The 106th were fresh, green and right in the pathway of the German 5th Panzer Army when the Battle of the Bulge began at 0530 hours on December 16, 1944. This book covers the history along with the individual stories of the incredible heroism, sacrifice and tenacity of these young Americans in the face of overwhelming odds. From this division 6,800 men were taken prisoner but their story didn’t end there. For the ones who miraculously escaped, there was a battle to fight, and fight it they would with every ounce of strength and courage they could muster. They would fight debilitating weather conditions more reminiscent of Stalingrad than the Belgian Ardennes. They would fight a determined enemy and superior numbers and despite all adversity they would eventually prevail. One 106th GI waged his own personal war using guerilla tactics that caused serious consternation amongst the German troops. For another GI his main concern was recovering his clean underwear. These stories are heartwarming, heartbreaking, nerve-wracking and compelling. They aim to put the reader right there in the front lines, and in the stalags, during the final months of WWII. Table of Contents Foreword Acknowledgements Introduction Preface 1 Birth of the last infantry division 2 The Golden Lions go to war 3 Man for man and gun for gun 4 Germans everywhere! 5 Golden Lions fighting like tigers 6 A lot of shooting 7 We never surrendered! 8 To fight another day 9 Property of the Reich 10 Holding the crossroads 11 The Goose Egg and beyond 12 Taking the fight to the Germans 13 Dresden: Slaughterhouse-Five 14 Seeing it through Epilogue The Agony Grapevine Appendix 106th Infantry Division: Records & Statistics Bibliography Index "King and Johnson's stirring account of the 106th is the stuff that legends are made of..." Books Monthly "Many accounts have that rich vein of humour that soldiers so often show." Miniature Wargames “An invaluable contribution to the growing library of World War II military histories, memoirs and biographies… highly and unreservedly recommended” Midwest Book Review “I highly recommend this book to anyone with even a slight interest in the Bulge offensive. It gives a unique perspective often missed by histories trying to give a more broad brush picture. 4.5 stars.” Army Rumour Service “This book uses personal reminiscences to tell the 106th's heroic story…the tale of those Golden Lions who fought like tigers.” The Armourer “This book goes into detail about the unit’s experiences, including numerous personal accounts by its veterans. They give the reader a frontline look at both battlefields and POW camps. The work adds measurable to the body of knowledge on the Ardennes and the European Theater.” WWII History June 2018 "As the authors blend the soldiers’ vignettes with the larger accounts of the division, a unique examination of the unit’s performance is offered." H-Net Reviews Michael Collins is an American historian who lives outside of Albany, New York. He co-authored the book Voices of the Bulge with his good friend and co-author Martin King and he is currently the historian for the 10th Armored Division Veterans Western Chapter. With help from the Western Chapter and Martin King, he fundraised and ran logistics for having a 10th Armored Division plaque dedicated next to a tank turret in Bastogne, Belgium in December, 2011 to commemorate the 10th Armored Division veterans who fought during the Battle of the Bulge. His primary interest is preserving the memory of World War II veterans through oral history and photographs. He has lectured on the importance of oral history and the Battle of the Bulge at numerous venues including colleges, military bases, and museums. He traveled on an extensive book tour of the north eastern United States with fellow co-author Martin King which included stops at West Point Military Academy, Fort Dix, Valley Forge Military College, and the U.S. Navy Museum. He has worked for various museums in the north eastern United States including the Destroyer Escort Historical Museum, the New York State Military Museum and Veteran’s Research Center, Irish American Heritage Museum and Connecticut’s Old State House. He currently works at Siena College in Loudonville, NY in the library’s audio-visual department. Michael is interested in World War II history and 20th Century U.S. and European History. He received his Bachelor’s degree in history from Siena College and his Master’s degree in Public History from Central Connecticut State University. Ken Johnson received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Clarkson University. He has been based in Los Angeles for 30 years, working for several aerospace companies in a variety of R&D, organizational, and project leadership roles. In late 2008 he learned that his uncle had served with the 106th Infantry Division in the Battle of the Bulge and was KIA the first night of the battle. That was all he needed to g