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

DOUBTS AND DECISIONS 69
and he well remembered the things that happen during the rout
of an army.12 In his first conversation with General Middleton
in which the VIII Corps commander had outlined the missions
that sent the three combat teams of Combat Command B to Wardin,
Longvilly and Noville on the night of December 18, Colonel
Roberts had foreseen one of the main problems.
General Middleton said to him, "The 28th Infantry Division
and the 9th Armored are ahead of us. They are badly cut up.
The situation is fluid."
Colonel Roberts replied, "Sir, there will be stragglers. I want
authority to use these men."18
Middleton agreed orally and later confirmed it with a written
message: "Major General Middleton directs that you have authority
to take over all or any part of Reserve Command, 9th
Armored Division, in case they show the slightest inclination to
retire. Anything you do to prevent falling back in that area will
be given fullest backing."14
Colonel Roberts set his net to catch those drifting back. His
Headquarters Company was instructed to keep hot food ready
all day at a central point in Bastogne. A detail stood by to get
these men from other units into billets around the town square.
MPs were stationed at the road crossings in the south of Bastogne
with instructions to stop every soldier who was trying to
get away from the battle and tum him back to the Combat Command
B area. About 250 stragglers were thus reorganized in Bastogne
on December 19. Some were men from the 9th Armored;
most were from the 28th Division. In this way Team Snafu was
born, and within the next week it came to include 600 men, led
by casual officers; but this outfit was severely handicapped by the
fact that they were short of equipment and transportation as
long as the siege lasted.1s Team Snafu was mainly a reservoir
for the defending force. The stragglers went into it; the regular
units drew from it as they had need.
Any organized units heading south were also commandeered.
At 1400 on December 19 the 73d Armored Field Artillery Battalion
of Combat Command Reserve, 9th Armored, moved
through Bastogne. Colonel Roberts watched it go by before sud-