Memorial Battle of the Bulge Poteau

On Poteauer Strasse, this commemorative sign was placed in December 2024 on the exact same spot where on December 18, 1944, Combat Command A (CCA) of the 7th US Armored Division ‘Lucky Seventh’ was overrun by Rollbahn D ore E of the 1st SS Panzer-Division ‘Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler’, under command of Kampfgruppe Hansen. (SS-Sturmbannführer Max Hansen

During the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge), the 1st SS Panzer-Division and the 12th SS Panzer-Division were Hitlerjugend, part of the 1st Panzer-Korps. Photo 3 shows the part of the fighting that took place at this spot. Photo 4, a Jagdpanzer IV crossing the road was also taken at this spot on the same day.

Photo 5 shows one of the soldiers of the 1st SS Panzer-Division taken at this spot on December 18, 1944. Not seen in the photo is, that this German SS soldier has a captured American 9 mm Browning high power pistol in his right hand.

Two American soldiers were killed in this attack.

BREUNINGER Henry A., age 20, Technician 5th grade with the 7th Panzer Division, reburied in the United States.

YOST Charles L., age 23, Technician 4th grade with the 7th Armored Division, reburied in the United States.

The memorial plaque shows one of the best known photographs of the German army on the attack during the Ardennes Offensive at this very spot. Soldiers of SS, armed to the teeth walk past the burning American vehicles, including a halftrack and a Dodge WC. This photo was most likely on the same film as the 3 other black and white photos.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Ed Lewandowski (1, 2), commons.wikimedia.org (3), U.S. National Archives / Public domain (4), U.S. National Archives / Public domain (5)