December 23, 1944

The afternoon of 23 December 1944 the few remaining men at Parker's Crossroads were advised it was now each man for himself. The choce available, stay and be killed or captured or try to escape through the German encirclement and reach the American lines. I choise, try to escape. When I finally reached the American lines, I had been wounded, was emaciated from lack of food, was miserable from the never ending wet and bitter cold and exhausted from the lack of sleep and constant exposure to danger. During this terrifying escape, while all alone and struggling through the Ardennes Forest, I made a sacred vow, "I will never return to the place where I experienced unmitigated hell on earth, the crossroads at Baraque de Fraiture, Belgium." For almost fifty-four years I kept that sacred vow!

While reading the August 1998 issue of The Bulge Bugle I noticed an article entitled "A RETURN TO GLORY." This article touted a trip sponsored by the St. Louis Gateway Chapter of the VBOB to the former battle fields of the Ardennes Offensive. Mildly interested, I called Ken Stephens, the live-wire president of the St. Louis Chapter, a former member of the Yankee Division, who assured me the tour was open, even to Southerners. On October 15, my wife Marion and I joined the tour in Detroit, Michigan which started with a direct flight to Paris, France.

Upon the advice of an old fox hole buddy from Parker's Crossroads, John Schaffner, who with John Gatens, has revisited the Crossroads on several occasions, I contacted Henri Rogister, a member of CRIBA in Liege. Henri made special arrangements for my wife and me to visit Parker's Crossroads and the Château de Xhos, where the battered remnants of the 589th were temporarily billeted shortly after our holding action at the Crossroads. Upon learning of the special treatment that had been arranged for us by the dedicated CRIBA group, I suffered from mixed emotion. My memories of the few days we stayed at the Château were pleasant. I had made friends with the Collinge Family, who lived on the enormous estate, and remembered a special kindness the Baroness Moreau de Melen, the owner, had shown me while I lived in her ancestral home. In my heart, I wanted to return to thank these two families. Yet, the thought of returning to the crossroads brought back horrible memories which I had suppressed all of my adult life.

The Battle for Parker's Crossroads has been memorialized in Belgium and it's strategic significance is recognized in Europe. In this country however, only a few military historians are aware this battle took place. Due to the fact that two 106th Infantry Division Regimental Commanders surrendered their men during the early stage of the Ardennes Offensive gave the 106th Infantry Division a "black eye" so to speak, which tends to negate the contributions made by other units in the 106th Division who continued to fight.

At this point I would like to set the record straight. The GI's and officers of the 422nd and 423rd Infantry Regiments did not surrender. They were surrendered by their Regimental Commanders. This fact should always be remembered because there is a vast difference. I make no judgment concerning this massive surrender. I personally feel the field commanders involved made the best judgment they could under the dire circumstances which existed at the time.

Thanks to men of determination, such as John Kline, Immediate Past President of the 106th Infantry Division Association and long time Editor of the association publication, The CUB, and my friend and former Battalion XO, and CO, Elliott Goldstein, specifics concerning the holding action at Parker's Crossroads are slowly becoming known to American historians. I have briefly excerpted pertinent facts leading up to this vicious battle.

My unit, the 589th Field Artillery Battalion, was an organic unit in the 106th Infantry Division, equipped with twelve truck drawn 105mm howitzers. The 589th's mission was to provide direct artillery support to the 422nd Infantry Regiment. I was T/4 Randolph C. Pierson, 34547144, a draftee, a citizen soldier, assigned as a technician in the battalion fire direction center. The senior officers present at the crossroads were, Major Elliott Goldstein, Battalion Executive Officer; and, Major Arthur C. Parker III, Battalion S-3.

The three days preceding the Battle for Parker's Crossroads were filled with hard fighting against superior enemy forces, in which the battalion suffered severe battle attrition of men and equipment. On the morning of 16 December we received our first "incoming mail" about 0600 hours. Shell reports indicated we were receiving hits from German 88, 105 and 155mm weapons. By 1000 hours communications with the 422nd Regiment were severed and intelligence information we sent to higher headquarters was being ignored. We were considered "green troops" who were panicking under their first taste of heavy combat.

By 1200 hours our positions were under direct attack by enemy panzers accompanied by infantry. We could no longer function as artillery, we were now fighting as infantry and anti-tank teams, functions for which we had received little or no training. During the afternoon of this first day, the beginning of our first heavy action, the men and officers of the battalion responded bravely and accounted for several destroyed enemy tracked vehicles and many killed and wounded enemy infantry, while receiving several WIA's ourselves. When the order was finally received for the 589th to withdraw, it was too late for Charley Battery. They could not disengage themselves from the battle and had to disable their four howitzers and vehicles, after which a few firing battery men were able to infiltrate through enemy lines after darkness.

Early on the morning of 17 December, the second day of the Battle of the Bulge, the remainder of the battalion was again brought under direct panzer and infantry attack at our second combat position near the Skyline Drive. This time, Baker Battery could not disengage from the oncoming enemy. At this position they lost their four howitzers and the battalion lost more men. Only the four Able Battery howitzers were able to disengage and withdraw. During the withdraw across the Our River and through the village of Schoenberg, Able Battery lost one howitzer, it's prime mover and more men to direct fire from a German panzer.

