Plankers, D. A. Defiance at Losheimergraben

Dewey Plankers and the 394th in the Ardennes, December 1944

The fierce resistance at the Losheimergraben junction delayed the German advance and gave the Allies valuable time to regroup. While the Battle of Bastogne is widely known, the fierce fighting for the Losheimergraben junction remains an often overlooked moment in the Battle of the Bulge. The early capture of this junction was a top priority for the German offensive, as it was crucial for opening the main route for the planned advance to Antwerp. An initial attempt to capture the area developed into an infantry battle in the surrounding forests. The German 48th Grenadier Regiment pushed back the 1st Battalion of the 394th Infantry Regiment but was unable to break through. The next day, the forward regiments of the 12th Volksgrenadier Division advanced on foot and sent out patrols to find a way past the remaining American line of fire southeast of the crossroads. This line of fire consisted of a small but determined group of about fifty men organised by Lieutenant Dewey Plankers men from Companies B and C, jeep drivers and the crew of a decommissioned anti-aircraft gun. Despite their numerical inferiority, Plankers and his motley crew refused to retreat and repelled several patrols. Eventually, German engineers managed to build a bridge across the railway, allowing tanks, supported by a rifle company, to reach Plankers' position. Lacking weapons and ammunition, Plankers ordered his men to retreat into the buildings at the crossroads. After resupplying, they held their position until dusk, when he, wounded, led the twenty survivors through German lines to rejoin the 394th Division. Their defiant resistance had forced the Germans to change their plans and delay their advance, giving the Allies crucial time to regroup. While Plankers' efforts have been mentioned in other accounts, this is the complete story of this crucial battle, told for the first time.