Map contrasting German objectives for the Battle of the Bulge with the actual furthest extent of penetration.
Prelude Initial German assault Allied defense and counteroffensive German counterattack Massacres Background
The Ardennes Counteroffensive Battle of the Bulge Nazi Germany in southern Belgium and northern Luxembourg which lasted from 16 December 1944 until 25 January 1945. The intent of the offensive was to split the ground forces of the Western Allies from each other and encourage them to make peace with Germany, leaving all of Germany's military might to fight off the resurgent USSR .
The operation was conceived entirely by German head of state and armed forces chief Adolf Hitler . The plan was vigorously opposed by the two ranking generals who would oversee the assault, who saw only a waste of men and material with little chance of success. The Führer dismissed all objections, convinced that the elite German forces would roll over the war-weary and/or inexperienced American formations in the Ardennes Forest and drive all the way to the English Channel port of Antwerp .
In order to mislead any Allied intelligence personnel who might discover the plan, it was given the defensive sounding name Wacht am Rhein , meaning "watch on the Rhine".
The order of battle presented here reflects a point near the end of the campaign. As with any large army organization in extended combat, forces and their assignments shifted over the course of the battle. For example, when the German attack began on 16 December, the US 7th Armored Division was assigned to XIII Corps, US Ninth Army, 12th Army Group. Later that day, its alignment became VIII Corps, US First Army, 12th Army Group. On 20 December, the alignment switched to XVIII Corps, US First Army, 12th Army Group — and later that day to XVIII Corps, US First Army, 21st Army Group. On 18 January 1945, the alignment changed one last time, to XVIII Corps, US First Army, 12th Army Group — as it is given in the following hierarchy. This OOB — specifically, at a point near the end of the battle, which lasted from 16 December 1944 until 25 January 1945.
See for Allied and German Orders of Battle: December 1944 & January 1945: (Tucker-Jones pp 263–287)
High-level orders of battle [ edit ] Oberbefehlshaber West Generalfeldmarschall Gerd von Rundstedt [ a]
Heeresgruppe B Walter Model [ b]
Armies deployed North to South:
Sixth Panzer Army Oberstgruppenführer der Waffen SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich [ c] I SS Panzer Corps Hermann Priess )II SS Panzer Corps Willi Bittrich )LXVII Corps Otto Hitzfeld )
Fifth Panzer Army General der Panzertruppen Hasso von Manteuffel [ d] XXXIX Panzer Corps Karl Decker )XLVII Panzer Corps Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz )LVIII Panzer Corps Walter Krüger )LXVI Corps Walter Lucht )
Seventh Army General der Panzertruppen Erich Brandenberger LIII Corps Edwin von Rothkirch )LXXX Corps Franz Beyer )LXXXV Corps
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Bernard L. Montgomery
Omar N. Bradley
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower
Armies deployed North to South:
21st Army Group Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery UK XXX Corps (Lt-Gen. Brian G. Horrocks ) 12th Army Group Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley US First Army Courtney H. Hodges V Corps (Maj. Gen. Leonard T. Gerow )VII Corps (Maj. Gen. J. Lawton Collins )XVIII Airborne Corps (Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway )US Third Army George S. Patton Jr. III Corps (Maj. Gen. John Millikin )VIII Corps (Maj. Gen. Troy H. Middleton )XII Corps (Maj. Gen. Manton S. Eddy ) Allied air forces US Strategic Air Forces in Europe (General Carl Spaatz )
US Eighth Air Force (Strategic) (Lt. Gen. James H. Doolittle )US Ninth Air Force (Tactical) (Lt. Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg )Royal Air Force
Bomber Command (Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris )Fighter Command (Air Marshal Sir Roderic Hill )Second Tactical Air Force (Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham )[ edit ] Josef "Sepp" Dietrich Oberstgruppenführer der Waffen SS Josef "Sepp" Dietrich [ e]
Army-level units
