Search results
Bouck’s soldiers took their places in two- and three-man dugouts that had already been built into the side of a hill behind the town. Bouck had his men cut down trees and place them on top of the dugouts for additional protection against possible German shelling.
- Early Military Service and The Us Entry Into World War II
- Arrival in Europe
- Holding Off The Germans During The Battle of The Bulge
- Prisoners of War
- Fighting For Recognition
- Post-War Life
Lyle Bouck enlisted with the 138th Infantry Regiment with the Missouri National Guardat the age of 14. Despite his young age, he was a hard-working young man looking to earn money for his family, who was struggling financially. By 16, he’d been promoted to Supply Sergeant. On December 23, 1940, the 35th Infantry Division was activated for one year ...
Throughout World War II, Bouck was the first lieutenant in charge of Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon, 394th Infantry Regiment, 99th Infantry Division, making him one of the youngest officers in the US Army. The 99th Infantry Division arrived in La Havre in early November 1944, and by the end of the month was sent to the Ardennes region, rel...
On the morning of December 16, 1944 – the first day of the Battle of the Bulge– Bouck’s platoon was in a defensive position, manning observation posts along the right flank of the 99th Infantry Division. They came under heavy fire from the advancing German 6th Panzer Army, later engaging in a 10-hour firefight. In what later became known as the Bat...
Following their captures, Bouck’s unit was forced to walk two days to the village of Jünkerath, where they were loaded into boxcars and transported with other prisoners of warto Stalag XIII-D, before being moved to Stalag XIII-C. In the latter camp, enlisted men were separated from noncommissioned officers, who were sent to Oflag XIII-B. General Ge...
Unaware of just how outnumbered his platoon had been during the Battle of Lanzerath Ridge, Bouck considered the wounding and capture of his unit a failure. It wasn’t until later that he learned the true extent of their actions and the repercussions, in regard to delaying the German advance along the Meuse River and the north, in general. The action...
Following the war, Bouck returned to St. Louis, where he served as an Army recruiter. At one point, he applied for back pay for accumulated leave, to which the Army paid him the rate of an enlisted man. This infuriated him, as he’d been an officer while accruing the leave. Bouck then went on to attend the Missouri Chiropractic College through the G...
Dec 17, 2004 · On December 16, a huge column of German paratroopers got wind of Bouck's platoon, dug in on that hill. The Germans threw some 700 men, in three waves, at Lyle Bouck and 17 other Americans.
Bouck returned groggily to his dugout, determined to work out a way for the platoon to withdraw under cover of darkness. But would they be able to hold out that long? At regimental headquarters in Hunningen, Fernandez immediately reported the loss of communication to Major Kriz.
Soldiers would receive the order to ‘go over the top’ and climb out in formation into No Man’s Land to advance toward the enemy trench. Many were immediately brought down by machine gun fire.
Oct 11, 2018 · Bouck commanded an intelligence and reconnaissance platoon in the 394th Infantry Regiment. The unit had carried out recon but was not intended or trained for front-line action. The men had little combat experience, but that was about to change.
People also ask
Why did Bouck send three soldiers to man the dugouts?
What happened at Bouck's dugout?
How many soldiers were in Bouck's I&R Platoon?
Why did Bouck hold up his arm?
The men had been trained to sit out an enemy bombardment in their dugouts and then to rush out the moment it stopped to man the parapets and repel an attack. They, too, would be in a race for their lives.
