Tip of the Spear - Bastogne

It was early morning. Clancy and his unit were moving out of Bastogne towards their eventual designated positions near Foy. Clancy was on a patrol along the railroad line which ran northwest from Bastogne to Borcy and beyond. They were probing ahead in the fading darkness of early morning which was dimmed by fog and mist. The patrol was to perform reconnaissance, as the company moved towards their positions in the Bois Jacques. Clancy was on point of the squad-sized patrol. He may have been put up front because he was better armed than most in the first days at Bastogne, having his M-1 and a few clips of ammunition. He had himself observed that when they left Mourmelon, he was one of the better armed among them. He was not sure how to classify the patrol they were on--one to develop the situation, or probe, or reconnoiter. Whatever it was, he, no doubt, kept a sharp eye and ear out as he moved forward ahead of the main body of the patrol. This was the nature of the story he related to me.

The location of this event intrigued me. It was the first contact the second battalion of the 506PIR had with the Germans at Bastogne—part of the allied spearhead of response. It was a skirmish—one of many east of Bastogne—as the lines solidified. Clancy was at the tip of that spear.

Years ago, I had asked Clancy if he was familiar with the place that the Americans came to call "Halt" because of the halte or railway stop there. I cannot now exactly recall the reason I asked, but believe I was trying to understand the gap between the 501st and 506th lines and any insight he had as to the cause. He told me that he knew Halt. It was their first combat at Bastogne. He described there being some distance between their group and the 501st, and that they moved to an underpass which he also described as a railroad tunnel. The engagement, he wrote, lasted about half an hour.

He had come up to the underpass and did not know the Germans were there because of the railway. He had heard voices, but could not tell if they were American or German. He put his hand up to signal the men behind him to stop. He moved forward to the end of the tunnel/ underpass. From there could hear that they were speaking German. He saw that there were a good number of Germans –about 40—but no armor. They then engaged the Germans and scattered them. According to Clancy, after that they then moved into the Bois Jacques and dug into their positions.

Being somewhat unfamiliar with the ground, I wondered if this location could be found. I was planning a trip to the area and wanted to walk the ground and see the places that he had remembered and recounted after so many years. The description seemed relatively straightforward and detailed enough to identify the location, I thought. I knew where Halt was, but I did not know where any underpasses or overpasses were (Clancy had also referred to it as an overpass). I assumed one must be pretty close to Halt, but when I first looked at modern photos and maps of the area, I could not find one.

I made some inquiries from more knowledgeable friends. Reg Jans, battlefield historian of the Bulge and a good friend, got back to me and explained that there were two railway overpasses in the area, but that they were past Halt. By this time in my investigation, I had read several accounts of men from the same company as Clancy, but did not find any matching details directly or indirectly mentioned. The accounts were not from men in Clancy's squad, or they simply do not touch on this patrol. In the larger story, other events were more strategically or humanly significant at that time and in the overall battle which was raging around them.

Rendezvous with Destiny by Rapport and Northwood, and The Battered Bastards of Bastogne by George Koskimaki, did provide the framework of timelines and some locations, and substantiated a penetration of the German patrols along the railway line. Several 501PIR accounts mention similar types of patrols and encounters in the same area (i.e., along the railway line). In fact, it was a point of contention between the units--each believing the other was not tying into the other on their flank. But I still could not put a finger on a match to the details Clancy provided.

A new question came into play: How far, or should I say, how close did the Germans get to Bastogne along that railway? The reason I posed this question was that I now knew there was another under/overpass on the same rail line located at Luzery. It was a fair distance from Halt and much closer to Bastogne, and had a different name, but it more met the description of "tunnel" that Clancy had given. The other overpasses were a fair distance from Halt as well, though not as far as Luzery.

I reread the section on Bastogne in Band of Brothers again, hoping to glean some new insight or detail. I had not read the book in twelve years. I did not know Clancy when I had first read it. Reading it again, after knowing him, and knowing who his platoon and squad members were, gave new insight into Clancy's experience there. Though not always overtly named, I could see him moving as an undescribed man, off center stage in the account—a background figure in the story Ambrose wished to tell, but just as much there as the others. There were several patrols that went out up along the railway line from the Bois Jacques at Halt. Perhaps, Clancy and his squad had been sent out on patrol from there while the rest of the unit dug in. As I read the accounts, one of which included members of his platoon, there were a few problems. One was the time of the patrol was in the afternoon, and, though early on, it was after they had dug in the Bois Jacques.