683rd Heavy Antitank Battalion
217th Assault Panzer Battalion
394th, 667th, and 902nd Assault Gun Battalions
741st Antitank Battalion
1098th, 1110th, and 1120th Heavy Howitzer Batteries
428th Heavy Mortar Battery
1123rd K-3 Battery
2nd Flak Division (41st and 43rd Regiments)von der Heydte Fallschirmjager Battalion
4th Todt Brigade Generalleutnant Otto Hitzfeld Units involved in the initial assault 16 Dec
Corps-level units
17th Volkswerfer Brigade (88th and 89th Werfer Regiments)
405th Volksartillerie Corps
1001st Heavy Assault Gun Company 3rd Panzergrenadier Division Generalmajor Walter Denkert 8th and 29th Panzergrenadier Regiments
103rd Panzer Battalion
3rd Artillery Regiment
103rd Recon Battalion
3rd Antitank Battalion
3rd Engineer Battalion
3rd Flak Battalion
3rd Signals Battalion
246th Volksgrenadier Division Oberst Peter Körte 352nd, 404th, and 689th VG Regiments
246th Artillery Regiment
246th Antitank Battalion
246th Engineer Battalion
246th Signals Battalion 272nd Volksgrenadier Division Generalmajor Eugen König 980th, 981st, and 982nd Volksgrenadier Regiments
272nd Artillery Regiment
272nd Antitank Battalion
272nd Engineer Battalion
272nd Signals Battalion
326th Volksgrenadier Division Oberst Erwin Kaschner
751st, 752nd, and 753rd Volksgrenadier Regiments
326th Artillery Regiment
326th Antitank Battalion
326th Engineer Battalion
326th Signals Battalion
SS-Gruppenführer Hermann Prieß Units involved in the initial assault 16 Dec
SS Obergruppenführer Willi Bittrich
Corps-level units
410th Volksartillerie Corps
502nd SS Heavy Artillery Battalion
502nd SS Artillery Observation Battalion
2nd SS Panzer Division Das Reich SS Brigadeführer Heinz Lammerding 2nd SS Panzer Regiment
3rd and 4th SS Panzergrenadier Regiments
2nd SS Artillery Regiment
2nd SS Recon Battalion
2nd SS Engineer Battalion
2nd SS Flak Battalion
2nd SS Signals Battalion
9th SS Panzer Division Hohenstaufen SS Oberführer Sylvester Stadler 9th SS Panzer Regiment
19th and 20th SS Panzergrenadier Regiments
9th SS Artillery Regiment
9th SS Recon Battalion
9th SS Antitank Battalion
9th SS Engineer Battalion
9th SS Flak Battalion
9th SS Signals Battalion
519th Heavy Antitank Battalion (attached)
[ edit ] General der Panzertruppen Hasso von Manteuffel [ f]
Hasso von Manteuffel Army-level units
19th Flak Brigade 207th and 600th Engineer Battalions
653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion 669th Ost (East) Battalion
638th, 1094th, and 1095th Heavy Artillery Batteries
25th/975th Fortress Artillery Battery
1099th, 1119th, and 1121st Heavy Mortar Batteries
3rd Todt Brigade (paramilitary engineers) General der Artillerie Walter Lucht
Corps-level units
16th Volkswerfer Brigade (86th and 87th Werfer Regiments)
244th Assault Gun Brigade
460th Heavy Artillery Battalion
18th Volksgrenadier Division Oberst Günther Hoffmann-Schönborn 293rd, 294th, and 295th Volksgrenadier Regiments
1818th Artillery Regiment
1818th Antitank Battalion
1818th Engineer Battalion
1818th Signals Battalion
62nd Volksgrenadier Division Oberst Friedrich Kittel 164th, 193rd, and 190th Volksgrenadier Regiments
162nd Artillery Regiment
162nd Antitank Battalion
162nd Engineer Battalion
162nd Signals Battalion
General der Panzertruppen Walter Krüger
Corps-level units
7th Volkswerfer Brigade (84th and 85th Werfer Regiments)
401st Volksartillerie Corps
1st Flak Regiment
116th Panzer Division Generalmajor Siegfried von Waldenburg 16th Panzer Regiment
60th and 156th Panzergrenadier Regiments
146th Artillery Regiment
116th Armored Recon Battalion
226th Antitank Battalion
675th Engineer Battalion
281st Flak Battalion
560th Volksgrenadier Division Oberst Rudolf Langhauser
1128th, 1129th, and 1130th Volksgrenadier Regiments
1560th Artillery Regiment
1560th Antitank Battalion
1560th Engineer Battalion
1560th Signals Battalion
General der Panzertruppen Heinrich Freiherr von Lüttwitz
Corps-level units
15th Volkswerfer Brigade
182nd Flak Regiment
766th Volksartillerie Corps 2nd Panzer Division Oberst Meinrad von Lauchert 3rd Panzer Regiment
2nd and 304th Panzergrenadier Regiments
74th Artillery Regiment
2nd Recon Battalion
38th Antitank Battalion
38th Engineer Battalion
273rd Flak Battalion
38th Signals Battalion
9th Panzer Division Generalmajor Harald Freiherr von Elverfeldt 33rd Panzer Regiment
