Recogne — Northern Bastogne Perimeter

Recogne, BE

Recogne sits on the northern defensive perimeter established by the **101st Airborne Division** during the Bastogne siege in December 1944. The village and its surrounding terrain were held by elements of the 506th and 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiments against repeated German assaults from the **26th Volksgrenadier Division** and supporting armour. The perimeter north of Bastogne was one of the most dangerous sectors — the Germans repeatedly probed for weaknesses in the American lines and launched several serious attacks aimed at capturing the town. The defenders held fortified positions in the farms and treelines around Recogne, often in temperatures far below freezing, with minimal supplies as German encirclement cut off resupply for days at a time. An emergency airdrop on December 23 — when weather finally cleared — brought ammunition and medical supplies that helped sustain the defence. The **Recogne German War Cemetery** nearby holds thousands of soldiers killed in the Battle of the Bulge, a visible reminder that German losses in the offensive, while less famous than American casualties, were equally severe.