Note: From papers sent to the compiler by Michael Lee Wemple of Bay City, M
I on July 1, 1999:

Excerpt from DECISION AT ST. VITH by Charles Whiting, page 214:

. . . Clarke´s men were not so fortunate. The southern force of the 7t
h Armored CCB was the first to more out on Clarke´s sector. Under comm
and of Lieutenant Colonel Wemple, this group tried to disengage, but f
ound it extremely difficult. In despair Colonel Wemple ordered the tan
ks and assault guns, which had retreated during the night under the fi
re of the German bazooka teams, back into the village of Cromback to d
rive the Germans grenadiers from their position.

But the tank attack failed. Using the only road available to them, th
e armored vehicles were subjected to a withering barrage of German ant
i-tank fire. Within minutes, two of the lead tanks were hit, completel
y blocking the path of the advance. In disorder the Americans pulled b
ack and there was nothing left for Wemple to do but load his infantr
y onto the remaining tanks and armored vehicles and break off the figh
t with the enemy as best he could.

Excerpts from the official Army´s account of the Battle of the Bulge:

. . . Lt. Col. Fred M. Warren, acting commanding officer, sent the dri
ver onto division headquarters to tell his story, and at the same tim
e he asked for a company of infantry. He then ordered the 17th Tank Ba
ttalion (Lt. Col. John P. Wemple) to send a tank company into Recht. W
arren and Wemple studied the road net as shown on the map and agreed t
o try to hold Recht through the night. Stragglers came pouring throug
h Recht in the meantime with rumors and reports of the enemy just behi
nd them. The headquarters and tank company had little time to get set
, for about 0200 the advance guard of the southern German column hit t
he village from the east and northeast. Unwilling to risk his tanks wi
thout infantry protection in a night fight through the narrow streets
, and uncertain of the enemy strength, Warren ordered a withdrawal aft
er a sharp 45-minute engagement. CCR headquarters started down the roa
d southwest toward Vielsalm and the tanks rejoined Wemple.

Made cautious by the collision at Recht, the German column moved slowl
y, putting out feelers to the southeast before the main force resume
d the march southwest along he Vielsalm road. Wemple and his tankers w
ere able to repel these probing attempts without difficulty. CCR headq
uarters had meanwhile become ensnared witht he remnants of the 14th Ca
valry Group and the residue of the corps artillery columns at the litt
le village of Poteau, where the roads from Recht and St. Vith join e
n route to Vielsalm. This crossroads hamlet had been the worst bottlen
eck in the traffic jam on 17 December