Wednesday, 24 January 1945 — The Battle of the Bulge

Day forty of the Ardennes campaign. The 6. SS-Panzerarmee continued being pulled out for transport to the Eastern Front. German forces executed an orderly retreat toward the West Wall. Arado 234 jet bombers managed to get airborne and bombed Allied rail and road junctions.

The Front Line — Wednesday, 24 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 7th Armored Division consolidated its hold on St. Vith. The 424th Infantry Regiment began operations north of St. Vith to secure the main highway through the German-speaking region of Belgium. The 82nd Airborne Division continued preparations to relieve the 7th Armored Division.

Northern Shoulder

Elsenborn Ridge

V Corps maintained its counter-offensive drive. The 424th Infantry Regiment of the 106th Infantry Division began operations north of St. Vith.

Salm River

The 82nd Airborne Division continued preparations to relieve the 7th Armored Division. The 508th PIR had been relieved by the 424th Infantry on 23 January.

Amblève Valley

The 30th Infantry Division continued operations, consolidating control over the cleared western areas.

Central Sector

North of St. Vith

The 7th Armored Division had successfully recaptured St. Vith the previous day. The 424th Infantry Regiment began an attack north of St. Vith to secure the main highway through the German-speaking region of Belgium, spending the day patrolling, extending, and consolidating its regimental zone.

Southern Shoulder

Allied Command

German Withdrawal

The 6. SS-Panzerarmee was in the process of being pulled out for transport to the Eastern Front. The 1. SS-Panzer-Division reported four Panzers on strength; the 12. SS-Panzer-Division reported six.

Arado 234 Jet Operations

German Arado 234 jet bombers managed to get airborne and proceeded to bomb Allied rail and road junctions, marking a new if limited threat to Allied logistics.

Malmédy Massacre Graves Registration

Work was ongoing at the Baugnez crossroads to process the bodies of the victims of the Malmédy massacre. The recovered bodies were uncovered and designated with numbered markers.