The Battle of the Bulge Chapters Forces Units Bibliography EN/FR
03
Day 19 of the Offensive

Wednesday, 3 January 1945

Foggy, heavily overcast, cold; temperatures below freezing day and night; snow approximately twelve inches deep, frozen almost solid; visibility limited to 100–200 yards in low areas.

Field Marshal Montgomery opened the major Allied counter-offensive along the western side of the German salient. At 08:30, First Army began its attack to reduce the enemy’s salient from the north, with VII Corps attacking southeast toward Houffalize. General Hasso von Manteuffel later stated that the German army was on the defensive west of the Trois-Ponts–Vielsalm line.

The Front Line — Wednesday, 3 January 1945
Traced from: U.S. 12th Army Group, Situation Maps, 1200 hrs daily, 16 Dec 1944 – 25 Jan 1945. Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division, G5701.S5 (LoC ict21195–ict21235). Approximate positions; interpolated between key dates.

The 82nd Airborne Division attacked southward with three regiments abreast, driving Germans back from the Salm River and capturing Trois-Ponts, Reharmont, and Fosse. The 2nd Armored Division and the 3rd Armored Division attacked in severe winter conditions as the counteroffensive opened. As a diversion, the 30th Infantry Division pushed small forces south of Malmedy and then withdrew them as planned.

Northern Shoulder
Elsenborn Ridge
The defensive line along the Elsenborn Ridge remained static. The 6. SS-Panzerarmee was strategically defeated in its breakthrough attempt.
Bra and the Salm
The 82nd Airborne Division attacked at 08:30 with three regiments abreast: the 517th Parachute Infantry on the left, the 505th in the centre, and the 325th Glider Infantry on the right. The 325th seized Ancomont; the 505th captured Reharmont and Fosse; the 517th gained Trois-Ponts and the high ground near Herispehe and St Jacques.
Malmedy
As a diversion for the main counter-offensive, the 30th Infantry Division pushed small forces south of Malmedy and then withdrew them as planned.
Central Sector
Hotton–Houffalize Axis
VII Corps attacked southeast toward Houffalize with the 2nd Armored Division followed by the 84th Infantry Division on the right, and the 3rd Armored Division followed by the 83rd Infantry Division on the left. The 2nd Armored Division gained Trinal, Freineux, and Le Batty. The 3rd Armored Division took Malempré and Floret and advanced to Groumont Creek.
Southern Shoulder
Bastogne Front
Elements of the 87th Infantry Division were temporarily surrounded in woods east of St. Hubert. The 17th Airborne Division attacked north late in the day northwest of Bastogne. Northeast of Bastogne, the 101st Airborne Division and 501st Parachute Infantry were clearing Bois Jacques. The 6th Armored Division repelled enemy thrusts west of Michamps.
Allied Command
Counter-Offensive Launch
At 08:30, the US First Army began its counteroffensive to reduce the enemy’s Ardennes salient from the north. VII Corps attacked southeast toward Houffalize with XVIII Airborne Corps supporting. The objective was to link up with Third Army near Houffalize.
Operation Nordwind
Operation Nordwind continued in Alsace. The 6th Army Group was assigned the defence of Strasbourg. The enemy expanded the Bitche salient, entering Wingen and Philippsbourg.