the Bulge. The cold, miserable Christmas there, and the dinner that we ate sitting on our helmets in an unheated barn. The Cafe where the communications section established itself, and Capt RENKIN's hideaway in the milkroom of a barn. Mr. BROWN drew pictures on the ceiling of one of the houses and Chaplain TURGEON had a service on Christmas Eve in the village church. T/5 SARACINO asked a British soldier, "Do you speak English?" The soldier replied, "A little, I'm Scotch!!!"

* TIDBIT *

about "Einheit Steilau"

From the start of the planning for the their Ardennes offensive, the Germans gave great importance to seizing intact the Meuse River bridges. To accomplish that, Hitler ordered a special unit of English-speaking men wearing American uniforms and using captured US Army weapons and vehicles to be formed. They would infiltrate through the American lines ahead of the German armored advance to secure the bridges lying between Namur and Liege. Some of the men in the unit, disguised as American officers, would also create confusion by spreading rumors and false information across the enemy rear area. The code name given the sinister plan was "Operation Griffen."

To lead the bold undertaking, Hitler turned to the most famous commando of World War II, Otto Skorzeny. Considered by British intelligence to be "the most dangerous man in Europe," he had by 1944 already achieved fame by leading the mission that snatched Mussolini from imprisonment in a mountaintop fortress the year before. Later he kidnapped the son of Hungarian leader Nicholas Horthy, thereby insuring that regime’s continued loyalty to the Axis. The six-foot Austrian, who wore the Iron Cross around his neck and a dueling scar across his left cheek, was personally briefed by the Führer on his forthcoming assignment on 22 October 1944. He had five weeks to form his new unit, to be designated 150th Panzer Brigade.

Otto Skorzeny

As part of the 150th Panzer Brigade, Skorzeny organized a company of "special" (Einheit) teams under overall command of SS Capt. Helmut Steilau. Those 150 soldiers included the best of the brigade’s English speakers outfitted fully with US uniforms and equipment. Their effort was spearheaded by nine jeepborne commando parties.

The overall mission of "Einheit Steilau" was to: 1) use demolition squads of 5 or 6 men each to sabotage bridges and US supply depots; 2) use 3- and 4-man reconnaissance teams to conduct intelligence sweeps, concentrating on Allied movement and concentrations west of the Meuse; and 3) send 3- and 4-man lead groups directly in front of the main German Panzer advance to issue false orders to enemy troops, prevent unwanted bridge destruction, switch road signs, cut telephone lines and create fake minefield markings to hinder US movement.

The greatest success of the Steilau teams didn’t result from what they actually accomplished, but from the confusion and uncertainty generated by their mere existence. In General Omar Bradley’s words: "Half a million GIs were forced to play cat and mouse with each other each time they met on the road." The authenticating spot checks that began to be spontaneously carried out at roadside checkpoints proved embarrassing for those Americans unfamiliar with baseball, comic books or the current husband of Betty Grable. General Bruce Clarke was arrested by American MPs when he mistakenly placed the Chicago Cubs baseball team in the American League. Even Bradley, an army group commander, was detained for a while when he couldn’t convince one MP that Springfield was indeed the capital of the state of Illinois (the policeman mistakenly insisted it was Chicago).

In spite of the chaos they created, some of Steilau’s men were successfully challenged early on. On 18 December a group of commandos riding on a captured US self-propelled gun were shot down after explaining they were from a "company" of a nearby cavalry unit. The American guards at the checkpoint knew instantly soldiers from a cavalry unit would always refer to their unit as a "troop," never a company.

The jeep teams’ overall success rate might have been greater had they been able to secure more vehicles. That is, the US Army of 1944 was awash with transport. Travelling four to six in a jeep, the German commandos immediately looked conspicuous; seldom would so many GIs crowd into those small cars. That characteristic caused the jeep teams to be more easily spotted among the traffic flow once their existence became known. In all, 18 of Steilau’s men were captured and executed as spies by the Americans during the Ardennes fighting.

On 22 December 1944 four men from Otto Skorzeny's Einheit Steilau who had been captured in American uniforms had been tried and condemned as spies. One, who had informed on the others, was granted a stay of execution. General Hodges awaited written authority from Eisenhower through Bradley before ordering the execution to proceed in Eupen on 23 December 1944.

The condemned Gemrmans took the news bravely.

“Do you have a last request?” they were asked.

“Yes. You have some German women prisoners. We would like to hear Christmas carols.”

