Ardennes-Alsace Campaign
In collaboration with Major Dick Winters
Image size 30" x 15"
In collaboration with Major Dick Winters
Image size 30" x 15"
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250 Publisher Proof Edition $175.00
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250 Publisher Proof Edition $175.00
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The capture of Noville, Belgium on January 15, 1945 was the last major action of
WWII for the men of the famed “Band of Brothers” Easy Company of the 506th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Air Borne Division. Noville was the principle
objective of the division from December 19, 1944 until its capture on January 15,
1945. The painting by James Dietz depicts the scene on the morning of the 16th with
Major General Maxwell Taylor, and members of his division staff, BG Higgins (ADC),
COL Sink (506th), COL Harper (327th), and MAJ Hatch (2-502) conducting an
impromptu map reconnaissance adjacent to the battered Noville Town Hall in the
background. In the foreground are members of Easy Company consolidating after
having conducted the final assault on the town the night before. The following
passage by Major Dick Winters who served as the 2nd Battalion Commander 506th at
the time offers a historical account of the attack on Noville that grammatically
illustrates the human dimension of war and the heroism of those who later became
known as “The Battered Bastards of Bastogne”.
Comments from Major Dick Winters
What I recall most about the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign were the long, cold nights
coupled with terrible artillery barrages, tree bursts, and infantry assaults conducted
by desperate troops against frightening tank attacks. When the word came down for
the attack on Noville to take place I could not believe that after what we had gone
through and done, after all the casualties we had suffered, that they were putting us
into the attack. The scheduled mid-day hour of the attack angered me even more.
Having men move through snow almost knee deep, in the middle of a bright sunny
day across one and a half miles of wide open field seemed suicidal. The Germans
were sitting on the high ground with tanks hidden by the cover of the buildings. That
day I earned my pay! Before we started, I recognized that our salvation just might be
that there was a fairly deep shoulder in the terrain on the southwest side of Noville
and if I sent the column straight for it, I could pick up more and more cover as we got
closer to Noville. We were lucky. The Germans did not have any strong point on the
shoulder and the plan worked. I had to put the whole battalion in single file to cut
through that snow. It was a dangerous formation. The 1st Battalion was about 400
yards to our left and slightly to the rear of our column. From time to time I’d glance
over to see how they were doing. They were being cut up by direct fire from the 88’s
on those tanks in Noville. The fire was hitting into their lines; men were flying
through the air scattering the snow covered fields. By dark I had worked the
Battalion around the draw on the southeast corner of town. We had to go through
machine gun fire coming from Noville that was covering the draw. We setup a couple
of light machine guns of our own to counter this. The Germans would fire; we would
give them a return burst and, at the same time, send a group of eight to ten men
across the draw and a stream to the other side. It became a cat and mouse game. It
took a lot of patience, but we did it without any casualties. From their position the
Germans somehow failed to pass on to their command that we had made a flanking
action on the southern end of town. As a result, the Germans left to conduct the
delaying action were still oriented to the north where all our attacks had come from
for the past few days. By dark, wringing wet with sweat, the battalion waited in the
bitterest of cold before launching the final assault on Noville.
Illustration by James Dietz - Copyright © 2005.
All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this website may be reproduced
or utilized in any form without the written consent of American Art & Antiques, Inc.
WWII for the men of the famed “Band of Brothers” Easy Company of the 506th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Air Borne Division. Noville was the principle
objective of the division from December 19, 1944 until its capture on January 15,
1945. The painting by James Dietz depicts the scene on the morning of the 16th with
Major General Maxwell Taylor, and members of his division staff, BG Higgins (ADC),
COL Sink (506th), COL Harper (327th), and MAJ Hatch (2-502) conducting an
impromptu map reconnaissance adjacent to the battered Noville Town Hall in the
background. In the foreground are members of Easy Company consolidating after
having conducted the final assault on the town the night before. The following
passage by Major Dick Winters who served as the 2nd Battalion Commander 506th at
the time offers a historical account of the attack on Noville that grammatically
illustrates the human dimension of war and the heroism of those who later became
known as “The Battered Bastards of Bastogne”.
Comments from Major Dick Winters
What I recall most about the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign were the long, cold nights
coupled with terrible artillery barrages, tree bursts, and infantry assaults conducted
by desperate troops against frightening tank attacks. When the word came down for
the attack on Noville to take place I could not believe that after what we had gone
through and done, after all the casualties we had suffered, that they were putting us
into the attack. The scheduled mid-day hour of the attack angered me even more.
Having men move through snow almost knee deep, in the middle of a bright sunny
day across one and a half miles of wide open field seemed suicidal. The Germans
were sitting on the high ground with tanks hidden by the cover of the buildings. That
day I earned my pay! Before we started, I recognized that our salvation just might be
that there was a fairly deep shoulder in the terrain on the southwest side of Noville
and if I sent the column straight for it, I could pick up more and more cover as we got
closer to Noville. We were lucky. The Germans did not have any strong point on the
shoulder and the plan worked. I had to put the whole battalion in single file to cut
through that snow. It was a dangerous formation. The 1st Battalion was about 400
yards to our left and slightly to the rear of our column. From time to time I’d glance
over to see how they were doing. They were being cut up by direct fire from the 88’s
on those tanks in Noville. The fire was hitting into their lines; men were flying
through the air scattering the snow covered fields. By dark I had worked the
Battalion around the draw on the southeast corner of town. We had to go through
machine gun fire coming from Noville that was covering the draw. We setup a couple
of light machine guns of our own to counter this. The Germans would fire; we would
give them a return burst and, at the same time, send a group of eight to ten men
across the draw and a stream to the other side. It became a cat and mouse game. It
took a lot of patience, but we did it without any casualties. From their position the
Germans somehow failed to pass on to their command that we had made a flanking
action on the southern end of town. As a result, the Germans left to conduct the
delaying action were still oriented to the north where all our attacks had come from
for the past few days. By dark, wringing wet with sweat, the battalion waited in the
bitterest of cold before launching the final assault on Noville.
Illustration by James Dietz - Copyright © 2005.
All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this website may be reproduced
or utilized in any form without the written consent of American Art & Antiques, Inc.
Here at Ozark Airfield Artworks we offer a large selection art prints. These prints mainly
depict modern and historic aviation along with military, civil and space flight. We also deal
with naval subjects and military armor and infantry works. These prints are from all the top
national and international artists along with some local artists. Many of our prints are
signed by the artist and by famous pilots and veterans. If you are looking for a specific
plane, pilot, artist or subject please contact us.
depict modern and historic aviation along with military, civil and space flight. We also deal
with naval subjects and military armor and infantry works. These prints are from all the top
national and international artists along with some local artists. Many of our prints are
signed by the artist and by famous pilots and veterans. If you are looking for a specific
plane, pilot, artist or subject please contact us.
Copyright © Ozark Airfield Artworks 2005 All Rights Reserved
All images are copyrighted by the individual artist and may not be reproduced
without their consent.
without their consent.
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"Strategy at Noville"