Fox at the Front (Fox on the Rhine) Read online

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  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Notice

  PROLOGUE - OPERATION FUCHS AM RHEIN

  OPERATION VENGEANCE - 2 7–3 1 DECEMBER 1944

  27 DECEMBER 1944

  NEAR NAMUR, BELGIUM, SOUTH SIDE OF THE MEUSE RIVER, 0700 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, BELGIUM, 0709 HOURS GMT

  THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, DC, 0753 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B FIELD HOSPITAL, NEAR DINANT, 1442 HOURS GMT

  28 DECEMBER 1944

  NEARING NAMUR, BELGIUM, NORTH SIDE OF THE MEUSE RIVER, 0946 HOURS GMT

  NEUE REICHSKANZLEI, BERLIN, 1000 HOURS GMT

  KREMLIN, MOSCOW, USSR, 1955 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, 1959 HOURS GMT

  29 DECEMBER 1944

  THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, DC, 1226 HOURS GMT

  KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER, NEARING DINANT, 1231 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, 1312 HOURS GMT

  NORTHWEST EDGE OF DINANT, 1319 HOURS GMT

  CITY OF DINANT, 1320 HOURS GMT

  TASK FORCE PEIPER, ENTERING DINANT, 1323 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, 1323 HOURS GMT

  CITY OF DINANT, 1331 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, 1334 HOURS GMT

  PONTOON BRIDGE, RIVER MEUSE, DINANT, 1341 HOURS GMT

  TASK FORCE PEIPER, DINANT, 1344 HOURS GMT

  OUTSIDE ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, 1351 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B FIELD HOSPITAL, NEAR DINANT, 1623 HOURS GMT

  OPERATION CAN OPENER - 30 DECEMBER 1944–20 JANUARY 1945

  30 DECEMBER 1944

  NORTH OF BASTOGNE, BELGIUM, 0130 HOURS GMT

  RED SQUARE, MOSCOW, USSR, 0352 HOURS GMT

  NINETEENTH ARMORED DIVISION FORWARD HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, BELGIUM, 0227 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, BELGIUM, 0421 HOURS GMT

  NEARING PESSOUX, BELGIUM, 0508 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B FIELD HOSPITAL, NEAR DINANT, BELGIUM, 0823 HOURS GMT

  THIRD ARMY ADVANCE HEADQUARTERS, NEUFCHTEAU, BELGIUM, 0854 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, 1059 HOURS GMT

  SHAEF HEADQUARTERS, REIMS, FRANCE, 1640 HOURS GMT

  NORTH OF BASTOGNE, BELGIUM, 1914 HOURS GMT

  THE PENTAGON, WASHINGTON, D.C., 2030 HOURS GMT

  KREMLIN, MOSCOW, USSR, 2200 HOURS GMT

  31 DECEMBER 1944

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 0849 HOURS GMT

  NEAR PESSOUX, BELGIUM, 0927 HOURS GMT

  1 JANUARY 1945

  APPROACHING DINANT, BELGIUM, 0739 HOURS GMT

  SAINT-VITH, BELGIUM, 0807 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, BELGIUM, 0922 HOURS GMT

  SAINT-VITH, BELGIUM, 1037 HOURS GMT

  OKW HEADQUARTERS, BERLIN, 1830 HOURS GMT

  GORKY PARK, MOSCOW, USSR, 2044 HOURS GMT

  2 JANUARY 1945

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, BELGIUM, 0903 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B HEADQUARTERS CAFETERIA, DINANT, BELGIUM, 1231 HOURS GMT

  ARMEEGRUPPE B FIELD HOSPITAL, NEAR DINANT, 1323 HOURS GMT

  3 JANUARY 1945

  NINETEENTH ARMORED DIVISION FORWARD HEADQUARTERS, DINANT, BELGIUM, 0530 HOURS GMT

  KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER, FIRST SS PANZER DIVISION “LEIBSTANDARTE ADOLF HITLER,” SAINT-VITH, BELGIUM, 1321 HOURS GMT