Reg explained to me that he did not believe the Germans had penetrated as far as the underpass as Luzery in the scenario I presented, and gave his supporting logic, which was sound. He also sent me some aerial photos which were taken on Christmas Day in 1944, pointing out where the overpasses were. I was deeply indebted. I would end up using this image to navigate around the area for the time I was there. So little had changed over the intervening decades that I was able to navigate to 1st Platoon's foxholes using the marked version of the photo Reg shared with me.

If following the road directly from Bastogne after de-trucking at 0400, it is unlikely they would have sent patrols beyond Luzery to the underpass, if another American unit was there or moving into position there or if they were heading directly out towards Foy. But, the following passage in Rendezvous with Destiny states:

"In the afternoon of December 19th, the 3d Battalion of 506th had been ordered to move up to Foy between Bastogne and Noville and establish a line there, with 2nd Battalion moving to Luzery as a regimental reserve." (465)

This passage had me confused. I had not realized initially that the men of E Company of 506 stayed in Luzery overnight. The accounts I had read by the men either did not touch on this aspect of their arrival, or had given the impression that they walked from the trucks, through retreating soldiers, and directly to the front lines. However, I would come to learn “reserve” did not necessarily mean inactive. I also began to understand the lag between commands issued at the headquarters and activity of the men on the front lines. Even while men walked miles into position from where the trucks dropped them, they would have known little difference in being in “reserve” and moving out on the line. To them, they were getting off the trucks with a brief respite, as little as 30 minutes or so, or perhaps standing around for some time, before heading out to the unknown.

Positionally, in some senses, it would be more logical that Clancy meant the tunnel underpass at Luzery. This is because he describes them encountering the Germans and dispersing them before they moved into the Bois Jaques and because he used the term "tunnel". However large or deep and massive as the 1st overpass beyond Halt was, it is not likely to first elicit the term "tunnel." But in terms of most of the historical information available to me, it did not seem possible Luzery could be correct in this context. I had to wonder if Clancy conflated some memories over time—either of time or place. There were innumerable patrols during their time there, but it would be hard to forget the first contact of what would be come the most difficult of campaigns.

One question that I had which would build the argument one way or the other was what exact route did the 2/506 PIR take out to the Bois Jacques? Did they head out along the road into Foy and follow the Foy-Bizory road to Halt? Did they cut across the land into the woods from the Houffalize road, avoiding Foy completely? Did any of them follow the railway out from Luzery?

Timing would be important to determine if going through Foy was feasible. If it was held in German hands at the time 2nd Battalion was moving forward it was pretty obvious that they would just pass through. If however, it was in American hands, and the brunt of the fighting was still out in Noville beyond Foy, then it would be much more likely they would go through the town. In fact, the accounts speak of Germans moving to encircle Noville and of Foy being overrun and those in Noville having to fight their way through Germans and back into friendly lines. It would not be likely that they moved directly through Foy and then to the Bois Jacques if a battle was raging there either.

Beyond Band of Brothers, by Major Dick Winters with Colonel Cole Kingseed, provided some insight to this situation. Movement on December 19th is described as follows:

“Initially, 2nd Battalion, 506 PIR, constituted a regimental reserve as 1st and 3d Battalions moved in to line at Noville and Foy, respectively. The next day we replaced 3d Battalion on the front line.” (168)

He further explained for their movement on the 20th:

“As 2nd Battalion moved forward in route column, we encountered a scene unlike anything we had seen in the war. The US Army was in full retreat…"(168)

A short paragraph in George Koskimaki's The Battered Bastards of Bastogne, seems to corroborate Clancy's description of his patrol moving out at daybreak on the first day. George wrote:

"Shortly after daylight on the 19th, and when the Division had decided where each of the fighting units was to take its place in the defensive positions, the men began their marches east through Bastogne." (72)

But, when looking at the other accounts we find that for Easy company this meant reserve status at Luzery and that having come from Champs, they did not march east through Bastogne since they were already on the eastern edge of the city. However, this does provide an opportunity for Clancy to have been on a patrol in the area of the Luzery underpass at first light on the 20th. Clancy did not say it was on their first day there, he only said it was their first combat there. Reg’s statement that the Germans had not gotten that far still placed Luzery as higly doubtful.

