KING OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE: A THREAD IN 11 TWEETS
Few campaigns have exemplified the versatility, courage, & aggressiveness of the American artillery as well as the Battle of Bastogne. The battle illustrates what well-managed artillery can do in support of light infantry.
Few campaigns have exemplified the versatility, courage, & aggressiveness of the American artillery as well as the Battle of Bastogne. The battle illustrates what well-managed artillery can do in support of light infantry.
2 of 11: January 1st-8th, 1945, saw the greatest artillery battle of #WW2. Moving to positions on the outer fringe of the bulge, our artillery fought day and night ceaselessly, without rest or respite, in bitterly cold weather.
3 of 11: Observation was difficult; liaison air activity was restricted to a minimum. Despite this, arty inflicted massive casualties on Panzer troops & equipment. Artillery fire repeatedly broke up counterattacks as they were being formed.
4 of 11: Panzer commanders complained of the accurate and devastating nature of the artillery fires, singling it out as the most damaging factor in their inability to press any attack after January 1st.
5 of 11: Every artillery battalion was shelled repeatedly. The surveyed alternate positions were occupied many times under the most trying conditions of enemy shell-fire, weather, and terrain restrictions. And yet…
6 of 11: …not once b/w Jan 1 -8 did supported commanders find the artillery, for any reason at all, unable to give them the fires they wanted, whether of a planned or emergency nature.
7 of 11: For 6th Armored Division Artillery (105mm) alone, the #s are staggering (& indicative of reliance on arty).
Jan 3: Fired 16 missions, repulsing 2 counterattacks.
Jan 5: 11,655 pounds fired
Jan 1 - 7: Total of 53,054 rounds fired
Jan 3: Fired 16 missions, repulsing 2 counterattacks.
Jan 5: 11,655 pounds fired
Jan 1 - 7: Total of 53,054 rounds fired
8 of 11: This fight called for extreme versatility in the use of the artillery. Tactically disposed inside the bulge, every conceivable type of fire was delivered. Repeatedly, requests were received from the 35th Inf Division on the right and 101st Airborne Division on the left.
9 of 11: Another critical arty role: screening of movements by the extensive employment of smoke. This reduces casualties to infantry and tank battalions & contributed significantly to the success of the Allied attacks from north and south.
10 of 11: As the battle progressed, our counterbattery fires significantly decreased the enemy fires falling within the perimeter. The Germans fired arty on US front lines ONLY while the artillery was in action, hoping to create the impression that our own arty was firing short!
11 of 11: It was the superhuman effort of the artilleryman that prevented the Battle of the Bulge from being lost on repeated occasions. Effective artillery fire paved the way for the final US breakthrough & the beginning end of the war.