The request was granted. With the sound of the women's voices still in their ears, Skorzeny's spies were shot.

Two more captured spies were shot on the 26th and seven on the 30th. In all, 18 of Steilau's commandos were shot by their captors during the Battles of the Ardennes.

22 December 1944

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

22 December, 1944       0920

My darling –

I don’t promise I can finish this but I’ll go as far as I can. I suppose I’ve sounded mysterious in my last couple of letters, dear – but it shouldn’t seem too much so. A good many facts must be apparent to you. You wrote not so long ago, that you had been looking over some of the pictures I had sent home and that you had re-read my letters of the past two months. From the latter you said you were able to get an overall picture; that you could tell when I had a hard day, or when there had been activity – or moving etc. I’m certainly glad you are able to get all that from a collection of my letters, darling – because it’s impossible to give you a more detailed picture in any single letter. You can also get a better idea by correlating the dates of my letters with the actual day it was written – rather than with the day you receive it – or them. That’s difficult to do – especially if a few weeks go by. You wrote also that it was wonderful that I could write every day. I think it is, too, dear – wonderful for me, because – whether you liked the tone of some of them or not, dear – I always feel my day is complete when I do write a letter to you. And when I miss a day, that day is a void one, dear.

We’ve been in a good many peculiar military situations since the day we landed and I didn’t have to miss many days. Let’s hope that the future will be no different. And talking about mail – it looks as if I’ll have a banner month in January – because we’re getting no mail at all these days. I’ve received not one letter from you, darling, dated December, and I have quite a few coming to me from November.

1235

Hello again sweetheart – and this time for only a few minutes, I’m afraid. I’ve had several things to look after and there’s more coming. There’s nothing much else of interest to write you about – that is – that I can write you about. Last night would have been relatively inactive for me but I had to go see an 82 yr old woman who fell down some stairs. The place was right behind our C.P. – so don’t worry dear. It turned out that she had a fractured hip; we had to splint it and we then evacuated her to the civilian hospital in this city.

Now, darling, I’ll have to knock off for now. I’ll try to write tomorrow. Be well, dear – and don’t worry about me – regardless of all the things you’re reading in the papers. I’m taking good care of myself for you – because I love you more than anyone in the world. So long for now, dear; love to the folks and

All my sincerest love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about "Nuts"

An airdrop of supplies planned for the 22d never reached Bastogne because bad flying weather continued as in the days past. All that the Third Army air liaison staff could do was to send a message that "the 101st Airborne situation is known and appreciated." Artillery ammunition was running very low. The large number of wounded congregated inside Bastogne presented a special problem: there were too few medics, not enough surgical equipment, and blankets had to be gathered up from front-line troops to wrap the men suffering from wounds and shock.

Improvised Emergency Ward
during Siege of Bastogne

Nonetheless, morale was high. Late in the afternoon word was circulated to all the regiments that the 4th Armored and the 7th Armored (so vague was information inside the perimeter) were on their way to Bastogne; to the men in the line this was heartening news. What may have been the biggest morale booster came with a reverse twist - the enemy "ultimatum."

The story was told in an interview by Patrick O'Donnell with Lieutenant General Harry W. O. Kinnard, who at the time of the Siege of Bastogne was a Lieutenant Colonel and Division G-3.

While we were still surrounded, on the morning of December 22, a German surrender party, consisting of two officers and two NCOs, and carrying a white flag, approached our perimeter in the area of our Glider Regiment, the 327th. The party was taken to a nearby platoon command post. While the enlisted men were detained the officers were blind folded and taken to the command post of the 327th where they presented their surrender ultimatum. The ultimatum in essence said the 101st's position was hopeless and that if we elected not to surrender a lot of bad things would happen.

The message was brought in to the Division Headquarters by Major Alvin Jones, the S-3, and Colonel Harper, the Regimental Commander. They brought the message to me, the G-3 and Paul Danahy, the G-2. My first reaction was that this was a German ruse, designed to get our men out of their fox holes. But be that as it might, we agreed that we needed to take the message up the line. We took it first to the acting Chief of Staff of the Division, Lt. Col. Ned Moore. With him, we took the message to the acting Division Commander General Tony McAuliffe. Moore told General McAuliffe that we had a German surrender ultimatum. The General's first reaction was that the Germans wanted to surrender to us. Col. Moore quickly disabused him of that notion and explained that the German's demanded our surrender. When McAuliffe heard that he laughed and said: "Us surrender? Aw, nuts!"

