Veterans recall pivotal World War II battle

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ It's been 60 years since American soldiers huddled in snow drifts in europe during one of World War Two's most pivotal battles. <br/><br/>But Oklahoma veterans of the Battle

Monday, December 27th 2004, 7:06 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ It's been 60 years since American soldiers huddled in snow drifts in europe during one of World War Two's most pivotal battles.

But Oklahoma veterans of the Battle of the Bulge still have vivid memories of the conflict -- and the cold.

Jack Talley recalls the early hours of December 16th, 1944. That's when German troops and tanks pushed into American lines at the borders of Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg.

The German advance was aided by poor weather, which grounded American aircraft. But Talley says on Christmas Day, the skies cleared, allowing American P-47 Thunderbolts to take flight.

Low temperatures and snow didn't help troop morale. Talley says it was the region's coldest winter in a century.