European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Memories. Continued from Page 9 Northern Border As its objective. In Short the attack failed. But it was a fiercely won Victory for the american forces. At Bullinger the attack was repulsed by the 99th inf div. It was a Young division that had arrived in Europe Only weeks before and was brought up to the front in november. They did not think they would see combat. Quot we thought we were going to be the army of occupation said . Millroy a car dealer from Celina Tex. Instead they were the army that preserved the american Advance begun months earlier at Normandy. An expert on this phase of the Battle of the bulge is William . Cavanagh author of Krinkels Vocherath the Battle of the twin cities Cavanagh also leads Battlefield Tours for the Rossi Cavanagh Battlefield seminar Institute in Rostal Germany which organized this tour for More than 100 veterans. Quot these Guys fought in some cases against Odds of 10-to-1,&Quot he said. They inflicted casualties sometimes in an inverse ratio. The whole Battle of the bulge he said is a series of Small unit actions significantly slowing Down a giant German Advance. Cavanagh relied heavily on personal testimony from soldiers to write his Book just As other historians have done. It can be risky history he said. Their recollections Are sincere versions of what they believe to be True he said. However the confusion of combat and the distance of years can Cloud memories. Cavanagh who also uses after action reports morning reports and official histories from both sides of the conflict said it is Best to find corroborating testimony for personal recollections. Quot if you get it from one Guy you try to get it from another Guy Quot he explained. Here then Are the sincere recollections from some of the men of the 99th inf div As they toured the Battlefield where 46 years ago they stopped Adolf Hitler s last great offensive. A Petroleum geologist in Denver now was a Bazooka Man. A Al Nelson a private first class in i co 393rd inf in then right veterans and their wives stroll along a Road near stave lot Belgium. Top right three generations of goldfinches from left William Goldfinch in Battle of the bulge vet William Goldfinch ii and William Goldfinch Iii. Quot the first Day of the bulge dec. 16this other Bazooka Man a his name was Burns a bounced about three Bazooka shells off this German tank. They never went off Quot Nelson said. Quot this lieutenant said Al you re now a Rifleman because the bazookas Aren t working Quot at one Point in the Day Nelson was pinned Down by a German tank 50 Yards away. Quot i heard All this screaming. I turned around and this Guy was six feet away from me and his foot was  Nelson dragged the Man out of the line of fire. A lieutenant took Nelson s Belt and tied it around the wounded Man s leg to slow the bleeding. Quot i did t see How this kid would Ever live. It was just a big shiny soup Bone sticking out of his  the men were captured later in the Day. Nelson Learned that the Man s leg was eventually amputated by a German doctor. The operation took place on a Kitchen table in a farmhouse. There was no aesthetic. About two years ago i got a package from Ohio. I could t figure out what it was. In the package i got this Nelson stood and showed a new cd Belt around his slender Waist. He said i m so sorry i m so late but i m replacing the Belt you put on my leg one hero s Story Small unit had big role in Battle by Ron Jensen staff writer in the confusion of War things Are often not As they appear to be. This truth is evident in the Story of it. Lyle Bouck and the 18 men of intelligence and reconnaissance platoon of the 394th inf who occupied a Hilltop overlooking the Village of Lanzrath when the Battle of the bulge began in december 1944. They moved to this elevated position on dec. 10, taking Over dugouts carved out earlier by men of the 2nd div which had pulled out. Bouck s men added fortifications to the dugouts a heavy logs that would later prove to be life savers. Quot our Mission was to be the eyes and ears of the 394th inf regt. We were to maintain Contact with task Force a a tank destroyer unit in the Village of Lanzrath 200 Yards Down the Hill from our position Quot said Bouck during a recent visit to the belgian Battleground. It was unusual duty for the platoon. Its men were highly trained in the ways of intelligence. They mostly interpreted data and interrogated prisoners using the information to direct combat patrols. In the Large scheme of War playing Lookout was not an efficient use of these men. Technically we should not have been there Quot said Bouck pronounced Buck. But the entire regiment was deployed on the front line. Bouck s platoon was at Headquarters when the order came to a occupy the Hilltop. Quot we were available. I had to go get my Guys out of their sleeping  six Days later the Battle of the bulge began. Quot in the Early morning hours of the 16th of december concentrated artillery fire came into our area. In front of the area. In Back of the area. All around us Quot recalled Bouck a chiropractor in St. Louis. Quot we were protected by the logs so we did t have any casualties. But it was a nerve racking experience for a couple  10 stripes Magazine november 15,1990 artillery barrages were usually followed by ground attacks. Bouck expected one. He would receive no help from the tank destroyer unit it had left. Quot i called regiment. I said the ads have pulled out. What should we do he said you stay Quot Bouck and two men a tech set William Slape and pvt. John Creger moved Down the Hill to the Village to see of a Ermels were Doi nein the Wake of the artillery. They moved to the second Story of a House that afforded them a View to the East. Quot in about 20 minutes we saw a Large number of bodies moving toward  through Fiel glasses they could Tell they were German paratroopers. Quot i left my platoon sergeant and one guv or in a 0yedorl<eptmo�siny he returned to the Hilltop position. Thirty minutes later the German soldiers a re it toward the vilage and Bouck s 18 men. On the radio one of the men in the House quietly told Bouck German soldiers Are in this House  the germans came through Lanzrath moving directly i l l told the fwd a t fire until i holler i thought if we could get the main in a View we could be More productive a Quot three German soldiers stood on the Road below the Hill talking. A Little girl with Blond hair ran up to them. Quot she just appeared out of  she pointed toward the Hill where the americans waited. The officers shouted and the German soldiers deployed off the open Road. Quot we opened  about 45 minutes later the germans organized an assault on the Hill. Quot they started a frontal attack on our position which meant they had to come up a Snow covered Field 200 Yards Long. They were like target practice for a platoon that was covered and dug in we waylaid  the germans withdrew just As they did two More times during the Day when Bouck and his men poured dense and accurate fire into the approaching ranks. Quot twelve of the 18 men were wounded but no one was killed yet. Some were out of  despite his orders Bouck prepared to move out but another German assault succeeded in penetrating his position. Quot they overran our position with bayonets fixed. They stuck a burp gun into my  the shot ripped the right Side of the face from Bouck s Driver pfc. William Tsakanikas. Quot his eyeball was hanging  Bouck was shot in the legs. The entire. Platoon was captured and taken to a cafe