Memorial murdered American prisoners of war Baugnez

Route de Waimes, 4960 Baugnez (Malmédy)

Belgium Liège Baugnez (Malmédy)

Memorial murdered American prisoners of war Baugnez #1

Memorial murdered American prisoners of war Baugnez #2

Memorial murdered American prisoners of war Baugnez #3

Memorial murdered American prisoners of war Baugnez #4

Memorial murdered American prisoners of war Baugnez #5

This memorial commemorates the 82 American soldiers who lost their lives here in the winter at december 17, 1944, in what would be known as 'the Malmedy Massacre'.

The youngest PFC Kluklavy was of age 19, the oldest t-sergeant Mc Govern of age 39. T5 Haines was killed here on his 22nd birthday. Private Cobbler died on Dec. 18 in a first aid post at Malmedy. He had managed to escape wounded but still died of his injuries.

Private Thomas' body was never recovered. He was officially declared dead after the war. Private Vairo's body was later found in Neuhof (Germany) 18 km from Baugnez.

Most of the soldiers were murdered in cold blood on December 17, 1944, by the vanguard of “Kampfgruppe Peiper” that was on its way to Flémalle on the Meuse River near Liège.

This Kampfgruppe was named after its commander; Obersturmbannführer Jochen Peiper of the 1st SS Panzer Regiment “Leibstandarte Adolf Hitler” (LSSAH). It was one of the 5 so-called “Rollbahnen” of the Ardennes Offensive. His Kampfgruppe consisted of

1st SS Panzer Battalion
3rd battalion of the 2nd SS Panzergrenadierregiment
SS Panzerabteiling 501
1st SS Panzergrenadier battalion
3rd SS Panzer Battalion
84th FLAK-Luftwaffe Battalion

On Dec. 17, 1944, the US 285th Field Observation Artillery Battalion was en route from Malmedy to Sankt-Vith (B). In Sankt-Vith, they had to determine the positions of German artillery and relay them to headquarters. Although they knew the Germans had launched a counteroffensive, they were taken completely by surprise by the sheer numbers and firepower of Kampfgruppe Peiper's vanguard.

The vanguard eliminated the Americans in a short battle and forced them to surrender. The remaining soldiers were herded together in the meadow diagonally opposite this memorial.

Because the order from the commanders of the Ardennes Offensive was to advance as quickly as possible according to a predetermined timetable to the Meuse River and then to the ports of Antwerp, verbal ! orders had been given in advance that no prisoners of war would be taken. There was no time and manpower available to guard, feed and care for the prisoners of war. Everything was in the service of getting to the Meuse as quickly as possible.

In addition, it should not be underestimated that the SS troops deployed were hardened in combat on the Eastern Front. The SS had already become notorious there for their ruthless fighting. Also, the fact that Germany was increasingly cornered and German cities, and thus their own families, suffered under constant bombing, meant that the SS men fought doggedly to keep Germany from defeat.

Even at the Dachau trials where part of the Kamfgruppe Peiper was on trial, including Jochen Peiper himself, it remained unclear who ultimately gave the command to shoot the POWs. At the Nuremberg trials where Peiper, among others, was tried, this was never clarified. At some point, fire was opened from tanks and tracked vehicles. Even passing soldiers seated in vehicles opened fire on the soldiers in the field. After the firing stopped, SS soldiers walked past the fallen American soldiers, and those still alive were murdered in cold blood, with a shot through the head. They pretended to come to help the wounded soldiers, but wherever a soldier raised his voice, he was shot through the head.

Only a small number of soldiers managed to escape the massacre that became known as the “Malmedy Masacre.” They managed to reach the small town of Malmedy and tell what had happened to them. This moment was a turning point in the attitude of American forces in the war against Germany and in particular the SS.

Died as a result of the December 17, 1944 massacre

BLOOM Donald L., age 21, private with the 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion (FAOB), reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot through the head.

BLOUCH Carl H., age 21, T5 with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, died in the field of wounds.

BREON Charles R., age 22, T5 with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, died from a blow to the head.

BROZOWSKI Joseph A., age 25, corporal T5 with the 285th FAOB, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grav C-8-38, shot through the head.

BURKETT, Samuel P., age 22, T5 with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot through the head.

BURNEY L., age 21, PFC with the 32nd Regiment of 3rd Armoured Division, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot through the head. This soldier was not part of the 285th FAOB, but was en route with his jeep and happened to be in the column of the FAOB.

CARR Paul R., age 31, T5 with the 285th FAOB, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave D-8-28, died of wounds in the field.