  4 JANUARY 1945

  HEADQUARTERS, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, WARSAW, POLAND, 1034 HOURS GMT

  TWELFTH INFANTRY DIVISION HEADQUARTERS, CLERVAUX, LUXEMBOURG, 1357 HOURS GMT

  5 JANUARY 1945

  KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER, NORTHERN APPROACH TO DASBURG, GERMANY, 1553 HOURS GMT

  6 JANUARY 1945

  NEUE REICHSKANZLEI, BERLIN, 0700 HOURS GMT

  CCA, DASBURG, GERMANY, 0711 GMT

  7 JANUARY 1945

  HEADQUARTERS, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, NEAR WARSAW, POLAND, 1148 HOURS GMT

  9 JANUARY 1945

  THIRD ARMY FORWARD HEADQUARTERS (MOBILE), TRIER, GERMANY, 1830 HOURS GMT

  10 JANUARY 1945

  PANZER BATTALION, TWELFTH SS PANZER DIVISION “HITLERJUGEND,” BITBURG, GERMANY, 0842 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, WARSAW, POLAND, 0933 HOURS GMT

  11 JANUARY 1945

  KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER, EIFEL (NORTH OF MOSELLE VALLEY), GERMANY, 1023 HOURS GMT

  12 JANUARY 1945

  ARMEEGRUPPE FIELD HOSPITAL, DINANT, BELGIUM, 1317 HOURS GMT

  13 JANUARY 1945

  PANZER BATTALION, TWELFTH SS PANZER DIVISION “HITLERJUGEND,” KOBLENZ, GERMANY, 1540 HOURS GMT

  THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, D.C., 2203 HOURS GMT

  15 JANUARY 1945

  EN ROUTE TO BERLIN, GERMANY, 0941 HOURS GMT

  16 JANUARY 1945

  CCA, APPROACHING KOBLENZ, GERMANY, 1739 HOURS GMT

  17 JANUARY 1945

  THIRD ARMY FORWARD HEADQUARTERS, TRIER, GERMANY, 0745 HOURS GMT

  UNITED STATES EMBASSY, MOSCOW, USSR, 0800 HOURS GMT

  18 JANUARY 1945

  PANZER BATTALION, TWELFTH SS PANZER DIVISION “HITLERJUGEND,” KOBLENZ, GERMANY, 0642 HOURS GMT

  19 JANUARY 1945

  CCA, KOBLENZ, GERMANY, 0655 HOURS GMT

  KAMPFGRUPPE PEIPER, MOSELLE VALLEY, GERMANY, 1501 HOURS GMT

  ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWSWIRE, 1900 HOURS GMT

  OPERATION EASTWALL - 1 FEBRUARY–26 FEBRUARY 1945

  1 FEBRUARY 1945

  NEUE REICHSKANZLEI, BERLIN, 1000 HOURS GMT

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 1800 HOURS GMT

  REMNANT OF HITLERJUGEND PANZER DIVISION, APPROACHING TANGERMUNDE, GERMANY, 1954 HOURS GMT

  3 FEBRUARY 1945

  KÖNIGSPLATZ, BERLIN, GERMANY, 2134 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, WLOCLAWEK, POLAND, 2255 HOURS GMT

