December 16, 1944

[blackhawknj]

The Battle of the Bulge begins. I knew Robert Clayton 1920-2002, 10th Armored Division, wounded in his left hand, lost his index finger.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

In high school I started working at the trap and skeet range. We had a lot of "old timers" around the club. Well, "old timers" to a 16 yr old kid--they were probably just passing 40, and had served in various threatres during WWII. I've forgotten most of their names, including the one fellow who'd been at the Bulge. But now and then, some bits of one of his stories come back for a fleeting moment.

Thank you, all, whether you made it home, or rest forever across the seas...

Rick C

 

[Jeepnik]

Never forget Malmady. After that many including my dad quit taking SS prisoners. Some quit taking any.

 

[Bull Barrel]

Nuts!

 

[Fox Mike]

When it is talked about many think the "Battle of the Bulge" was at Bastogne alone when in fact it was along an eighty five mile stretch of land through the Ardennes. Bastogne was only one to the many towns that the Germans wanted and needed to take in order to split the Allied forces.

 

[rimmer]

My father was there. he lugged around a BAR in the War and was lucky to make it back home.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

In 2008 I met a very fine gentleman while at a local fly-in at Norfolk VA. I noticed that he had a small 101st Airborne Emblem on his hat. I knew at his age that he was probably a WWII Vet. Sure enough he was.
And now for the rest of the story
He fought from D Day until the end at the taking of the Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle's Nest) at Obersalzberg in Berchtesgaden. He was part of "Easy Company" (part of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment), made famous in Band of Brothers.
When they were at Eagle's Nest several of his Buddies took some of Hitler's stuff as souvenirs. Well he didn't want to lug around any of that junk so he left it. :shock: :shock:
He was great to shoot the bull with him and he was also impressed with Band of Brothers Series.

NUTS!!!!!!!!

Speaking of Malmedy
How many of you knew about the actor Charles Durning's survival at Malmedy

His is a remarkable story of survival. As a 21-year-old infantryman, Private Charles Durning was in the first wave of soldiers to land on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion of Normandy. He was the only man to survive a machine-gun ambush. Despite suffering serious machine gun and shrapnel wounds, Durning killed seven German gunners to survive D-Day.

Several months later, in Belgium, Durning was stabbed eight times by a bayonet-wielding teenage German soldier. That day, he survived by killing the German with a rock in hand-to-hand combat. Durning recovered from those wounds and was released from the hospital just in time to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, where he was taken prisoner.

Charles Durning was one of only three men to survive the infamous massacre of American POWs at Malmedy, Belgium. He and two others escaped, and the rest were murdered. Durning was obliged to return with American troops to identify the bodies of his fellow prisoners.

Military awards and decorations

For his valor and for the wounds he received during the war, Durning was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and three Purple Heart Medals. Additional awards included the Army Good Conduct Medal, the American Campaign Medal and the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with one bronze service star, and the World War II Victory Medal His badges included the Combat Infantryman Badge, Expert Badge with Rifle Bar, and Honorable Service Lapel Pin.