10th and 11th Panzergrenadier Regiments
102nd Artillery Regiment
9th Recon Battalion
50th Antitank Battalion
86th Engineer Battalion
287th Flak Battalion
81st Signals Battalion
301st Heavy Panzer Battalion (attached) Panzer-Lehr-Division Generalleutnant Fritz Bayerlein 130th Panzer Regiment
901st and 902nd Panzergrenadier Regiments
130th Artillery Regiment
130th Recon Battalion
130th Antitank Battalion
130th Engineer Battalion
311th Flak Battalion
559th Antitank Battalion (attached)
243rd Assault Gun Brigade (attached)
26th Volksgrenadier Division Generalmajor Heinz Kokott 39th Fusilier and 77th and 78th Volksgrenadier Regiments
26th Artillery Regiment
26th Recon Battalion
26th Antitank Battalion
26th Engineer Battalion
26th Signals Battalion Führer Begleit Brigade Oberst Otto Remer 102nd Panzer Battalion
100th Panzergrenadier Regiment
120th Artillery Regiment
120th Recon Battalion
120th Engineer Battalion
828th Grenadier Battalion
673rd Antitank Battalion
Generalleutnant Karl Decker
167th Volksgrenadier Division Generalleutnant Hanskurt Höcker 331st, 339th, 387th Volksgrenadier Regiments
167th Artillery Regiment
167th Antitank Battalion
167th Engineer Battalion
167th Signals Battalion [ edit ] General der Panzertruppen Erich Brandenberger
Erich Brandenberger (left) with Erich von Manstein, 1941 Army-level units
657th and 668th Heavy Antitank Battalions
501st Fortress Antitank Battalion
47th Engineer Battalion
1092nd, 1093rd, 1124th, and 1125th Heavy Howitzer Batteries
660th Heavy Artillery Battery
1029th, 1039th, and 1122nd Heavy Mortar Batteries
999th Penal Battalion
44th Machine Gun Battalion
15th Flak Regiment
1st Todt Brigade General der Infanterie Baptist Knieß
General der Infanterie Franz Beyer
Corps-level units
408th Volksartillerie Corps
8th Volkswerfer Brigade
2nd and Lehr Werfer Regiments 212th Volksgrenadier Division Generalmajor Franz Sensfuß 316th, 320th, and 423rd VG Regiments
212th Artillery Regiment
212th Antitank Battalion
212th Engineer Battalion
212th Signals Battalion
276th Volksgrenadier Division Generalmajor Kurt Möhring [ g] 986th, 987th, and 988th VG Regiments
276th Artillery Regiment
276th Antitank Battalion
276th Engineer Battalion
276th Signals Battalion
340th Volksgrenadier Division Oberst Theodor Tolsdorff 694th, 695th, and 696th VG Regiments
340th Artillery Regiment
340th Antitank Battalion
340th Engineer Battalion
340th Signals Battalion
General der Kavallerie Edwin von Rothkirch
9th Volksgrenadier Division Oberst Werner Kolb 36th, 57th, and 116th VG Regiments
9th Artillery Regiment
9th Antitank Battalion
9th Engineer Battalion
9th Signals Battalion
15th Panzergrenadier Division Oberst Hans Joachim Deckert
104th and 115th Pzgr Regiments
115th Panzer Battalion
115th Artillery Regiment
115th Recon Battalion
33rd Antitank Battalion
33rd Engineer Battalion
33rd Flak Battalion
33rd Signals Battalion
Führer Grenadier Brigade Oberst Hans-Joachim Kahler 99th Pzgr Regiment
101st Panzer Battalion
911th Assault Gun Brigade
124th Antitank Battalion
124th Engineer Battalion
124th Flak Battalion
124th Artillery Regiment
II Fighter Corps
Generalmajor Dietrich Peltz III Flak Corps
Generalleutnant Wolfgang Pickert Armies deployed north to south
Allied 21st Army Group [ edit ] Lt. Gen. Brian G. Horrocks Field Marshal Sir Bernard L. Montgomery
Lt-Gen. Brian G. Horrocks
2nd Household Cavalry Regiment 11th Hussars 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 5th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery 73rd Antitank Regiment, Royal Artillery
7th, 64th, and 84th Medium Regiments, Royal Artillery
27th Light AA Regiment, Royal Artillery
6th Airborne Division Maj-Gen. Eric Bols 3rd Parachute Brigade
8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion 5th Parachute Brigade
7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion 6th Airlanding Brigade
12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment
2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles 53rd Light Regiment, Royal Artillery
3rd and 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Batteries, Royal Artillery
6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
249th Airborne Field Company Royal Engineers