General Anthony McAuliffe
in Bastogne on 27 December 1944

But then McAuliffe realized that some sort of reply was in order. He pondered for a few minutes and then told the staff, "Well I don't know what to tell them." He then asked the staff what they thought, and I spoke up, saying, "That first remark of yours would be hard to beat." McAuliffe said, "What do you mean?" I answered, "Sir, you said 'Nuts'." All members of the staff enthusiastically agreed, and McAuliffe decided to send that one word, "Nuts!" back to the Germans. McAuliffe then wrote down: "To the German Commander, "Nuts!" The American Commander."

McAuliffe then asked Col. Harper to deliver the message to the Germans. Harper took the typed message back to the company command post where the two German officers were detained. Harper then told the Germans that he had the American commanders reply. The German captain then asked, "Is it written or verbal?" Harper responded that it was written and added, "I will place it in your hand."

The German major then asked, "Is the reply negative or affirmative? If it is the latter I will negotiate further."

At this time the Germans were acting in an arrogant and patronizing manner and Harper, who was starting to lose his temper, responded, "The reply is decidedly not affirmative." He then added that, "If you continue your foolish attack your losses will be tremendous."

Harper then put the German officers in a jeep and took them back to where the German enlisted men were detained. He then said to the German captain, "If you don't know what 'Nuts' means, in plain English it is the same as 'Go to Hell'. And I'll tell you something else, if you continue to attack we will kill every goddam German that tries to break into this city."

The German major and captain saluted very stiffly. The captain said, "We will kill many Americans. This is war." Harper then responded, "On your way Bud," he then said, "and good luck to you." Harper later told me he always regretted wishing them good luck.

21 December 1944

V-MAIL

438^th AAA AW BN

APO 230 % Postmaster, N.Y.

Germany

21 December, 1944

Hello Sweetheart!

It’s the 21st and supposedly the shortest day in the year, which suits me fine. It’s as dark, dismal and gloomy a day as we’ve had in a long time – several factors helping to make it so, darling.

I might as well tell you now, dear, that I’ll probably have to write V-mail letters for the next several days – although I may be wrong, of course. At any rate – I’ll keep something coming to you every day.

All else is O.K. Got another package yesterday – this time from Johnny Johnson who used to be adjutant of this outfit. He’s stationed in Atlantic City now – the lucky devil.

Nothing more I can write at the moment Sweetheart except to tell you I love you dearly and miss you terribly. My love to the folks.

My everlasting love –

Greg

* TIDBIT *

about The Siege of Bastogne (continued)

The ability of the 101st to sustain itself had been severely diminished on the night of 19 December when German raiding parties (some reported in civilian garb) surprised and overran the division service area around Mande-St. Etienne. Most of the quartermaster and ordnance troops made their way to the VIII Corps, but the raiders captured or killed most of the division medical company. Only eight officers and forty-four men escaped. This loss of doctors, aid men, and medical supplies was one of the most severe blows dealt the 101st. A number of transport vehicles also were lost, but about a hundred trucks had been sent to the rear for resupply and so escaped. However, very few of these got back to the 101st with supplies before the ring closed.

On 21 December, the American soldiers in Bastogne were outnumbered and lacking in cold-weather gear, ammunition, food, medical supplies, and leadership (as many officers, including the 101st's commander—Major General Maxwell Taylor—were elsewhere). Due to some of the worst winter weather in years, the surrounded U.S. forces could not be resupplied by air nor was tactical air support available. Visibility was often measured in yards.

The German Fifth Panzer Army and XLVII Corps had decided that the Panzer Lehr Division should take Bastogne on the 20th while the other forces continued their westward advance. It was believed that, with advances continuing north and south of the town, Bastogne would soon be encircled and that the 26th Volksgrenadier Division following the Panzer divisions could capture it. Indeed, the town was surrounded on the twenty-first, but the 26th Volksgrenadier Division was not strong enough to take it. Though surrounded, the 101st was not cut off. The division still maintained communication with VIII Corps and knew an American relief column was pushing toward them as German advances along the entire Western Front were diminishing. The Fifth Panzer Army refused to authorize sufficient additional forces to take Bastogne and to keep the faltering offensive alive. But the 26th Volksgrenadier Division still had the mission, with some help from the Panzer Lehr Division. On the evening of 21 December, the commanders composed this now famous surrender note to be delivered the next morning:

To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.

The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.

There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.

If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours' term.

All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity.

The German Commander.