I recently participated in a ceremony commemorating the 74th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge by honoring the 110th Regimental Combat Team - 28th Division. The 28th Division, which was - and is to this day - a Pennsylvania Army National Guard Unit, played a critical role in the Battle of the Bulge. Outnumbered and outgunned, the 110th Combat Team was part of an American front positioned at the Luxembourg border that held back the advances of nearly four German divisions. This effort delayed the Germans by nearly four days and allowed American forces to maintain control of the city of Bastogne, Belgium - a key strategic position against the German offensive on the Western Front. A member of the 28th Division during World War II was William Bull, a Chester County resident. Mr. Bull, now 97 years old, enlisted in the Army in 1943 - when he was 21 - and saw combat action in Europe at Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945, earning a Bronze Star, two Purple Hearts, a Combat Infantry Badge, and a French War Cross for his service. Mr. Bull was presented with a copy of the Congressional Record honoring the 10th Regimental Combat Team - 28th Division, an American flag that flew over the U.S. Capitol, and a citation from the Chester County commissioners. |