Daylight comes around 0800-0830 at that time of the year. If they had arrived at around 0400, they would have had been either standing around on the move for a few hours already from where they de-trucked. All during this time, in the darkness, they would have seen and heard the flashes of the German advance. It is a vivid image. The sight and sound must have been like a growing, encroaching storm. And, in a way, it was. Moving into battle in darkness and later, coming across panicked retreating America soldiers, would have been very disturbing to green troops. It did not unsettle the fighting spirit of the veteran paratroopers though.

Several accounts speak of 2/506 following the Houffalize road out to their positions. The men ran into retreating, dazed Americans, and some troopers managed to arm themselves with weapons and ammunition from the retreating men. Koskimaki also wrote of this detail when speaking of first Battalion of the 506 (not the second).

"[Major] Desobry ordered men of his Service Company to rush the necessary armament to the advancing troops. The truck loads of equipment were waiting at the roadside near Foy as the troops came by". (72)

Several accounts of men of Easy Company of 506 tell of this type of event as well. Larry Alexander wrote in his account, In the footsteps of Band of Brothers, that the retreating soldiers were dropping their ammunition in piles along the side of the road, and, as the paratroopers advanced, they picked it up. (211)

Reading further in Winters’, account I found an answer to the question of the route of their approach to the woods from the road, and an opportunity for action before Clancy would dig his foxhole in the Bois Jacques. Winters’ account further states:

“As we approached a slight shoulder in the road in front of Foy, the battalion deployed to clear the woods on the right side of the road. Somebody else had gone through the woods before we had arrived and had fought a terrific battle….Our men cleaned out a few pockets of resistance and we were then ordered to establish a line of defense.” (Winters with Kingseed 168-69)

Further in Koskimaki’s compilation, he records 3rd platoon of H Company moving into position near Foy and of E/506 moving through their position. 1st Lieutenant Alex Andros explained that they dug in foxholes along a 1,500 yard front among thick trees and eventually they began to fire at Germans as they started to move through. He quotes Andros' statement:

"We had to move back because 'E' company, of the 2nd Battalion, was coming through our positions. They came through just as we were pulling out," (88)

So we know they cut off the road into the woods and went through H company lines as H company was pulling back, and, thus, did not go into Foy and then on to Halte. Going back to Larry Alexander’s narrative, he incorporates information Clancy had given him:

“As they advanced into position, Clancy Lyall said his squad was out front in the regiment, approaching Halte, when they drew fire, although he said “it wasn’t much.” (215)

Clancy had a way to sometimes understate things—a squad running into a platoon of enemy soldiers (if this is what he is in fact describing), while not an artillery barrage or panzer attack, is nothing to shrug your shoulders at. Another example of Clancy understatement was a bayonet wound which he called “small” and “nothing much really”. It was a several inch long scar that ran down the right side of his stomach. Again, compared to the damage he had seen inflicted on other men, I am sure he counted himself lucky, but that is nothing to call small.

I now knew that 2nd Battalion was "in reserve" at Luzery (though, according to RwD, later on the 19th); that there was an underpass there, not at Halt; and that this was before they dug in, in the Bois Jacques. If the company was at Luzery for any measurable amount of time early on (and we know they were), it is possible—even likely—that a patrol was sent along the railroad tracks to secure their flank or develop the situation as was the command at higher levels. And, it would still be after this point that they moved to the Bois Jacques, and this would have likely happened earlier rather than later. The problem is that other than a potential reference in Clancy’s account, there seems to be no other reference to this sort of action there. Walking the ground I hoped would help resolve the question.

