By late December 23, 1944, the 508th PIR was deployed in an eight-mile salient, stretching, from the main battle position to Vielsalm.
The 508th PIR’s mission was to provide a corridor to safety for the severely mauled and desperate survivors of the overrun infantry divisions and the hard-pressed 7th Armored Division.
The nose of the 508th PIR salient rested upon the Salm River Bridge at Vielsalm. Our First Battalion, supported by my machineguns manned the tip of the salient.
By dawn of December 24, hundreds of vehicles (tanks, armored cars, command vehicles, jeeps) and desperate men fleeing destruction or capture by the Germans had transited the 508th PIR corridor to safety.
Hq1 machineguns were covering the Salm River Bridge – under continuous enemy artillery fire and strafing.
In the afternoon, a US fighter a P-47 dropped a bomb on our position and buried our assistant platoon leader. We managed to dig him out and get him evacuated. Concurrently the two Hq1 81mm Mortar Platoon for-ward observers were wounded and evacuated.
The 508th PIR’s position was becoming increasingly perilous. It was vulnerable to being cutoff and destroyed by fast moving German armored forces supported with infantry.
Late in the afternoon of December 24, the 508th PIR was ordered to with-draw to the main battle position. One platoon per Rifle Company would stay behind to provide a covering force.
We spent that Christmas Eve night executing the withdrawal, fighting strong German combat patrols, and traversing densely forested snow covered hills.
On Christmas morning, the 508th PIR was fully committed to developing a strong defensive position. For the next several days, we fought off strong German attacks.
Morale improved on January 7, 1945 as the 508th PIR went on the offensive. In a bloody and costly assault, the Their-du-Mont Ridge, overlooking the Salm River was captured. Thereafter, the 508th PIR fought through the heavily defended Siegfried Line, and the cold and deep snow of the densely forested Ardennes, all the way to the Roer River, and the end of combat for the regiment. | 
