Ardennes Alamo 1944 - Last Stand at Clervaux Castle
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- Опубликовано: 21 авг 2024
- The last stand at Clervaux Castle, Luxembourg, is not well known, but one of the critical defence actions of the Ardennes Offensive, and a story of great American heroism.
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My Great Grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge. I remember asking him for war stories when I was a kid. I only got a few tidbits, but here they are. The first time he ever came under German artillery fire he recalled and I quote, "I was fucking shitting my pants I was so scared." He also told a story about how during the Winter men would often keep water in their helmets to use for cooking or drinking or shaving or whatever. My Grandpa did the same thing, just like the rest. He soon regretted his decision when German artillery came pouring onto their position, they all had to dump often still freezing cold water onto their heads and dive into their foxholes.
This is all I can really recall with certainty. He served from 1944-1946 before being discharged honorably. He was also awarded a bronze star for his valor, though unfortunately all of his war relics were mishandled by my family and now are missing. But I cherish the memories of Grandpa Tom, and I can always be proud of what he did. Mark's excellent videos help bring history alive, and for that I cannot thank him enough. Even just thinking that my Grandpa was somewhere mixed up in Belgium in winter 1944, it is truly amazing to learn about all the brave men who fought and died at his side. Sorry for the long post, but please subscribe and support Mark Felton Productions if you can!
This was great! My dentist as a kid Carole Frawley was a cook and given a rifle to fight with at Clervaux. His platoon made it west for a day or two. His Lieutenant had them dig in and told them to fight to the last man and then the Lieutenant LEFT! When the Germans approached they all surrendered. It was a long and hard trip east by foot and in boxcars to a Stalag. He told this story while cleaning your teeth. As a kid I thought it was great! Best dentist ever! I loved going to the dentist! I also think the movie Castle Keep is very loosely based on the Clervaux Castle.
What a nice anecdote. Bits of history like this get rarer by the day.
What about the nazi zombies?
oh wait that was wolfenstein
Would be interested in hearing about any after-the-fact reunion of the departing Lieutenant and the remaining surviving men led to the Stalag.....yep.......
:> He told this story while cleaning your teeth. As a kid I thought it was great!
Jeebus. Sounds like the beginning of a Stephen King story.
I bet you have awesome teeth!
I think my dentist was an ex Gestapo interrogator.
My wife's uncle was one of the few who made it out the third floor window to the hillside as the tank blew in the front door. Some trapped in the basement were captured, and some escaped to Bastogne and then north from there. We stayed in the hotel a few years ago, checked out the escape route, and visited with the present owner (who is a grandson of the original owner). The owner's uncle had been forced to the Eastern Front by the Germans, was injured and returned to Berlin, I think, and then "disappeared" from the German army. I told him I was glad that our uncles had never met.
We went to the military museum that is currently a part of the Castle. When we told them that we were there because of the uncle, they would not take any money. There is still a great deal of respect for what the GI's did there. Worth seeing, thanks for the video. Bill S.
Its amazing how the French claimed that it was impossible to get tanks through the Ardennes, even after French tankers used the Ardennes forest to circle around another French unit to win the french war games between the wars, and it was hushed up
I grew up in post-war Germany. My German mother married my father, a U.S.soldier in Germany in 1957. I lived in Stuttgart and Straubing. Just south of Regensburg. Signs of the war were everywhere. I went to Berchesgarten and OberSalzberg. It's a very insane part of history.
I live in Luxembourg and I ride my bike to Clervaux at least once a month. The history of the region is really amazing and for anyone interested you can find one of Europe’s best museums of military history in Diekirch ( a few kilometers south from Clervaux) where you can see the vehicles, equipment, arms, uniforms, supplies that were used by both sides during the batte of the Bulge.
The men who built that castle exceeded all expectations, if they only knew.
This is better than the History Channel
You mean the "Ancient Aliens Channel" ?
We are blessed with both.
This is what the History Channel used to be, decades ago. Mr. Felton does an admirable job of recapturing the look and feel of the old documentaries and specials.
BadSkeelz
The History Channel is a shadow of its former self. It must be working for them financially, but what a way to destroy a brand.
I never knew about these brave men fighting til the end. This battle is overshadowed by Bastogne but shouldn’t be. BTW thanks Dr. Felton your videos should be used in high school lessons on what the war was truly like.
BASTOGNE is most known for several reasons,but I been many times in Clerveax myself but also many little towns around,they all have very intriguing stories.
Hopefully we don't have to experience it again,you still see all the scars in the landscape and the stories are still alive.
