Bastogne: The Story of the First Eight Days - US Army Center Of ...

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who couldn't find a ride would move out in file on both sides of
the road. Company B of the 506th was to be the rear guard, supported
by four tank destroyers. One platoon from that company
was detailed to destroy everything useful that could not be
evacuated.82
At 1315, December 20, Company C took off. At 1325 the first
vehicles quit Noville. a8 Major Hustead and his engineer officer
had prepared the ammunition dump for demolition; the dump
was alongside a building and they were hopeful that the blast
would lay the building low and block the highway. Hustead
waited until the last vehicle had passed the ammunition point.
He then gave the engineer the Signal to set off the delayed charge.
They heard the explosion as they moved on down the IQlld. 8 4-
The start was good. Until 1300 the air had been crystal clear
for most of the noon hour. Then, as if Providence again chose
to intervene in their favor, the fog closed around them and
screened their departure from the enemy. S5 They knew that they
could be heard and they wondered whether the Germans would
try to take them in Bank while they were on the move. S8 But the
fire which might have been turned against the road was spared
them and they moved along quite easily, except for an occasional
flurry of bullets.
A little protecting belt of armor-one armored MS, followed
by four half-tracks and five medium tanks-moved in front of the
vehicles containing the wounded. S ? Just beyond the village, one
ofthe tanks broke down and had to be destroyed with thermite.
The armored car took off at full speed without waiting for the
others, and got to Bastogne without receiving any fire. The column
continued on toward Foy and the half-tracks had come
abreast of a farmhouse within 500 yards of the village when 0ccurred
one of those chance things which may change the whole
course of a battle despite their own intrinsic unimportance.
In the leading half-track the shutter dropped and the driver
could not see. The driver ra,ised up and moved his arm to adjust
the shutter and Major James B. Duncan mistook the gesture and
thought that the man had been wounded and was holding his
eyes. So Duncan quickly pulled the hand brake. That stopped