During the days of the 20th and 21st, the Germans continued the investment of Bastogne by launching a whole series of attacks gradually increasing in intensity. McAuliffe's men succeeded in repelling them, however, and a defensive perimeter gradually formed around the town at a distance of about 2,750 m from the centre, although there was an outgrowth of some 2,000 m extending northwest from Mande-Saint-Etienne west of Bastogne.
The 101st Div. tank support, in the form of a Combat Command of the 10th Div. armour, belonging to Lieutenant General George Patton's 3rd Army which was moving north. But he failed to reach Bastogne before the encirclement of the town had been achieved, thus leaving McAuliffe with only a few armored vehicles, belonging to a detachment from Combat Command B of the 2nd Div. armour, commanded by Captain Bert Ezell. McAuliffe was thus led to believe that important elements seen corps were ready to help him on his fl but this was clearly not the case k Although on the American side nobody realized the thing until the next day, starting December 20 Bastogne was completely cut off from the outside world and left alone.
The 501st Regt. of Inf. Para held the perish in the east; then, by turning clockwise, we found suc cessively:two Bns. of the 327th Regt. of Inf. p (327th Glider Infantty) to the south, with the 3rd Br this regiment holding the salient to the west 502nd Regt. of Inf. Para occupying the non perimeter and the 506th the northeast between the 50 the 501st.
In Bastogne itself was the headquarters of the division, Coi Command R of the 9th Div. armored and the Co, Command B of the 10th Div. shielded.