A movie was made about it with Burt Lancaster called Castle Keep.
Is this the same Gen Cota who is known for his action at Omaha?
fantastic another video. Its Fascinating learning something new everyday from you Mark.
Nice to see you here Ash
Ash Hello there
I see you all over lol, first on Shadowfrax and now here. I don't judge though, both very interesting and entertaining with their content.
Ah, spotted yet another gamer of culture. Very nice 👍
The 28th Inf. Div is the Pennsylvania National Guard (Territorial Army). Pennsylvania is called the "keystone" state since it was geographically placed in the middle of the 13 colonies (six north and six south). The divisional patch of the 28th was a red keystone as can be seen on the jacket of the General pictured in Dr. Fenton's presentation. To the present day in remembrance of their fight in Hurttigen and the "Bulge" along with the red keystone patch the divisions nickname and patch are refereed to as the "Bloody Bucket". It is the United States oldest division tracing their lineage to a battalion formed by Ben Franklin in 1747, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 28th fought as recently as Iraq.
As an American I honestly think we often have this over biased view of WWII that the U.S. goes in and kicked German ass without losing a battle however your cover of this and the hurtgen forest proves otherwise and I'm thankful for the true history you provide
And Major-General Norman Coda couldn’t be disturbed because he was having dinner...
Mark Wakefield an over officious aide most likely
Cota, best remembered by his decisive and examplary leadership at Omaha Beach. Yep, Robert Mitchum's portrayal was spot on.
Unfortunately, Cota's reputation was destroyed when he ordered the ill-advised assault through the Huertgen Forest.
What followed was WW1 style meatgrinder, ending in utter defeat for the Americans. If you want to get feeling what it must have been like, watch the 'When Trumpets Fade' movie from HBO.
The Huertgen Forest disaster was completely overshadowed by the Battle of the bulge that took place two weeks later.
He should have been tried for dereliction of duty and shot.
I thought it was reported, "...couldn't be reached because he was having dinner" in reply when it was requested to speak with him.
One hell of a story. These men had real grit. Thank you for telling it.
Stories like this magnify my admiration for the "Greatest Generation." There seems to be no end to the dedication and sacrifice of U.S. WWII veterans that makes this generation sound so amazingly resilient. Tales of their exploits will literally survive forever, while we merely walk in their shadows.
I love how you always remind people Canada helped a lot in the way
I am continually amazed at just how massive WWII was. With Battles like this, it makes me sad that so much of the easily found 'history coverage' covers the same handful of events. That's why I love your channel, finally getting to learn about some truly forgotten history!
when fed good food, for no apparent reason, the Infantry knew something was amiss
In the Pacific, the Marines always knew that a landing was imminent when they got steak and eggs.
Evan Friend feed the common soldiers well, then they know something soon will be expected from them. a common practice in every army throughout the ages.
COL Hurley Fuller was relieved of command of the 23rd Regiment, 2nd ID, in Normandy after the 23rd took heavy loses and failed to take Hill 192. General Gerow, commander of V Corps, fired Fuller during butt kicking meeting when Fuller (likely exhausted and stressed) failed to answer Gerow's questions about why the 23rd didn't press the attack (192 was a meat grinder and it was an impossible task). Fuller was escorted out by his aids and reassigned to the 28th ID in England. I believe that his stubborn defense at Clervaux was partly to regain his reputation after his humiliation in Normandy.
Notice at 7:23 the logs strapped to the Shermans. Gen. Patton would go berzerk when he saw this as his whole tning was speed. The GIs were trying to beefup their thinly armoured tanks. My Dad was a tank commander with the 14th armoured div. and got chewed out by old blood and guts for having sandbags (North Africa 1942) on his tanks. He removed them as ordered, then after the General moved on, replaced them. He survived and came home in November 1945.
And he raised ya to be a stinkin' fiver? Hmmm.
Sherman’s got logs. Panzers got sand bags. t 34s got troops on them for extra armor.
I first read about this battle in John Toland's book Battle: The Story of the Bulge. Toland interviewed Col. Fuller so you quickly find out how desperate the situation was in Clervaux. That scratch force Fuller arranged really fought tooth and nail for that town.
I'm loving the new long format videos Mark, keep it up!
I'm a major history buff, especially regarding World War Two, and although I've read several books regarding the Battle of the Bulge, I've never before heard of this gallant last stand. It's a shame that the dedication, courage and sacrifice of these soldiers has been so overshadowed as to be forgotten due to the publicity given to the larger hold out battles such as Bastogne. Thank you, Mark, for bringing this heroic action to light and finally giving these warriors the recognition they deserve. And thank you for all you do to preserve and teach true and important history.
