The American troops were positioned on a slight ridge overlooking the village. During a 20-hour-long battle, the 18-man platoon, led by 20-year-old lieutenant Lyle Bouck Jr., inflicted 93 casualties on the Germans. The American troops seriously disrupted the entire German Sixth Panzer Army's schedule of attack along the northern edge of the offensive. The entire platoon was captured, and only many years later were they recognized with a Presidential Unit Citation. Every member of the platoon was decorated, making it the most highly decorated platoon of World War II.