NOT SOLD (BIDDING OVER)
0.00USD+ applicable fees & taxes.
This item WAS NOT SOLD. Auction date was 2016 Mar 17 @ 10:30UTC-04:00 : AST/EDT
SIGNED REPORTS OF THE 501ST P.I.R. / 101ST AIRBORNE AT BASTOGNE AND THE FIRST APPEARANCE OF MCAULIFFE'S "NUTS!"
An incredibly important group of ten war-date documents and maps issued and later retained by 101st Airborne G-2 (Intelligence Officer) LT. COL. PAUL DANAHY who was stationed at division headquarters during the siege of Bastogne and witnessed Gen. Anthony McAuliffe's famous response "Nuts!" to the German demand for surrender. The documents, most mimeographed, marked "SECRET" and issued from headquarters, include a Dec. 22, 1945 situation report, 2pp. legal folio, initialed as read by LT. COL. JULIAN J. EWELL, commander of the 501 P.I.R. and also initialed by four of his staff officers. The report includes the very first appearance of the German demand for surrender, with the text of the order reprinted verbatim. McAuliffe's response is not quoted, but Danahy dramatically notes: "The Commanding General's was, with a sarcastic air of humorous tolerance, emphatically negative". Important operational notes include reports of enemy probing, the rumored arrival of the 130 Panzer Lehr Div. and the presence of other German units, enemy build-up to the west, and estimated enemy losses. Also present is the historic December 25, 1944 single-sheet Christmas message sent over Gen. ANTHONY MCAULIFFE's printed signature to his beleaguered men. He declares: "...We have stopped cold everything that has been thrown at us from the North, East, South and West...How effectively this was done will be written in history, not alone in our Division's glorious history but in World history. The Germans actually did surround us, their radios blared our doom. Their Commander demanded our surrender..." The text of the surrender demand is here again set forth, and for the first time the men of the 101st learned of McAuliffe's immortal response: "...'To the German Commander: NUTS! The American Commander'"We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present...". On Dec. 26, Danahy issued another report, 2pp. legal folio, this one also initialed by LT COL. JULIAN J. EWELL and six staff members. It refers to American units and "Unlocated" German forces and an attack made upon the American lines which was repulsed by "close-in" fighting. Another German attack by 200 men and seven tanks was repulsed by accurate artillery fire and further enemy activity was severely hampered by American air cover. American aircraft are also credited with driving off German air attacks. Late on the 26th, initial armored elements of Patton's relief forces started to arrive in the immediate vicinity. The reduced pressure on the 101st is reflected in Danahy's report of Dec. 27, 1p. legal folio, this one again initialed by LT. COL. JULIAN J. EWELL and five staff members. The report indicates that enemy armor was retreating west but two attacks, broken up by artillery, had been made before dawn. Air attacks on Bastogne were still being made, but: "...there are evidences he is turning to the defensive...". On Jan. 15 an S-2 "Hoffman" of the 501st issues a report, 1p. 4to., stating that enemy activity was light and: "This unit no longer has a sector of operation." He further reports on P.O.W.s and intelligence gathered from them, including information on a unit of the SS .The verso shows the disposition of various enemy forces across the region. Also included in the lot are three semi-transparent overlays, each approx. 20" x 14" and labeled: "ENEMY SITUATION OVERLAY TO ACCOMPANY G-2 PERIODIC REPORT". These are associated with Donahy's reports of December 22, 26 and 27. The overlays indicate which "BELGIUM" maps should be used with them. All three maps appear to show Bastogne surrounded by German forces. The map ofDec. 22 displays German units, also "TANK ATTACK...BRIDGE BLOWN...FOOT ACTIVITY...UNKNOWN NO. 1/2 TRACKS..." etc. The Dec. 26 map illustrates Waffen-SS units and suspected Fallschirmjager positions, and the Dec. 27 map also shows armor and AA emplacements. All three maps make it clear that the situation for the besieged Americans was one of great uncertainty. Following the relief of Bastogne, on Feb. 7, 1945 Gen. George S. Patton issued his 2pp. 4to. General Order 31 (also present) giving a commendation to the 501st and eight other units which has served at Bastogne for their "extraordinary heroism and gallantry...despite extremely bombing, intense artillery fire, and constant attacks...". A G-3 named "Chase" of the 101st relayed extraordinary news in a partial report also present, 1p. 8 1/2" x 6", May 5, 1945, the text of Gen. Maxwell Taylor's orders to the 101st: "GERMAN ARMY GROUP G, ON FRONT OF XXI CORPS AND 101 ABN DIV, HAS SURRENDERED. HALT ALL TROOPS IN PLACE. NO FURTHER ADVANCE...TROOPS WILL FIRE ONLY IF FIRED UPON...". Most of these documents, meant only for single use, are now quite brittle and must be handled with great care. A few have marginal chips and some have small areas of slightly faded text commensurate with exposure, but overall these documents are in very good condition. This archive is certainly of great historical importance and is worthy of inclusion in the finest collections.
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