On this date in 1944 one of the most famous battles in WWII began. For historians and those in the European theater of WWII the term bulge has a different connotation than one's efforts to tone their physique after an increase in food consumption, particularly as a result of Christmas celebrations. The Battle of the Bulge, as opposed to the battle of the bulge, refers to the last ditch effort by Adolph Hitler to divide the Allied lines and get a negotiated, rather than unconditional surrender. The battle started on 16 December 1944 and would end in January 1945. Much has been written, and movies made, about this famous World War II battle. For the Germans battle preparation, and alignment did not happen overnight, and one has to credit to the German high command and troops at the front for keeping preparation efforts a secret. This allowed the Germans to amass over a quarter million troops in and near the Ardennes Forest of Germany. Before, and after the Battle of the Bulge, there was the longest US battle on German soil, and also the longest in US History, the Battle for Hurtgen Forest, near the Belgium-German border. The Hurtgen Forest battle would last from 19 September 1944 to 10 February 1945. A key US division during this battle was the 83rd "Thunderbolt" Division. The Thunderbolt division was, at the time, part of the Allied First Army under control of Lt General Courtney Hodges. They were charged with taking control of this 50 sq mi forest area in order to provide another way into the heart of Germany. During this battle, Hodges would take Aachen, Germany. Aachen is the town made famous by Charlemagne. But, Hodges' focus was the Hurtgen Forest, and it is here that he concentrated his effort in order to protect his southern flank. It was also in and near this forest that German troops were gathering for the famous counter offensive.
One member of the 83rd division, was Roy Bernard Hovel, a special agent in the Counter Intelligence Corps, with the rank of Technical Sargent. Special agent Hovel, who passed away in 2003, was one of two CIC agents in Luxembourg for about three days, to testify at a trial of spy prisoners they had apprehended. During this visit he was able to spend time with a lady friend and her parents. This lady friend would assist with interpretation while he he undertook Army business. When he was about to depart for his unit at the conclusion of the trial, Jean Mayer, a friend of Roy's (also the father of his lady friend) and the warden at the Luxembourg Grund Prison, questioned him about what he had heard about German activity in the area of his planned route of travel. Let us pick up a few words in a letter Roy Bernard wrote to his parents, dated December 19, 1945, headlined simply, "Somewhere in Germany". The letter begins with a simple phrase: "I am sorry that I have delayed in writing to you for so long, but a lot has happened since my last letter a week ago." He would go on to say that the prior night was the first time he had to read their letters from 7 Nov up to "Daddy's letter of Dec 5th." It is at a later point in the letter, that he provides a little more information. Recall that his letters are read by censors, and while this letter does not have any information cut, others did, so there will be no direct reference to specific events. The third paragraph reads in part: "I have had a lot of experiences within the past week, including to both extremes the best and the worst living in my experience overseas, if not my life."
In 1965 Roy Hovel wrote a letter to a person who was looking to write a book on the CIC. This letter, which provides additional detail to that week, is summarized as follows: In the very early morning of Dec 16, 1944 Roy and agent Turner were departing Luxembourg City, but due to early time of day had not been in contact with any commanders regarding recent activity. They left early in the morning as they had to drive without lights. All was quiet on this front as they took the road north of Luxembourg City, which was the one closest to the eastern border. But the quiet of the morning was about to turn. Hovel and his partner were about 14 miles
outside of Luxembourg City on the way back to their post in Germany east
of Aachen, when a tracer bullet went, as he says, "between my eyes and the windshield of the jeep." As
other bullets hit the jeep he was driving, he jumped into the ditch on
the left side of the country road, and his partner to the right ditch.
Over the course of the day the two agents were able to make their way to the
bottom of a hill and eventually made contact with a reconnoitering Army Captain
who took them to his division's intelligence division. Here they
reported what they had encountered.
It is possible that Jean Mayer, as warden at the prison, had heard rumors about German activity in the outskirts of the Luxembourg City, but likely did not realize the significance of that information. The Allied Army, as we know, was in the dark about German movements; but at least Roy Hovel, as he left Luxembourg before dawn, knew to keep his eyes open. He and his partner would later learn that this was start the Battle of the Bulge. As battle lines became more fluid, he would find his way back to his unit. The Thunderbolt Division would be relocated to fight in the Bulge, engaging in the battle just after Christmas.
The 19 Dec. 1944 letter raises the question as to what best and worst parts of his time that week had been. The best part of his time was likely his time with his lady friend Berty. In the letter he wonders if he may not be falling in love with Berty, who he had met while the 83rd was stationed in Luxembourg. What American man, or any man, would not think the company of a women was a respite from the fog of war? The worst was likely the German ambush and his means of transportation arguably being the first US materiel destroyed in the Battle of Bulge. His quick reaction kept him from being the first human statistic. Anita Hovel, a sister to Roy, would recount that he and his partner were able to gather and enjoy some treats his lady friend Berty and her parents had sent along as they made their way back to allied lines.
