Bastogne was a strategically very import location in the Battle of the Bulge due to its location at the centre of cross roads. Whoever controlled Bastogne could control traffic to neighbouring towns and areas.
I highly recommend booking a tour of the area as there is a huge amount to see over a large area (Bastogne and neighbouring towns and villages). I went on a tour with Reg Jans, a local historian, who I highly recommend.
The Mardasson Memorial, located just outside of Bastogne, was built to commemmorate the 76 890 American soldiers that were injured or killed.
Memorial to the 101st Airborne. Their logo was an Eagle and nickname was the “Screaming Eagles”, hence the Eagle.
Just outside Bastogne near Bastogne I is a small Pillbox. Note the damage to the concrete, leaving the steel rebars on display. There is a tank commemmorating the fact that on December 26th 1944, the 4th Armoured Division of Patton’s 3rd Army met the 101st Airborne Division helping to break the German encirclement of Bastogne. The first tank was commanded by Charles P. Boggess.
Situated at Place McAuliffe 60, 6600 Bastogne is the La Croix commémorative du Séminaire. It commemorates the soldiers that were killed on 5th January 1945 when a truck containing land mines blew up.
