Battle of the Bulge – Live stream
Various commemorations and events around the Battle of the Bulge have been canceled. We don’t want to let this momentum pass by and that’s why we want to look back on this 76th anniversary together with Battlefield Experience, Bastogne & Ardennes and with the 101st Airborne Museum “De Mess” in Bastogne with an online livestream.
Program Wednesday December 16, 2020
8:00 – 8:30 PM UTC + 1: Presentation Battle of the Bulge by historian Reg Jans
Historian and guide Reg Jans is an enthusiastic American whose grandfather was injured during the Second World War. After his death, Reg decided to delve into the history of the Battle of the Bulge. He main interest is the battle of Bastogne. Today he offers a large number of guided tours through his website. During this online presentation, he will take you to the German surprise offensive of December 16, 1944, which also became known as the “Battle of the Bulge”. His impressive tours can be booked through his website.
8:30 PM – 9:00 PM UTC + 1: Interview with 99-year-old American 101st Airborne veteran Jim ‘Pee Wee’ Martin.
Jim Martin, nicknamed Pee Wee because he was the lightest man in his regiment, is one of the paratroopers who was trained at Camp Toccoa in Georgia in the United States since the founding of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In the night of 5 to 6th of June 1944 he jumped over Normandy on D-Day. In the afternoon of September 17, 1944, he landed on the drop zone in Son. He participated in the liberation of Eindhoven and then fought in Eerde to keep the Corridor open. On December 16, 1944 he was transported over 100 kilometers to the Belgian city of Bastogne. The 3rd Battalion established defensive positions on the Northern Edge, where they had to endure the bitter cold and some of the most difficult fighting on the Western Front.
9:00 PM – 9:30 PM UTC + 1: Interview with 95-year-old American veteran Frank Sisson
At the age of 18 Frank Sisson enlisted in the army and was shipped to France, where he fought under general George Patton at the Battle of the Bulge and helped liberate the infamous Dachau concentration camp. This latest experience has haunted him for years and he still remembers his first sight of the inhumanity of the Third Reich.
9:30 PM – 9:45 PM UTC + 1: Interview with Helen Patton (Granddaughter of General George S. Patton)
Helen Ayer Patton is the granddaughter of General George S. Patton, Jr. and Brigadier General Willard Ames “Hunk” Holbrook. Her family’s military legacy spans 300 years. Like every member of the Patton family, Helen has done many wonderful things while also carrying the torch for her father and grandfather. From attending ceremonies to commemorate WWII anniversaries, to running the Patton Foundation, which helps returning troops and veterans in need.
9:45 PM – 10:15 PM UTC + 1: Live stream from the 101st Airborne Museum “De Mess” in Bastogne
The 101 Airborne Museum Le Mess in Bastogne is located in a beautiful historic building from 1936. The building has been completely renovated and restored to its former glory, while naturally retaining all its characteristic features. In the museum you will find beautiful shop windows with a lifelike decor and realistic-looking mannequins. These dioramas take you back to the cold winter of 1944-1945, when the Battle of Bastogne took place. The 101 Airborne Museum Le Mess is located in the center of Bastogne, 350 meters from the tank at the square. Look at their website for the current information.
