![]() ![]() The days lost and the men sacrificed, cost the Germans more than they had bargained for. In the final analysis their resources and time ran out. The Germans burned precious fuel, wasted troops and lost time that would never be recovered. The delay which resulted from their action, combined by the stubborn resistance of the 424th Infantry Regiment to the south, blunted the enemy’s drive. Subsequently both regiments suffered heavy losses with several thousand captured, over 1,200 wounded and over 400 killed-in-action. In doing so, they keep the enemy occupied during the crucial hours at the start of his counter offensive. Choosing not to stay in place the two regiments withdrew and engaged the enemy, who had closed the pincers behind them at Schönberg. In the 2nd Division’s former positions high atop the Schnee Eifel, the 422nd and 423rd Infantry Regiments of the 106th Infantry Division, who had only been on the front line for five days, were bypassed on the north and south flanks. He under-estimated the time that it would take to overpower the Golden Lion Division. His first objective, in the 106th’s area, was to take St. He wanted his troops to grab bridges on the Meuse River as quickly as possible. His main objective was Antwerp with its supply depots. Hitler’s orders were to bypass all pockets of major resistance. Yet, as the German High Command soon realized, those young Golden Lions were capable of recovering and fighting fiercely.Īs after action reports of the Battle of the Bulge were reviewed, they showed that the 106th Infantry Division played an important role in the outcome of the battle. The Golden Lions of the 106th Infantry Division, due to the surprise attack, may have taken a few faltering steps in those snowy winter days of mid-December 1944. We have no reason to apologize for the way we conducted ourselves in battle. We were ready, we thought, to handle whatever came our way. ![]() We were known as the Golden Lions, because of the shoulder insignia we proudly wore. Squad leader, First Platoon, Second Squad, Heavy Machine Gun. Kline, M Company (1944-1945)Ĥ23rd Combat Infantry Regiment, 106th Infantry Division, Army of the United States The Service Diary of World War II German War Prisoner #315136 ![]() A member of the 106th Infantry Division, trained at Camp Atterbury kept a daily diary during the Battle of the Bulge and his capture by the Germans. ![]()
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