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

CHRISTMAS. EVE 157
usual pressure from the enemy. (Plate 35 A and B.) The journal
entries of the different regiments all use the word "quiet" in
describing the period. But that is a word that simply does not
record the tumult in the thoughts and emotions of the men of
Bastogne. Such was their reaction to the Christmas and to the
memories surrounding it, that for the first time all around the
perimeter men felt fearful. It seemed to them that the end was at
hand. That night many of them shook hands with their comrades.
They said to one another that it would probably be their
last night together. Many of the commanders saw this happening.
though they knew it had little relation to the still strong tactical
situation. 2B (Map 19, page 158, shows the situatioR.)
In the 502d Parachute Infantry the officers heard Christmas
Eve Mass in the tenth-century chapel of the beautiful Rolle
CMteau (plate 34) which they were using for a command post ..
It was a happy occasion, well attended by the neighboring Belgians
who had rounded out the regimental messes with contributions
of Hour and sides of beef from their own stores.'
The regimental officers turned in about 0130 on Christmas
morning.s
At 0245 there was an intense shelling of the forward area by
the Gennan artillery.s Lieut. Colonel Patrick J. Cassidy, the
502d's executive officer, called Captain Wallace A. Swanson of
Company A who reported that his front had suddenly become
active (Map 20, page 159). But he added that the situation was
obscure; he could not figure out yet what the Gennans intended.'
At 0330 Colonel Cassidy called Captain Swanson again. Swanson
said that the enemy was on top of him. 8 While they were
talking, the line went out. Colonel Cassidy awakened Colonel
Chappuis, the regimental commander.9 Then all lines went out.
Chappuis called his 1st Battalion by radio and told them to get
ready to move, adding that the commander, Major John D. Hanlon,
was to come to Rolle as quickly as possible. 10 By radio Chappuis
heard ,from Swanson that Gennans in large numbers were
in Champs and that his men were locked in a hand-to-hand and
house-to-house fight with them. Major Hanlon reported at the
command post and was told by Colonel Chappuis to move Com-