No Silent Night

by Leo Barron

  39 “The reconnaissance detachment took at about midnight [20/21] the undamaged bridge across the OURTHE at OURTHEVILLE. During the advance on OURTHEVILLE an enemy attack from FLAMIERGE was repulsed” (H. V. Luettwitz, The Assignment of the XLVII Panzer Corps in the Ardennes MS A-939, 1950, 8).

  40 “It was late Tuesday night… the Germans had thrown up in the last stages of the journey” (MacKenzie, 1968, 87–88); “2200—Battalion ordered by Bn C.O. to immediately occupy defensive positions about the town of Bastogne. 2300—All assigned positions occupied” (Harris, S-3 Report from 182400 December 1944 to 192400 December 1944, No. 110, 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion, 1944).

  41 “Enemy Front Lines… There is no indication of a slackening up of his present counter-offensive” (P. A. Danahy, G-2 Periodic Reports No. 4 from: 220003 to 222400 December 1944).

  42 See March Column list (Moore, 1944, 1).

  43 “CCB 10 Armd Div attached to 101 AB Div effective 201100 A… 333 FA Group attached to 101 AB Div effective 200945 A. 755 Armd FA Bn attached to 101 AB Div effective 191600 A” (H. W. Kinnard, G-3 Report No. 2, from: 192400A to: 202400 December 1944).

  44 “I estimate that half of the enemy attacks… It was our arty situation which gave me my chief reason for optimism” (A. C. McAuliffe, 1945).

  45 “This order was issued… McAuliffe’s desire to harbor his reserve to the limit” (H. W. Kinnard, G-3 Account of Bastogne Operation, 1945, 11); “We used the armor defensively… which got through the infantry line” (A. C. McAuliffe, 1945).

  46 “The Div evacuation center was located at a cross roads… this put the hospital on the Div rear…” (H. W. Kinnard, G-3 Account of Bastogne Operation, 1945, 10).

  Chapter Four

  1 “On Dec. 17th, Washington wrote as follows… and in that position we must make ourselves the best shelter in our power.” (Anderson, 2010).

  2 “Xavier Gaspard, pharmacist at Bastogne… which was never once looted” (Cercle d’Histoire de Bastogne, 1994, 385).

  3 “So cruel was the irony… what was happening the following morning found the GIs reticent and irritable…” (Schrijvers, 2005, 112).

  4 “Unsubstantiated rumors flew about until… Other schools continued their routine, too” (Schrijvers, 2005, 112–13).

  5 “By noon… But the opportunity for flight was disappearing fast” (Schrijvers, 2005, 113); “Toward 15 hours, three shells exploded near the Chapel Ste-Thérèse, throwing the inhabitants into confusion” (Heintz, 1984, 57).

  6 “On Tuesday GIs and gendarmes began manning checkpoints… The Récollets offered enough room for another 100 civilians in the vaulted cellars of their seventeenth-century monastery” (Schrijvers, 2005, 114–15); “More than six hundred refugees filled the underground corridors of the Pensionnat des Soeurs de Notre Dame… a shelter set up beneath the chapel’s choir” (Heintz, 1984, 58–59).

  7 “With most town officials gone… Léon Jacqmin, a respected businessman and veteran of the Great War” (Schrijvers, 2005, 115); “The Burgomaster appointed by the Americans… the Bastogne people did not suffer too much of hunger” (Heintz, 1984, 59).

  8 “Xavier Gaspard, pharmacist at Bastogne… which was never once looted” (Cercle d’Histoire de Bastogne, 1994, 385).

