European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 18, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday december 18, 1994 Battle of the bulge the stars and stripes Page 5 massacre Wake u p gis by Ron Jensen Nurnberg Bureau Baugnet Belgium a Stone walkabout 35 Yards Long and 6 feet High at this crossroad s town bears the names of84 men shot in cold blood in a Snow Cov ered Field across the Road 50 years ago. Each year the local citizens come on the anniversary of the massacre to pay their respects. They did so again sat urday and the mayor of Malme by said they will continue to do so. It s the Best Way to show that the Sac Rifice of these men and All of the men who died in Europe was not in vain Robert Denis said in a speech to open the Ceren Iony. The tragedy of dec 17,1944, has Cometo be called the mam6dy massacre Al though it happened at Baugnet two Miles to the South. It took place on the second Day of the Battle of the bulge Germany s last attempt to seize Victory from defeat. More than 100 american prisoner were herded into an open Field and gunned Down by the machine guns onto Tiger Janks. Later German soldiers walked Aning the bodies and finished of Many of the survivors figures vary on How Many died. Som accounts put the total at 86, although the Wall contains Only 84 names. Other accounts say More than Joo died that Day. There is near agreement that 43 men sur Vived. A " / v the result of the massacre one historian said in an interview saturday was to open the eyes of an american army that perhaps was too confident. It woke up a Good Many american soldiers who by december 1944, believed the War was All but Over said Jerold e. Brown. He is an associate professor of history at the . Army commandant general staff College at fort ,.-. Is milk Abr a a Wall at Baugnet Belgium contains the names of 84 americans who were shot in cold blood dec. 17,1944. A ceremony at the site saturday commemorated the event known As the Malme by massacre. Leavenworth Kan. As word of the massacre got around it really re steeled them to fight it out. This was really a Wake up Call to a of of " j a Brown said there is an important Mes Sage in the massacre beyond its message is the germans were still confident of Victory in those first d a s ardennes offensive. They thought they were going to inhere he said you Don t commit atrocities if you Don t think you Are going victors Brown said control such Post War actions As War crimes no one would commit such crimes in the face of a de feat. / the morale was High among the Ger mans at the Start of the Battle he the allies thought Germany was on the verge of defeat. The germans did t believe that yet he said. -. " it also tells you the Power Hitler still held Over the German Brown said about 40 germans eventually were tried for the massacre. None served More than 10 years in prison. One Man who supported Brown claim that the massacre opened . Sol Diers eyes was Leo Leblanc of Sanford Maine. He was with the 101st airborne div in Belgium at the time. Before the ceremony saturday he photographed All of the 84 names on the me Morial Wall. Yes he said the massacre did add to the soldiers determination. We chased those Guys to the Rhine and on to the bavarian Forest he said we had a score to Settle. We chased those turkeys All Over the place trying the ceremony was attended by several Hundred people mostly local citizens with Only a few american veterans on hand. ,. A ,. -. / the 84 names on the Wall were read punctuated by the words died for our Liberty in French and English. Col. Ron Reichelderfe special assist ant to Gen. George a. Joulwan supreme Allied commander Europe represented his Boss by giving the keynote speech. That you have kept their memories alive in your hearts and in your mind says very eloquently they did not die in vain on a cold Damp Day in 1944," he. Said " 8&3 mkt Abrams Veteran Leo Leblanc. We had a score to Settle Luxembourg where Potton remains beside his men by de reams staff writer Hamm Luxembourg the Luxem Bourg american military cemetery was chosen As a temporary Battlefield Ceme Tery dec. 29,1944, Only 13 Days after the Battle of the bulge City had been liberated by the . Army s 5th army div Onset. 10 of the same year. After world War ii the temporary cemetery was predesignated As a Perma nent shrine and is the Only american Mil itary cemetery in the grand duchy of Luxembourg. Today some 250,000 peo ple visit the cemetery annually 100,000 of them cemetery has the remains of 5,076 americans who gave their lives for free Dom. Among them Are 23 pairs of Broth ers and 101 unknowns. There Are 118stars of David that Mark the Graves of those of the jewish Faith All others have latin crosses . Gen. George s. Pat ton who was fatally injured in a traffic Accident in Germany on dec. 21, 1945, lies Between the flagpoles at the head of the grave plots. Patton rests there Over looking the Brave soldiers of his army thereby remaining alongside his men As he expressly wished. His grave site Origi Nally was among the other Graves but it was moved to its present location march19, 1947, to accommodate the Many Visi is Ken Geo a Secretary of the army Togo West Center left stands beside Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown at the Luxembourg american military cemetery Chapel near the end of a ceremony saturday honouring those who fought and died in the Battle of the bulge. Tors cemetery custodians say. A dedication on the East Wall of the memorial Chapel reads in proud remembrance of the achievements of her sons and in Humble tribute to their sacrifices this memorial has been erected by the United states of above the dedication is the great Seal of the United states. The memorial Chapel has two great Bronze doors bearing eight gilded panels each symbolizing a different military Vir tue. Above the doors a 23-foot sculpture of the Angel of peace is carved out of red Granite. The Angel s right hand is raised in Blessing while the left holds a Laurel Wreath. The stained Glass windows behind the Chapel s altar contain the insignia of the five major military commands that oper ated in the Region the 12th army group the 1st and 3rd armies and the 8th and 9th air forces. On the Terrace in front of the Chapel Isa Bronze inscription taken from the dedication made by . Gen. Dwight Dei Benhower in the Golden Book at St Paul s Cathedral in London a who shall hereafter live in Freedom will be Here reminded that to these men an their comrades we owe a debt to be paid with grateful remembrance of their Sacri fice and with the High resolve that the cause for which they died shall live there Are Large Stone pylons to the East and West of the Terrace. One bears a map of the military operations in North West Europe from the invasion at nor Mandy to the end of the War. The other has a map showing the military operations that took place in this Region. In scribed on the outer face of the pylons Are the names of the 371 missing in action