Wow, the battle at the castle reminded me of the 1969 movie "Castle Keep" with Burt Lancaster, based on a novel written by William Eastlake who served as platoon leader during the battle of the bulge.
I swear Mark is the only history channel where it comes down to actually knowing what he’s talking about love your videos Mark!
I just realized why I love this channel so much, its everything the history channel used to be and should have been. another great upload by far one of the best history channels on this site
my maternal uncle was in the 112th infantry reg, 28th infantry div and captured on christmas eve 1944 in the ardennes. he was sent as a pow to berga labor camp and murdered there in april 1945. my grandmother, an army nurse in ww1, became a double gold star holder: my grandfather never recovered and died of ww1 causes in 1928 and her eldest son was killed in ww2.
it is a miracle that you made it out alive. hope you appreciate GOd's plan for you. stay strong.
JTNS 28 ....damn....I'm a 3rd generation Army combat vet, my Grandfather was a radioman on D-Day at Utah Beach, my Dad was an E5 in Vietnam, and I served two combat tours in Iraq....many families have sacrificed and suffered much pain not only in the defense of America, but also for the good of her allies....much respect to your family, from the sound of it, they served with honor and distinction, just like me and mine....Hooah
The detail and facts mixed with Mark story telling makes his channel and facts of wars and battles 2nd to nobody....the best on RUclips
My wife and I stayed there a few years ago. A wonderful little town with a great museum in the castle.
I was born in South Africa 1985, my Grandparents on my fathers side came from Austria after WW2, I enjoy your channel
Are we blessed by heaven, a 17 minutes video by Mark?!
One cannot believe that the beautiful castle as seen today in the footage was so completely wrecked just 75 years ago, during the heroic defence by the American soldiers stationed there. Great story, great video, as always ! 🌟🌟🌟
I love this place! I visit the castle about once a year to take a picture with the Sherman which is on display there. Same pic every year for about 25 years now!
Thank you so much Mark for keeping alive stories that many of us have never heard. My eyes are constantly opened each time I view your presentations. So often, we were presented a nery 'sterilized' version of history - I appreciate your straightforward and unsanitized documentaries.
WOW! What a in depth and totally riveting presented video on a little known action.Truly exceptional work.......seriously way above the best I've seen in decades.
This reminds me of the movie 'Castle Keep'; it stars Burt Lancaster and other actors, it's a movie worth watching. Thank you for another enjoyable video. Continue to keep up the good work.
Thanks from New Zealand Mark! Thoroughly enjoy your films over my morning coffee.
That fighter pilot sure showed that field of wheat who was boss. @2:34
Someone has to keep that wheat in line before things get out of hand. There's alot more wheat than soldiers and if that wheat were to gang up and get any crazy ideas it could cause a real problem.
Lol what an idiot pilot
General Chuck Yaeger flew strafing missions over 1944/1945 Europe before becoming a test pilot and breaking the Sound Barrier.
He commented: the war was very dirty at that time and both sides committed atrocities. During strafing missions without a preset objective, Allied fighter pilots were ordered to shoot up towns and horse carts to 'break the enemy's morale' (terrorize).
Being a Texan, the word Alamo brings very strong feelings of patriotism and pride. It's in our blood to never back down, even if outnumbered. This is very inspiring.
It was the same at St Vith American 7th Armoured Division being surrounded by 5th Panzer and about to be enveloped and destroyed. I think Monty ordered their withdrawal to more defensible position against the wishes of Hodges and Ridgeway. Monty said they can come back with honour. The question i have is how the hell Bradley wasn't fired after the Hurtegen and the Ardennes fiascos. That needs explaining.
'Ol monty woulda been fired years before for his African fiascos if he wasn't a cousin of the royals!
With 20/20 hindsight, it's easy to judge. Macarthur squandered his airpower in the Philippines, letting his planes get shot to pieces on the ground in the first few days of US involvement. Rommel's aggressive armored pushes without infantry support nearly ended in not only disaster, but nearly cost him his own life multiple times. And Halsey fucked up quite badly costing 7-8 unnecessary US warship losses, over 1400 men, and almost 150 aircraft, between Leyte and a typhoon, and I think the only reason he wasn't handed his own ass was because the heroism and sacrifice of 4 of those ships lead to one of the most unbelievable outnumbered and outgunned naval victories in human history, keeping an even longer death toll off his tab by keeping an invasion force safe from japanese warships... Despite his best efforts to fuck up his one and only job of keeping said force safe.
