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Throughout the day of 24 December, Company C was eomAtted
on various local actions.
Finally, at 1500 huurs* Cozpany ,C was relieved when the
ccu'ming General of CC 'B' made contact with the 82nd Airborne
Division and caused the necessary orders to be issued. Th
cobpmy thn reasnsembled in the vicinity of Bra -at 1800 hcurs.
The orders received by the Battalion at 1610 hours 3placed the
Battalion anc CC gDs iXVlll Corps (Airborne) reserve and ordered
the movement of the Battalion at dark to an assembly area east
of Van Chavanno, there to be prepared to move farther north.
After the disengagemnt of Companies A and C had been accomplishd
the Battalion moved from tsival along the route Lierneux, Bra 3
to vicinity Vaux Chavame. The Battallont closud in the ass abl
area at2050 hours. Cotpany C rejoinea the Batt~llon at Bra as
the colmn passed through that town.
D"rn this movement of the Battalion out of the Lierneaux
area a traffic jam occurred in Company DIs column, In attempting
to straighten out the traffic snarl, Captain Harold C, Wright
was crushed between a tank and a truck. He was iiwediately
eucattdd and 1st Lt, Paul M. Fisher assumed command of the
company.•
Orders were received by Liaison Officer in the assembly area
that the Battalion would save to a position $000 yards north of
Webermont via Iansay and 15 passingmanhay at 2320 hours. The
Battalion left the assembly area at 2300 h .urs and moved towards
Manhay, As the had of the Column approachedk hay It was noted
that friedly infantry were digging in along the north side of
the road. 6Thentracer fire was noted comiin from the South
from the wao( &I . a, and appeared to be. aimed at the heaS of
the colim there was, also tracer fore coiring directly into
t1 town of hay which was being returned from personnel in
the town, The Olun halted about 400 yards short of the town as
the vehicles of Battery D of the 482 AM Battalion,.,;'were parked
along the road in preparation to infiltrate into the colwn aid
vehicles comng from the opposite direction blocked the road.
At this tie, 1 MaJor John .4- Chandler who was leading the
column in the command half track, dismounted and proceeded to the
crossroads InU Manhay on a dismounted reconnaLssaneo Major
Chandler condition fond at that time, the trope caused in by the erroneous town were reports in a panicky of enei
tiger t k in the town. Major .Cfandleries as he did not fin any
evidence of tiger tanks in the town, returned to the cotamnd track
and lead the colum forward., As the column reached the cross
road at Manbay it was wider moder'ate and inaccurate inaching gun
fir.o. This fire was bein returneu by troops in the town. As the
con turnaed the corner and beaded north on th Manhay Werbomont'
road conslierable difficulty was experienced as the road was
conjested with miscellaneouS miltary ,vehicles driven in LoSt
oases by troops in a panicky condittol,