For the Second Cavalry Group, the Rhineland Offensive is temporarily put on hold as the Group is rushed north to help reclaim the now famous Bulge. Who could ever forget that winter in the Ardennes forest? (click picture to enlarge)

Map 33
CLICK MAP TO ENLARGE. ONCE ENLARGED, CLICK AGAIN TO MAKE VERY LARGE FOR READING DETAIL.

• Ahn (9)
• Chateau Thorn (11)
• Costingen (2)
• Dalheim (3)
• Ehnen (23)
• Flaxweiler (25)
• Grevenmacher (6)
• Kleinmacher (19)
• Kollig (15)
• Kreuzweiler (14)
• Machtum (5)
• Moutfort (1)
• Nennig (17)
• Nittel (8)
• Palzem (20)
• Rehlingen (16)
• Remich (12)
• Stadtbredimus (21)
• Sinz (18)
• Wies (10)
• Wehr (22)
• Wellen (7)
• Wincheringen (13)
• Wintrange (4)
• Wormeldange (24)

Christmas Day, 1944 finds Task Force Reed on an eastern defense of Luxembourg City as the "Bulge" in the Ardennes Forest continues to spread. This drawing represents the fine aircraft suppression provided by the 457th AAA attached to the Second Cavalry Regiment. (click photo to enlarge)

Even the assault gun crews of E Troop got their share of patrolling the dense forests of the Ardennes, probing the deep snow for the ever present Panzer Grenadier. (click picture to enlarge)

One of the worst winters in Europe in 200 years and a huge armored thrust by the enemy combined to put the Allies on their heels. The Second Cavalry white-washes it's tanks, and is the first unit in XII Corps to be issued snow capes to camouflage the troops. (click picture to enlarge)

B Troop, 2nd Squadron considered snow shelters, like this on the bank of the Moselle River, home for 41 days. (click picture to enlarge)

C Troop, 2nd Squadron is given the task of cleaning out Machtum, but the Germans have a different idea and put up a real fight. Heroics in Machtum earn Pfc. Feiner a Bronze Star and T/5 Neffke a Silver Star. (click picture to enlarge)

11 January 1945, Cpl. Holtz and Sgt. Gates of C Troop, 2nd Squadron, teamed up to take out a machinegun nest in Machtum. Using cover and move tactics to gain position on the enemy stronghold, Sgt. Gates dropped one enemy with his rifle before it jammed. Cpl. Holtz quickly shot and killed another as Sgt. Gates dispatched the remainder with a well placed grenade.
Sgt. Gates was killed eight days later during the attack on Rehlingen Germany, 19 January 1945. (click picture to enlarge)

The month of January 1945, Task Force Reed spent digging in along the Moselle River, manning outposts, and sending out patrols to gather prisoners and other intelligence and to generally harass the enemy. (click picture to enlarge)