Point is, generals and admirals are people too. They make mistakes, sometimes they learn, and they have highlights... But above all else... Never forget... Patton's sidelining for 2 years over slapping a GI was completely retarded XD
Truth is, the world of military leadership is rife with politics, those who make it to those positions often abuse their power, and who is held accountable for what boils down to who licks whose boots. And it's a lot worse today than I think it was back then.
Iam Dutch and grew near the Ardennes. Visited the place many times in both winter and summer. Its beautiful but here and there you can find traces of the battle.
Lots of museums and tank wrecks.
Die Wacht Am Rhein amazes me to this day how the germans were able to stealthily mobilise 300,000 troops and two full panzer armies just miles from the front line. The Americans called the Ardennes the "ghost sector" due to it being so quiet.
TheFirst actual warning the Americans received was in an extremely quiet part of The Ardennes, where guard duty was carried out by a single jeep patrol every hour. Fortunately, the patrol escaped enemy attention long enough to radio back that the area was "crawling with Germans."
I was literally watching one of your videos when this was uploaded 😂, love your content mark 👍
You have to do the 551 PIB at the bulge. one of two known fixed bayonet charges on the western front. Unit was annihilated.
Great video today Mark, that was the shortest 17 minutes I can remember in a long time.
7:21
Off-topic from the video but amazing to see the creativity of these Sherman crews to strap on whatever they could find as means of additional armor and camouflage
Edit: I think this would make for a nice video topic for Mark to cover, 👍🏼 if you agree :)
Goes for both sides...see 9:09.....
Side skirting was typical fir German armor. But they as well as the allies would add many different items to help up armor their tanks.
The sherman jumbo in particular had A LOT of makeshift armor. The tank was already overloaded well past what the tracks could handle with a ton of extra steel on the turret and frotal armor, and the crews threw sandbags on top of all that anyway.
Very odd tank. Frontal effective armor rivals even that of a king tiger. Impressive for a sherman that was never meant to be a tank. destroyer or heavy tank.
Mark Felton is The History Channel. Thanks you so much for the extra long video!
Great job again Mr Felton. I would love to see Australian involvement in WW2 and especially SAS in Vietnam. My great uncle was killed in Vietnam serving as SAS training the south.
In my kitchen on the edge of my seat! This story is better than any Hollywood movie.
Dear Sir. Once again I'm educated and enlightened. Thank you so much. Bless you and yours.
That might have been the best 17 minutes I’ve ever spent on RUclips
Excellent footage, information, content and commentary once again. The research you put into these videos Mark is fantastic. From all these battles that are not common public knowledge, to even the biggest battles, I look forward to watching each and every one. Again, thanks for your time and work. Amazing channel.
You sir amaze us
You continually amaze me with the history you bring forward to us
Thank You sir
The winter pics and videos especially with the panzers and Sherman’s are incredible and exceptionally well edited.
Awesome video and a little-known battle. God bless our WWII vets, or which, my dad was one. So few are left.
Never knew this battle took place - always thought the only time in history American troops have defended a medieval castle was Itter in '45...
Thanks, Mark, for a very interesting film
Please continue to share more. What sacrifice and courage, I will be forever grateful for their service.
My great grandfather was in the 106th. He got to the forest like two or three days before the offensive started. St Vith isn’t talked about nearly as much as Bastogne. Props to you sir
I believe the movie Castle Keep was based on this battle. In the movie the Germans used a fire truck to help take the Castle.
I’m surprised the Americans didn’t allow a retreat.. Another great video. I love how you capture ever little detail to how many tanks by the Americans were even in the battle.
just looked dr. felton up in wikipedia. what an astounding individual. his bibliography is quite a fascinating "re'sume'". no wonder these vids are so well done!
Absolutely fantastic video and narration. This is the first video I've seen on the channel and I'm glad to have found it. Looking forward to checking out other content, great job.
I learn something new, everyday from this channel, and I thank you for that.
Ardennes Alamo
you have my attention as a texan!
A must-watch for anyone interested in WWII history! I had always heard of the "Battle of the Bulge" but I was not aware of the sacrifice these guys made to slow the German advance. Heroes might not be a strong enough word to describe them.
Thank you for all your hard work Dr Felton
Its situations like this that seperate the men from the mice. The mice ran like cowards and the men stayed and defended Clervaux.
Yet another intriguing installment from history, this has been the best one to date!
This channel satisfies my cravings for the glory days of the history and military channels
Your best video yet. Superb story telling.
Wow my heart is still raising from you explaining the mission as it unfolded.
Oh Boy, thank you Mark. This one was the best ever.
