▁command ▁of ▁General major ▁Gün ther ▁Hoff mann - Sch ön born ▁pat rolled ▁the ▁Schne e ▁E if el ▁area . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 6 ▁at ▁ 4 : 0 0   a . m ., ▁they ▁took ▁the ▁twenty - two ▁foot ▁mac ad am ▁road ▁route ▁following ▁the ▁Our ▁River ▁valley ▁towards ▁M ander field . ▁The ▁route ▁terminated ▁at ▁several ▁vital ▁cross ro ads ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁St . ▁V ith . ▁The ▁ 5 th ▁Pan zer ▁Army ▁planned ▁to ▁by pass ▁St . ▁V ith ▁to ▁the ▁north . ▁ ▁Adv ance ▁delayed ▁▁ ▁On ▁the ▁German ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁Sieg fried ▁Line , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁position ed ▁their ▁troops ▁and ▁arm or ▁around ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Los heim . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁at ▁ 5 : 3 0   a . m ., ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁launched ▁a ▁ 9 0 - min ute ▁art illery ▁bar rage ▁using ▁ 1 , 6 0 0 ▁art illery ▁pieces ▁across ▁an ▁ ▁front . ▁ ▁The ▁inf antry ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Fall sch irm ja eg er ▁Regiment , ▁ 3 rd ▁Fall sch irm ja eg er ▁Division ▁led ▁the ▁way ▁through ▁the ▁Los heim ▁G ap , ▁task ed ▁with ▁clear ing ▁American ▁resistance ▁along ▁the ▁main ▁line ▁of ▁advance . ▁To ▁spare ▁the ▁arm or , ▁they ▁operated ▁in ▁advance ▁of ▁K ampf gruppe