Lyle J. Bouck, Jr. was born in Fenton, Missouri in 1923 and joined the Missouri National Guard at the age of 14. Late in the war, he was a 20-year-old second lieutenant with the US 99th Infantry Division when the Germans launched a massive, surprise counteroffensive in the Ardennes region of southern Belgium. It became known as the Battle of the Bulge, and the 99th Division, newly arrived and lacking combat experience, suffered the brunt of the initial German thrust.
Shortly after the German attack began, Bouck and his 18-man platoon was ordered to hold valuable high ground along the Lanzerath Ridge. They dug in but were soon completely cut off from the rest of the division. Charged by hundreds of German troops throughout the day, Bouck and his men held the Germans off time and time again, surrendering only when their ammunition was exhausted. Their stand delayed the German advance and severely impacted their planned timetable, providing US forces precious time to recover and stabilize their lines. It took many years for the Army to give the platoon its due, but every man was eventually awarded a Presidential Unit Citation. Bouck was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star, and as a whole, the platoon earned four DSCs, five Silver Stars, and ten Bronze Stars. Bouck died in 2016 at the age of 92.
