Political Quotes

“this past August, the surviving members of the 99th Infantry Division met together in Fort Mitchell, KY. Of this division, only a few remain. But the survivors and their widows gathered in August to complete the final chapter of the story of this exceptional group of Americans. The Battle of the Bulge is well known to most Americans, but the efforts and triumphs of the 99th Infantry are less well recognized. These men played a crucial role in the eventual Allied victory, though few knew it at the time. This battle is best described by Professor Stephen Ambrose, the preeminent World War II historian who provides a snapshot of their efforts in an article in the Military History Quarterly. Ambrose describes the scene along Elsenborn Ridge: To the north, between Monschau and Losheim, the U.S. 99th Infantry Division, newly arrived in Europe, and the 2nd Infantry Division . . . did not simply delay the German advance but stopped it along the critical point of the whole battle, Elsenborn Ridge. The low ridge . . . was the main objective of Sepp Dietrich's 6th Panzer Army. Elsenborn Ridge was the Little Round Top of the battle. The German General Dietrich drove his units mercilessly, but he could not take it due to the steadfastness of the American resolve and the sheer courage of these brave men facing the ultimate test in brutal conditions.”