Bastogne!

Bastogne, next to Normandy, is the destination for WWII history-philes. The museum is the best I have seen, the monument was quite moving. They have an enduring love of US Airborne soldiers here and shows in more than just the tourism.

On the top of the monument, at each point of the star, was a bronze plaque that detailed each German assault on the town where the American held the line.

The collection in the museum was enormous and well worth the visit alone. The sample of uniforms and various pieces rare equipment was impressive as was the dioramas that integrated actually vehicles, tanks and guns where very nicely done!

In the surrounding area I visited the town of Recogne and Foy. The American perimeter was not in the town of Bastogne itself for most of the battle and the lines of troops stretched out to the surrounding hamlets and communities. Foy is famous for the episode of Band of Brothers called "Breaking Point" where the 506th's men and moral where withered by German artillery fire in the woods surrounding Foy culminating in the assault and taking of the town in what are some of the most gripping scenes in the series. If you have not seen Band of Brothers I highly recommend it, even if you are not taken to WWII history.

In Recogne I stumbled upon the German cemetery. A bunch of kids buried six to a grave--tragic.

I finished the day off driving into Luxembourg and walked along a nature trail that runs along the lines of German foxholes during the retreat as Patton's 3rd army rolled them up on the flank to the South. The still visible foxholes are being consumed by the forest, but they leave a ghostly note to the trail.