General Anthony C McAuliffe

Anthony McAuliffe is best known for one word - "Nuts." This came about when he was acting commander of the 101st Airborne Division during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. He was in charge of the defence of Bastogne on December 22nd 1944 when the garrison was called on by advancing German forces to surrender. His initial response was 'Aw, Nuts!' When he came to compile a written reply he could think of nothing more appropriate: 'To the German Commander: NUTS! The American Commander.' Bastogne was successfully held by the Americans and Anthony C. McAuliffe became immortalised for a single word.

Anthony Clement McAuliffe was Born in Washington, DC on July 2, 1898. He graduated from West Point in November, 1918. He was Commander of Division Artillery of the 101st Airborne Division when he parachuted into Normandy on D-Day and when he entered Holland by glider, 1944. In December, 1944, due to the absence of General Maxwell D. Taylor, he was acting Commander of the 101st Airborne Division and other attached troops during the siege of Bastogne, Belgium. It was when they became surrounded and the Germans demanded their surrender that he sent back his now-famous one-word reply "NUTS." For his actions at Bastogne he received the Distinguished Service Medal.

Anthony McAuliffe became Commander in Chief of the U.S. Army in Europe in 1955, when he was promoted to General. He retired from the Army in 1956 and died on August 11, 1975

General Anthony C. McAuliffe
Site designed and maintained by Bob McAuliffe, New Zealand.
This page last updated 28 June 2009

© 1999-2011 The MacAuliffe Site
This site may not be duplicated in any fashion without consent of the webmaster.
Content of pages may be copied for private use only.