this half-hour documentary is narrated by actor robert taylor. ♪ >> on the 18th of december 1944, the conflict that would become the battle of the bulge was two days old. it had started with a huge german counter offensive planned with a strict timetable. by the 18th, two panzer armies should have reached the river, driving toward their objective antwerp. instead, thousands of hitler's finest troops were fighting to take a small town in belgium. a junction of roads and railways, the key to success for the counter offensive was the timetable. a key to the timetable was st. vith. ♪ at dawn on the 16th, the massive german assault had achieved its first object, surprise. it overwhelmed the inexperienced american troops in the forest east of st. vith, where some like colonel oliver patton, were still trying to fight back to friendly lines on the 18th. >> the last attack down the road. in that attack, i was hit for the second time that day. i was hit through both legs and i couldn't walk. late that night, i remember the battalion commander came through and told us that the battalion had t