William Cavanagh Battlefield Guide - Presents Bulge and Normandy battles - The Battle Of The Bulge and Normandy Battles

William Cavanagh Presents Bulge and Mormandy Battles

On 9th September 1944 troops of the 3rd U.S. Armored Division liberated the Belgian town of Verviers. A couple of days later an M.P. named Jimmy Savignano from Schenectady New York knocked at my mother’s door and offered her a job as an interpreter for Major Alan Brown at the Civil Affairs office in the Credit Anversois building in Verviers, Belgium. She worked at C2G1 and later at 3rd Army in Metz, France.

In my mother’s wardrobe hung a jacket she’d made during her time at C2G1. This jacket is what stimulated my interest in the young men who liberated eastern Belgium and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. o liberated eastern Belgium and fought in the Battle

Aged about 16 I wrote a letter to Charles. B. MacDonald then the Deputy Chief of Military History at the Center of Military History, Washington D.C.

MacDonald had served as a Company Commander in the 2nd Infantry Division during the Battle of the Bulge and in 1947 had published the book "Company Commander". In 1969 MacDonald brought a group of U.S. veterans over including General William Westmoreland and asked me to help him show them around the Ardennes battlefield in a program called "The Grand Reunion of Friendship". Over the next few years we repeated this tour on a yearly basis.

In 1983 I and my family moved to Belgium and lived in Hedomont and Faymonville. I assisted MacDonald in the research for his book "A Time for Trumpets" and I am mentioned on page 627 of this book. I provided many of the photographs for the book "Company Commander " edited by Earl McElfresh and published by The History Book Club of New York with ISBN Number 978- 1- 58288-250- 5. I also helped MacDonald and Bill Moyers in their production of the television documentary "D-Day to the Rhine". This is what led to my becoming an authority on the Battle of the Bulge. In 1986 I began working as a Staff Ride instructor for U.S. Army units in Germany visiting the Normandy and Ardennes battlefields.

I have also led many groups of American civilians around both battlefields for Tours International over the past 22 years. Tours International and Will Cavanagh are experienced in the presenting of tours in Normandy and the Ardennes given their years of experience and knowledge of both battlefields. They are in a position to furnish excellent references from satisfied clients. I have also run staff rides for the British and Dutch Armies. I also helped Ian Denny and Cherie Mitchell produce the television documentary "Bulge Busters” aired on PBS.

I acted as consultant for the television documentary "The Battle for Elsenborn Ridge". I have also been interviewed by the History Channel for a documentary on the Battle of the Bulge. I helped erect a number of monuments and plaques in the Ardennes commemorating American units that served in the battle including the 99th Infantry Division, The 51st Engineer Combat Battalion, the 168th Engineer Combat Battalion, the 27th Armored Infantry Battalion and a monument in Stavelot to the 526th Armored Infantry and the 825th Tank Destroyer Battalion.

I also arranged the placing of plaques to American units at Hotton, Trois Ponts, etc...I took part in the presentation of a table to the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge in Stavelot. The table was manufactured in Stavelot and later flown to Fort Meade. A group of VBOB veterans attended the ceremony in Stavelot at which the table was presented to VBOB and the commander of Fort Meade. I assisted in the recovery of the remains of American soldiers listed as MIA in the Battle of the Bulge and am acknowledged as doing so in William Warnock's book "The Dead of Winter". I also speak to students from SLU in Normandy and got better student reviews than the other speakers in 2008. I also interviewed General von Manteuffel and visited his home in Diessen Ammersee. Von Manteuffel recorded his thoughts on the importance of the North Shoulder for me. On one trip I took General Bradley's wartime aide Colonel Chester Hansen back to the Hotel Alpha in Luxembourg City. I also interviewed Colonel Wilhelm Osterhold commander of Grenadier Regiment 48 at his home in Germany and met with him and other veterans in the Ardennes.

On another trip I worked alongside Colonel David Pergrin wartime commander of the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion at the unveiling of a monument at Erpel to the crossing of the Rhine. I also assisted the Houffalize Remembers Committee with the unveiling of a monument to the civilians killed there during the Battle.

The unique aspect of my trips to the Bulge is that travelers get to hear recordings made especially for me by veterans of the battle including General von Manteuffel commander of 5th Panzer Army, Eugene Garrett a survivor of the Malmedy Massacre, Charles B. MacDonald of "Company Commander", Dick Byers of the 99th Infantry Division, General Harvey Fraser former commander of the 51st Engineer Combat Battalion, etc....These recordings give the trip the story of the battle "straight from the horse's mouth".

I met and knew each veteran personally and they recorded their experiences for me. In the past I also corresponded with General Gavin, General Eisenhower, General Collins, General Mildren, General Ridgway, General Middleton, General McAuliffe, General Taylor, General Ewell, Jochen Peiper, Otto Skorzeny etc..

The U.S. Army in Europe runs staff rides as part of its professional development program. Senior NCO's and officers attend such rides to learn about their nation's role in World War Two. I was hired to help run the Cubic staff ride for General B.B. Bell when he took command of USAEUR. I showed General (ret) Montgomery Meigs and his son, William around the previous day. During the NATO exercise "Crested Eagle 86” I guided General Tom Ayers the DCINC EUSAEUR around the North Shoulder. Soldiers attend such rides to learn about the lessons of leadership and have always given me excellent reviews. Civilians on tours of the battlefields have done likewise.

The Battle of the Bulge is still the largest single pitched battle in the history of the United States Army. It is full of leadership lessons which are seen as relevant some 65 years later. American G.I’s stopped Hitler’s gamble in the west, dead in its tracks. In doing so they put their lives on the line in the worst winter that Belgium had gone through in years. Patton, Robertson, Lopez, Cowan, Currey, McKinley, Hagan, Holloway, the list goes on. They served in the name of freedom and some died, others lost limbs all in the name of liberty.

This must NEVER be forgotten!

Not everyone can visit this battlefield so I can bring the battlefield lessons to the people of the United States in the form of presentations in which I highlight the leadership lessons learned.

The American people must never forget what they owe those who went before them. After all they paid a heavy price which gave Europe its liberty.