  9 “1300 21 Dec. S-2 patrol crossed 2nd phase line no contact made with the enemy… 1630 S-2 patrol will come in with our TD Rcn. Outfit” (S2 Section, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1944, 4); “A number of S-2 patrols were launched from here [Rolle]… Coming back toward Ruette [Rouette] the S-2 men hitched a ride with a column from the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion recon outfit” (Bando, Vanguard of the Crusade: The 101st Airborne Division in World War II, 2004, 237); “From 20 December to 24 December most of the activity in the Regiment was limited to patrols to Givry… Rouette… and Givroulle…. Numerous patrols were sent from the battalions to determine the enemy positions and installations” (S. A. Chappuis, Historical Record 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, December 1944, 3); “When the 502nd arrived at Bastogne, Captain Robert Clements, former CO of George Co, was the regimental S-2. David White was his assistant” (Mark Bando, E-mail from Mark Bando, 2011); “Lt. Vorboril, with Pvt (now sgt) Francis Walsh and Pvt. Hunis Peacock, left the platoon area at 0400 (21 Dec)…. One jeep, with S/Sgt Kermit Gunderson and the M8 with Chernak in command remained behind after the other vehicles pulled out to make certain everyone had a ride” (Wasil Chernak, 1945); “Germain Gaspard—At Rouette, a small group got together at the intersection, looking for news… and when a great many Germans arrived that evening it was less than reassuring” (Cercle d’Histoire de Bastogne, 1994, Chapter 14); “Dick Ladd rode facing backward on the last M-8…. Ladd wound up in an aid station west of Bastogne” (Mark Bando, Vanguard of the Crusade: The 101st Airborne Division in World War II, 2004, 237); “As the two vehicles were leaving town… The two Recon vehicles went on to FLAMIERGE, while the riding infantry drove to their CP” (Wasil Chernak, 1945, 2); “1715 S-2 patrol reported into our Regimental Cp. They killed 3 enemy and captured a Volkswagen at 480-645” (S2 Section, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1944, 4).

  10 “At 2030 hours a Captain and six enlisted men from the 28th Division… The order was to move the company out immediately and to recapture and clear the road junction” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 9); “2300 saw us on the move towards the objective…. With this information fragmentary orders were issued and the following plan was executed” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 9–10); “20 December 0045… He saw 2 German halftracks at the crossroads and heard several tracked vehicles in the 326th Medical Co.’s area” (S2 Section, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944); “We could actually see them (the German soldiers) pretty well…. We could hear them talking in German and their hobnails on their boots as they walked back and forth on the road.” (C. Gisi, Phone Interview with Carmen Gisi, 2011); “I remember going thru a swamp. When we got to the top of the ridge overlooking the crossroads, we saw trucks burning, horns stuck, and Germans talking” (C. Gisi, Questionnaire for Carmen Gisi, 2009); “1st Lt. (now Ret.-Dis.) Selvan E. Shields platoon established a block down the South West…. This was the prearranged signal for the remainder of the company to open up on the Germans” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 10–11); “The Krauts had ambushed an American truck convoy… shouts of Germans were heard and the clatter of equipment added to the din” (Koskimaki, 2004, 144); “My platoon, the 3rd platoon… fire 2 shots as a signal for the rest of the company, to come down firing” (C. Gisi, Questionnaire for Carmen Gisi, 2009); “We got to our feet and began to fire…. Platoon sergeant Mike Campana was nicked with a bullet, pierced ear lobe” (Koskimaki, 2004, 145); “One hundred percent surprise… This action was completed by 0445 the 21st of December [it was the twentieth]” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 11); “Those Germans were close. They came right in front of our company when we hit them. I know when we [he and Sawyer] fired, we killed a few of them, we even threw some grenades, but it was a short fight” (C. Gisi, Phone Interview with Carmen Gisi, 2011); “Charlie and I… Mike Campana our platoon sergeant caught a German bullet that hit the buckle of his ammo belt but it did not penetrate” (C. Gisi, Questionnaire for Carmen Gisi, 2009); “This action was completed by 0445 the 21st [20] of December…. Not a sign of a doctor or aid man was to be found” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 11); “Bodies were lying all over the place…. We regrouped and returned to the top of the hill from which we had attacked” (Koskimaki, 2004, 145); “I think the Germans did that because they were too badly injured—to put them out of their misery” (C. Gisi, Phone Interview with Carmen Gisi, 2011); “…and then on the other side of the road was the field hospital…. I took a picture of the tents at the hospital and later took some combat pictures of us guys” (C. Gisi, Questionnaire for Carmen Gisi, 2009). Interestingly, sixty-five years later, Carmen Gisi met Hank Skowronski, a
member of the 326th Medical Company, who was captured that day near Crossroads X. The two veterans met at a dedication for a new memorial for the 326th outside of Bastogne. Hank had been missing a camera that he left in his foxhole when he was attacked. Gisi told Skowronski that it was most certainly his camera that he found that morning. “WWII prisoner of war returns to site of capture,” Vanover, Christie (USAG Benelux), www.army.mil, The Official Homepage of the United States Army, Dec. 15, 2009 (C. Gisi, Interview with PFC Carmen Gisi, 2009); “By 0800… but offered his services in any way he could help” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 11); “The 3rd platoon of Co. ‘B’ was attached to the 502 at 0700 20 December…. Subsequently, the platoon returned to BASTOGNE and to Division Reserve” (Stronach, 1945, 1); “After such a humiliating counter-ambush… we were still at the junction or not after taking such a sound shellacking the night before” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 13); “We covered a 10-mile wide front, almost one-half of the perimeter defense of Bastogne… we seldom knew what was happening behind us at Bastogne” (D. Martin, 1989, 53); “20 December cont’d. 0530—Blue Able killed 10 enemy, 9 of which were in civilian clothes and one in German uniform, in vicinity of 448629… 0715—Three tanks with infantry attacking Blue Able from the NW. 1015—Enemy attack repulsed by Blue Able and are withdrawing to the NE” (S2 Section, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944); “The battalion organized to defend from the North West… Peace and quiet prevailed as we dug in deeper to defend our area” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 7); See overlay (S-3, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944); (Quarrie, 2000, 87).

