Important note
Photos provided on this website are not an endorsement of any political idea or of war. War is one of the most regrettable human activities.
All
photos on this page are copyright Robert Mary and may only be reproduced
with my express permission. You may contact me here
Historical information
The Battle of the Bulge started on December 16th 1944, the German goal was to capture the harbor of Antwerp and isolate British from American troops in order to negotiate a peace treaty or at least a cease-fire. Their extreme advance point was Celles near Dinant. The whole German occupation zone was clear of Allied troops except Bastogne which was still resisting. They were ultimately rescued by paratroopers coming from Arlon. However before their rescue they were surrounded and the Germans asked their surrender, General Mc Auliffe replied "nuts" meaning "go to Hell" despite the initial absence of any medical unit to take care of the wounded.
Germans lost valuable troops who would have been more useful to the defense of the western part of Gerrmany, this explains why the Allied advance in Germany after the Battle of the Bulge was far easier than the one of the Soviets in the eastern part of Germany.
THEME FLIGHT
Information from the website of Air Loisirs organising such event:
(min. 2 pers.)
We offer you the below mentioned theme flights.
Each theme flight goes as follows :
A. On the ground.
* Reception with drinks.
* A visually animated presentation of the theme.
* You will receive a map with the route and the most important points of the
flight. These will be explained then.
* - You will also receive a brief presentation of the airplane.
B. In the air.
* Commentary regarding the points flown over.
* Possibility to take aerial photographs yourself.
The different themes :
* The Battle
of the Bulge: the Battle of the Ardennes: “The battle
in and around Bastogne”
* Time goes by
* Stones and castles
* The valley of the river Semois
* Flight of the Ardennes
You can choose for :
* the entire concept consisting of the presentation and the flight
(between 1 and 2 hours depending on the flight).
* the flight only (between 30 minutes and 1 hour depending on the flight).
* the presentation only (duration from 15 to 30 minutes)..
* Different airplanes.
We fly with at least two and at a maximum 3 persons per airplane.
THE BATTLE OF THE
BULGE : "The battle in and around Bastogne"
When flying for about an hour, you will fly over a dozen historic places. The battle of Bastogne seen from another point of view and appreciating nature at the same time.
Locations Comments
1.
Renuamont
Place
where the Sherman tank of 11th Armored Division (displayed today on "Mc Auliffe Place")
was stopped by Germans.
2.
Sibret and Assenois
Sibret
The route from Neufchâteau that Patton’s
troops used to rejoin Bastogne.
Assenois
First contact point between the surrounded American troops and
Patton’s
troops. There is a small bunker visible by plane.
3.
Kessler Farm
Place where
the German negotiators asked for surrender of the surrounded American
troops. General Mc Auliffe replied verbally his
famous "nuts".
4. Bastogne
Lemaire House
Place where a civilian nurse died, the house
where US wounded soldiers was hit by German artillery
Mc Auliffe Place
Bastogne’s town centre, this includes a statue of General
Mc Auliffe who refused to surrender and a Sherman tank. Near
the Sherman stands the last bollet of the liberty path starting
on the Normandy beaches.
Heintz barracks
Place where the 101st Airborne’s HQ was set up in the basements.
From there Mc Auliffe send a written message ("nuts")
in reply to the American surrender asked by the Germans.
5.
“Mardasson
Memorial” and "Bastogne
Historical Centre"
Mardasson
Memorial represents the extreme defense zone of Bastogne by US troops.
Building
of the monument strated in 1946 and ended
in 1950. The BHC soon followed. The M10 Wolverine was standing
in a US base and General Desobry decided to move it to the museum,
a
street is bearing his name in remembrance.
6.
Bois
de la Paix
(Wood
of Peace)
The
Forest includes trees bearing the names of US veterans in remembrance
of their struggle to defend the city of Bastogne, the forest
shows up from the sky the emblem of UNICEF (Mother and child).
7.
Bois
Jacques
Easy
Company’s
position, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st
Airborne (From the film: « Band Of Brothers »).
The forest was occupied by US paratroopers but under artillery
fire of Germans. Germans occupied a railroad coming from
Gouvy and leading
to the forest, they used tanks attempting to enter the forest.
Then Americans
left
the
forest to rejoin the village of Foy but they had to walk during
400 meters in the open ground unproteted and suffered heavy losses.
8.
German
Cemetery of Recogne
It
was also nearby the location of a temporary American cemetery
before the transfer to USA or to US military cemeteries
in Belgium (Neuville-en-Condroz or Henri-Chapelle)
9.
Rolley’s
castle
PC of the 501st PIR of the 101st Airborne and location of
German attacks with bayonets in front of the castle.
There was
also a destruction
of German tanks in the adjacent road.
10.
Hinck
Barrier
place
where the 326th Medical Bn, 101st Airborne Field Hospital
was captured on December 20, 1944.
It was (and is still today)
a
crossroad, Americans headed to Bastogne because of traffic
jam in the main road
to the
East (La
Roche) and precisely on their way to Bastogne an entire
medical unit was captured. This explains why gliders were then
used to send medics
to city of Bastogne during its encirclement by the Germans
(paradropping them would have been too unsafe).
11.
Pironpre
This
was the place where young American soldiers (average
age was seventien) of 87th US infantry Division sacrificed
themselves to
allow the organisation of the resistance of other American
troops in Bastogne. The 87th Infantry Division was greatly
helped
by an Afro-American unit, the 701th Armored Division.
.
The official website
of the organiser stands here
Air Loisirs public relations staff can be contacted here
Underlying Philosophy
Memory of the past must not be lost otherwise same errors will be made War has not to be idealised, war must be avoided as long as possible unless democracy is jeopardized Detailed information are given to History fans such as the presence of Hitler in Bastogne in 1940, the use of gliders in Bastogne during the battle to get new medical personnel, ... General information easily identified is given to tourists There is a message of anti-racism and tolrance illustrated by the role of Afro-Americans during WW2 (presence on the front line and not only in unit belonging to logistics and also existence of massacres perpetrated by SS units like the one in Werther near Saint Vith)Location information
The airfield is located
at:
Aérodrome de St-Hubert, 5 bte 10
B 6870 ST-HUBERT
Tél : 00 32 497 67 03 67
The air trip must be booked in advance.
RATES
ADULT (individual) : 200 €
Personal note
At first a movie about the Battle of the Bulge is presented to the audience and a question/answers session takes place, then the air trip occurs with explanations -via headphones- of main flown zones . Afterwards people receive a small video on CD in remembrance of the event.
Personnally my trip was different because I requested a specific trip devoted to aerial photography, we were at an average altitude of 150 meters and flew at 200 KM. There were extreme conditions to make photos and extreme flight conditions (the aircraft was close to stall but I had a highly skilled pilot I fully trusted), It was a positive experience. I hope you will appreciate the photos.
Year of Visit : June 2009