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

TEAM DESOBRY AT NOVILLE 61
to attack due north and seize the high ground the enemy had
tried to use as a springboard during the morning. Infantry and
armor would jump off together at 1400. However, Colonel La­
Prade's battalion didn't arrive until 1330 and couldn't get ready
that soon. So the jumpoff was postponed until 1430, December
19, since meanwhile there was a small matter of supply to he
finally adjusted. 10
The 506th Parachute Infantry had left Mourmelon in such a
hurry that many of the men did not have helmets and others were
short of weapons and ammunition. Colonel LaPrade told Major
Desobry about this embarrassment and the armored force's S-4,
Second Lieutenant George C. Rice, was sent packing to Foy to
bring up ammunition. On the way he met the upcoming 1st
Battalion and asked for their supply officer; but this officer was
in Bastogne beating the woods for weapons and ammunition.
So Lieutenant Rice asked the company officers what they needed
most, and found that rocket launchers, mortars and all types of
ammunition were the critical shortages. He then dashed on to
Foy and loaded the jeep with cases of hand grenades and M 1
ammunition. The jeep was turned around and the stuff was
passed out to the paratroopers as they marched. On his next
shuttle, Rice got back to the moving' battalion with a jeep and
a truck overloaded with weapons and ammunition. The materiel
was put alongside the road in five separate piles so that the men
could pick up the things they needed as they went by. He made
one more trip and caught the head of the column just before it
reached the limits of Noville. A load of 81mm. mortar ammunition
came into town after the battalion got there. 11
These details caused a slight delay in getting the battle under
way again.