Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 18 Dec 1944

December 18 1944 : Arrived at Stavelot 0400-H 18 December 1944. Picked up Maj Paul J. Solis and Lt Pehovic from Battalion Headquarters. Company and one Platoon of Tank Destroyer on road on outskirts of Stavelot, Maj Solis, Lt Pehovic and myself went into town to get situation from the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion that was in the town (with support of elements of the 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion) at the time. They had a road block (two 3 inches gun from 825th TDB) across the river on the hill and it had be fired on and the men retreated back in town. I sat up our Command Post in the Engineer Building near the bridge (the Amblève River bridge was already wired an ready to be blown). - At 0430-H I sent 2nd Platoon and a section of TD’s route #4 to the left to the Engineer’s road block. I sent the 3rd Platoon at the same time along route #4 (Stavelot – Vaux Richard – Lodomez) to the right to establish a road block at the road junction. The 1st platoon positions around the Command Post for internal security. The Antitank platoon and the Tank Destroyer platoon and the Tank Destroyer less one section of guns, was held in reserve to be used as situation warranted.
- At 0500-H the 2nd and 3rd platoons engaged the enemy in force on the way to their objectives, and were forced to withdraw back across the bridge with a lost of 2 tracks of the 2nd platoon and some of their personnel. The 1st platoon was sent to take up positions near the bridge and cover the withdrawal of the 2nd and 3rd platoons.
- At 0600-H the Command Post moved to the square by the church. The 2nd plat was withdrawn and put in reserve and 1st plat occupied positions on the right side of the road near the bridge. One 3′ caliber Antitank gun was displaced to the bridge for AT protection of the Tank Destroyer plat on the road near the bridge covering covering the road leading from the river up the hill on the other side. - On or about 0800-H 2 tanks were reported moving back route #4. The Tank Destroyer engaged the enemy and knocked one of them (badly wounded, SS-Haupstrümführer Krenser CO 1. SS Panther Kompagnie was replaced by SS-Oberstürmführer Hennecke). The other tank continued to the bridge where it was taken under fire by S/Sgt Irvine with a 2′36 Rocket Launcher and the tank continued over the bridge where it came under direct fire of the AT gun maned by Sgt Smith and Pfc Taylor. They fired point blank at the tank. The tank fired its 88-MM at them but was unable to depress its muzzle far enough to hit them. In the face of the approaching tank Smith and Taylor continued to fire at the tank until it threatened to overrun the gun and its machine gun forced them to abandon the gun and their position.
- At 0900-H we radioed for reinforcements but we received no reply.
- At 0930-H the Command Post withdrew to the high ground along route #3 (N-622 Stavelot – Francorchamps via Haute Levée) and Maj Solis gave the order to evacuate the town. 9 tracks left at the time.
Some of the men were pinned down at the bridge and Lt Evans was killed. Lt Wheelwright organized the remaining men and withdrew up the street to the square where he passed a group of men organized by Lt Prehovic to hold until the rest of the men could be evacuated. Lt Doughterdy continued the fire at the tank until another tank entered the street occupied by his gun and took him under direct fire. I ordered him to withdraw. Some of his men joined mine and we mounted up in 2 trucks and evacuated the town.

Reinforcements arrived at 1230-H and A Company, 526th Armored Infantry Battalion started moving to high grounds north of the town at 1230-H (N-622) to act as flank protection of 117-30th Inf Div. We were relieved at 1700-H and placed in mobile reserve. Bivouacked at the crossroads (N-622 – N-68) north of Stavelot 1730-H.

Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 19 Dec 1944

December 19 1944 : The following day, Dec 19 1944, we moved back to the high ground Northwest of town. Lt Wheelwright had organized the remaining men into a platoon and he was placed in the command of the platoon. At 1700-H the company was moved into line to fill the Gap between A and C Company, 1-117/30th Inf Div. Established Command Post on high ground 1 1/2 miles north of Stavelot at 1730-H. Moved Command Post back 2 miles of Stavelot at 0700-H Dec 20 1944. Attached to 1-117th Inf Regt. Lt Pehovic left the Command Post for Battalion Headquarters at 11050-H 20 Dec 1944. Relieved from line at 1115-H Dec 20 1944 and returned to bivouac area at 1210-H. Issued rations and ammunitions, filled M-1936 musette bags with one blanket for each man. Issued entrenching shovels and returned to the line at 1300-H Dec 20 1944. Established Command Post 1/4 mile north of Stavelot, north of railroad (Stavelot – Francorchamps). Received rations and ammunitions and gas at 1400-H. Company went into defensive position in support of C Company, 1-117/30th Inf Div. Under artillery and mortar fire.

Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 21 Dec 1944

December 21 1944 : Still in support of C Company 1-117/30th Inf Div. Weather cloudly and snow. Moral good.

Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 22 Dec 1944

On line with A Company 1-117/30th Inf Div. Under artillery and mortar fire, Morale good, Weather cloudy. 2 officers and 103 enlisted men attached to 120th Inf Regt at Malmedy and Stavelot. Lt Wheelwright, Pfc Thompson and Pfc West blew a foot bridge under enemy fire.

Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 23 Dec 1944

December 23 1944 : Company on line with A Company 1-117th Inf Regt and under heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire. Snipper are still in town and enemy plane strafed the town at 1600-H. Morale good, weather fair and cold.

Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 24 Dec 1944

December 24 1944 (Christmas) : Company in line with A Co, 1-117th and repelled 2 enemy counterattacks. Enemy planes appeared today and our own Air Force out in strength. Weather clear and cold, Morale good. US Army Air Force bombed Malmedy and Capt Mitchell, 1st/Sgt Lowry, Pfc Moenik and Pvt Shottlaender were cut off by a bomb crater and had to spend the night at Service Company 526th Armored Infantry Battalion.

Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 25 Dec 1944

December 25 1944 : Service Company, 526th Armored Infantry Battalion sent turkey and sandwiches, coffee and cranberries sauce to the men on the line. Morale good, Weather clear and cold.

Bulge : center part, Stavelot – 26 Dec 1944

December 26 1944 : Company still on the line of defense with A Co, 1-117th Inf Regt. Army Air Force bombed Stavelot. 1 casualty, Pvt Shureck, minor wound in thigh. Organization pretty well accounted for now and up to the present has lost 2 half tracks, 16 Enlisted wounded, 3 Enlisted missing in action, 1 Officer and 4 EM killed in action.

Headquarters
526th Armored Infantry Battalion
January 25 1945.

Captain Franklin Ferriss
Historian A.U.S
XIX Corps, US Army

Dear Captain Ferriss,

In checking my records I find that this Battalion with attached A Company 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion arrived in Malmedy on Monday morning (December 18 1944) at approximately 0200-H and set up defensive positions immediately on the South, Southeast, and Southwest outskirts of the city. It had been my understanding that this force was the first combat force to arrive in Malmedy and was also the impression of the rest of the Staff. However, on investigations I find that C Company, 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) (Force Melvin) did arrive at 2400-H. This company occupied positions around our roadblock #3 which was also covered by one platoon of our attached Tank Destroyer. Officers and men of this Tank Destroyer Company state that when they went into position they saw nothing about Baker Company, 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) and did not see them till late in the morning. I have been unable to the exact time that B-99th Inf Bn went into position but from all indications it was after we had. Naturally I can’t be positive on this.
In the case of the 6 men with the AT gun squad their full names and serial numbers are as follow :

- McCullum B. Lilliard, Pfc, 35700529
- Hollenbeck E. Donald, Cpl, 39695978
- Buchannan N. Dallas, Pvt, 39463193
- Higgins L. James, Pvt, 39041885
- Frazier R. Francis Jr, Pvt, 39463289
- Bicker G. Ralph, Pvt, 39911648

All these men are from B Company, 526th Armd Inf Regt.

