support your troops!

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UPDATE July 2008

16 December 2007: The ceremony of the 64th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge was this time special. We had former Capt. James W. Love, Commander of the Anti Tank unit of the 38th Inf Rgt (2nd Inf Div.) coming over from the USA to meet with his former and direct opponent of his outfit, Hans Baumann, Unterscharführer of the 12th SS Panzer-Division and a Tankdestroyer Commander of the Panzerjäger Bn.

Also from the USAG Benelux (under the command of Major Sonja Granger -Dyer) we received a full Color Guard to support us. Also the Dutch Army sends a bugler and volunteers from the Air Mobile Brigade to support the wreath laying.

We were greeted on the morning of 16 December in Krinkelt / Rocherath by the Mayor and it was there were both veterans shaked hands, and together laid the wreath for the 2nd Infantry Division. This is the first time in Krinkelt that veterans of these two units came together.

After the ceremony in Krinkelt / Rocherath, we laid a wreath for the 26th Inf Rgt 'The Blue Spaders' at their Monument at the Dom Bütgenbach, here Major Sonja Granger - Dyer held a speech written by my good friend August T ‘Mac’ McGolgan, just two days before he died, for the ceremony of 2006.

We continued to St Vith, and laid a wreath for the 106th Infantry Division, and because Capt. James W. Love was their prior to the Battle of the Bulge in position close to Bleialf, he said a few words about the presence of the unit there. Also a speech held by the Mayor of St Vith, Christian Krings, included the words written by the son of Major Bill Garlow (Cody), the great grandson of 'Buffalo Bill', or 'Wild Bill Cody'.

We ended that day at the Crossroads of Baugnez, where we had the wreaths for 3 units, the 7th Armored Division, the 526th Armored infantry Battalion and the 30th Infantry Division. Here I asked Major Sonja Granger - Dyer to hold the short speech, written by Capt. Mitchell, the CO of A Company of the 526th AIB.

We had that day support of the AFN (Armed Forces Network) who covered this special day and made two short movies of it, as well as local Press covering this day in a great article in the German / Belgium Newspaper 'Grenz Echo', that included an interview with Hans Baumann.

Video of the Battle of the Bulge.




Update:

Video made by AFN (Armed Forces Network) during one of my tours with the Dutch Army. Special Guest was Rolf Odendahl, German veteran of the 3rd Fallschirmjäger Division. He told his story about the fightings in January 1945 and how he - after being captured - was being interrigated by US Troops. (his complete story is in the book 'Operations of the 3rd Fallschirmjäger Division' during the Battle of the Bulge).




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Victory Tour with the 7th Armored Division veterans

 

Robert W. Hasbrouck Jr was amongst the 7th Armored veterans group; He writes (see questbook)

"Thanks for a great job in planning and carrying out the Belgian portion of the 7th Armored Division Victory Tour on May 28 and 29. It was a rewarding experience for all the participants."

For more info go to:
>> 7th Armored Division Victory Tour (under construction).

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Coming up soon. Book on the 106th Infantry Division.

With many new stories from both the German and American side. Did you know that the Grandson of 'Buffalo Bill' fought in the Battle of the Bulge? Also very unique photo's of the German Artillery unit standing ready for the attack. German vehicles covered with camouflage in the snow waiting for the attack, and also photo's of 591st Artillery Bn of the 106th in the Schnee Eifel. Photo's that haven't been in any book yet!

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COMBINED NORMANDY AND ARDENNES BATTLEFIELD TOURS:
We now offer a combined tour which includes the Normandy Battlefields. For details of this, our new web link will be open soon.

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Member of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge Association

(click on the logo to go directly to the VBOB site)

Update January 2007
On 17 December 2006 we organised a wreathlaying at several US Monuments along the North Shoulder sector. We cooperated at Baugnez with the CRIBA. On the right column you will find the links to the several places we went.

Update October 2006
(New) A new book is added to the book list. 'To Safe Bastogne', from Mr. Robert E Phillips, veteran of the 110th Inf Rgt, 28th Inf Div. To see the book click here.

This week I had the change to talk with Tina, the girl (now an eldery woman) who played a crucial part in the Battle for Lanzerath Hill. I added the story of what she told me to the Lanzerath Part.

A book on the 9th SS Panzer Division 'Hohenstaufen' will be released around November 2006. Not a complete history, but two accounts of a Panzergrenadier and a Flak member are put together, because accounts of any Hohenstaufen vets are rare, but both accounts do give a very good insight vieuw of the daily 'routine' and the horror of war of a Panzergrenadier that was at the frontline.

Update September 2006
(should be ready, unfortunately due to flu it will be more towards December)
Setting up a new site in German for the German readers. Already available is the link to the German Books on the Battle of the Bulge. To see the page click here.

(German / Deutsch)
Hoffentlich wird in September 2006 die deutsche Ausgabe dieser Homepage 'online' sein. Wohl noch nicht ganz fertig, aber schon einen link zu den deutschen Büchern über die Ardennenoffensive gibt es hier.

