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  • Nom
    Monument Easy Company
  • Lieu
    BASTOGNE
  • Contribution
    KilroyTrip.fr
  • ID
    403.328

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Memorials
Monument Easy Company
Monument Easy Company

Monument in memory of the famous Easy Company of the 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) of the no less famous 101st Airborne division, which fought heroically here during the Battle of the Bulge.

During its rest at Mourmelon, the 101st Airborne learned of the offensive launched in the Ardennes by the Germans. Sent to Bastognein December 1944 with the mission of holding important crossroads, the 506th PIR soon found itself surrounded by the enemy. Under extremely difficult conditions caused by the particularly harsh winter and incessant enemy artillery shelling, the paratroopers managed to hold their positions around Bastogne. After a short period of rest in the town, Easy Company took control of the Bois-Jacques, north of Bastogne, between January 1 and 13, 1945. The company again came under heavy artillery fire and saw many of its soldiers killed or wounded, including Bill Guarnere and Joe Toye, who each lost a leg and had to be evacuated. Buck Compton, uninjured but extremely tired, is traumatized by the sight of his wounded friends Bill and Joe and must also leave the company.

The 506th PIR having received orders from divisional headquarters to seize the village of Foy situated below Bois-Jacques, Easy Company is designated to lead the assault. During the company's advance, Lieutenant Norman Dike loses contact with his sections and halts the advance in the middle of the open space separating the wood from the village. Panic-stricken, Dike proves unable to follow orders transmitted over the radio by Winters who tells him to move the troops forward so as not to stand still under enemy fire. Winters then relieves Dike of his duties and sends in his place First-Lieutenant Ronald Speirs, who takes charge of the assault and leads it successfully. On the strength of this victory and the prestige he enjoyed within the regiment, Speirs was subsequently confirmed as commander of Easy Company and remained at its head for the rest of the war. With the Ardennes offensive broken off, the men of the 506th PIR were moved to France in February, leaving 15 dead and 82 wounded.

Source Wikipedia.

 
Monument Easy Company
Monument Easy Company.
Memoriaux

Monument Easy Company

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