  5 FEBRUARY 1945

  419TH ARMORED INFANTRY BATTALION, FOURTH ARMORED DIVISION, WESER RIVER, GERMANY, 0934 HOURS GMT

  11 FEBRUARY 1945

  BRANDENBURG GATE, BERLIN, GERMANY, 1104 HOURS GMT

  NORTH BANK OF THE WARTA RIVER, POLAND, 1322 HOURS GMT

  15 FEBRUARY 1945

  ARMEEGRUPPE H HEADQUARTERS, OUTSKIRTS OF FRANKFURT AM MAIN, GERMANY, 2236 HOURS GMT

  17 FEBRUARY 1945

  NINETEENTH ARMORED DIVISION, WEST OF WEIMAR, GERMANY, 0612 HOURS GMT

  THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, DC, 1630 HOURS GMT

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 2000 HOURS GMT

  18 FEBRUARY 1945

  NEUE REICHSKANZLEI, BERLIN, 1022 HOURS GMT

  THIRD ARMY MOBILE HQ, CROSSROADS IN THE THÜRINGER WALD, GERMANY, 1110 HOURS GMT

  OPERATION WOLKENBRAND - 18 FEBRUARY–26 FEBRUARY 1945

  18 FEBRUARY 1945

  APPROACHING RAMSIA, THÜRINGEN, GERMANY, 0246 HOURS GMT

  KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, THÜRINGEN, GERMANY, 0330 HOURS GMT

  GERMAN REPUBLICAN ARMY FORWARD HEADQUARTERS, NEAR ERFURT, THÜRINGEN, GERMANY, 0600 HOURS GMT

  NEAR ETTERSBURG, THÜRINGEN, GERMANY, 0609 HOURS GMT
/>   NEUE REICHSKANZLEI, BERLIN, 0644 HOURS GMT

  RAIL CROSSING, ETTERSBURGER STRASSE, BETWEEN WEIMAR AND ETTERSBURG, 0912 HOURS GMT

  KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, THÜRINGEN, GERMANY, 1640 HOURS GMT

  NORTH OF ETTERSBURG MOUNTAIN, 1717 HOURS GMT

  KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, 1805 HOURS GMT

  BLOCK 66, KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, 2024 HOURS GMT

  19 FEBRUARY 1945

  UNITED STATES EMBASSY, MOSCOW, USSR, 0600 HOURS GMT

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 1938 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, EAST OF POZNAN, POLAND, 1954 HOURS GMT

  509TH COMPOSITE BOMBING GROUP, WENDOVER FIELD, UTAH, USA, 2345 HOURS GMT

  20 FEBRUARY 1945

  SHAEF HEADQUARTERS, REIMS, FRANCE, 0817 HOURS GMT

  21 FEBRUARY 1945

  MAIN CAMP, KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, 1507 HOURS GMT

  THIRD ARMY HEADQUARTERS, ERFURT, GERMANY, 2212 HOURS GMT

  U.S. ARMY FIELD HOSPITAL, ETTERSBURG, GERMANY, 2217 HOURS GMT

  23 FEBRUARY 1945

  MAIN CAMP, KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, 0752 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, POZNAN, POLAND, 1555 HOURS GMT

  24 FEBRUARY 1945

  COMMANDANT’S OFFICE, KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, 0840 HOURS GMT

  TRANSPORTATION DEPOT, ARMY GROUP CENTER, EAST OF BERLIN, GERMANY, 1020 HOURS GMT

  BLOCK 24, KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, 2139 HOURS GMT

  25 FEBRUARY 1945

  CREMATORIUM, KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, 0952 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, GERMAN/POLISH BORDER DUE WEST OF POZNAN, 1202 HOURS GMT

  26 FEBRUARY 1945

  KONZENTRATIONSLAGER BUCHENWALD, 1900 HOURS GMT

  OPERATION ECLIPSE - 7–31 MARCH 1945

  7 MARCH 1945

  HEADQUARTERS, SIXTH PANZER ARMY, MAGDEBURG, GERMANY, 0625 HOURS GMT

  8 MARCH 1945

  THIRD ARMY MOBILE HEADQUARTERS, DESSAU, GERMANY, 1440 HOURS GMT

  BROADCAST HOUSE, BERLIN, GERMANY, 1700 HOURS GMT

  9 MARCH 1945

  FORWARD ELEMENTS OF SECOND SS PANZER DIVISION “DAS REICH,” KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 0247 HOURS GMT