3rd, 591st Parachute Squadrons Royal Engineers
3rd, 9th Airborne Squadrons Royal Engineers
286th Airborne Field Park Company Royal Engineers
6th Airborne Divisional Signals Company Royal Signals
22nd Independent Parachute Company Army Air Corps
51st (Highland) Infantry Division Maj-Gen. G T.G. Rennie 152nd Infantry Brigade
2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
5th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
5th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 153rd Infantry Brigade
5th Battalion, Black Watch
1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
5/7th Battalion, Gordon Highlanders 154th Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion, Black Watch
7th Battalion, Black Watch
7th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 126th, 127th, and 128th Field Regiments, Royal Artillery
2nd Derbyshire Yeomanry 61st Antitank Regiment, Royal Artillery
40th Light AA Regiment, Royal Artillery
274th, 275th, and 276th Field Companies Royal Engineers
239th Field Park Company Royal Engineers
16th Bridging Platoon Royal Engineers
51st Divisional Signals Company Royal Signals
1/7th Machine Gun Battalion Middlesex Regiment
53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division Maj-Gen. Robert Knox Ross 71st Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
1st Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
4th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers 158th Infantry Brigade
7th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers
1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment
1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment 160th Infantry Brigade
2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment
1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment
6th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers 81st, 83rd, and 133rd Field Regiments, Royal Artillery
53rd Recce Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
71st Antitank Regiment, Royal Artillery
25th Light AA Regiment, Royal Artillery
244th, 282nd, and 555th Field Companies Royal Engineers
285th Field Park Company Royal Engineers
22nd Bridging Platoon Royal Engineers
53rd Divisional Signals Company Royal Signals
1st Machine Gun Battalion Manchester Regiment
Guards Armoured Division Maj.-Gen. Allan Henry Shafto Adair 5th Guards Armoured Brigade
2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards
1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards
2nd Battalion, Irish Guards
1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards (Mechanized) 32nd Guards Brigade
5th Battalion, Coldstream Guards
3rd Battalion, Irish Guards
1st Battalion, Welsh Guards 2nd Battalion, Welsh Guards (Recce)
14th Field Company, Royal Engineers
615th Field Company, Royal Engineers
53rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
153rd Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
21st Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
94th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division Maj-Gen. Ivor Thomas 129th Infantry Brigade
4th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
4th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment
5th Battalion, Wiltshire Regiment 130th Infantry Brigade
7th Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
4th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
5th Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment 214th Infantry Brigade
7th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry
1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment
5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry 8th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment (Vickers Machine Gunners)
43rd Reconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps
94th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
112th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
179th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
59th Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery
13th Bridging Platoon, Royal Engineers
204th Field Company, Royal Engineers
207th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers (from Bath, Somerset).
260th Field Company, Royal Engineers (from Chippenham, Wiltshire).
