Evening star., 1944-12-31
Survivors Describe Opening
OF Nuzi Counteroffensiye
Lost Units Stalled
German Onslaught
For z Crucial Days
BY HAL BOYLE,

0ssoSisteu SIess WAI CEtesp0nneht.
NEAR ST. WITH, Belgium, DEC.
23 delayed by Censor) From the
tired lips Of survivors today came
the flrst full story OF how the Ger
mans launched their grand of1en-
sive and how two 'lost" American
formations stalled 1t for two crucial
days by fighting gamely until en-
gulfed.
Only 4 small number of these
weary soldiers have managed to
straggle through the tide Of Nan
armor that eventually overran them,
but they brought with them the tale
of an American Thermopylae In the
frozen businesses Of the Belgian
ArdenneS.
Isolated by the first crushing surge
of Nazi tanks in the Eifel Mountains
near the German border, these two
American formations fought back in
the way old covered wagon trains
defended themselves against en-
circling Indians.
During the struggle they relayed
by radio to American defense forces
assembling behind them vital in
formation on the enemy's strength
and movements.
Nazi Attack Blunted.
The spokesman for the heroes Of
the bloody stand was 1t. Col. Robert
P. Stout, Kansas City, Mo.
These formations took the first
big nick out of the edge of the Ger
man axe and blunted the force OF
their attack" he said 1--WE cap
tured one Nazi captain who paid
them this compliment, we were
told that we would be able to go
right through you to st. With. But
I was the only commander able to
reach our first days objective on
schedule-and now look at me-"
Describing the start of the mighty
German blow, Col Stout said, "Our
OUTFIT had been In position only a
few days and held a long section
Of the battle front-27 miles. 1t was
in the Schnee Eifel section, a long
ridge line almost $500 feet high
and heavily wooded. It is very rug
ged country and for the most part
unsuitable for tanks.
"On the night of December IS we
learned that the enemy was group
ing for some kind of attack and we
informed the front-line units.
AT 7 o'clock the next morning
the Germans hit us. One of their
first objectives was to throw us out
of the slight penetration we had
made into the Siegfried Line-about
1000 yards long and a similar dis
tance deep.
Struck From North.
They struck down from the north
of the Schnee Eifel. That was the
site of the first breakthrough, and
1t was the only place where they
could get tanks through in strength.
Another column attacked from
the south OF the Schnee Eifel. Both
columns were heavily armored and
We lost considerable cavalry who
were too lightly gunned to with
stand the onslaught-but the men
died in their vehicles trying to halt
the enemy.
Our two infantry formations that
were cut off were on the Schnee Eifel
and found themselves surrounded
when the two Nazi columns linked
up west of this ridge"
Although they had only a small
number of guns to oppose the enemy
panzer and infantry divisions. the
doughboys on the ridge line refused
to give up.
They organized a last stand"
Col. Stout said, "and sent word for
us to try to supply them with food
and ammunition by air. But the
fog was so heavy the planes were
unable to carry out deliveries.
One OF our other infantry units
tried to spearhead through to them
and create channel in which they
could fail back, but failed.
Nazis Tied Up.
"As a result Of the fighting by
two larger formations, however.
the bulk of the German attack IN
that sector was tied up in dealing
with them, and the enemy for
some time was able to send only
relatively small columns ahead to
the ST. With area-thus upsetting
his advantage Of surprise.
Our two formations regrouped
and fought back to backbone hold
ing of the Germans from the east
and the other attacking toward
the west trying to battle through
to our main forces. Although they
were greatly outnumbered, I think
they would have made it II the
weather had enabled US to get to