die Ardennenoffensive / Dezember 1944 (Torrance, PA)

For the event we portrayed the members of Nr. 5 Kompanie, Gren. Regt. 190 / 62nd Volsgrenadier Division in the Salm River area.  This new division was assigned to the area known as the Eifel, in almost in the same area, that in 1939/40 the old 62nd Infantry Division laid in wait. 

On the morning of December 16th, a massive artillery barrage signaled the beginning of the German attack.  The German 5th Panzer Army, attacking in the weaker center of the American line, had considerably greater success than the 6th Panzer Army to the north. It too, however, fell seriously behind the high command's timetable. On the northern part of the front, the 18th and 62nd Volksgenadier Divisions—supported by LXVI Corps armor—encircled five battalions of the American 106th Infantry Division on the Schnee Eifel, trapping them on the German side of the Our River. Late on the 17th, the Americans abandoned their useless mountain­top fortifications.  The field commanders threw in the towel and surrendered more than 6,000 American soldiers.  The German advance continued towards the Salm River & was stalled when the US 82nd Airborne Division blew the bridges.  During the ensuing week the US 82nd AB Division repulsed four counter-attacks by the 62nd Volks-Grenadier Division and the 9th SS Panzer Division. The mere determination of the US 82nd not to leave their positions even though they were being overrun, surprised the Germans.