Roy E. Battson
Major Infantry
S-3

(Gunter G. Gillot Jr - 2009) http://www.eucmh.com (European center of Military History)

DescriptionAMBLÈVE RIVER BRIDGE AT STAVELOT.jpg	Ambleve River Bridge at Stavelot, Belgium.
Date	1944
Source	US Army Center for Military History
Author	This file is lacking author information.
Permission (Reusing this file)	Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse This image is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the United States Army Center of Military History, subject to the following qualification. Note: The images of all badges, insignia, decorations and medals on the "CMH Online" web site are produced by the United States Army Institute of Heraldry and protected by Title 18, United States Code, Section 704 and the Code of Federal Regulations (32 CFR, Part 507). Permission to use these images for commercial purposes must be obtained from The Institute of Heraldry prior to their use. – US Army Center for Military History

I am or was a member of First Army special forces in WW II, the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) [Note we had the separate because we were never a permanent part of any larger unit]. The 99th was always attached to other units to solve First Army problems. At one time or another we were attached to everyone from the 30th Infantry to the 2nd Armored division. When on December 17 First Army Headquarters got the report from Lt. Colonel Pergrin of the 291st Combat Engineer Battalion that he was now alone in Malmedy, Belgium with about 50 or 60 men, Task Force Hansen (Commanded by and named for 99th Commander Lt. Col. Harold D. Hansen) was formed and sent to Malmedy. Task Force Hansen consisted of the 99th Inf. Bn. (Sep.), 526th Armored Infantry Battalion and a company of towed 3-inch guns of the 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion. (see for proof page 234 A Time For Trumpets by Charles B. MacDonald) These are some of the important units referenced in the above article. The first unit to arrive at Malmedy was "B" company of the 99th Inf. Bn. (Sep.) with 99th Headquarters, I was with them. I was clerk of 99th company "A" traveling with Headquarters. Our first trucks arrived midnight between the 17th and 18th. After consulting with the 291's Pergrin "B" company spred out around and between road blocks of the 291st just south of Malmedy. Informed of the defense problem of the 291st squad in Stavelot Farris' company of the 526th was sent to Stavelot. The 526th had far more fire power than your typical infantry battalion. One of their units got lost trying to get to Malmedy in the snarled traffic mess and sabatoged signs, ending up in Trois Ponts where their fire power was an important part in an initial engagement. Communications with First Army headquarters was a disaster and non-existent. Lt. Col. Hansen gave up on phone lines and radio on the 18th when trying to report he had things secure at Malmedy, so he sent Sgt. Claus Hoie back to Spa to report and find out what is going on. Sgt. Hoie got there midnight the 18th and headquarters of First Army was gone which no trace that he could find. Nobody he talked to even knew where they headed for. The 99ths orders had been get to Malmedy as fast as possible do not even bother with your normal duffle bag, weapons and ammunition is what you need because you will only be there a couple days. BUT, We of the 99th did not get releaved from the frontline for 31 days. "B" Company 99th was first to arrive because the rest of the 99th "A" "C" "D" and "Hg" Companies were spred from Tilff Belgium to three miles north of Bastogne. Guarding important locations like factories, sawmills, and crossroads. Because Lt. Col. Hansen wanted to keep moral high, I as clerk of "A" company with a jeep driver had covered the entire distance from Tilff to that crossroads just three miles north of Bastogne covering the entire distance the day before getting the signature of everyone in "A" so they all could get paid. The 99th's additional task was to find and the Germans the dropped behind our lines. "A" Company captured two of them. "A" Company commander Gene Svarstad said that he will never understand how he and "A" Company got from Bastogne to Malmedy winning that race with the Germans, over coming all the traffic jams caused by retreating troops. Saying that "C" got to Malmady first is just an indication of how fouled up communications and First Army Headquarters understanding of what happened was. I was with them, I know who was first. The 120th Reg. and other parts of the 30th Division to whom the 99th ended up attached to could not know who was first since they were not there yet. Lt. Col. Pergrin's statement in books and documentry films that the happiest day of his life was when he saw the Norwegian Battalion come into Malmedy clears up who was first. The 99th Norwegian/American Battalion was also known as the Viking battalion. 99er Corporal Harold K. Hanson clerk of Company "A".