Major General Maurice Rose
Major General Maurice Rose
On December 19, 1944, proud that his 3rd Armored Division had been the first Allied armored division in Germany, then stationed in the Stolberg area after the battles of Aachen, General Rose receives urgent orders to send the bulk of his troops to the northern front of the Battle of the Bulge, in the Hotton area, where he will establish his HQ. Rose had no idea of the enemy force deployed opposite him.
To do so, he sends 3 Task Forces south: HOGAN along the Ourthe river, ORR in the center, KANE on the eastern flank. After all his attempts to resupply and simply save Task Force Hogan, surrounded for 4 days at Marcouray, he orders the colonel to sabotage all his equipment and reach American lines 16 km to the north, on foot and through enemy lines.
When he learns that the first of Hogan's men have reached the lines, he passively awaits Samuel Hogan at Werpin until 2 PM. The general cannot resist asking: 'How is it that you are only here now, Sam?' And finding no heroic answer, Colonel Hogan replied: 'My foot hurts terribly, General.' Rose smiled and patted his shoulder.
This desire to always be close to his men would prove fatal. The general was killed in action going to the rescue of a unit left behind near Paderborn, a few days after his division crossed the Rhine, on March 30, 1945. His death was a severe blow to the morale of all the Division's men. He is one of the few American generals killed in action during the conflict. He is the most decorated soldier buried at the American cemetery at Margraten, Netherlands.