CARSON Homer S., age 22, private first class with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot through the head.

CASH Cecile J., age 22, T4 with the 197th Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion, reburied after the war in the U.S., shot in the head. This happened 200 meters east of this spot just before the massacre. T4 Cash, along with T5 Heitmann, was traveling in a jeep just ahead of the column of the 285th FAOB, going straight at the junction and first encountering the vanguard of Kampfgruppe Peiper.

CLARK Frederick, age 28, private first class with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, died of concussion.

CLYMIRE John J., age 25, private first class with the 86th Engineers Battalion (Heavy Pontoon), buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave D-11-58, killed by shellfire.

COATES James H., age 22, private with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, died by rifle fire.

COBBLER John H., age 22, private with the 285th FAOB, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave A-18-43, managed to escape wounded and died of his gunfire wounds in a first-aid station at Malmedy on Dec. 18, 1944.

COHEN Robert, age 22, private first class with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot through the head.

COLLIER John D., age 26, T5 with the 285th FAOB, reburied after the war in the U.S., shot through the head.

DAVIDSON Paul G., age 21, technical-Sgt with the 285th FAOB, reburied after the war in the U.S., shot through the head.

DAVIS Warren, age 22, private first class with the 285th FAOB, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave C-10-59, killed by shellfire.

DESCH Howard C., age 21private first class with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot through the head.

DUNBAR William J., age 20, private with the 285th FAOB, reburied after the war in the U.S., shot through the head.

FITT Carl B., age 21, corporal with the 285th FAOB, reburied after the war in the U.S., shot through the head.

FLACK Donald P., age 21, private first class with the 285th FAOB, reburied after the war in the U.S., shot through the head.

FRANZ Walter A., age 25, sergeant with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, died as a result of light weapons, shot from military vehicles during surrender.

FREY Carl B., age 21, private first class with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot through the head.

GEISLER Donald E., age 22, staff sergeant with the 197th Anti Aircraft Artilley-Bataljon, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot through the head.

GENTHENER Carl R., age 33, 1st lieutenant with the 575th Ambulance Company, 341st Medical Group, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B)grave C-13-3, shot through the head. A small group of vehicles from the 575th Abulance Company rode behind the column of the 285th FAOB and became fellow casualties.

GOFFMANN Solomon S., age 27, 2nd lieutenant with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, died as a result of light weapons, shot during surrender from military vehicles.

HAINES Charles F., age 22, T5 with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, killed by shell fire on his 22nd birthday!

HALL Charles E., age 22, private first class with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, run over by German armored cars.

HALLMAN Samuel A.,age 21, private with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, died as a result of light weapons, shot down from military vehicles during surrender.

HEITMANN Raymond A., age 22, T5 with the 197th Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave D-6-19, died as a result of light weapons during the battle on December 17, 1944, this happened 200 meters east of this spot just before the massacre. T5 Heitmann was traveling in a jeep with T4 Cash just ahead of the column of the 285th FAOB, going straight ahead at the junction and first encountering the vanguard of Kampfgruppe Peiper.

HERCHELROTH Sylvester, age 21, T4 with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot in the head.

IAMES Lloyd A., age 23, 2nd lieutenant with the 32nd regiment of 3rd Armoured Division, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave D-6-36, shot in the head

INDELICATO Ralph J., age 23, corporal with the Head Quaters Battery of the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, shot in the head.

JOHNSON Delbert J., age 22, private with the 526th Armoured Infantry Battalion, killed during the recapture of Baugnez on January 3, 1945, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave D-9-32.

JONES Wilson M. Jr., age 21, T5 with the 285th FAOB, buried at Neuville-en-Condroz (B) grave A-32-39, died as a result of small arms, shot during surrender from military vehicles, 3 days before his 22nd birthday.

JORDAN Oscar, age 22, T4 with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, died as a result of light weapons, shot during surrender from military vehicles.

KINSMAN Alfred W., 25, sergeant with the 285th FAOB, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave D-7-41, cause of death unknown.
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KUKLAVY John, 19 years !, private first class with the 32nd Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Armoured Division, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave D-15-46, bled to death.

LAUFER Howard C., 26, T5 with the 285th FAOB, reburied in the U.S. after the war, killed by a blow to the head.

LENGYEL Alexander Jr., 28, T5 with the 285th FAOB, buried at Henri-Chapelle (B) grave D-8-13, died as a result of light weapons, shot during surrender from military vehicles.

Under construction 12-6-2025.