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Our Bloody Nose
Other bad news came from outside the division. Away up north of us, in the
Ardennes Forest of Belgium and Luxembourg, the Germans had launched a huge
counter-offensive, and although details were scarce, things were not going well for our
side. All in all, even Bob T. Hughes was having trouble staying sunny and sanguine.
And then, during three days of the winter solstice - literally as well as
symbolically the darkest days of the year - the 90th Infantry Division retreated to the west
bank of the Saar. It was done by order of higher headquarters, and it was a good tactical
decision, but the withdrawal was a disheartening sequel to our glorious victory at the
Moselle.
I suppose it should have helped when we heard that the two weeks the division
held that bridgehead was a new record for the length of time any bridgehead across a
major river had been held without benefit of a bridge.
Like being told that observations of your wife's terminal illness had advanced
medical science immeasurably.
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