Monument to the 7th Armoured Division and 106th Infantry Division

At the time, the village of Manhay was just a small group of houses, but its strategic position made it a crucial issue. Situated at the crossroads of two major routes between Liège and Bastogne, its crossroads represented an important crossing point for the advancing German army. By seizing it, the Germans hoped to open the way to the Meuse. On Christmas Eve, the 2nd SS Armoured Division “Das Reich” stormed the village. From then on, it was decided in the high American ranks that the crossroads had to be retaken at all costs. 

The 106th Infantry Division withdrew from Saint-Vith, where it had fought fiercely. Elements of this unit first attempted an approach from the woods north of Manhay. The soldiers, forced to cross open fields, were easily targeted. Tanks from the 7th Armoured Division advanced along the road but were stopped by mines, causing casualties among the crews. The next day, a second attempt failed in the face of German soldiers entrenched in the ruins of houses. 

Paratroopers were finally called in to reinforce the attack. Under artillery fire, the soldiers of the 3rd Battalion of the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment managed to enter the village during the night of 26-27 December. The last German soldiers, who had taken refuge in the cellars, put up desperate resistance. That same night, the parachutists succeeded in retaking the village. 

A commemorative plaque on the wall of the old station complements the monument to the 106th Infantry Division and the 7th Armoured Division. These memorial sites bear witness to the gratitude of the local people to their American liberators. Other sites in various parts of the village recall the dramatic events of the Battle of the Bulge.