26th Reconnaissance Troop: First contact Multi-Cache
eyeblinker: I removed the box today.
26th Reconnaissance Troop
26th Reconnaissance Troop: First contact
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26th Reconnaissance Troop: First contact
This one mile multi-cache shows you the area where the 26th Reconnaissance Troop of the 26th Infantry Division made their intial contact with the enemy during the Battle of the Bulge. It took place on December 22, 1944 at 1050.
You will need binoculars, a compass and a not too foggy day.
The three line platoons of the 26th Reconnaissance Troop moved out at 0500 to reconnoiter the northern zone of the division and to locate the enemy.
The first platoon made its first contact with the enemy 16 miles in front of the division at a crossroad outside of Rambrouch at 1050: Germans in American uniforms riding in an American weapons carrier. Realizing the situation, the Germans tried to run for it, but the platoon shot them down and captured the vehicle intact.
A short time later a German motorcycle with a sidecar came down the same road. The driver was killed and a German colonel wounded. The colonel’s map case contained marked maps and overlays.
26th Reconnaissance Troop had run into the Führer Grenadier Brigade.
First platoon radioed back that they had contacted the enemy and were ordered to hold the line. They were reinforced by a tank destroyer from the 818th Tank Destroyer Battalion.
The tank destroyer and a machine gun jeep had been placed on the road just outside of Rambrouch, when a German armored column broke out of the woods.
The tank destroyer knocked out a half-track containing Oberst Hans-Joachim Kahler, commander of the Führer Grenadier Brigade, seriously wounding him and scattered the infantry.
Later the enemy counterattacked with infantry, but were again driven off. Finally Panzer elements maneuvered to the rear of the American positions and first platoon withdraw into Rambrouch.
The German infantry infiltrated into some of the houses in the town where a firefight ensued. After 12 hours of holding this position the platoon was given permission to withdraw because of overwhelming odds. The troopers were outnumbered ten to one.
The platoon got back to division lines without any casualties. Sgt. Lawrence L. Hatfield, the patrol leader, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at Rambrouch. Cpl. George C. Linthicum, the point jeep driver, was awarded the Bronze Star.
Rambrouch was finally taken back on December 24, 1944 by the 26th Infantry Division.
-The given coordinates show you the area of 26th Reconnaissance Troop’s encounter with the Führer Grenadier Brigade. At 350° you will find 8 numbers ABCD-EFGH which will give you the parking place:
N 49° 50.AFC’ / E 005° 50.BFH’
-Follow the path in southern direction for approximately 206 m as the crow flies.
What letter do you see above the dot? I
Of what color is the dot? 2nd letter = J
-Go to N 49° 50.(J+2*I)D’ / E 005° 50.(I+G)IF’
Of how many boards is the table made? K
Of how many boards are the seats made? L
-Take your binoculars and look at GII°
Number of persons on the traffic signs gives you M.
Number of red and white traffic signs: if 2, N=0 / if 3, N=4
(If there should be too much fog or if the field is cultivated, take the number of the last house on your left minus F and you'll have M and N)
-Move to the final at: N 49° 50.M(K+I)M’ / E 005° 50.LL(K+N)’
Logs in English please.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Fghzc