A few weeks ago I traveled to Belgium and Luxembourg to tour the land that was Hitler's last attempt at victory in the Battle of the Bulge.  I took the trip with other staff officers from the 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment.  We visited two museums, several small towns and monuments, the German hillside looking into Luxembourg just as the German soldiers did before they attacked, and the American cemetery in Luxembourg - resting place of the great General George S. Patton.  We walked the same grounds that Easy Company, 101st Airborne Division, held during the frigid fighting in December 1944 as made famous in Tom Hanks "Band of Brothers" (if you haven't seen this series, it is an absolute must watch).  Looking over the village of Foyt was pretty humbling knowing what they went through over 65 years ago.

 

Most of the towns are much larger today and the damaged buildings have all been removed or repaired.  However, the landscape is the same and it is neat to hear the stories of the battle.  The people of Belgium and Luxembourg still love the American people for rescuing her for Hitler's grip. 

 

Below is a picture of our staff at LT Boggess's Bunker.  The Colonel in the orange jacket is our current and 75th Regimental Commander.  When Bastogne was surrounded and being bombarded by the Germans, General Patton's 3d Army, led by then Lieutenant Colonel Creighton Abrams (the guy they named the tank after), charged north to relieve the 101st Airborne Division.  The first tank to make contact with the American lines was led by Lieutenant Boggess who saw some engineer soldiers attacking Germans in this bunker.  This link-up allowed the Americans to open up a supply line and get critical care to wounded soldiers.  Just a little over a month later, all the Germans were back in Germany and General Patton was charging to victory.