December 1944

Western Europe

The 21st Army Group takes operational control of US forces north of the Ardennes breakthrough, the US 9th and 1st Armies.

In the XIII Corps area, the 84th Division is attached to the 1st Army and starts to Marche (Belgium). The 102nd Division takes responsibility for the corps front.

In the XIX Corps area, the 29th Division takes over the defense of the corps front. The 2nd Armored Division is released as army reserve.

In the VII Corps area, the 5th Armored Division resumes its attack toward the Roer, blocking the Winden-Untermaubach highway and pushing into Untermaubach and into Schneidhausen, which is being strongly defended by the Germans. Although the 84th Division is attached to the corps, it is verbally attached to the XVIII Corps until the 22nd, pending the arrival of the VII Corps in a new zone.

In the V Corps area, the 2nd and 99th Divisions complete the withdrawal to new defensive positions before the Elsenborn ridge and organize a secondary defense line. The Germans make a slight penetration in the line of the 99th Division west of Wirtzfeld but are sealed off and destroyed. The 1st Division clears its assigned region south of Eupen and contains attacks in the Butgenbach-Faymonville area. The 9th Division takes over a new zone on the northern flank of the corps. The 30th Division, in the Malmédy-Stavelot sector, is attached to the XVIII Corps.

In the XVIII Corps (Airborne) area, CCB of the 3rd Armored Division, is attached to the 30th Division and assists in the attack on La Gleize and Stoumont, which the enemy defends effectively. Elements of the 30th Division continue to defend Stavelot and Malmédy. The 3rd Armored Division (less CCA and CCB), upon closing in the Hotton area, attacks eastward to secure the Manhay-Houffalize road. The 82nd Airborne Division is attempting to establish contact with friendly forces in the Vielsalm-St Vith area, pushing toward Vielsalm and Hebronval.

VIII Corps units defending St Vith (7th Armored Division, 106th Division, CCB of 9th Armored Division, and the 112th Infantry of the 28th Division) pass to the control of the XVIII Corps. Enemy pressures on St Vith is undiminished. Elements of the 10th Armored Division, 101st Airborne Division, and the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion fight their way of a local encirclement on the perimeter of the larger encirclement of the Bastogne area. The 101st Airborne Division extends the defensive line to the west and southwest of Bastogne, assisted by elements of CCR, 9th Armored Division, and CCB, 10th Armored Division, both of which are later attached to it, along with the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion and stragglers from other units. Marvie, southeast of Bastogne, is cleared in the course of a tank battle. Some 25 miles southeast of Bastogne, the 109th Infantry of the 28th Division establishes the defensive line Ettelbruck-Oberfeulen-Merzig and also has forces near Ermsdorf backing up CCA of the 9th Armored Division, to which it is attached. The Germans now hold Waldbillig, 6 miles west of Echternach. Southwest of Bastogne, the 28th Division headquarters and remnants of the 110th Infantry block the Neufchâtaau-Bastogne highway. In an effort to halt the enemy, engineers block roads and demolish bridges as far west of St Hubert. During the day, operational control of the corps passes to 3rd Army.

The III Corps moves its headquarters from Metz to Arlon (Belgium), and the 4th Armored and 26th and 80th Divisions are assembling in the Arlon-Luxembourg area. Elements of CCB, 4th Armored Division, push to the Bastogne area and make contact with the 101st Airborne and the 10th Armored Division. Both are temporarily attached to the VIII Corps. The 80th Division takes up reserve battle positions on the heights north and northeast of Mersch.

In the Provisional Corps area, Gen Patton strengthens the corps by attaching the 5th Division, CCA of the 9th Armored Division, and the 109th RCT of the 28th Division. CCA, 9th Armored Division, is further attached to the 10th Armored Division. CCA, 10th Armored Division, withdraws to an assembly area as the 4th Division moves up to take over its positions near Echternach. Tanks assist the 12th Infantry of the 4th Division in a futile effort to relieve the isolated infantry in Echternach.

In the XX Corps area, the 378th Infantry of the 95th Division completes its withdrawal from Ensdorf to positions west of the Darre.

The XII Corps zone is taken over by the XV Corps at midnight.

In the US 7th Army area, the newly arrived 70th Division, its regiments organized at TF Herren, is attached to the army.

The XV Corps, with the fall of Fort Schiesseck to the 100th Division, concludes the offensive in this region and extends westward to St Avold to release the XII Corps for action in the Ardennes.