Update August 2006.
Book Nr. 7 in progress.
Already research has started on book nr 7. This book will all about the 28th Infantry Division during the first days of the battle of the Bulge. Interesting part is that a German Company Commander of the Rgt 77 of the 26th Volksgrenadier Division, who captured Hosingen with his unit, wrote a unique detailed part of the fight for Hosingen.


Another Exercise with the Dutch Army (103 ISTAR Bn) was a great success. This time we had a large number of German vets at the meeting. Click here to see some pictures.

Update Summer 2006
Whilst writing the book on the pushback of the German 3rd Fallschirmjäger Division, I have decided to make an extra series of books about the counterattack all along the North Sector, so not only in the sector of Schoppen, Faymonville, in which units like the 30th, 1st and 2nd Infantry participated, but also from the Elsenborn Ridge.

In the next volume we will talk about the last attacks of the German troops along the frontline at Elsenborn, and than the counterattack of the 99th Infantry Division and its supporting units in January / February 1945. The Capture of towns like Udenbreth, Hollerath, etc supported by a whole range of pictures taken by Lt. Col (later General) Thomas N Griffin, exec officer of the 393rd Infantry Regiment, out of his Personal Photograph Collection during his trip along the battlefield just after the war. Also we will talk about the artillery support that was given to all those units from Elsenborn Ridge.

Update Spring 2006
An extra book will appear on the pushback of the German troops at the area south of Malmédy. Here elements of the German 3rd Fallschirmjäger Division were defending this area since Christmas 1944. Elements of the 30th and 2nd Inf Division took part in this 'push-back', in towns like Thirimont, Schoppen, Weywertz, etc. Many of these towns had to be taken after house-to-house combat and the Germans had choosen several of the Hills (like Haut Sarts) to stiffen its defense here.  An unkown part of the Battle of the Bulge. Click here to see the frontcover of the book.

Update Winter 2005 / 2006
On 16 December 2005 again I was asked for doing the wreathlaying at several monuments in the Ardennes. This time I was honoured with the help of the active unit of the 'Blue Spaders', 26th Inf Rgt., 1st Inf Div who supported us with a Colour Guard. Also a re-enactment group from The Netherlands plus many other friends were with us that day. Storm, hail and rain and freezing cold did give us the feeling that it was something that had to be done under any circumstances, and we choose the worse weather in days. We managed to go to the monuments of the 1st Infantry Division, the 2nd Infantry Division, the 7th Armored at Baugnez, the 9th Armored monument at Ligneuville and to St Vith to pay tribute to the men of the 106th Infantry Division. We hope to do more in  2006.

With the latest (newest)  book on the North Shoulder, book nr 4 'Seize the Bridges' - "Spearhead to Antwerp" is ready and with that one I managed to tell with the 4 books about the battle fought at the North Shoulder during the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge.  Click here to see the frontcover of the book.

Update Winter 2004 / 2005
On December 16, 2004 it is 60 years ago, that the German Army one more time tried to change the luck of war at the Westernfront. One more time in the whole Ardennes (Belgium and Luxembourg) veterans from both sided will come together and remember their KIA and MIA friends of the battle.  A 3rd book, called "Hell at Bütgenbach" tells about the battle in the Bütgenbach - Büllingen - area and is now available. Many veterans of the 12th SS Pz. Div. and the 3rd Fallschirmjäger Division are telling their story. Many pictures of privat source that were taken after the fightings are published now for the first time. Click here to see the frontcover of the book.

UPDATE Spring 2002
We finally started off with the first Battle Field Tours. I have now a small team that can prepare and organise in future, Battle Field Tours all over the former Battle of the Bulge Battlegrounds. Small Groups but also groups up to 25 - 30 persons and even bigger ones on special request. Click here - the result of the first trip that was on March the 20th 2002!

UPDATE Winter 2001/2002
Since December 2001 the first book on the Northern Shoulder is ready. After more than 6 years research in the area with the help of numerous veterans from both US and German side, finally the first book out of a series of 3 - 4 on the Northern Shoulder is ready. For informations and readers review click here
Also the book on the 2nd Infantry Division is currently in progress of being written, and will be ready Winter 2002 / 2003.

UPDATE Winter/Spring 2001
An new page is added to my site. It is called "search /wanted". On this "search" page I will add names of persons that where found on relics from the Ardennes. With this new page I hope to find any information to these persons or its family. The "wanted page" will contain requests for help on items I'm currently working on.

July 2008: A photo of a group of soldiers of the Dutch Military School after they finished the reccon of the area of the 2nd Inf Div. and paid their respect to the men of the 2nd Inf. Div.

from left to right:
Susanne, Rebecca, Mascha, Yasmin, Milou, Ingrid,
Laurel, Myrthe, Esther.

Wreathlaying at the 99th Infantry Division monument in
Krinkelt / Rocherath by Sgt 1st Class Carola Houwert
of the Dutch Military School of Weert (The Netherlands).
Below , Carola carrying a MAG and ammo.

After more than 63 years the suitcase of
2nd Lt. George E. Hammond, who died during the
Battle of the Bulge on 19 December 1944 returns home. 

Click on the photo to read the full story: