Today, Dec. 16, marks the 75th anniversary of the beginning of one of the biggest and bloodiest battles of World War II, the Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Counteroffensive.

There are many historic reasons to never forget this battle, but the primary reason to remember it is the more than 19,000 American soldiers who lost their lives in that history-making event.

U.S. Department of the Army listed 19,246 killed, 62,489 wounded and 26,612 captured or missing, between Dec. 16, 1944, and Jan. 25, 1945, the beginning and ending dates of the battle.

The men who lost their lives in the battle were mostly young, some still in their teens, and were from every part of the United States.

They were courageously defending their nation and families against one of the greatest evils of all time, Nazi Germany. We should never forget them or their sacrifice for America and the world.

The generally accepted figure for casualties for the Germans is 12,652 killed, 38,600 wounded and 30,582 missing or captured. However, some authors have put the enemy casualties as high as 125,000.

The Germans struck American forces in Ardennes forest, which was considered a quiet sector of the front lines where new divisions and others that had already been in combat, were stationed.

The enemy launched their great offensive with 406,342 men, 557 tanks, 667 tank destroyers and assault guns and 4,224 artillery pieces.

The Americans had 228,741 men at the beginning, 483 tanks, 499 take destroyers and assault guns, 1,921 tank destroyers and assault guns and artillery pieces.

The Germans drove the Americans back, which created a huge bulge in the front lines, in relentless attacks and bad weather, which prevented the Allied air forces from participating at first.

Louisiana’s own Gen. Troy Middleton, a future president of Louisiana State University, made one the critical decisions of the battle by ordering his men to make an heroic stand at the Belgium town of Bastogne, a strategic crossroads.

Although completely surrounded, the Americans held out there until relieved by Gen. George Patton’s 3rd Army.

There are many excellent histories written about the Battle of the Bulge. Read one to learn about the many heroes of the battle and the sacrifices they made to achieve victory. There are also many fine documentaries about the battle.

Most importantly, never forget the American soldiers who fought and died there.