All that night and on into the morning of the 21st, the 1st Battalion slugged its way through the battle-scarred village. By mid-morning the town belonged to the 504 when the 3rd Battalion executed a wide flanking maneuver to enter the village from the North. A quick tally disclosed that fourteen flakwagons, six halftracks, four trucks, four 105mm field artillery pieces, and one Mark VI tank had been put out of action. Those enemy vehicles which were still serviceable were promptly utilized by the regiment. The 504 suffered heavily in this attack, but annihilated an enemy SS Battalion and handed German forces the first defeat they had suffered in the "Battle of the Bulge." The fierceness of the battle can be attested to by the fact that of the enemy forces, only 31 were taken prisoner - half of them wounded. This SS Battalion was the same one that had been responsible for the infamous massacre of American prisoners at Malmedy; they were repaid with interest by men of the 504.

It was on December 21 that the 504 (and doubtless others) played host to a party of five Germans attired in American uniforms who drove about in the area in two jeeps. One member of the party was disguised as an American captain, while the remaining four men were dressed in typical GI combat fashion. These men were encountered at several different points throughout the rear areas and on all occasions did not hesitate to indulge in conversation with American soldiers. They even carried their bluff so far as to stop in front of the regimental CP to pass the time of day and bum a cigarette from one of the staff officers.

Later in the day, however, the spies overplayed their hands when they drew up before the 1st Battalion CP in Cheneux. An overly curious private, unsatisfied with the faltered replies afforded his questions, alarmed the Germans when he brandished a bazooka he had picked up, causing them to abandon the jeeps and flee. Several Americans fired on the Germans as they ran into the woods, wounding one. Nevertheless, all escaped despite the fact that they could easily have been apprehended had the fact that they were illegitimate registered on the paratroopers, who stood around curiously, wondering why one American was shooting at another. Their immediate reaction was to defend the fleeing enemy spies from what they thought was a neurotic GI.

The period 21-24 December was occasioned by a reshuffling of forces in and out of Cheneux, with the 2nd Battalion moving South of Lierneux to reinforce other units In the division, and the 1st Battalion doing the same in the vicinity of Trois Ponts.

On the night of the 22nd, the regiment was alerted against a possible enemy parachute drop. Shortly before midnight the drop materialized In the form of an unknown quantity of equipment bundles, a half dozen of which were picked up by patrols of the 3rd Battalion. The bundles contained gasoline, rations, and ammunition, and were apparently intended for a beleaguered enemy force trapped in Staumont.

Christmas day brought all battalions back under regimental control, and except for a meal of frozen turkey, the day slipped by unmarked by incident. It was a white Christmas.

During the ensuing week the regiment repulsed four counter-attacks ranging from company to battalion strength and continued to prepare for an expected attack of much larger proportions. The defensive scheme was Improved by the establishment of road-blocks, the laying of concertina wire and mines. Offensive activity was limited to aggressive patrolling.

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