  11 “20 Dec 44 0600 Able still in Defense of Monaville Belgium, we are defending from the north n-east. Lines shifted to tighten defense able 3 committed as center unit on line. Contact by sound only. 1—patrol 3 men sent out a contacted 1—LMG—34 belonging to the enemy. No action this date. D on left E on right” (A Co Headquarters Section, 502nd Parachute Infantry, 1945); (H. V. Luettwitz, XLVII Panzer Corps (16 Dec–24 Dec 44), ETHINT 41, 1945); “On 20 Dec, 2nd Bn remained in position with Co A attached to fill out the line. 1st Bn remained in reserve at the position shown” (Cassidy, 1945, 2); “On the morning of 20 December 1944… with Company ‘A’ attached, was still defending Longchamps” (S. A. Chappuis, Historical Record 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, December 1944, 3); “1130 The 3rd Bn moved off on attack and seized ground North of their positions… 1330… 1600 3rd Bn reports they have captured 25 prisoners. PWs have been turned over to the IPW enclosure” (S2 Section, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1944); “Stopka’s Bn had not been badly hit during the advance to Recogne and it stayed on a line running through Recogne where 502 had patrolled the night before, and it extended its left flank westward to contact Second Bn” (Cassidy, 1945, 3); “As we went up the westerly road, there suddenly appeared a big Kraut tank on the east road. If it got to the town before we could get back, it would cut us off from our jeep. We ran—I mean really ran—we made it and got out of there fast” (Koskimaki, 2004, 165); “20 December 1944 (Continued)… Lt. Jack J. Price, 0-1176469, of Oklahoma, an ‘A’ Battery forward observer, returned from near Gives [Givry] and reported that Germans are using American tanks and trucks” (Cleaver, 1944); “1100 The S-2 patrol moved out on a patrol to GIVRY (50-60)… 304th Pz Grenadiers Regt. 26th Reconnaissance Bn. 2nd Bn. 902 Pz Grenadier Regt” (S2 Section, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1944); See map (P. A. Danahy, G-2 Periodic Reports No 2 from: 200004 to 202400, December 1944); “I could see them through my glasses…. They were used to bolster weak spots in our defense line” (Bowen, Fighting with the Screaming Eagles: With the 101st Airborne from Normandy to Bastogne, 2004, 165); “The following morning (0900) the platoon was attached without BN to the 1st Bn 502nd Regt…. As the infantry withdrew, at 1700, to the higher ground to the west of RECOGNE, the TDs went with them” (Long, 1945, 1–2); “1100—Rcn. Co. and elements of Co C support two companies Prcht Inf in attack of Recogne” (Harris, S-3 Report from 192400 December 1944 to 202400 December 1944, No. 111 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion, 1944); “After the infantry took the town at noon… they dug in along the woods to the south and along the road” (Duvall, 1945, 2–3).

