Soldiers of SS Kampfgruppe Peiper murdered eighty-four U.S. prisoners of war at Malmedy.
Peiper survived the war and a death sentence for war crimes, which was commuted and oddly took up residence in France. In spite of clear warnings that he should get out, he stayed, and was murdered himself on Bastille Day, 14 July 1976, by French communists who also set fire to his house.
Peiper is also associated with the 1943 Boves Massacre in Italy.
The Germans took Lanzerath Ridge. U.S. resistance held the Germans up for an entire day. While the Germans were advancing, things were already going wrong.
On the same day, eleven 11 African-American prisoners of war were murdered by members of the 1st SS Panzer Division at Wereth, Belgium.
The Germans took Lanzerath Ridge. U.S. resistance held the Germans up for an entire day. While the Germans were advancing, things were already going wrong.
Eisenhower released the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions from reserve and committed them to the Ardennes. Elements of the 12th Army Group were redeployed as well.
"An anti-tank gun is rapidly put into position in a forward area on the German-Belgium border, to repel a strong German counter attack in the First Army sector. 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, V Corps, First U.S. Army. 17 December, 1944.
The Germans took 9,000 US pows at Ecternach.
The RAF hit Ulm in a nighttime raid for the first time.
The Army's Western Defense Command rescinded orders to incarcerate people of Japanese ancestry from the West coast.
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