Battle of the Bulge Vets Dine, Reminisce

CAPE MAY – In a Belgian forest 74 years ago the Allied forces fought the costliest battle in U.S. Army history, suffering nearly 100,000 casualties.
Four men who survived that battle and helped turn the tide of World War II, had lunch with friends, family, and other veterans at the Mad Batter in Cape May, compliments of owner Mark Kulkowitz.
On Dec. 18, the Battle of the Bulge survivors and other veterans gathered to remember the offensive that could have put the Allied forces at a great disadvantage, but instead stopped the Nazi push to the port of Antwerp and dealt Adolph Hitler’s war machine a death blow.
The surprise blitzkrieg occurred between Dec. 16, 1944 and Jan. 25, 1945. It involved American, French, British, Canadian, Belgian and German troops.
When it was over, the official list of American casualties was 80,987, including 19,000 killed.
Elmer Umbenhauer
Elmer Umbenhauer was 18 and fresh out of high school when he enlisted and headed to Fort Benning in Georgia for 14 weeks of infantry training. He scored well on a test and was sent to Illinois to study engineering.
“After five months, the Army decided they needed soldiers, not college boys, and I got sent overseas with the 8th Armored Division,” Umbenhauer said.
His division pushed through France and arrived in the heavily-forested Ardennes where the Battle of the Bulge was fought.
“We kept the Germans from making it to the coast and then pushed them all the way back to Germany until they finally surrendered,” Umbenhauer explained.
John Crosby
John Crosby worked in communications for the 7th Army and almost lost his life in the battle, not to the Germans, but at an American roadblock.
“I arrived at this roadblock that wasn’t supposed to be there. We were on alert because the Germans had sent 10,000 of their own men into the region in U.S. Army uniforms. They asked me for the password of the day, and I gave it to them,” said Crosby. “All of a sudden there are four guns at the side of my head. A tall Texan said ‘that ain’t it.’
Crosby then took out his dog tag to prove he was an American soldier.
“Anybody can get one of those. Take him out and shoot him,” the tall Texan said.
Crosby said he convinced the men to take him to their commanding officer, where the mix-up was straightened out.
“It turned out that the roadblock was set up by the 3rd Army, we were 2nd. They had a different password. I let them know there were three more from the 2nd behind me,” Crosby said with a laugh.
Joe Caserta
Tank Commander Joe Caserta served in the 3rd Armored Division 1st Army at the Battle of the Bulge.
He remembered the time in the forest as being bitterly cold.
“There’s no heat in a tank, and that steel is cold. It was the coldest winter in 45 years in Belgium at the time,” recalled Caserta.
After the battle, Caserta and company fought the Germans all the way to the Rhine River and were the first to cross.
“Hitler took a big gamble, and he almost won,” said the Purple Heart recipient.
Ray Bushong
Even though the Battle of the Bulge took place almost three-quarters of a century ago, Ray Bushong has a hard time putting the scenes of war out of his head.
He ran communication lines in the 87th Infantry Division 347th Infantry Wire Section.
“We hooked up with the 3rd Battalion and ran wire for them, followed them through Germany and into Czechoslovakia. I tried to forget some of the experiences I had there, but lately I’ve been dreaming about them,” Bushong said.
Honoring His Father
The Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge South Jersey Chapter LXI was hosted by Kulkowitz whose late father, Harry, fought in the battle when he was 19.
For his exceptional bravery, Kulkowitz was awarded the Legion d’Honeur Medal by the government of France.
“I do this to honor my father and these men who did this as kids. My mother escaped the Holocaust. She was in Berlin. This is a very personal crusade,” said Kulkowitz.
To contact Carl Price, email cprice@cmcherald.com.