Hogan's 400 — Task Force Hogan | Ardennes 1944

Distribution of Lucky Strike cigarettes to Task Force Hogan soldiers at Soy after the Marcouray breakout, December 26, 1944

1944

Discover this forgotten story at the dawn of Christmas 1944 - 400 American soldiers surrounded in a small Belgian village during the Battle of the Bulge.

Discover the story They Were 400, the documentary

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Lt. Colonel Samuel Mason Hogan, commander of Task Force Hogan, Battle of the Bulge 1944

Lt. Colonel Samuel Mason Hogan · Task Force Hogan · December 1944

December 1944 · Battle of the Bulge

The encirclementof Marcouray

On December 16, 1944, Hitler launches Operation Wacht am Rhein — the last major German offensive on the western front. Thirty divisions break through Allied lines in the Belgian Ardennes.

Lt. Colonel Samuel Mason Hogan and his 400 men receive orders to hold Marcouray. Surrounded for 5 days without resupply, they achieved the impossible Christmas night escape.

Read the full timeline

Day by day

Timeline of the encirclement

Dec 16

The German offensive

Hitler launches Wacht am Rhein. 30 divisions break through Allied lines in the Ardennes.

Dec 19

3 Task Forces

Rose sends HOGAN along the Ourthe, ORR in the center, KANE on the eastern flank.

Dec 20

Enemy contact

At Maboge, the 116th Panzer ambushes the column. First casualty of Task Force Hogan.

Dec 21

Complete encirclement

The 400 men are cut off from all Allied lines. Only radio connects them to the world.

Dec 22

Fallback to Marcouray

After failing at Beffe, Hogan falls back to Marcouray, a better defensive position.

Dec 23

Night attacks

The Task Force holds despite assaults. Aerial resupply attempts fail under enemy flak.

Dec 24

« Venez le prendre »

Hogan refuses German surrender demand. 6 supply C-47s shot down by flak over La Roche.

Dec 25

The foot escape

Faces blackened with soot, tanks destroyed, the 400 set out. Porter neutralizes a sentry with his bayonet.

Dec 26

Return to lines

After 48h at –15°C, the 400 reach American lines at Werpin.

Hogan's men

Portraits & Biographies

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Samuel Mason Hogan at West Point in 1938, future commander of Task Force Hogan

Lt. ColonelSamuel Mason HoganWest Point 1938 · TexasRead biography

LTC Prentice E. 'Iron Mike' Yeomans, 83rd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, Task Force Hogan

Lt. ColonelPrentice E. Yeomans83rd Recon · Iron MikeRead biography

Major General Maurice Rose, commander of the 3rd Armored Division, Battle of the Bulge

Major GeneralMaurice Rose3rd Armored DivisionRead biography

Léa Téchy, Belgian resistance member who sheltered Task Force Hogan's HQ at Marcouray, December 1944

Belgian ResistanceLéa TéchyMarcouray, BelgiqueRead portrait

Lucie Soreil, Belgian civilian witness of Task Force Hogan's encirclement at Marcouray, age 9 in 1944

Belgian civilianLucie SoreilMarcouray, BelgiqueRead portrait

Staff Sergeant Lee Brenson Porter, hero of the Christmas 1944 breakout, Task Force Hogan

S/Sgt.Lee Brenson PorterHero of Christmas 1944Read biography

PFC Harry J. Guidry, Louisiana, Task Force Hogan soldier, witness of the Marcouray breakout

PFC.Harry J. GuidryLouisiane, USARead testimony

Staff Sergeant André C. Mongeau, French-Canadian radio operator, bailed out of his C-47 over Marcouray

Radio S/SgtAndré C. MongeauQuebec, CanadaRead biography

Captain William R. Wales, C-47 pilot shot down during the Marcouray resupply operation

Capt.William R. WalesFallen in dutyRead portrait

PFC Wallace Siarkowski, Task Force Hogan soldier killed at Marcouray on December 22, 1944

PFC.Wallace SiarkowskiFallen in dutyRead portrait

PFC Robert Marion Cassady, Lafayette Indiana, Task Force Hogan soldier killed in February 1945

PFC.Robert Marion CassadyLafayette, IndianaRead portrait

Second Lt. Carrol A. Trembley, Silver Star and Bronze Star, Task Force Hogan Marcouray 1944

Second Lt.Carrol A. TrembleySilver Star · Bronze StarRead portrait

Sergeant Herman Robertus Rewerts, Task Force Hogan, buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten

Sgt.Herman Robertus Rewerts5 campaigns · MargratenRead portrait

Doc Louis Spigelman, Task Force Hogan battalion surgeon who stayed with the wounded at Marcouray

Battalion SurgeonDoc Louis SpigelmanPrisoner of warRead portrait

Staff Sergeant Raymond A. Kuderka, Task Force Hogan medical team, prisoner of war Marcouray 1944

S/Sgt.Raymond A. KuderkaMedical staff · POWRead portrait

Lucien Orban as a child at Marcouray in December 1944, civilian witness of Task Force Hogan

Belgian civilianLucien OrbanMarcouray, BelgiqueRead portrait

Lt. Clark V. Worrell, Task Force Hogan reconnaissance platoon, Battle of the Bulge 1944

Lt.Clark V. WorrellTask Force HoganRead portrait

Major Travis M. Brown, 3rd Armored Division, 33rd Armored Regiment, Task Force Hogan

MajorTravis M. Brown3rd Armored DivisionRead portrait

Major William S. Walker, executive officer of Task Force Hogan, Marcouray 1944

MajorWilliam S. WalkerExecutive OfficerRead portrait

PFC John A. Stewart, Glens Falls New York, 33rd Armored Regiment Task Force Hogan

PFC.John A. StewartGlens Falls, New YorkRead portrait

Clement Elissondo, Sherman M4 tank gunner in Task Force Hogan, identified by William Hogan

Tank gunnerClement ElissondoTask Force HoganRead portrait

1st Lt. Robert A. Weatherford, Battery B 486th AAA Battalion, air defense at Marcouray

1st Lt.Robert A. WeatherfordBattery B · 486th AAA BnRead portrait

Commemorations

Events & Pilgrimages

80th Anniversary · NUTS at Marcouray

NUTS at Marcouray

December 12–15, 2024. Night march, return of the Hogan and Guidry families, immersive reenactment.

Before The Breakout · 110 participants

Hogans 400 – Before The Breakout

110 enthusiasts from around the world. Night march and filming of the They Were 400 documentary. Book signing with William Hogan.

First pilgrimage · BRO asbl

In the footsteps of Hogan's 400

At the initiative of BRO asbl. Colonel Hogan's family attended from the United States.

Memorial project

A plaque for
William & Wallace

Two soldiers who fell in the line of duty deserve to be honored. Participate in our campaign to erect a permanent monument at Marcouray.

Support the project Learn more