▁he ▁spoke ▁to ▁said ▁the ▁woods ▁were ▁full ▁of ▁Americans ▁and ▁t anks . ▁He ▁fur iously ▁inter rog ated ▁the ▁inf antry ▁officers ▁to ▁learn ▁if ▁any ▁pat rol s ▁into ▁the ▁woods ▁had ▁been ▁conducted ▁and ▁learned ▁that ▁no ▁one ▁had ▁personally ▁recon no iter ed ▁the ▁area . ▁Dis g usted , ▁Pe i per ▁demanded ▁that ▁Ober st ▁Hel mut ▁von ▁Hoff man , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 th ▁Par ach ute ▁Regiment , ▁give ▁him ▁a ▁batt alion ▁of ▁par atro ops ▁to ▁accomp any ▁his ▁t anks . ▁At ▁ 4 : 3 0   a . m . ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 7 , ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 6 ▁hours ▁behind ▁schedule , ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁SS ▁Pan zer ▁Division ▁rolled ▁out ▁of ▁Lan zer ath ▁with ▁a ▁batt alion ▁of ▁par atro op ers ▁preceding ▁them ▁and ▁head ed ▁east ▁for ▁Buch ol z ▁Station . ▁ ▁Adv ance ▁towards ▁H ün ningen ▁At ▁Buch ol z ▁Station , ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Battalion ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁ 3 9 4 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁was ▁surprised ▁and ▁quickly ▁ ▁captured , ▁except ▁for ▁a ▁headquarters ▁company ▁radio ▁operator . ▁H idden ▁in ▁a ▁cell ar , ▁he ▁called ▁in ▁reports ▁to ▁division ▁headquarters ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁finally ▁captured . ▁D riv ing ▁west - n orth west , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁entered ▁H ons feld , ▁where ▁they ▁encountered ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 9 9 th ▁Division ' s ▁rest