Great work as always Mr Felton. This battle reminds me of a similar battle that I'd love to see you do a video on, the Siege of Lille in 1940, where the French garrison held back German forces advancing on Dunkirk, buying precious time for the evacuation and saving a hundred thousand men. So impressed by the defense by the French soldiers the German commander allowed them to parade march out of the city when they surrendered.
It's nice that Mark pays tribute and is respectful to America and our contribution to the war, instead of being one of the Brits who tries to downplay America's role in WWII. Everyone contributed a hell of a lot.
Those men are unknown hero's! Thanks for telling their story.
This is the best channel i've been subscribed to in my RUclips time so far. Every time good narrated videos!
Keep up the good work Mark, you are a real addition to RUclips ! I still can't imagine that people down vote these really good videos.
Amazing how Felton can deliver suspense without dramatic narration. Content is king.
Brilliant Mark, I hope you every success with your book, I'll be picking up a copy for sure
Another good one. I was not that familiar with the battle at Clervaux castle, despite having read extensively on the Western Front in WW2. Thanks for posting. The brave defenders of the castle and the hotel had to fight both against overwhelming enemy strength and poor leadership from their own General staff. Ironically, (perhaps) Dutch Cota had become famous for his statement to the men at Omaha Beach who were pinned down by heavy fire: "The only men on this beach are the dead or those who are about to die, so get off this beach!" Some have even questioned whether he really made that statement, but it was attributed to him in the American press and he became a hero. Further, the publicity surrounding that quote probably helped get him promoted faster than he probably should have been. He clearly did not seem ready to command an entire Division facing a major German attack.
thank you, i agree this should be mandatory viewing for high school students, too quickly we forget history and are brainwashed by social media & "news" agency that we are invincible. Thank You again.
The guy sleeping with a hand grenade over his chest. Can't even imagine what he went through.
Another fantastic report from Mark Felton..... they just keep on coming, and we're all glad for it.
Nobody Comes Back, by Don Pearce, is a novel from 2005 which features this battle. Your protagonist is a teenage American who is wounded, captured and then escapes and ends up in the castle. The writer of this novel is famous for writing the screenplay to cool hand Luke. It is a well written book and I am re-reading it now.
Thanks for the hard work on these videos Mark!
I had a uncle who was a divisional aide officer of 28th during Hürtgen forest and was heavily involved in action during the bulge.. There is a story of him running around a town and evacuating nurses from a hotel in the town they were in. My guess it that was the hotel in clervaux. It is very cool to see some attention being given to it.
My uncle was in the 28th(PA national guard) since the 30s and said that Cota did not like the original National Guard officers that were there and replaced them with his guys whenever an excuse was there to be had.
I've toured the Ardennes battlefields as well as the Hurgen Forest. You can still see Sherman tank tracks in the forest and the German bunkers still carry their paint.
This was really interesting. Liked the longer format with more in depth information. Well done!
Quality like this requires no comment. Keep up the good work!
Brilliant video, probably my favourite so far
This channel is growing! 👍
I just can't get enough of these Video's. Great Stuff
Idk how anyone can dislike the videos.... They're put together good and are easy to understand
Read "Alamo In The Ardennes" by John McManus. One of the best books I ever read on the subject.
Superb!...i knew nothing of this heroic standoff by these brave soldiers and i was lucky to see the world at war on tv when it aired, this is a very nice follow up in HD with quality content and narration! 👏🏻🌟
My great-uncle was at the Battle of the Bulge. He was a tanker under the future 4 star General Creighton Abrams when they saved the 101st Airborne from certain annihilation. And yes, it was certain annihilation. I understand that the Airborne are supposed to be surrounded but 101st was getting pounded hard til armor showed up and saved the day.
I had no idea that I'd stayed in a town with Battle of the Bulge history. I stayed in the Hotel du Commerce in Clervaux in a room that looked directly at the back side of the castle. I was staying there on my way to go to the museums in Bastogne. Thank you Mark for this video.
The hairpin bends are an interesting example of how a single tank on tank engagement can ripple up to the operational/strategic levels
There's a movie called castle keep ( 1969 starring Burt Lancaster ), which tells of a group American soldiers defending a castle. It was filmed in the then Yugoslavia, but it was supposed to take place during the battle of the bulge.
Erik Stenberg
That's the movie I was trying to think of. Was it based on this incident?
Wait isn't that the movie they watch in Fargo is Reagan in it?
l am 75 now l had no idea of this till now.....Thanks...Mark....Super well done as usual...!
I've watched many of your videos, all very good, but this one is amazing.