#bastonge

So this was a tough one as I’ve chosen the prompt ‘most heartbreaking scene’ and really this show has so many scenes that have made me cry and really pulled on my heart strings but this scene has always stuck with me so I have chosen the scene in the Bois Jacques when Buck witnesses Bill and Joe being wounded.

‘Most heartbreaking scene’

I'm fine.

German soldiers were not the only ones who got lost that day. Medic Ralph Spina and Pvt. Ed “Babe” Heffron went back into Bastogne to scrounge up some medical supplies. At the aid station Spina got some of what he needed (the 101st was already running low on medical supplies, a major problem). The two E Company men grabbed a hot meal, and although they hated to leave the stove, with darkness coming on, they set out for the line.

Heffron suggested a shortcut across a wooded area. Spina agreed. Heffron led the way. Suddenly he fell into a hole. There was a shout of surprise. Then a voice called out from under Heffron, “Hinkle, Hinkle, ist das du?”

Heffron came barreling out of the foxhole and took off in the opposite direction, yelling, “Hinkle Your Ass, Kraut!” He and Spina got reoriented and finally found the E Company CP.

(Spina, who recalled the incident, concluded: “To this day every time I see Babe, I ask him how Hinkle is feeling or if he has seen Hinkle lately.”)

Like, this place is pivotal to the German counterpush into France. There are seven roads that lead to Antwerp (a major Allied supply depot, so an important target) and they all pass through the city. To do this, they get Panzer divisions to push through the Ardennes forest, where Allied troops are at the weakest (due to some serious forgetfulness, exhausted and newer troops are sent to that sector). They smash through easy. They're converging on Bastonge, and Allied command can see the writing on the wall.

So they send the 101st to Bastonge with orders to hold the city.

Like, these guys are paratroopers. They have few anti tank weapons. They are not designed for this at all. This is not their function. Full stop. Cease this. They are facing tanks with M1 Carbines that shoot pistol rounds, knives, maybe a few MGs and bazookas, and their bare frickin hands.

And they hold out. And then, General George Patton, the CRAZIEST MOTHERFRICKER TO GET 3 STARS IN ALLIED ARMIES, tells Allied Command, "I can have four divisions in Bastonge in four days."

Everyone looks at him like he's crazy, because guess what, he's like 140 miles south in the Saar region. This is, shockingly, 140 miles away in Sherman tanks that cannot go all that fast. Oh, and it's winter, so all the roads are iced over.

And then they give him a chance.

And he DISENGAGES HIS ARMY AND STARTS DRIVING 140 MILES NORTH TO BASTONGE.

AND IT WORKS.

Meanwhile, in Bastonge, they are still very much under siege. Men are losing fingers to frostbite. Guns are jamming with ice. They are almost out of ammo.

And they get a letter from the German commander that is basically just a very long way to say "surrender." Like three pages of "we will run you into the ground if you deny this request."

And the commander of the 101st in Bastonge sends his response of one word.

"Nuts!"

And the translator is confused by this, so he looks the dude's aide in the eye and says "What does this mean."

And the aide's response? "It means go to hell."

What a power move.

And eventually, Sherman tanks start rolling up on the panzers outside and doing things that tanks do when fighting other tanks, and the 101st has their butts saved.

But guess what? The day before the tanks pop up, the 101st are IRONING THEIR UNIFORMS AND BRUSHING UP BECAUSE "we don't need cavalry to save us from a fight."

WHAT. THE. HELL.

These are a few pictures from the 101st Airborne Museum, the Bastogne War Museum and the La Gleize Museum. All three museums were very good and I highly recommend them, especially the 101st Airborne Museum.

That’s the last post of pictures from my trip I promise but if anyone does want to see more or find out more etc please feel free to message me.

Part 1

I just thought I’d share a few pictures from my recent trip to the Belgium Ardennes following in the footsteps of the 101st Airborne Divisions Easy Company. I had an incredible but very emotional trip, to stand where those brave men where almost 80 years ago really hits home and I have such respect for the men of E Company and feel like I have a fleet connection and understanding of what they went through.

So these pictures show the Fontaine Woods where the attack on Foy started. In the second photo you can see the tree line where Dick Winters would have been watching the attack on Foy unfold. Carwood Lipton with 2nd Battalion went straight down the middle towards Foy. Lieutenant Foley went to the left with 1st Battalion and the Lieutenant Shames went right with 3rd Battalion.

In these two pictures the first one shows the house that Lipton and Spiers were taking cover behind in Foy. The second picture shows the house that Spiers ran too in order to link up with I Company and to stop them firing upon 3rd Battalion who were coming found the right hand side of the town.

In this picture it shows the house that Lipton, Shifty Powers and several other soldiers took shelter behind when the German sniper was shooting at them in Foy. The upper window you can see in the middle of the picture is the window that Shifty Powers shot the Germany sniper through.

This building is where Doc Roe set up the Aid Station in Foy.

These pictures are all from the Bois Jacques where Easy Company spent a lot of their time dug in along the frontline. You can still see some of the original foxholes in this wood and the Fontaine woods (pictured at the top of the page)

Part 2