The letters he received from Rudy, Ida and Anita are, as far as I know, lost to history. His letters home were kept by his parents. Reading the copies of the letters he wrote home you get a sense of a desire for information, but to be home. Many of his letters begin with him wondering when his parents or sister would have last written. Near its conclusion, one can sense the solitary nature of another Christmas away from home. He writes: "The days are going fast these days and soon Christmas will be here. I suppose it will be one of the loneliest ones I spent, but it couldn't be worse than last year as over here you know you cannot be on leave for it and so one not too disturbed over that, although I wish I could spend it with you." He would have spent Christmas 1943 in the US, but unable to obtain leave to spend the holiday with his family.
As to whether he was falling in love with Berty, he concludes that portion by saying time will tell. Of course, he did not marry Berty. He would come back to the United States, marry Mary Jeanne Sweeney, and together they would produce a family of ten.
As 2013 starts to wrap up, perhaps we need to think of Christmas in a slightly different way than we have in the past. While Christmas cookies may give us a bulge to which we need to battle, they provided a comfort food for a man making his way back to his unit during the true Battle of the Bulge.
One member of the 83rd division, was Roy Bernard Hovel, a special agent in the Counter Intelligence Corps, with the rank of Technical Sargent. Special agent Hovel, who passed away in 2003, was one of two CIC agents in Luxembourg for about three days, to testify at a trial of spy prisoners they had apprehended. During this visit he was able to spend time with a lady friend and her parents. This lady friend would assist with interpretation while he he undertook Army business. When he was about to depart for his unit at the conclusion of the trial, Jean Mayer, a friend of Roy's (also the father of his lady friend) and the warden at the Luxembourg Grund Prison, questioned him about what he had heard about German activity in the area of his planned route of travel. Let us pick up a few words in a letter Roy Bernard wrote to his parents, dated December 19, 1945, headlined simply, "Somewhere in Germany". The letter begins with a simple phrase: "I am sorry that I have delayed in writing to you for so long, but a lot has happened since my last letter a week ago." He would go on to say that the prior night was the first time he had to read their letters from 7 Nov up to "Daddy's letter of Dec 5th." It is at a later point in the letter, that he provides a little more information. Recall that his letters are read by censors, and while this letter does not have any information cut, others did, so there will be no direct reference to specific events. The third paragraph reads in part: "I have had a lot of experiences within the past week, including to both extremes the best and the worst living in my experience overseas, if not my life."
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| Entry gate to Luxembourg Grund Prison |
It is possible that Jean Mayer, as warden at the prison, had heard rumors about German activity in the outskirts of the Luxembourg City, but likely did not realize the significance of that information. The Allied Army, as we know, was in the dark about German movements; but at least Roy Hovel, as he left Luxembourg before dawn, knew to keep his eyes open. He and his partner would later learn that this was start the Battle of the Bulge. As battle lines became more fluid, he would find his way back to his unit. The Thunderbolt Division would be relocated to fight in the Bulge, engaging in the battle just after Christmas.
The 19 Dec. 1944 letter raises the question as to what best and worst parts of his time that week had been. The best part of his time was likely his time with his lady friend Berty. In the letter he wonders if he may not be falling in love with Berty, who he had met while the 83rd was stationed in Luxembourg. What American man, or any man, would not think the company of a women was a respite from the fog of war? The worst was likely the German ambush and his means of transportation arguably being the first US materiel destroyed in the Battle of Bulge. His quick reaction kept him from being the first human statistic. Anita Hovel, a sister to Roy, would recount that he and his partner were able to gather and enjoy some treats his lady friend Berty and her parents had sent along as they made their way back to allied lines.
The letters he received from Rudy, Ida and Anita are, as far as I know, lost to history. His letters home were kept by his parents. Reading the copies of the letters he wrote home you get a sense of a desire for information, but to be home. Many of his letters begin with him wondering when his parents or sister would have last written. Near its conclusion, one can sense the solitary nature of another Christmas away from home. He writes: "The days are going fast these days and soon Christmas will be here. I suppose it will be one of the loneliest ones I spent, but it couldn't be worse than last year as over here you know you cannot be on leave for it and so one not too disturbed over that, although I wish I could spend it with you." He would have spent Christmas 1943 in the US, but unable to obtain leave to spend the holiday with his family.
As to whether he was falling in love with Berty, he concludes that portion by saying time will tell. Of course, he did not marry Berty. He would come back to the United States, marry Mary Jeanne Sweeney, and together they would produce a family of ten.
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| Mayer family temporary home in Dommeldingen, suburb of Luxembourg City. The family was required to live here during the occupation until 14 Nov 1944 |
As 2013 starts to wrap up, perhaps we need to think of Christmas in a slightly different way than we have in the past. While Christmas cookies may give us a bulge to which we need to battle, they provided a comfort food for a man making his way back to his unit during the true Battle of the Bulge.
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| Former Convent Church, and by 1944 was part of the prison |
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