Thanks for posting all of these photos as well as the detailed history. As you say, it's hard for us across the pond to get over there and see these places in person. I still hoping to be stationed in Europe at some point, but there are not many jobs for Marines on the continent. Here's to hoping!
Thanks again,
Maj Todd O. USMC, Retired
Grandson of LTC John O'Brien
Is this is Pistol? This was the question asn the owner found such a pistol which the famous machine gunner holds in his hands.
Houffalize
Right in the middle of the small town of Houffalize is a mark V "Panther" tank. It was part of Kampfgruppe Tebbe - 116. Panzerdivision "Windhund".
Commanded by Major Gerhard Tebbe (I./Panzerregiment 16).
The names on the side of the Panther tank (Arne Kreutz, Georg Mussbach and Ewald Lochle) are of the men who survived.
It probably went in the river on December 26, 1944 when Houffalize was under attack from Allied planes. The original number was 111 and it was fished out of the river in 1948 with the two dead crew members still in it.
Here we have two .50 caliber shells and a BAR clip also found near Poteau, Belgium. There is also an clip for the Thompson MP and a fragment of a US M-2 handgrenade both found in the woods around Clervaux, Luxembourg.
Sauer Gorge near Goebelsmühle
Here is the river Sauer and the bridge at Goebelsmühle. The view is in direction Bourscheid. I love the fog it looks like back in 1944
Now on December 17 1944, the 5th Comp., I./FJR 15 took a Raid into Goebelsmühle to seize the Sauer bridge for the tanks. This raid was qualified for the close combat clasp. There, the paratroopers have been engaged in a short but severe firefight against soldiers of the US combat Engineer Batl 35. The paratroopers than seized a inn just near the Sauer river to take a rest.
On the pic you can see the former inn near the Sauer river.
Is this is Pistol? This was the question asn the owner found such a pistol which the famous machine gunner holds in his hands.
The pistol looks to be a Browning Hi-power (named for the unsually hi capacity magazine for the time). It was made in Belgium prior to the war and was adopted by the Germans when they overran that country in 1940.
Maj Todd O. USMC, Retired
Grandson of LTC John O'Brien
Schumanns Eck Crossroad
The fighting around the Schumann crossroad was one of the bloodiest sites of the Battle of the Bulge. Here the following allied units fought a severe battle againts the german paratroopers.
Here at Schumanns Eck on December 18, 1944 around 11 P.M. as well as on December 19 1944 at dawn around 5 P.M., US troops of the 28th US Inf Div under Norman Cota, tried to escape to Bastogne coming from Wiltz. The US troops went into hell! Soldiers of 1st Comp. Fallschirm Btl 5 under Lt Sander already seized the place and shot the Americans with MG42 and Panzerfausts to pieces.
The memorial as well as the memorial trail leads along the foxeholes in the woods around the Schumanns Eck where numerous American and German soldiers fought and died during the battle of Wiltz and the battle of the Bulge 1944 - 1945
After the paratroopers moved on, soldiers of the 9th Volksgrenadier Div. dug themself in. On December 30, the 26th US Inf. Div came to the Schumann crossroad and found severe resistance from the Volksgrenadiers. The place turned into a trench war and there was severe fighting in some cases hand to hand combat. Due to this decision to attach the 9 VGD to the 7th German Army for actions against Wiltz, the area around Café Schumann and the crossroad became the bloodiest fighting place of the Battle of the Bulge on Luxembourg soil.
The 9th VGD had also fire support from Hetzer tanks of the Panzerjäger Abt 9 of the 9th VGD. Every attemp made by the US to get the Schumann failed and the US troops suffered severe casualties. But also the germans had severe casualties. I. Btl. 36th Gren, Rgt of the 9th VGD lost 40% alreaday after the first engagement.
This memorial is named "Massegraf" (mass grave), located at the exact site, where over 160 German soldiers and several American soldiers had been temporarily buried together in 1945 pending removal and reburial. The escape fighting took place until December 20, 1944. On that day Capt Kimmelmann and his group of wounded soldiers became POW of the germans after they surrendered.
The plaque is dedicated to "ALL SOLDIERS" killed in the woods around Schumanns Eck.
In the woods around the Schumanns Eck a lot of foxholes can still be found. Here is one of the bigger ones.
Wiltz
The town of Wiltz was a tiny one and was the place where the US 28th Inf Div under N. Cota had a rest after the severe fightings in the Huertgen forest. Here is nice museum located in the castle of Wiltz. Wiltz was liberated only on January 21, 1945 from the 26th US Inf Div and the US 6th Cav.
Wiltz was mostly destroyed and Cota had the order to defend Wiltz. The most severe fighting took place from December 17 to December 19.
Easy Comp 506 PIR / 101st Airborne
After the the Bastogne museum, we went to Foy and to track down some locations of the fighting of the Easy Comp, 506 PIR in the Boise Jacques. Here we are on the way to Foy just outside the woods of Jacques.
Just outside the Boise Jacques we came along a memorial for the 506 PIR and the tropper who have been KIA.
Here the woods which saw severe shelling from the Germans who held the small town of Foy. The place is still full of the former foxholes used by Easy Comp. 506 PIR.
Warnach
After Foy we followed the tracks of I./FJR 15 again and went to the tiny village of Warnach. Here the paratroopers were engaed in heavy anti tank fighting. Also there was a US sniper sitting in the church tower and shot at the german paras. The german paras used their Panzerfausts to fight against the US tanks
Our way went to Tintange which is also just a tiny villiage but saw severe fighting during the battle of the Bulge. December 24, 1944, I./FJR 15 fought hard against the US 80th Inf Div. to hold on the village. The US 80th Inf Div had severe casualties. Only after 8 P-38 Lightnings attacked the village and supported the allied troops, Tintange fell.
The Btl command poste of Hptm. Berneike was in the castle of Tintange. Well I could not find any castle but the building behind the church could be meant in the memories of my vet who fought with I./FJR 15
