, ▁they ▁took ▁do z ens ▁of ▁cas ual ties ▁and ▁were ▁held ▁up ▁by ▁the ▁ 1 8 ▁remaining ▁US ▁troops ▁d ug ▁into ▁a ▁r idge ▁over looking ▁the ▁village , ▁and ▁the ▁ 6 th ▁Pan zer ▁Army ▁advance ▁was ▁delayed . ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 7 , ▁German ▁engine ers ▁rep a ired ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁road ▁brid ges ▁over ▁the ▁rail road ▁along ▁the ▁Los heim - Los heimer gra ben ▁road ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 2 th ▁Division ▁German ▁arm or ▁began ▁adv ancing ▁towards ▁the ▁key ▁road ▁j unction ▁at ▁Los heimer gra ben . ▁ ▁Once ▁past ▁Lan zer ath , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁plan ▁to ▁capture ▁the ▁good ▁quality ▁road ▁network ▁ ▁was ▁th wart ed ▁by ▁mostly ▁un t ried ▁U . S . ▁troops ▁who ▁succeeded ▁in ▁sever ely ▁limit ing ▁the ▁German ' s ▁advance , ▁hal ting ▁them ▁at ▁El sen born ▁R idge . ▁The ▁Germ ans ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁r er oute ▁their ▁arm or ▁and ▁troops ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁over ▁mostly ▁single - lane ▁country ▁roads , ▁sever ely ▁limit ing ▁the ▁speed ▁of ▁their ▁advance ▁and ▁their ▁ability ▁to ▁concent rate ▁their ▁strength ▁on ▁the ▁limited ▁American ▁def enses . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁south , ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Pan zer ▁Army ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁task ▁of ▁capt uring ▁St . ▁V ith ▁and ▁the ▁vital ▁road ▁and ▁rail ▁network ▁it ▁controlled . ▁The ▁ 1 8 th ▁Volks gren ad ier ▁Division ▁under ▁the