The 110th Holds in the Ardennes: The Blunting of Hitler's Last Gamble and the Invasion of the Reich

by Walter Zapotoczny Jr.

Overview

In the early morning hours of 16 December 1944, the 28th Division received a message from higher headquarters telling them to "hold at all costs." From 05:30 a.m. on the 16th until sometime in the afternoon of the 18th, the men of the 110th Infantry Regiment fought and held, giving ground only when forced out, but all the while buying precious time for General Dwight D. Eisenhower to find and move reserves forward from deep in France. That these scattered and battered 110th units could hold at all against such odds, and delay the Germans as long as they did, was an incredible feat by any standard. The 110th Regiment alone fought elements of three German divisions; the force ratios reached ten to one in favor of the Germans, but still the 110th held on. The toll on the Germans was so costly in men, equipment, and time that the race for Bastogne was lost right where it began: among the widely scattered outposts of the 110th Infantry Regiment. This book details the heroic combat actions of 110th Infantry units in eight Luxembourg villages from 16 to 18 December 1944.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781781556054
Publisher:	Fonthill Media
Publication date:	06/26/2017
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Walter S. Zapotoczny Jr. is an award-winning writer and editor with over 25 years’ experience producing many different types of copy. He is the author of over 150 published articles and three books. Walter is a contributing writer and reviewer for several international publications. He is a former historian with the US Army, specializing is military history, Holocaust studies and events that transcend single states, regions and cultures. A native of Pennsylvania, Walter holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in world military history and a Master of Arts with honors in global history from American Public University.

Table of Contents

Preface 5

Acknowledgements 7

Introduction 11

1 The German Situation at the End of 1944 13

2 The Allied Situation at the End of 1944 17

3 The Battle Plans of the German Army 21

4 The 28th Infantry Division Prior to the Ardennes Offensive 25

5 Opposing Troop Strengths and Weapons 37

6 The Fifth Panzer Army Attacks the 110th Infantry Sector 44

7 Personal Accounts of Luxembourg Villagers 64

8 Weiler and Wahlhausen Fall 91

9 Company 'K', 3rd Battalion & Company 'B', 103rd Engineer Battalion in Hosingen 96

10 The Fifty-Two Hour Battle for Hosingen Ralph Obuchowsld 104

11 The German Drive for Clervaux through Marnach and Munchausen 107

12 The Fall of Consthum 114

13 Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion in Clervaux 117

14 Withdrawal to the West 119

15 Troth Infantry Regimental After Action Reports 124

16 Colonel Hurley E. Fuller: Report of Operations, 110th Infantry Combat Team 144

17 Colonel Daniel B. Strickler: Action Report 158

18 Battle Diary kept by Ralph Johnson, 110th Infantry Staff Officer 172

19 Epilogue 191

Appendix A German Forces That Attacked the 110th Infantry Regiment 196

Appendix B 110th Regimental Combat Team Locations 197

Appendix C Opposing Units 198

Appendix D 28th Infantry Division Combat Cronicle 200

Appendix E 110th Infantry Regiment Lineage 204

References 207