Bastogne Plaques

Bastogne Plaques

To commemorate the siege of Bastogne during the famous Battle of the Bulge, brass plaques were made by a foundry in Couvin, Belgium. The basic design features two giant military figures towering above a Bastogne city view. The figure on the right is that of a German soldier offering surrender terms to General McAuliffe depicted as a typical American depicted with his hands in his pockets. McAuliffe as we all know eventually replied “Nuts” to the puzzled Germans. That famous word “Nuts” is displayed between the two figures below the “Screaming Eagle” patch of the 101st Airborne division. The parachutes in the background are purely symbolic since the American troops went to Bastogne in trucks. The type I version looks like an unfinished version due to the lack of fine detailing found on the type II‘s. The type II version has a much more finished look with stippled fields and an engraved border. The type III version is octagonal in shape with good detailing over all except for the 101st Division patch which now looks more like a burn barrel.

Just who made these plaques remains a mystery. Reportedly they are cast from the old brass shell casings left over from the battle. Some veterans claim that these plaques were awarded to them for their service in the battle. If so these plaques were presented at a later date by grateful village officials or civilians to any GI’s that were available at the moment. My father was with the 101st throughout the entire war and then continued on into Germany with the rest of his unit. He never saw any of these plaques until I gave him this one in the early 1970’s.