Upon arrival at St. Vith the evening of 17 December, the once proud twelve howitzer battalion was now down to three howitzers and many men were missing in action.

The third day, 18 December, the 589th spent "chasing it's tail", moving from village to village to set up road blocks at positions never reached by the enemy. During this process we had become a group of expendable men equipped with three 105mm howitzers, whose Commanding Officer, Lt. Colonel Thomas P. Kelly, Jr., was missing in action. The remainder of the 589th was finally assigned to the 174th Field Artillery Group with Major Arthur C. Parker, the senior Major, placed in command.

On 19 December, my twenty-first birthday, a portion of the battalion consisting of the three remaining howitzers, accompanied by gunners, fire direction and communications personnel was ordered to Baraque de Fraiture, Belgium to repel an anticipated panzer attack and to hold this vital crossroads for as long ad possible. History now records the American defenders were expected to hold this ground against overwhelming odds for only a few hours.

The American holding action by the 589th Field Artillery Battalion at Baraque de Fraiture began on 19 December and ended the evening of 23 December 1944 when elements of the 2nd SS Panzer Division finally over-ran our defensive positions. This five day and four night action was the most violent, the most miserable and the coldest I experienced during my four campaigns in Europe. There were American troops involved in this action other than the 589th. Airborne, tankers, anti-tankers and anti-aircraft men were also involved in this action and contributed heavily to the successful defense of this ground. However, these troops came and went according to their own orders and timetables. The defense of this vital crossroads was the prime responsibility of the 589th Field Artillery Battalion, then jointly commanded by two extremely able officers, Majors Parker and Goldstein. The only unit present when the battle began and at the end on 23 December was the 589th.

When the 589th entered combat on 12 December, it had passed all applicable Army Ground Force Tests with flying colors. The battalion was well trained, well manned and well led. It was as good a light artillery battalion as the army has ever produced. Eleven hectic and disastrous days later, the 589th Field Artillery Battalion had been physically obliterated and existed only on paper. Through no fault of it's officers or men, this superb fighting unit was placed in untenable positions by higher authority and the dictates of war never allowed this unit to function as it was trained, as an artillery battalion.

This battalion established an honorable and valiant, if short lived record, during some of the most savage combat in Europe. While fighting in a dug-in infantry and anti-tank mode, the men of this battalion made a good account of themselves in these unaccustomed roles while buying vital time for the 82nd Airborne, the 75th Infantry and the 3rd and 7th Armored Divisions to establish a main line of resistance just west of Manhay, Belgium.

As a result of the time bought by the men of the 589th, the drive of the reinforced 2nd SS Panzer Division was stopped near Celles, never reaching Liege, nor its ultimate objectives of Brussels and the seaport city of Antwerpen.

I am not certain who originated the name of Parker's Crossroads, but it effectively honors a gallant citizen soldier who shared the command responsibility for the holding action at Baraque de Fraiture. To me it is a fitting memorial to a resourceful and gallant man, who along with Major Goldstein, made the decision, "We will run no more. Here we will stand and fight and here we will make a difference."

This pivotal battle for some reason has received little or no recognition among U.S. Military Historians. However, the military significance of the Battle for Partker's Crossroads in well documented and widely recognized in Europe due to the diligent digging and exhaustive research performed by members of C.R.I.B.A., the Center for Research and Information concerning the Battle of the Ardennes, a Belgian Historical Society dedicated to keeping the memories of the Battle of the Bulge alive forever.

My visit with CRIBA's member

C.R.I.B.A. has established a beautiful permanent memorial to the men who fought at the crossroads fifty-four years ago. This memorial is located at Baraque de Fraiture on the modern highway which connects Bastogne and Liege. This location is plainly visible to hundreds of motorists who travel this road daily and is admired by hundreds of tourists who visit the memorial weekly. I am certain this battle will forever remain in the minds and hearts of the appreciative Belgian people.

Today's crossroads bears no resemblance to the 1944 crossroads I remember. The Inn and Restaurant, Auberge du Carrefour, which was established in 1880 by Jean-Joseph Jacquet and Marie-Joseph Molhan, was used as a command post by the 589th during the battle for Parker's Crossroads and was destroyed in December 1944. The Phoenix which has risen from these ashes is a beautiful Auberge du Carrefour now owned and operated by Madame Marie LeHaire and her daughter, Bernadette, descendants of the original owners.

Her private residence contains many pieces of memorabilia concerning the battle which destroyed her parents home.

In retrospect I am happy my wife and John Schaffner encouraged me to take this uncertain journey down memory lane. The happy hours spent bonding with other veterans of the Battle of the Bulge in the group, such as Kent Stephens and Billy Stiegmeier, and the joyous reunion with my Belgian friends at Château de Xhos, after all these years, more than offset the brief moments of painful memories encountered during this fulfilling trip.

I feel no regret, after fifty-four years, for finally breaking my sacred vow!