The plaque is located on the southern side of the park (the side which is closest to the church). If you are in the park and facing in the direction of the church, this plaque is on the left hand side. Plaque This dark metal plaque is situated on a gray field stone and features the insignia of the 82nd Airborne Division (top-left), the Airborne Parachutist Badge (top-center), and the insignia of the 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion (top-left). The English inscription on the plaque honors in gold lettering the four soldiers of the battalion who were killed in Trois-Ponts on December 21, 1944. 

80TH AIRBORNE

ANTIAIRCRAFT BATTALION

In Memory of

1 LT Jake Wertich KIA DSC

CPL Stokes Taylor KIA DSC

PFC Harry Robison KIA

PFC Gordon S. Smittal KIA BS

____________________________

On 21 Dec 1944, an armored battalion of 1SS grenadiers

launched a savage attack on the hill overlooking Trois Ponts,

defended by troops of E.CO, 505PIR, and A Btry, 80ABN BN.

PFC Robison and PFC Smital were KIA as a withdrawal to the

Salm River bank was ordered. Lt. Jake Wertich refused to fall

back and continued to fire his .57MM AT gun, KOing two

armored vehicles before being KIA himself. Cpl. Stokes

Taylor, facing overwhelming odds, also remained, assisting

the withdrawal with his BAR spraying the enemy-filled woods

before he was KIA.

Lt. Wertich and Cpl. Taylor were awarded, posthumously,

the Distinguished Service Cross for Valor.

May they never be forgotten.