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

122 BASTOGNE
slowly. The German infantry was clad in snow suits and a light
snow was falling. They seemed to be waiting until the gloom
deepened so they could make the most of their camouBage. l1 The
enemy barrage had ignored Team O'Hara's part of the sector but
the outposts of the 54th Armored Infantry spotted two enemy
machine guns that were firing into Marvie. Flanking fire was
placed on them and they were silenced. Heavy automatic fire
then searched the position of the 54th. No enemy could be seen
and the men of the 54th held their fire except for one heavy machine
gun on the left. The enemy spotted that gun. A few minutes
later a hand grenade dropped next to the gun killing the
gunner and wounding one other man. The rest of the crew quit
the position. Next morning a patrol returned to the gun and
found the second man still alive but so nearly frozen that he
could only nod his head to them. Both he and the dead man had
been searched and stripped of their possessions by Germans who
had come in fast upon the position after the grenade fire. 12
Within half an hour the attack was fully developed and soon
after 1840, December 23, one platoon of Company G, 327th became
surrounded on Hill 500 to the south of Marvie.18 The
enemy had begun a gradual envelopment of the platoon's position
by moving into and through houses and yards that were around
the base of the hill on all sides. A few members of the platoon
were able to withdraw along the Banks of the hill as the encirclement
began. The others stayed in their positions and the time
quickly came when they could not get out.14
Four tanks, which had accompanied the German infantry advance
to Hill 500, turned their fire against Marvie, adding to the
bombardment that was still coming in from the armored guns in
the big Wood.1S
Colonel Harper had worried about this part of the perimeter.
Earlier in the day he had asked Colonel O'Hara to put a tank on
the hill.ls O'Hara agreed to station a 57mm. gun on the lower
slope of the hill where a 37mm. gun had previously defended it.
The half-track carrying the 57mm. gun was just going into position
when the German tanks and infantry closed in on Hill 500.
The first few German rounds that came his way were enough for