Hitler’s last offensive commenced in the Ardennes on 16th December 1944 and lasted until the 30th of January, 1945. His secretly re-built and newly formed Panzer armies achieved complete surprise. This campaign was the largest on the Western Front and was the largest engagement ever fought by the United States Army. 20,000 U.S. troops were killed, 20,000 were taken as POW and a further 40,000 were wounded.
Bastogne, with a cow walking down the street
(U.S. Army Signal Corps photo)
Captured German Flag, covered with names of A/506th soldiers
As well as battling desperate enemy troops the encircled defenders of the town of Bastogne had to endure severe weather conditions in what was one of the coldest and harshest winters in living memory for the local inhabitants at the time.
‘The Bleak, Bitching, Battered Bastards of the Bastion of Bastogne’
Albert M. Hassenzahl – C/506th – Veterans History Project Audio Recording