  OSWIECIM, POLAND, 1014 HOURS GMT

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 1045 HOURS GMT

  CCA, NINETEENTH ARMORED DIVISION, EAST OF DESSAU, GERMANY, 1207 HOURS GMT

  11 MARCH 1945

  PRIVATE APARTMENTS OF HEINRICH HIMMLER, BERLIN, 0341 HOURS GMT

  12 MARCH 1945

  142ND TANK BATTALION, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, APPROACHING KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 1341 HOURS GMT

  SECOND SS PANZER DIVISION, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 1401 HOURS GMT

  142ND TANK BATTALION, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 1410 HOURS GMT

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 1422 HOURS GMT

  SECOND SS PANZER DIVISION, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 1554 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 1917 HOURS GMT

  REICHS CHANCELLERY, BERLIN, GERMANY, 2309 HOURS GMT

  13 MARCH 1945

  SECOND SS PANZER DIVISION, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 0420 HOURS GMT

  US ARMY AIR FORCE TRANSPORT COMMAND AIRFIELD, NEAR METZ, FRANCE, 0430 GMT

  142ND TANK BATTALION, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 0609 HOURS GMT

  SPANDAU, BERLIN SUBURBS, GERMANY, 0611 HOURS GMT

  EAST BANK OF ODER, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 0615 HOURS GMT

  SECOND SS PANZER DIVISION, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 0701 HOURS GMT

  SKY OVER TEMPELHOF AIRPORT, BERLIN, 0812 GMT

  EAST BANK OF ODER, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 1020 HOURS GMT

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 1016 HOURS GMT

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 2345 HOURS GMT

  14 MARCH 1945

  RURAL HIGHWAY #47, EAST OF LUCKENWALDE, GERMANY, 0101 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 0209 HOURS GMT

  TASK FORCE SANGER, RURAL HIGHWAY #47, EAST OF LUCKENWALDE, GERMANY, 1200 HOURS GMT

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 2127 HOURS GMT

  15 MARCH 1945

  THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW, USSR, 0500 HOURS GMT

  KÖNIGSPLATZ, BERLIN, GERMANY, 1229 HOURS GMT

  ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWSWIRE, 1600 HOURS GMT

  16 MARCH 1945

  POW COMPOUND, HQ SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, KÜSTRIN, GERMANY, 1018 HOURS GMT

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 1351 HOURS GMT

  18 MARCH 1945

  HQ, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, FRANKFURT-AN-DER-ODER, GERMANY, 1008 HOURS GMT

  21 MARCH 1945

  REICHSTAG BUILDING, THIRD ARMY HEADQUARTERS, 1222 HOURS GMT

  143RD PANZER BATTALION, PANZER LEHR DIVISION, SPANDAU, GERMANY, 1422 HOURS GMT

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 1605 HOURS GMT

  22 MARCH 1945

  FRITZ SCHLOSS PARK, BERLIN, 0932 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, ORANIENBURG, GERMANY, 1622 HOURS GMT

  23 MARCH 1945

  FORTY-FOURTH MOBILE RADAR STATION, TEMPELHOF AIRPORT, BERLIN, GERMANY, 0454 HOURS GMT

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 0620 HOURS GMT

  FORTY-FOURTH RESUPPLY COMPANY, HIGHWAY TWENTY-FOUR, GERMANY, 0630 HOURS GMT

  COMMUNIST CITIZENS’ CELL #435, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1734 HOURS GMT

  NINETEENTH ARMORED DIVISION, LUCKENWALDE, GERMANY, 1735 HOURS GMT

  25 MARCH 1945

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 0437 HOURS GMT

  27 MARCH 1945

  POTSDAM, GERMANY, 0935 HOURS GMT

  PENTAGON, WASHINGTON, D.C., 1405 HOURS GMT

  28 MARCH 1945

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 2038 HOURS GMT

  31 MARCH 1945

  THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW, USSR, 1200 HOURS GMT

  OPERATION FAT MAN - 30 JUNE–12 JULY 1945

  30 JUNE 1945

  BERLIN, GERMANY, 0659 HOURS GMT

  FÜHRER BUNKER, BERLIN, GERMANY, 2302 HOURS GMT

  HQ, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, ORANIENBURG, GERMANY, 2359 HOURS GMT