  12 “In the Division Operations Room… map spread on Kinnard’s and Danahy’s desks” (MacKenzie, 1968, 106).

  13 “506th Parachute Infantry: 1st Bn withdrew from NOVILLE… at 201400 A. Regimental Reserve” (H. W. Kinnard, G-3 Report No. 2, from: 192400A to: 202400, December 1944); “At 1115 enemy… White occupied the town of MARVIE” (Abernathy, S-2 Periodic Report for the 327th GIR—from December 191800 to December 201800, 1944); “201420—Fr[om] 20th. Have effected withdrawal in part of Noville. Fought way out. Tks were interspersed with inf. 13 en tks knocked out. AB put up fine exhibition” (S-3 Section, CCB 10th Armored Division, 1944).

  14 “This weapon is designed to provide for direct or indirect fire (figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6)…. For prolonged periods, the rate may be two rounds per minute” (War Department, 1944, 4); (Zaloga, U.S. Field Artillery of World War II, 2007, 16–17).

  15 “In the Division Operations Room… I could be in better shape fairly soon” (MacKenzie, 1968, 106–11): “The Bn had 1700 rounds of ammunition at this time… to bring back the only resupply of ammunition which was had by the Div until the air resupply came in” (C. Nelson, 1945).

  16 “The tenor of the General’s voice marked… The bit of drama that General McAuliffe had furnished was needed…” (MacKenzie, 1968, 110).

  17 “On 20 December 1944, the tank divisions already moved forward north of Bastogne and their spearheads moved quickly on the Maas River…. However, he captured the important villages of Sibret and Senonchamps, along with additional war materiel” (H. Kokott, Employment of the 26th Volksgrenadier Division from 16 to 31 Dec 1944, 1945); For list of German Knight Cross Winners in the 26th Volksgrenadier Division, see Axis History Factbook (Wendel, 2009); “Carrying out his plan to consult with General Middleton… if the Bastogne garrison held out” (MacKenzie, 1968, 113); “…but if the road was cut… beginning with A, B, C. Bastogne was K” (MacKenzie, 1968, 114); “General McAuliffe, fearful that he would have trouble getting back to his C.P., moved toward the door. General Middleton said, ‘Now don’t get yourself surrounded Tony’” (MacKenzie, 1968, 114); “Middleton sent for me on 20 December…. I got back to Bastogne as quickly as I could” (A. C. McAuliffe, Commander’s View of the Situation, 1945, 3); “I do not recall having received orders to hold Bastogne…. Supply by air was discussed” (Middleton, Questions Answered by Lieutenant General Troy H. Middleton, 1945, 1); “McAuliffe returned to Bastogne without mishap, his jeep passing through his own lines by prearrangement long after the misty darkness had settled to cloak his movement on the battlefield” (MacKenzie, 1968, 114).

  18 “First impressions? I remember that at Bastogne, the fog was so heavy and thick it would lift off the ground and you could see legs but not bodies” (Hesler, Interview with Ken Hesler, 2009); Time 0100 Source FO 2 Baker Location 443-657 Installation Ey tank firing was fired on by Keynote with good effect” (T. Moran, No. 206, S-2 Report for the 463rd Parachute Field Artillery Battalion from: 2400 20 December 1944 to: 2400 21 December 1944); “Well, we went down to see what we’d hit…. That made us mad, you know” (C. Gisi, Fourth Interview with Carmen Gisi, 2011); “21 December… 0900 Blue Baker reports they have knocked out a total of 9 enemy vehicles at 448630… personnel trying to escape are being fired on by small arms fire” (S2 Section, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944); “The 2 Pz Div, after attacking and taking Noville… These reconnaissance forces then turned northwest of the roadblock” (H. V. Luettwitz, ETHINT 41 An Interview with General Panzertruppen Heinrich von Luettwitz: XLVII Panzer Corps (16 December to 24 December, 1944), 1945, 4); “21 Dec, 2d Panzer Division… against the important bridge of the OURTHE at OURTHEVILLE” (H. V. Luettwitz, The Assignment of the XLVII Panzer Corps in the Ardennes MS A-939, 1950, 9); “Dawn brought forth
a dirty, grey misting day…. He was jubilant as was General McAuliffe when he got the news” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 13–14); “Captain Robert MacDonald and Company B… That superior force was just one little glider company” (D. R. Martin, 2004, 53–54); “It was a miserable night…. Once they were hit, they kept hitting them and we opened fire, too” (C. Gisi, Fourth Interview with Carmen Gisi, 2011); “At 0700, 21 Dec… The guns were therefore destroyed by placing some of the recovered explosives in the tubes and blowing them” (Allen, 1945, 3). I think this is a case where the initial report was wrong and then Allen sort of added to the story. We know from Carmen Gisi, who was there, that it was about seven vehicles, and only one was towing some kind of artillery piece. McDonald showed up afterward and counted nine, but his account doesn’t differ too much from Gisi’s. Allen based his account on the initial radio reports, which were probably wrong. “21 December… 0900 Blue Baker reports… and the personnel trying to escape are being fired on by small arms fire” (S2 Section, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944).

