off the Germans.
This publication tells the story of Fraser, Yates,
and the 51st during the Ardennes counteroffensive.
Written even before V-E Day, the narrative is a fine
example of combat history. Based on interviews and after-
action reports, it is an important and little-known
primary source for the Engineer role in the battle. Its
author, combat historian Ken Hechler, was a captain in the
Armored Force and held a Ph.D. from Columbia University.
He later served nine terms in the United States House of
Representatives and is. secretary of state for West
Virginia. His narrative provides a detailed description
of the battalion`s actions to delay the German offensive.
The accompanying maps and coordinates allow the reader to
locate precisely the Engineers* defensive positions and
make it possible to follow the tactics of the 51st's
Of the six maps provided with this history,
officers.
Maps 3-5 were reproduced from the original manuscript.
Hechler's clear and comprehensive record of the bat-
talion's actions is a worthwhile instructional tool for
the study of countermobility operations.
A Note on the Maps
The source for Maps 2, 4, and 6 is a 1:100,000-scale
map of Belgium and Northeast France, encompassing the
Marche area (sheet no. 13). These maps follow the Military
It is a system of rectangular
Grid Coordinate System.
coordinates, with the vertical (Y) grid line running true
north and south and the horizontal (X) grid line running
at right angles to the Y grid line. To plot a six-digit
coordinate, read the first and second numbers as the X -
coordinate and the fourth and fifth numbers as the Y -
coordinate. This will direct you to a grid block, which
you then mentally divide into ten parts on each axis. TO
locate a point within the block, read the third number to
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