At Cheneux on December 20th the 504th fought a lead element of Piepers attack force. This was enemy armor and half tracks. The only support the 504th had was two M-36 Tank Destroyers. The 504th had also appropriated Panzerfausts in Holland which proved much more effective then our bazooka. After the smoke cleared, Division G2 interrogated a prisoner. He said that the 504th's attack elimated/destroyed four 20 mm sp cannons, two tanks MK VI, two 77mm Sp guns, two troop carriers, six half-tracks with 20mm cannons, one 105 mm Howitzer and many machine guns. This was accomplished by only one battalion of the 504th. The 1st Bn was cited with a Presidential Unit Citation. From what I have read, this was the first blunting of Piepers armor.

It is interesting to note that Hitler's offensive was originally scheduled for November, but Operation Market Garden took away much needed men and material from his plan. As far as the 101st and 82nd's role in the Bulge goes... The phone rang at General Gavin's HQ. It happened that Gen. Ridgway was absent and Gavin assumed the role of acting commander XVIII Airborne Corps. Gavin's 82nd had been pulled off line in Holland before the 101st and was better prepared to move quickly. So he ordered the 82nd to move toward Bastogne at 7 am and the 101st followed at 2pm. While on route, the orders were changed and the 82nd went to the area of St. Vith and the 101st went to Bastogne where they were assigned to VIII Corps. As it happened, both Airborne Divisions were in place at the two most vital spots in the Bulge. The Germans needed to seize St. Vith and Bastogne both of which were hubs for road and rail traffic through hills of the Ardennes forest. The 101st made its historic stand at Bastogne which will go down as one of the most valiant stands in U.S. Military history and the 82nd blunted the Germans at Trois Point and Cheneux. If it were not for these two battle-tested divisions, history may have been a little different.