  1 JULY 1945

  SKY ABOVE POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1034 HOURS GMT

  FORWARD OBSERVATION POST, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1114 HOURS GMT

  CCA HQ BLOCKHOUSE, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1200 HOURS GMT

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 1739 HOURS GMT

  US EMBASSY, MOSCOW, SOVIET UNION, 2234 HOURS GMT

  2 JULY 1945

  REICHSTAG BUILDING, BERLIN, GERMANY, 0544 HOURS GMT

  CCA HQ BLOCKHOUSE, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 0849 HOURS GMT

  HQ, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, ORANIENBURG, GERMANY, 1344 HOURS GMT

  LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO, USA, 2232 HOURS GMT

  3 JULY 1945

  CCA, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 0550 HOURS GMT

  4 JULY 1945

  HQ, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, ORANIENBURG, GERMANY, 0952 HOURS GMT

  LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO, USA, 2340 HOURS GMT

  5 JULY 1945

  HQ, THIRD ARMY, REICHSTAG BUILDING, BERLIN, GERMANY, 0321 HOURS GMT

  HQ, FIRST BELORUSSIAN FRONT, ORANIENBURG, GERMANY, 0952 HOURS GMT

  NAZI POW COMPOUND, BERLIN, GERMANY, 1235 HOURS GMT

  CCA, NINETEENTH ARMORED DIVISION, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1545 HOURS GMT

  HQ, THIRD ARMY, REICHSTAG BUILDING, BERLIN, GERMANY, 2121 HOURS GMT

  6 JULY 1945

  HARRINGTON AIRFIELD, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, ENGLAND, 0955 HOURS GMT

  CCA, NINETEENTH ARMORED DIVISION, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1225 HOURS GMT

  TEMPELHOF AIRPORT, BERLIN, GERMANY, 1815 HOURS GMT

  7 JULY 1945

  HQ, THIRD ARMY, REICHSTAG BUILDING, BERLIN, GERMANY, 0651 HOURS GMT

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 1231 HOURS GMT

  8 JULY 1945

  HARRINGTON AIRFIELD, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, ENGLAND, 0544 HOURS GMT

  HQ, THIRD ARMY, REICHSTAG BUILDING, BERLIN, GERMANY, 0651 HOURS GMT

  HARRINGTON AIRFIELD, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, ENGLAND, 1122 HOURS GMT

  HQ, FIRST UKRAINIAN FRONT, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1200 HOURS GMT

  HEADQUARTERS COMPANY,
CCA OF THE NINETEENTH ARMORED DIVISION, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1301 HOURS GMT

  ADVANCE POSITIONS, SECOND GUARDS TANK ARMY, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1303 HOURS GMT

  ABOARD MICKEY MOUSE EXPRESS, GERMANY, 1320 HOURS GMT

  POTSDAM, 1333 HOURS GMT

  ABOARD MICKEY MOUSE EXPRESS, POTSDAM, GERMANY, 1338 HOURS GMT

  POTSDAM, 1339 HOURS GMT

  THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW, USSR, 1701 HOURS GMT

  9 JULY 1945

  HQ, THIRD ARMY, REICHSTAG BUILDING, BERLIN, GERMANY, 0651 HOURS GMT

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 1031 HOURS GMT

  LONDON, ENGLAND, 1219 HOURS GMT

  THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW, USSR, 1300 HOURS GMT

  10 JULY 1945

  FROM THE TIMES OF LONDON, EARLY EDITION

  SHAEF, REIMS, FRANCE, 1202 HOURS GMT

  12 JULY 1945

  THE KREMLIN, MOSCOW, USSR, 0600 HOURS GMT