Top: Map of Bonnerue, Vesqueville, and Moircy
Bottom: Image from the Battle of the Bulge |
The 87th received its orders to move to Belgium on December 29, 1944. It loaded into boarded open trucks, and was transported 100 miles to an area near Bastogne. When they arrived, the Germans were attempting to encircle Bastogne, and the 87th had to immediately begin combat. The goal of the 87th was to take Amberloup and close the Bastogne-St. Hubert Line. The 345th regiment was ordered to take the town of Moircy. The offensive failed, and the regiment was ordered to withdraw from the town. The 345th then headed east to capture the town of Remagne on December 31, while the 346th set up defenses along the roads to St. Hubert and Vesqueville. The 347th then moved through the 345th toward Jenneville. The villages on the supply road were heavily fortified and booby trapped by the Germans. Jenneville was taken by the 347th on January 1, 1945, spurring a strong counter-offensive from the Germans. On January 2, the regiment set out for Bonnerue, the second of the three heavily fortified, German-controlled villages. The companies of the 347th were spread out around Bonnerue with may different objectives. All were met with strong opposition. Company L was the first to set off for the village. Companies I and K both advanced through the woods west of the village, and were met with a counter-attack. Company G rushed into town for support, taking the town along with companies E and F. On January 7th, the 345th regiment relieved the 347th. The constant repelling of counter-attacks continued until January 11, when the 347th drove the remnants of the Germans out of Bonnerue and Pironpre, and company E captured Tonny and Amberloup.
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