BASTOGNE, Belgium (Dec. 15, 2014) -- Fighting in some of the harshest conditions of World War II, the men who fought in the Battle of the Bulge across the rolling hills of the Ardennes region gathered to commemorate that event 70 years later during a celebration Dec. 13-14, in a driving snow reminiscent of the weather here in 1944.
Current Soldiers from across U.S. Army Europe as well as the leadership team of U.S. Army Europe Commanding General Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges and Command Sgt. Maj. Davis S. Davenport Sr., the USAEUR senior enlisted adviser, participated in events including a parade, wreath-laying and battlefield tours alongside Battle of the Bulge veterans, historic re-enactors and dignitaries from the region.
The Battle of the Bulge started on December 16, and was called Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein ("Operation Watch on the Rhine"), by the German forces. The goal of the German offensive was to capture the harbor at Antwerp, and split the Allied forces in half.
In order to reach it before the Allies could regroup and bring their superior air power to bear, German mechanized forces had to seize the roadways through eastern Belgium. Because all seven main roads in the Ardennes mountain range converged on the small town of Bastogne, control of its crossroads was vital to the German attack.
"When you're a young officer and you're in the 101st Airborne Division, and you hear about Bastogne you recognize that it's something important. When you hear the older guys talk about it, you know you joined a historic organization," said Hodges, who previously served as the commander of 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), with a radio call sign of "Bastogne 6."
Hodges walked the battlefield to see the original fox holes of Company E, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. This company was made famous in the book and subsequent HBO series Band of Brothers. The 101st arrived at Bastogne on December 18 and formed a perimeter surrounding the city. Despite being out numbered five to one, the 101st and Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division, held the city and slowed the German advance.
"When you come here and you actually stand here, you see the holes in the ground where very young soldiers, poorly equipped, were sitting in these holes fighting off German attacks it really brings it to life," Hodges said.
Hodges also visited the Mardasson Memorial, which commemorates the 76,890 American Soldiers who were killed or wounded during the Battle of the Bulge, prior to marching the parade through downtown Bastogne.
Davenport was part of wreath-laying ceremony at two other sites during the weekend of commemoration. He attended the wreath-laying ceremony at the 2nd Infantry Division and 99th Infantry Division memorials in Krinkelt-Rocherath and he placed the wreath at the 1st Infantry Division memorial, in Bullingen. These units are credited with holding key terrain and slowing the German offensive.
"We owe it to the great veterans that did so much to shape our world to come back and pay homage to their service and sacrifice," he said.
In addition to paying respect to the fallen, USAEUR Soldiers had the opportunity to learn about the battle from local historians and see the battleground first hand.
"The medics had to deal with the environment, climate. From what they had to deal with and take care of the Soldiers on the battlefield, this is definitely a lesson that I need to take back with me," said Master Sgt. Shaun Canfield, the senior medical planner for Europe, Office of the Command Surgeon, U.S. Army Europe.
"Seeing where these battles took place and learning what happened is something Soldiers can't learn in a leadership school" said Davenport, "seeing it is professional development."
While the Siege of Bastogne is often credited as the point where the German offensive was stopped, the battle for Elsenborn Ridge was a decisive component of the Battle of the Bulge, deflecting the strongest armored units of the German advance. The attack was led by one of the best equipped German divisions on the western front, the 1st SS Panzer Division which was the lead unit for the German 6th Panzer Army.
The 1st, 99th and 2nd Infantry Divisions were instrumental in slowing the German offensive, whose objective was to control the twin villages of Rocherath-Krinkelt and the high ground of Elsenborn Ridge. Seizing this key terrain would allow control of the roads to the south and west and ensure German supply lines. The defense of the 1st, 99th and 2nd Infantry Divisions prevented the Germans from reaching the vast array of supplies near the Belgian cities of Liège and Spa, and the road network west of the Elsenborn Ridge leading to the Meuse River. After more than 10 days of intense battle, the Germans pushed the Americans out of the villages, but were unable to dislodge them from the ridge, where elements of the V Corps of the First U.S. Army prevented the German forces from reaching the road network to their west.
Of the more than 19,000 Americans who were killed during the Battle of the Bulge, nearly 200 of which are still missing in the dense forests and fields of the area. A team continues to search for the remains of these Soldiers, which is something Davenport said epitomizes the Warrior Ethos of never leaving a fallen Soldier behind.
"We do say you're a Soldier for life, what better way of demonstrating that," he said.
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