Beyond the Bell Traditional Cache
OReviewer: As there's been no response to the earlier reviewer note, I am archiving this cache.
If you wish to repair/replace the cache sometime in the future, just contact us (by email, include the GC Code), and assuming it meets the guidelines, we'll be happy to unarchive it.
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Parking should not be too difficult as the road is not used too frequently as most of the offices have closed up. You can park on a shoulder nearby and throw on the flashers. Depending on how you access the cache container it could be either easy or a little roundabout bushwacking.
When I first saw this container it was a must have!
Make sure you BRING YOUR OWN FINE TIPPED WRITING UTENSIL and a SMALL SET of TWEEZERS, to remove the log.
Bastogne
Wacht am Rhein—the German offensive, 16–25 December 1944 Main article: Battle of Bastogne
On 19 December, the senior Allied commanders met in a bunker in Verdun. Eisenhower, realizing that the Allies could destroy German forces much more easily when they were out in the open and on the offensive than if they were on the defensive, told the generals, "The present situation is to be regarded as one of opportunity for us and not of disaster. There will be only cheerful faces at this table." Patton, realizing what Eisenhower implied, responded, “Hell, let’s have the guts to let the bastards go all the way to Paris. Then, we’ll really cut ’em off and chew ’em up.” Eisenhower asked Patton how long it would take to turn his Third Army (located in south-central France) north to counterattack. He said he could attack with two divisions within 48 hours, to the disbelief of the other generals present. Before he had gone to the meeting, however, Patton had ordered his staff to prepare three contingency plans for a northward turn in at least corps strength. By the time Eisenhower asked him how long it would take, the movement was already underway. On 20 December, Eisenhower removed the U.S. First and Ninth Armies from Bradley’s 12th Army Group and placed them under Montgomery’s 21st Army Group command.
By 21 December the German forces had surrounded Bastogne, which was defended by the 101st Airborne Division and Combat Command B of the 10th Armored Division. Conditions inside the perimeter were tough—most of the medical supplies and medical personnel had been captured. Food was scarce, and ammunition was so low that artillery crews were forbidden to fire on advancing Germans unless there was a large concentration of them. Despite determined German attacks, however, the perimeter held. The German commander sent this request to the American commander in Bastogne:
To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.
The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.
There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town. In order to think it over a term of two hours will be granted beginning with the presentation of this note.
If this proposal should be rejected one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A. A. Battalions are ready to annihilate the U.S.A. troops in and near Bastogne. The order for firing will be given immediately after this two hours' term.
All the serious civilian losses caused by this artillery fire would not correspond with the well known American humanity.
The German Commander.
When General Anthony McAuliffe, acting commander of the 101st Airborne, was told of this German invitation to surrender, he responded "Aw, nuts!" After turning to other pressing issues, his staff reminded him that they should reply to the German demand; one officer recommended that the initial reply would be "tough to beat".
Thus McAuliffe wrote on the paper delivered to the Germans: “NUTS!” That reply had to be explained, both to the Germans and to non-American Allies.
Rather than launching one simultaneous attack all around the perimeter, the German forces concentrated their assaults on several individual locations attacked in sequence. Although this compelled the defenders to constantly shift reinforcements in order to repel each attack, it tended to dissipate the Germans’ numerical advantage.
Congratulations to SMRICH for FTF!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Trareny Nagubal ZpNhyvssr'f erfcbafr gb gur fheeraqre grezf sebz gur Treznal Pbzznaqre!