"Tanks!"
A shrill cry echoed across the battlefield. A roaring Panther tank rolled into the town. With a thunderous blast, a roadside house was blown sky-high, and wounded soldiers in the rubble groaned in pain.
On the first day at Bastogne, the real battle wasn't in Neffe, but further south in Wardin. Here, the Germans had deployed the Falsch Group—centered around the 130th Panzer Reconnaissance Training Battalion. Not only did they have the best equipment, but they were also staffed with the most seasoned veterans, making them the undisputed elite. From the outset, the Germans unleashed a torrent of firepower on the town.
In less than half an hour, under the pounding of 105mm and larger shells, the town was reduced to ruins. For hours, the task force stationed here had stubbornly resisted the German assault from amidst the rubble.
