The small village of Foy, just four kilometers north of Bastogne on the road to Houffalize, was occupied by German troops from December 21, 1944 to January 13, 1945. In the fight for the liberation of Bastogne, American troops positioned themselves in the Bois Jacques, a forest near Foy.
Traces of the fighting around Bastogne in the Bois Jacques ("Jack's Wood") near Foy can still be seen today: foxholes and trenches that the American soldiers dug to protect themselves from enemy fire. They bear witness to the tough combat conditions around Bastogne between December 1944 and January 1945. The winter was freezing cold, with nighttime temperatures as low as minus 28 degrees Celsius. In December, the American soldiers were not only five times outnumbered by the Germans, they also lacked weatherproof clothing, ammunition, food and medicine. Due to the bad weather conditions, the American troops could not be supplied with supplies from the air; there was also a lack of tactical support from other combat aircraft. After Christmas, when the sky finally cleared, the American planes were finally able to drop provisions. Reinforcements arrived in January. The "Easy Company", the 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, occupied the Bois Jacques and dug foxholes to defend the unit against enemy artillery. There was constant shell, rocket and artillery fire from both sides. Between January 9 and 13, Easy Company suffered its heaviest casualties. On January 13, the soldiers attacked Foy and retook the village house by house. Both Americans and Germans suffered many dead and wounded, but by the end of the day, Foy found himself in Allied hands. Easy Company achieved worldwide fame through its part in the fighting in the Ardennes, but above all through the book "Band of Brothers" by Stephen E. Ambrose, which centers on the experiences of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Regiment, 101st Airborne Division stand. The TV series based on this template was an international success.