30th Infantry Division US Memorial (Half-track) - Stavelot (Belgium)

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.

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Historical information

In his quest for crossing-points to exit the valley of the Amblève, Peiper decided to pass through Stavelot. Early on the morning of 18 December 1944, Kampfgruppe Peiper neutralized the American guns defending the access to the bridge over the Amblève, crossed the bridge and entered the lower part of the town.

However, on the night of 20 to 21 December, the Americans managed to blow-up the bridge, cutting-off the vanguard of Kampfgruppe Peiper from its rearguard and refuelling units, thereby forcing the Germans to change their itinerary towards Trois-Ponts, where they would wreak vengeance by killing many civilians on their way.

Given the advance of the German tanks and in order to stop Peiper from capturing the enormous fuel depot, 6km-long (3,7 miles) on the Stavelot-Francorchamps road, soldiers of the 5th Belgian Fusilier Battalion guarding the depot set fire to the first rows of jerricans of fuel, creating a gigantic wall of flames. Other photos of the half-track can be found on the Ardennes 44 website.

Location information

The half-track is presented in homage to all the American units that fought in the defence and liberation of the town of Stavelot (at "Place du 18 décembre" just near the bridge).