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

THE CONCENTRATION ON BASTOGNE 21
the town was out. In the late afternoon the command section
returned to Bastogne to establish its command post. Templeton
then radioed the commander of the supply train to "find a haven
in the west and hook up with some big friends." He felt quite
certain that his train would get through safely because the one
MIS accompanying it was capable of dealing with any roving
enemy tank or infantry group along the way. Colonel Templeton's
705th Tank Destroyer Battalion reached Bastogne at 2030,
December 19, by the route Laroche-Champlon-Bastogne. 8o
With the arrival of the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion, all
the major elements which would be present in Bastogne during
the siege (the first phase of the defense of the town) were gathered.
The lOlst Division and Combat Command B had begun
the fight that morning and the tank destroyers were now ready
to link their power with that of the armor and the infantry. Men
of every unit had morale of the highest quality and with their
weapons each was capable of stiffening the other. It was a matter
of finding the way through courage, resource, and good will.