90 Infantry Division (USA) captured Sonlez

On January 9th all was in readiness for the attack. The 90th examined the terrain which stood in its way and saw endless reaches of towering hills coated with snow and ice. From this day until the end of combat the 90th was destined to conduct its activities in the hill of Europe. The weather was also a formidable foe.

For now the January winds swept paralyzingly through the exposed valleys, the temperature hovered around the zero mark, armor and other vehicles ground helplessly on the ice for traction, and the specter of trench foot and frost-bite hung night-marishly over the American troops. The enemy, with mobile reserves of SS Panzer units, were well dug in on the sides of the hills ready to resist fanatically any encroachment on their main supply roads running east from Bastogne itself.

And so the 90th Division arraigned itself against the hills, the winter, and the Germans. With the 357th on the left, the 359th on the right, and 358th in reserve, the assault was launched on the morning of January 9th from line running generally from Bavigne northeast to a crossroads north of Nothum.

Where precious gains in the area had been measured in terms of yards, the 90th provided the added impetus required to shrivel the salient to nothing. Nebelwerfer barrages of unaccustomed intensity roared menacingly overhead ; artillery and tank fire added their bit in an attempt to halt the rising tide that threatened to engulf the salient. Berlé fell to the 90th the first day, on the third day Sonlez and Doncols were taken.