553rd Field Company, Royal Engineers
54th Company, RASC
504th Company, RASC
505th Company, RASC
506th Divisional Company, RASC
110th Light Anti Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division Maj-Gen. Douglas Alexander Graham 69th Infantry Brigade
5th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
6th Battalion, Green Howards
7th Battalion, Green Howards 151st Infantry Brigade
6th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry 231st Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
1st Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment
1st/7th Battalion, Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)
2nd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment 74th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
90th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
124th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
102nd Anti-Tank Regiment (Northumberland Hussars ), Royal Artillery
25th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
233rd Field Company, Royal Engineers
501st Field Company, Royal Engineers
505th Field Company, Royal Engineers
235th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
Allied 12th Army Group [ edit ] Lt. Gen. Courtney P. Hodges Lieutenant General Omar N. Bradley
Lieutenant General Courtney H. Hodges
5th Belgian Fusilier Battalion
143rd and 413th AA Gun Battalions
526th Armored Infantry Battalion
99th Infantry Battalion (Norwegian-Americans)
Leonard T. Gerow as a lieutenant general Major General Leonard T. Gerow Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec
Corps-level units
56th Signal Battalion
102nd Cavalry Group, Mechanized♦
38th and 102nd Cavalry Recon Squadrons (attached)
613th TD Battalion
186th, 196th, 200th, and 955th FA Battalions
254th Engineer Combat Battalion
187th FA Group (751st and 997th FA Battalions)
190th FA Group (62nd, 190th, 272nd, and 268th FA Battalions)
406th FA Group (76th, 941st, 953rd, and 987th FA Battalions)
1111th Engineer Combat Group (51st, 202nd, 291st , and 296th Engineer Combat Battalions)
1121st Engineer Combat Group (146th, 254th Engineer Combat Battalions)
1195th Engineer Combat Group
134th, 387th, 445th, 460th, 461st, 531st, 602nd, 639th, and 863rd AAA AW Battalions
1st Infantry ("Big Red One") Division Brigadier General Clift Andrus [ h] 16th , 18th and 26th Infantry Regiments5th , 7th , 32nd , and 33rd FA Battalions 1st Engineer Combat Battalion 745th Tank Battalion 634th and 703rd TD Battalions 103rd AAA AW Battalion 2nd Infantry ("Indianhead") Division Major General Walter M. Robertson 9th ♦, 23rd ♦, and 38th♦ Infantry Regiments 12th , 15th , 37th , and 38th FA Battalions 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion 741st Tank Battalion 612th and 644th TD Battalions 462nd AAA AW Battalion 9th Infantry ("Old Reliables") Division Major General Louis A. Craig 39th , 47th , and 60th Infantry Regiments 26th , 34th , 60th , and 84th FA Battalions 15th Engineer Combat Battalion 38th Cavalry Recon Squadron
746th Tank Battalion 376th and 413th AAA AW Battalions
78th Infantry ("Lightning") Division Major General Edwin P. Parker Jr. 309th, 310th, and 311th Infantry Regiments
307th, 308th, 309th, and 903rd FA Battalions
303rd Engineer Combat Battalion
709th Tank Battalion 628th and 893rd TD Battalions 552nd AAA AW Battalion
5th Armored Division 2nd Ranger Battalion 99th Infantry ("Checkerboard") Division Major General Walter E. Lauer 393rd♦, 394th♦, and 395th ♦ Infantry Regiments
370th, 371st, 372nd, and 924th FA Battalions
324th Engineer Combat Battalion
801st TD Battalion 535th AAA AW Battalion
J. Lawton Collins as a full general Major General J. Lawton Collins Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec
Corps-level units
4th Cavalry Group, Mechanized 29th Infantry Regiment Two French Light Infantry Battalions
509th Parachute Infantry Battalion 298th Engineer Combat Battalion
740th Tank Battalion
18th FA Group (188th, 666th, and 981st FA Battalions)
142nd FA Group (195th and 266th FA Battalions)
188th FA Group (172nd, 951st, and 980th FA Battalions)
342nd, 366th, 392nd♦, 1308th, and 1313th Engineer General Service Regiments
18th, 83rd, 87th, 183rd, 193rd, 957th, and 991st FA Battalions
2nd Armored ("Hell on Wheels") Division Major General Ernest N. Harmon 41st Armored Infantry Regiment 66th and 67th Armored Regiments 14th , 78th , and 92nd Armored FA Battalions17th Armored Engineer Battalion 82nd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion 702nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
195th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
142nd Armored Signal Company 3rd Armored ("Spearhead") Division Major General Maurice Rose 36th Armored Infantry Regiment 32nd and 33rd Armored Regiments 54th, 67th, and 391st Armored FA Battalions
23rd Armored Engineer Battalion
83rd Armored Recon Squadron
643rd and 703rd TD Battalions486th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
143rd Armored Signal Company
83rd Infantry ("Ohio") Division Major General Robert C. Macon 329th , 330th, and 331st Infantry Regiments322nd, 323rd, 324th, and 908th FA Battalions
308th Engineer Combat Battalion
453rd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
774th Tank Battalion
772nd Tank Destroyer Battalion 84th Infantry ("Railsplitters") Division Brigadier General Alexander R. Bolling 333rd, 334th, and 335th Infantry Regiments
325th, 326th, 327th, and 909th FA Battalions
309th Engineer Combat Battalion
701st Tank Battalion, replaced by 771st Tank Battalion on 20 December
638th Tank Destroyer Battalion
557th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
XVIII Airborne Corps [ edit ] Maj. Gen. Matthew B. Ridgway as a lieutenant general Major General Matthew B. Ridgway [ i] Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec
Corps-level units
14th Cavalry Group , Mechanized♦254th, 275th, 400th, and 460th FA Battalions
79th FA Group (153rd, 551st, and 552nd FA Battalions)
179th FA Group (259th and 965th FA Battalions)
211th FA Group (240th and 264th FA Battalions)
401st FA Group (187th and 809th FA Battalions)
7th Armored ("Lucky Seventh") Division Brigadier General Robert W. Hasbrouck 23rd, 38th, and 48th Armored Infantry Battalions
17th, 31st, and 40th Tank Battalions
434th, 440th, and 489th Armored FA Battalions
33rd Armored Engineer Battalion
87th Cavalry Recon Squadron, Mech.
