Spirit of ’45 and VBOB to host NYC event

News

Spirit of ’45 and VBOB to host NYC event to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the end of the Battle of the Bulge

Date: January 25, 2015

Time: 12:00-1:00pm

Location: World War II Memorial, Battery Park, NY

Spirit_VBOBDan Santagata, a veteran of this battle who served in the 5th Infantry Division, will lay a wreath at the memorial. Bugles Across America are going to perform an Echo Taps, and a veteran and a son of a bulge veteran will briefly speak. We are working to schedule a color guard and some patriotic music.

Representatives from the following organizations were sent invitations to attend and participate:

Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge: www.battleofthebulge.org

Spirit of ’45: www.spiritof45.org/home0.aspx

Battery_Park_War_Memorial_01Military Order of the Purple Heart: www.purpleheart.org

American Battle Monuments Commission: www.abmc.gov

Bugles across America: www.buglesacrossamerica.org

Dignity Memorial: www.dignitymemorial.com/en-us/index.page

Questions, contact ralph@battleofthebulge.org

BATTLE OF THE BULGE FACTS

• The battle began on December 16, 1944 and was declared over on January 25, 1945.

• It remains the largest land battle ever fought by the United State Army.

• The coldest, snowiest weather “in memory” in the Ardennes Forest on the German/Belgium/Luxembourg border.

• Over a million men, 500,000 Germans, 600,000 Americans (more than fought at Gettysburg) and 55,000 British.

• 3 German armies, 10 corps, the equivalent of 29 divisions.

• 3 American armies, 6 corps, the equivalent of 33 divisions, (3 airborne, 10 armored & 20 infantry).

• The equivalent of 3 British divisions as well as contingents of Belgian, Canadian and French troops.

• 100,000 German casualties, killed, wounded or captured.

• 81,000 American casualties, including 23,554 captured and 19,000 killed.

• 1,400 British casualties 200 killed.

• 800 tanks lost on each side, 1,000 German aircraft.

• The Malmedy Massacre, where 86 American soldiers were murdered, was the worst atrocity committed against American troops during the course of the war in Europe.

• In its entirety, the “Battle of the Bulge,” was the worst battle- in terms of losses – to the American Forces in WWII.