Hogan's 400

The Germans launch their major offensive on the Western Front. Thirty armored and infantry divisions break through Allied lines on a 130 km front through the Ardennes forest in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Dreams of a quiet Christmas, already fading since the announcement of the German attack, have now completely disappeared for the men of the 3rd Armored Division stationed in Stolberg, Germany. General Maurice Rose's division is called to reinforce the northern front of the attack, in the Hotton region.

To cover the deployment of VII Corps, General Rose sets up 3 Task Forces to move southwards and make contact with the enemy. Enemy position: unknown. Enemy firepower: unknown.

Task Force Kane — left flank
Task Force Orr — center
Task Force Hogan — right flank · along the Ourthe river

Around 13:30, the Hogan Task Force reached the town of La Roche. After establishing a defensive perimeter, Hogan sent out a reconnaissance along the road to their objective, Houffalize. But at Maboge, men of the 116th Panzer Division were waiting in ambush in a valley. The lead tank was hit by anti-tank fire. The gunner was killed instantly and several others were wounded. This was the first loss of the HOGAN Task Force during the Battle of the Bulge.

On his way to report to Soy, Hogan came face to face with twenty or so Germans dressed as Americans. After a shoot-out, he managed to escape, accompanied by his driver, his doctor and Lieutenant Worrell. They spent the night in a wood some twenty meters from the German position.

December 21, 1944 — the men advance in extreme winter conditions.

Cut off from his men, Hogan decided to continue his mission and reach Soy on foot through enemy lines. On his way, he came across the entirety of his men in the vicinity of Marcouray. Major Walker, head of the task force during Hogan's absence, had decided to withdraw to SOY during the night as well.

After several attempts to break through the village of Beffe, Hogan had no choice but to fall back to Marcouray, a better defensive position. The task force was now completely surrounded by an entire Panzer division.

Despite German night attacks on the village, the task force held firm. A supply of plasma and bandages from the artillery was attempted, but to no avail. Meanwhile, C-47s on OPERATION REPULSE mission attempt a supply drop over Marcouray — in vain due to enemy flak.

A German delegation is sent to demand the task force's surrender. Hogan refuses.

Later that afternoon, C-47s attempted to resupply Marcouray — 6 of them were shot down by German flak over La Roche. On board one of them, André C. Mongeau, radio operator, managed to jump before his plane crashed, and found himself trapped with Hogan's 400. He was sent to the Colonel's HQ to keep his radio working.

24 December 1944 — the standoff hardens in Marcouray as the Germans demand Hogan's surrender.

General Rose ordered the tanks destroyed, and the men to march back through enemy lines. At nightfall, faces blackened with soot, helmets abandoned, the 400 set off northwards — after a final farewell to Doc Spigelman who stays with the 14 wounded unable to walk. Hogan was the last man to leave Marcouray.

During the night, after several hours of marching in the snow, the men at the head of the column came across a German sentry. Staff Sergeant Lee B. Porter, on his own initiative, moved off the column, silently approached the sentry and neutralized him with his bayonet — without making a sound. This heroic act saved the entire column.

Christmas night, 25 December 1944 — the men slip through the forest on foot, hoping to break through the enemy lines.

In the morning, the first men of the column joined the lines of the 75th Infantry Division at Werpin. This was the case for all the others, except one. The men were then taken to the center of Soy, to the Ringlet family farm, where hot soup, rations, bread and a team of reporters from detachment K of the 165th signal photographic company (Sgt Joseph Demarco and Léon Rosenmann) awaited them.