On my first day of Bastogne--the same day they moved into position 70 years before--I visited the locations of both the underpass and the 2 overpasses and would return again on subsequent days to walk the ground and rethink the various problems I was trying to resolve. Roger, a fellow class mate from WWII ADT Jump School and native of Belgium, offered to accompany me and make my travel easier throughout my few days visit. He really went above and beyond, driving me to locations before the sun was up and after it was down, sometimes returning to the same location more than once and walking the ground; taking pictures for me to remember things by; listening to me develop my theories as new information made things unfold. He would have put Doctor Watson to shame, if I were a Sherlock Holmes.

Walking along the path that once was the railway line near "Halte" between Foy and Bizory, I had my doubts. Remnants of the first underpass/overpass along the line are visible overhead and to either side of the path. Roger and I walked out there in the rain and mist and cold and wet. The weather remained true to history on this anniversary.

This, according to Reg, is most likely the location where Clancy, acting as scout for a squad sized patrol, first encountered Germans at Bastogne when 2nd Battalion 506 PIR moved into position in the Bois Jacques. The first overpass was torn down some years ago. Remnants made of brick and concrete line the walking path which has replaced the railroad tracks having fallen or being pushed aside from their crumbling foundations. The sides of the overpass are still visible as well. If I had some idea of what the overpass looked like, I would sketch it into this photograph to give an idea. Recalling the location in my mind, the depth of the overpass could not have been more than several paces. One could technically call it a tunnel, but that would not quite be accurate.

I wondered for some time how it could be possible that Clancy had not seen the Germans earlier than this point, if the patrol was walking on or along the sides of the railroad tracks, but rather heard them first and had to advance to the edge of the tunnel to confirm their identity and disposition. If this is the correct place, the dense fog and limited light at that time alone would easily account for this. But the other accounts all point toward a patrol later in the day, not at first light. And, in order for there to be an overpass, the rail line must be below grade, and, in my mind, this location would create a lot of opportunity for a patrol to end up like "fish in a barrel", if there were Germans on the high ground above the railway on either side. If the Germans intended to move towards Bastogne with more speed and ease though, they would likely use the railroad bed. It would be hard to scatter in a confined area like this as well. "Break" would be a better term, but again, not out of the range for the use of this word.

Clancy though, had spoken of the area as though it was the railway itself that prevented them from being able to see or hear the Germans. He did not mention the weather being an impairment to him, though we know from other accounts that fog was dipping in and out that day, and visibility greatly varied from time to time even in the same general areas. He also used the phrasing, "move[d] along the rail road." “Along” can mean, "next to" or "on". To me, that meant that the railway was actually blocking their view of the other side due to its grade. It does this at Luzery, but it also does this at Halt though not near the overpass. The grade is actually reversed there and so the necessity of overpasses, instead of an underpass.

Rethinking the whole scenario and still having doubts and a few lose ends, we then visited Luzery. Below is a picture of the underpass from the Luzery side of the railway. If Clancy was here, this would have been the side he approached from the underpass tunnel from.

This bridge location was used to design the underpass in the film Battleground. Below is a picture of me standing on the far side of the underpass to give perspective to the size of the tunnel. The light and weather conditions and the railway itself would have prevented them from seeing Germans. The fog of that morning, if there was little wind, would likely have amplified any sounds. The fog would have to been heavy enough. If Clancy could identify a platoon of soldiers and no armor he had to have been able to see a reasonable distance ahead, which would mean light fog, if any here at the time.

To this day, I still have conflicted feelings about which is the correct location--it's those tiny nagging ends that need to be tied together or snipped that don't let me rest on one answer. Some details seem to match one location. And some match the other location. The logic of the first overpass is sound and the most solid evidence points to it, but I need to reconcile some things in my mind. More due diligence in framing the logic and going over my notes will help settle the remaining open points for me, such as the time of day this occurrred at.

I can say I was there to remember his first encounter with the enemy at Bastogne. Clancy had found himself at the tip of the spear and among those who fired the first shots of engagement of the battalian in that campaign. I have to wonder how things might have developed differently in that section of the line, if Clancy's patrol had not spotted the counter patrol of Germans, and they had been able to drive a wedge down the railway line towards Bastogne. It would have made for a much more difficult first forty-eight hours of the battle. It was one of many small but essential successes on the battlefield that solidified the front around Bastogne that day.