Graphic hand-drawn of "Road Block 2" found in the 117th, 3rd Battalion history that can be read in its entirety by clicking on this link. 

The reduction of "Road Block 2" was an extremely difficult undertaking.  Read a detailed description of the struggle on the St. Vith Off. reports found on Page 2 of Reports section.

An officer of Co. K, 117th, that prefers to remain unnamed, gives the following account:

On January 13th the weather took a turn for the worst, and it started to snow steadily.  The Division was ordered to move to St. Vith and take the high ground around St. Vith.  The Seventh Armor Division was then to enter and retake the town.  The snow continued without abating, and it took ten days for the Division to reach St. Vith.  During this time the U.S. Air Corps could not support ground actions.  The Germans had a huge advantage as they dug in defensively.  During the ten day march the Division suffered what was called alarming battle and non battle casualties inflicted by the weather.  Men made boots of salvaged blankets and toboggans of discarded lumber or lumber torn off barns.  The toboggans were used to transport the wounded back to the aid station as no vehicles were able to move in the deep snow.  The snow was over four feet deep and in some places the drifts made it much deeper.  Much of the action we ran into was short lived as there was no organized resistance.  That was until we hit what became to be known as "Road Block 2".  It was heavily defended and mined.  It took several days to clear that out, and then we were on our way again.  Also, on January 15th a captain had been assigned to K Company and I went back to being XO.  Captain Hammond was a big burly man, but he was direct from the states and had no combat experience.  Col. Mac asked me to orient him and keep things running.  Capt. Hammond was gun shy as was to be expected until he got his feet on the ground.

Rifleman Donald Hogue, Co. K, 117th, gives the following account of the cruel conflict:

I remember fighting to take a crossroads in Ardennes.  We were held up on a hill overlooking the road block positioned ahead of an important crossroads. The last night we were stuck on this hill; dug into the snow with screaming minees and artillery/mortars hitting us all night.  I don't know how I ever lived through it.  The artillery shells were hitting the trees and causing shrapnel umbrellas to fall on us.  Many men were killed and wounded....it was BAD!!  I heard men crying out all night and no medics were available.  After the roadblocks were reduced, I was told to go back to an aid station.  My ankles hurt terribly.  I was asked if my feet hurt, and I said I could not feel them.  I should have changed my socks and massaged my feet, but I didn't.  My feet were severely frostbitten.  I was sent to a hospital outside of Paris and never rejoined the company.