  19 “Well, I know there were no tanks… but not before one of our AT guys got one of the tanks with a bazooka” (C. Gisi, Fourth Interview with Carmen Gisi, 2011); “The tank was knocked out by Pvt. George Karpac…. He laid on the road and knocked the tank out with his bazooka” (C. Gisi, Notes for George Koskimaki about Carmen Gisi, n.d.); “One hour later two tanks approached from the direction of Marche…. I think it is quite an amazing feat that they knocked out the leading tank on the third round” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 14); “21 December… 1245 Two tanks reported at 572624. Tanks also reported at 448630” (S2 Section, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944); I figured, using McDonald’s account that the third shot killed the tank, and using the rotation described by McDonald, Karpac had to be first in order to be third. Soon two tanks and some infantry tried to flank the position from the NW… backed by artillery was turned on them” (Allen, 1945, 6–7); “See map (S-3 Operations Section, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944); “Captain Robert McDonald and Company B… but not to jeopardize my men any longer than necessary” (D. R. Martin, 2004, 53–54); “Shortly after 1200 we repulsed another probing infantry tank attack with severe losses to the enemy infantry. At this time we were ordered to pull back to the battalion perimeter some three miles to the rear. This was accomplished in thirty minutes by using the transportation we had captured at the road block” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 14); “At 1600… The Bn position [1/401st] thus became the out-post line to the westward for the Div” (Harper, 327th Regiment at Bastogne, 1945, 6); “At 1400 Company B (3rd Bn) was attacked by a patrol from their east. After the enemy had been driven off Company B began to move southwest to 3rd Battalion. This movement was made on orders from Division” (S3—Operations Section, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944, 1); “21 December… 1410 Blue reports rocket fire along road vicinity of 472608” (S2 Section, 327th Glider Infantry Regiment, 1944, 3–4); Though there is no mention of Allen’s whereabouts at this time, we know no other account mentions his presence elsewhere, and judging by the level of activity, it is likely he was at the command post during this time. Gisi had great respect for MacDonald, as mentioned, but said he was a “tough commander with the occasional temper.” According to Gisi, he recalled an incident late in the war where MacDonald stepped out of his headquarters building and threw a coffee cup at a group of German POWs working on the street, yelling at them to clean it up afterward. (C. Gisi, Fourth Interview with Carmen Gisi, 2011); “When young MacDonald stood up straight… Only 23 years old, MacDonald had learned his lessons well in combat in Normandy and Holland” (MacKenzie, 1968, 179); “(3) 3rd Bn ‘B’ Company repulsed enemy mechanized attack at RJ 449630 at 210900A. ‘B’ Company withdrew to Bn area at 211600 A” (H. W. Kinnard, G-3 Report No. 3, from: 202400A to: 212400, December 1944); “Shortly after 1200… that a battalion commander has little or no time for issuing plans like these immediately before they are to be executed” (R. J. MacDonald, Another Von Rundstedt Blunder—Bastogne, 1948, 14–16); “The hope for resupply by an overland route disappeared when B Company patrols reported that bridges on every road entering the area were blown to make the highways impassable for trucks” (MacKenzie, 1968, 145); “As the Bn was greatly extended… A would then withdraw through B and C and go into a reserve position” (Allen, 1945, 1).