814th Tank Destroyer Battalion
820th Tank Destroyer Battalion (attached 25–30 December)
203rd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
147th Armored Signal Company 30th Infantry ("Old Hickory") Division Major General Leland S. Hobbs 117th , 119th, and 120th Infantry Regiments 113th , 118th, 197th, and 230th FA Battalions105th Engineer Combat Battalion
743rd Tank Battalion 823rd Tank Destroyer Battalion
517th Parachute Infantry Regiment (attached)
110th, 431st and 448th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalions 75th Infantry Division Major General Fay B. Prickett 289th, 290th, and 291st Infantry Regiments
730th, 897th, 898th, and 899th FA Battalions
275th Engineer Combat Battalion
750th Tank Battalion
629th and 772nd Tank Destroyer Battalions
440th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
82nd Airborne ("All American") Division Major General James M. Gavin 504th , 505th , 507th , and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments 325th Glider Infantry Regiment 319th and 320th Glider FA Battalions 376th and 456th Parachute FA Battalions
307th Airborne Engineer Battalion
80th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
551st Parachute Infantry Battalion 740th Tank Battalion (attached 30 December – 11 January)
628th Tank Destroyer Battalion (attached 2–11 January)643rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (attached 4–5 January) 106th Infantry ("Golden Lions") Division Major General Alan W. Jones 422nd♦, 423rd♦,[ j]
589th, 590th, 591st, and 592nd FA Battalions
81st Engineer Combat Battalion
820th Tank Destroyer Battalion
634th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion (8–18 December)
440th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion (8 December – 4 January)
563rd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion (9–18 December) 101st Airborne ("Screaming Eagles") Division Brigadier General Anthony C. McAuliffe [ k] 501st , 502nd , and 506th Parachute Infantry Regiments 327th Glider Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion, 401st Glider Infantry
321st and 907th Glider FA Battalions377th and 463rd Parachute FA Battalion
326th Parachute Engineer Battalion
705th Tank Destroyer Battalion 81st Airborne AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
Lt. Gen. George S. Patton Lieutenant General George S. Patton
109th, 115th, 217th, and 777th AA Gun Battalions
456th, 465th, 550th, and 565th AAA AW Battalions
280th ECB - Engineer Combat Battalion - Non Divisional Unit (later assigned to the 9th Army )
Major General John Millikin
Corps-level units
6th Cavalry Group, Mechanized 179th, 274th, 776th, and 777th FA Battalions
193rd FA Group (177th, 253rd, 696th, 776th, and 949th FA Battalions)
203rd FA Group (278th, 742nd, 762nd FA Battalions)
183rd and 243rd Engineer Combat Battalions
1137th Engineer Combat Group (145th, 188th, and 249th Engineer Combat Battalions )
467th and 468th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalions
4th Armored Division Major General Hugh J. Gaffey 8th, 35th , and 37th Tank Battalions [ l]
10th, 51st , and 53rd Armored Infantry Battalions
22nd , 66th, and 94th Armored FA Battalions 24th Armored Engineer Battalion
25th Cavalry Recon Squadron, Mech.
