#Story
The Task Force Hogan returns to its lines
During the Battle of the Bulge, Task Force Hogan, trapped in Marcouray, received orders to destroy their equipment and leave the village to escape encirclement. On the night of December 25, 1944, Colonel Samuel Hogan's men began a perilous march through German lines. They eventually arrived in Soy, where they were taken in at a farm.
On the morning of December 26, the first survivors of Task Force Hogan found the lines of the 75th American Infantry Division near Werpin. Gradually, they gathered and regained their composure after their nocturnal journey.
They were taken to the Ringlet family's farm in Soy, where they were regrouped, counted, fed, and cared for. The approximately 400 men of the group were happy and lucky to be alive. They were finally able to regain their strength, and each, in their own way, tried to relax. Settled in the hay to warm up, they were served hot soup and bread. Some shared cigarettes or, exceptionally, a cigar with others. They received new rations and were re-equipped with weapons and ammunition. New vehicles were assigned to the tankers, who left about a week later for the Allied counter-offensive in January 1945.
Various tributes were paid during the commemorations of the Battle of the Bulge. In Marcouray, a plaque on the facade of a house recalls the place where the American colonel had established his headquarters.
The Sherman tank at the Beffe crossroads, meanwhile, is a tribute to the services rendered by the 3rd American Armored Division, and particularly Task Force Hogan. The farm where the men were gathered is now a classified building, but the site is private and not open to visitors.