When Germany launched a surprise attack known as the Battle of the Bulge, all General Eisenhower had in reserves were the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions. Both were ordered into the battle. Trucked across France, the 101st marched into Bastogne to stop elite German Panzer divisions while other U.S. soldiers fled in panic. And stop them cold they did.
With nothing to rely on other than each other, the 101st (including the famous 506th PIR whose exploits at Bastogne were detailed in Ambrose's Band Of Brothers) took up front line positions in the woods of Bastogne, dug foxholes in the bitter cold (the coldest winter in Europe in almost 100 years) and once again held off the best troops and tanks of Germany with nothing more than their rifles and each other. Their story is a remarkable one. No men ever better exemplified the courage of the American solider.
Bastogne exemplified the tradition of American soldiers enduring more than was humanly possible and refusing to leave the line, even while injured, so long as their fellow solider- their brother in arms- was still fighting.
American soldiers don't march into combat in summer clothes in the dead of winter anymore. They don't dig foxholes in sub zero weather anymore, they don't endure horrific artillery barrages and they don't fight tanks with rifles while hobbling on frostbitten feet anymore.
But they still exhibit remarkable courage. They still go into war zones in foreign lands and fight despots and terrorists and put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms and liberate people they've never met.
Bastogne was a startling example of the mettle of the American solider. But it didn't start there and it doesn't end there. It continues today in places like Bagram, Kandahar, and Forward Operating Base Delaram, where today on Christmas Eve, the 3rd Battalion of the 4th Marine will - as they have done every day during eight combat rotations, get out of their tents and patrol a 2000 kilometer stretch of Afghanistan, putting their lives on the line for
their fellow Marine, and in a larger sense, for all of us.
Thank you just doesn't seem enough, but it's all we have.
Thank you and Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and whatever other holiday or tradition you may follow, we wish you the joyous peace of the season, and a happy and healthy, safe and prosperous New Year.
HR.
13 comments:
Watching Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, perhaps the best movie of all time, while contemplating the cold Northern California Christmas eve dawn breaking outside.
GO FINS! Looking god against Pats as they take a 3-0 lead in first quarter. Having some wings and brews and a shumie cigar and chillin with the game.
Wings and beer to watch a football game. How pedestrian.
I recommend some nice NE Clam Chowder and a sweet prosciutto, edam cheese, and red pepper muffaletta sandwich to go with watching the Dolphins game today.
See my blog for more tips on fashion, food, finance and jus a bit of romance. sobelivinglarge
Fins just went up 17-0. Listen Fake fancy-pants, my wings and beer and cigar are working just fine for the Fins and me and my pedestrian buddies. We go to every game. We eat chips and beer and wings and pizza and root for our team like real fans and not some foo foo faker who eats 'mufflettas'. Stuff your muffletta where the sun don't shine and go back to your poofy blog.
Now boys, if you can't play nice, don't play.
You can live, or you can live well.
You can eat at Burger King or Mortons.
You can have frozen pizza or a handcrafted sandwich.
It's your choice.
Remember, it's more important to look good than be good.
I recoomend eating grilled dolphin to watch the Dolphins lose.
Nuts
we aint surrending
DS
From a Miami Herald article today about a neighbor stabbing another neighbor in the Pork -n-Beans complex:
"Taken into custody: Dorian W. Hinkson, 51. Police said they recovered the weapon and were Saturday afternoon continuing to investigate."
Apparently for the Herald, writing for them, is Yoda.
LITTLE TIMMY TEBOW COULDN'T EVEN BEAT THE BILLS
playing QB in the NFL doesn't have many thrills.
He threw a pick six
not once but twice
Little Timmy Tebow should just slide on the ice.
Little Timmy Tebow says it isn't fair
he wants to win football games
and have his mommy comb his hair.
If he can't win
then he won't play
he'll pick up his bottie and ball and come another day.
Ahh great XMas cheer.
DS
Man stabbed to death after asking neighbor to turn down music.
The lesson is
a. turn down the music.
b. dont ask n live w/ the noise.
c. bring a gun.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/#storylink=cpy
Rumpole, which Ambrose book contains the account of the Battle of the Bulge. Is it Band of Brothers?
The short answer is yes. BOB follows the 506 from creation to its first action which was the jump into Normamdy. On Day the 506th took out a large german artillery battery in a classic attack that is still taught at West Point and should have earned their commander a Medal Of Honor. D day may have been their finest hour but for sheer courage and bravery and the unbelievable hardship they had to endure, the account of the 506ths action at Bastogne stands alone. They marched in wearing summer boots as the temp dipped below zero. US troops were literally running the other way screaming "they'll kill us all" such was the ferosity of the German panzer attacks. The 506 and the rest of the airborne calmy dug into the frozen ground, set up a defensive perimeter, grabbed their rifles and stopped the Germans cold. They were relentlessly shelled and they refused to yield. They were artacked day and night and fought back and held their ground. It is simply an amazing awe inspirirng story that I return to again and again.
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