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion
489th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
144th Armored Signal Company 6th Armored ("Super Sixth") Division Major General Robert W. Grow 15th, 68th , and 69th Tank Battalions
9th, 44th, and 50th Armored Infantry Battalions
128th, 212th, and 231st Armored FA Battalions
86th Cavalry Recon Squadron, Mech. 25th Armored Engineer Battalion
691st Tank Destroyer Battalion
777th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
145th Armored Signal Company
26th Infantry ("Yankee") Division Major General Willard S. Paul 101st, 104th , and 328th Infantry Regiments
101st , 102nd , 180th, and 263rd FA Battalions101st Engineer Combat Battalion 735th Tank Battalion 818th Tank Destroyer Battalion 390th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion 35th Infantry ("Santa Fe") Division Major General Paul W. Baade 134th, 137th, and 320th Infantry Regiments
127th, 161st, 216th, and 219th FA Battalions
60th Engineer Combat Battalion
654th Tank Destroyer Battalion
448th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion 90th Infantry ("Tough 'Ombres") Division Major General James A. Van Fleet 357th, 358th, and 359th Infantry Regiments
343rd, 344th, 345th, and 915th FA Battalions
315th Engineer Combat Battalion
773rd Tank Destroyer Battalion 774th Tank Destroyer Battalion (attached 21 December – 6 January)
537th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
Maj. Gen. Troy H. Middleton during the Ardennes Counteroffensive Major General Troy H. Middleton Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec
Corps-level units
687th FA Battalion
174th FA Group (965th, 969th , and 700th FA Battalions)
333rd FA Group (333rd and 771st FA Battalions)
402nd FA Group (559th, 561st, and 740th FA Battalions)
422nd FA Group (81st and 174th FA Battalions)
178th and 249th Engineer Combat Battalions
1102nd Engineer Group (341st Engineer General Service Regiment )
1107th Engineer Combat Group (159th , 168th , and 202nd Engineer Combat Battalions )
1128th Engineer Combat Group (35th, 44th, and 202nd Engineer Combat Battalions)
French Light Infantry (six Light Infantry Battalions from Metz region)
467th, 635th, 778th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalions
9th Armored ("Phantom") Division Major General John W. Leonard 2nd, 14th, and 19th Tank Battalions
27th, 52nd , and 60th Armored Infantry Battalions
3rd, 16th , and 73rd Armored FA Battalions
9th Armored Engineer Battalion 89th Cavalry Recon. Squadron, Mech.
9th Armored Engineer Battalion
482nd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion (detached 9 January 1945)
149th Armored Signal Company 11th Armored ("Thunderbolt") Division Brigadier General Charles S. Kilburn 22nd, 41st, and 42nd Tank Battalions
21st, 55th , and 63rd Armored Infantry Battalions
490th, 491st, and 492nd Armored FA Battalions
56th Armored Engineer Battalion
41st Cavalry Recon. Squadron, Mech.
602nd Tank Destroyer Battalion 575th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
151st Armored Signal Company
17th Airborne ("Golden Talons") Division Major General William M. Miley 507th and 513th Parachute Infantry Regiments 193rd and 194th Glider Infantry Regiments
680th and 681st Glider FA Battalions
466th Parachute FA Battalion
139th Airborne Engineer Battalion
155th Airborne AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion 28th Infantry ("Keystone") Division Major General Norman D. Cota 109th♦, 110th♦, and 112th♦ Infantry Regiments
107th, 108th, 109th, and 229th FA Battalions
103rd Engineer Combat Battalion 707th Tank Battalion 602nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
630th Tank Destroyer Battalion
447th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion 87th Infantry ("Golden Acorn") Division Brigadier General Frank L. Culin Jr. 345th, 346th, and 347th Infantry Regiments
334th, 335th, 336th, 912th FA Battalions
312th Engineer Combat Battalion
761st Tank Battalion 549th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
610th Tank Destroyer Battalion (14–22 December)
691st Tank Destroyer Battalion (22–24 December and 8–26 January)
704th Tank Destroyer Battalion (17–19 December)
Maj. Gen. Manton S. Eddy Major General Manton S. Eddy Units that absorbed the initial German assault 16 Dec
Corps-level units
2nd Cavalry Group, Mechanized 161st, 244th, 277th, 334th, 336th, and 736th FA Battalions
177th FA group 215th, 255th, and 775th FA Battalions
182nd FA group 802nd, 945th, and 974th FA Battalions
183rd FA group 695th and 776th FA Battalions
404th FA group 273rd, 512th, and 752nd FA Battalions
1303rd Engineer Service Regiment 452nd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion [colored]
457th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
4th Infantry ("Ivy") Division Major General Raymond O. Barton 8th ♦, 12th ♦, and 22nd Infantry Regiments20th , 29th , 42nd , and 44th FA Battalions4th Engineer Combat Battalion 70th Tank Battalion 802nd and 803rd Tank Destroyer Battalions
377th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalions 5th Infantry ("Red Diamond") Division Major General Stafford L. Irwin 2nd , 10th , and 11th Infantry Regiments19th, 21st, 46th, and 50th FA Battalions
7th Engineer Combat Battalion 737th Tank Battalion
654th Tank Destroyer Battalion (22–25 December)
803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion (from 25 December)
807th Tank Destroyer Battalion (17–21 December)
818th Tank Destroyer Battalion (13 July – 20 December)
449th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
10th Armored ("Tiger") Division Major General William H. H. Morris Jr. 3rd, 11th , and 21st Tank Battalions
20th, 54th , and 61st Armored Infantry Battalions
419th, 420th, and 423rd Armored FA Battalions
609th Tank Destroyer Battalion
55th Armored Engineer Battalion
90th Cavalry Recon Squadron, Mech.
