Harper, Joseph H., MG

The Ardennes - Battle of the Bulge
On 16 December, 1944, the Germans launched an offensive in the west through the Ardennes Forest. The 101^st Airborne Division was ordered to the vitally important town of Bastogne.Bastogne was the key to the German counteroffensive and had to be held at all cost by the 101^st. The Regiment arrived at Bastogne on 19 December following a hundred mile truck march. The 327^th immediately assumed a defensive sector south of Bastogne. By 22 December the Germans had completely surrounded Bastogne and on the 23^rd the German Commander offered terms of surrender to General McAuliffe, the acting Division Commander.

His reply was “Nuts.” The German delegation had come through the 327^th sector and Colonel Harper was given the responsibility of relaying General McAuliffe’s response.The Germans said they did not understand. Colonel Harper replied, “The reply is decidedly not affirmative – in plain English, it is the same as ‘Go to Hell.’ Although encircled and outnumbered, American forces withstood all attempts by the Germans to take positions, including Germans dressed in American uniforms. The 327^th Regiment held for nine days, until relieved by the 4^th Armored Division. Despite suffering heavy causalities, the Regiment took 750 prisoners, knocked out 144 Nazi tanks and 105 other enemy vehicles. For its actions as a unit in the defense of Bastogne, the 327^th the Regimental motto “Bastogne Bulldog.”

(picture above: Men of A Company of the 327^th GIR in Austria circa 1945.)