796th AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
150th Armored Signal Company 80th Infantry ("Blue Ridge") Division Major General Horace L. McBride 317th , 318th, and 319th Infantry Regiments313th, 314th, 315th, and 905th FA Battalions
305th Engineer Combat Battalion
702nd Tank Battalion
610th Tank Destroyer Battalion (23 November – 6 December and 21 December – 28 January)
808th Tank Destroyer Battalion (25 September – 21 December)633rd AAA Automatic Weapons Battalion
US Strategic Air Forces in Europe [ edit ] General Carl Spaatz
US Eighth Air Force (Strategic)Lieutenant General James H. Doolittle
US Ninth Air Force (Tactical)Lieutenant General Hoyt S. Vandenberg IX Bombardment Division (Maj. Gen. Samuel E. Anderson )IX Troop Carrier Command (Maj. Gen. Paul L. Williams )IX Tactical Air Command (Maj. Gen. Elwood R. Quesada )
Supporting First Army XIX Tactical Air Command (Maj. Gen. Otto P. Weyland )
Supporting Third Army XXIX Tactical Air Command (Brig. Gen. Richard E. Nugent )
Supporting Ninth Army Bomber Command Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris Fighter Command Air Marshal Sir Roderic M. Hill Second Tactical Air Force Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham
No. 2 Group RAF No. 83 Group RAF No. 84 Group RAF
^ Both Runstedt and Model were deeply skeptical of the offensive's chances of success, but Hitler ignored all their objections. Runstedt in particular was miffed when he learned that the Allies were referring to the operation as the "Runstedt offensive." [Beevor, p. 82]
^ Both Runstedt and Model were deeply skeptical of the offensive's chances of success, but Hitler ignored all their objections. [Beevor, p. 82]
^ In contrast with Manteuffel, Dietrich opened the offensive on his front with a massive artillery bombardment. [Beevor, p. 112]
^ Manteuffel disregarded Hitler's desire for an opening artillery bombardment; he felt such an action was "a World War I concept and completely out of place in the Ardennes, in view of the thinly held lines," and would only serve to destroy the element of surprise. [Beevor, p. 112]
^ In contrast with Manteuffel, Dietrich opened the offensive on his front with a massive artillery bombardment. [Beevor, p. 112]
^ Manteuffel disregarded Hitler's desire for an opening artillery bombardment; he felt such an action was "a World War I concept and completely out of place in the Ardennes, in view of the thinly held lines," and would only serve to destroy the element of surprise. [Beevor, p. 112]
^ Later Oberst Hugo Dempwolff
^ After the war, served as commandant of the former Palace Hotel (called "Camp Ashcan ") in the Luxembourg town of Mondorf-les-Bains where high-level German prisoners were kept in the months leading up the Nuremberg Trials .
^ In England when the German assault began; during the Korean War , provided vigorous leadership to the US Eighth Army , followed by a term as Chief of Staff of the Army .
^ Private Kurt Vonnegut , later a noted author, was captured while serving in this unit. [Beevor, p. 186]
^ Regular CO Maj. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor was in the United States and his deputy, Brig. Gen. Gerald J. Higgins, was in England; McAuliffe was the divisional artillery commander. [Beevor, p. 154]
^ The 37th Tank Bttn. was commanded by Lt. Col. Creighton W. Abrams , later commander of all US forces in Vietnam. [Beevor, p. 268]
Sixth Panzer Army (Northern Sector)
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Bernard L. Montgomery
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces
21st Army Group
12th Army Group
US Strategic Air Forces in Europe (General Carl Spaatz)
Royal Air Force
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167th Volksgrenadier Division
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US Eighth Air Force (Strategic)
US Ninth Air Force (Tactical)
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