Students at Lehighton Area High School heard first-hand stories about World War II's Battle of the Bulge, a major German offensive launched in December 1944 that surprised the Allies and claimed 19,000 American lives. It was the largest and bloodiest battle fought by the United States in World War II.

Four soldiers who fought in the battle visited the high school Tuesday and held an assembly program, telling about the perils on the battlefield and answering questions.They showed photos and other memorabilia, including medals they earned in battle. Some had Purple Hearts to display.The soldiers, most of them over 90 years old, were Quinton Snyder of Palmerton, who served in the 31st Combat Engineer Division; Clem Reed of Slatington, who served in the 94th Infantry Division; Frank Maresca of Effort, who was in the 75h Infantry Division, and Lionel Adda of Allentown, who was in the 99th Infantry Division.The program was arranged by high school teacher Bill Brong, who coordinated it with the Lehigh Valley Chapter of the Veterans of the Battle of the Bulge.This is the 12th year Brong has organized such a Veterans Day event at the school. In that span, 16 different World War II veterans have spoken to the students.Brong presented a plaque dedicated to the honor of World War II veterans, which will be hung in the foyer of the high school. He said the plaque is "a reminder of the bravery and sacrifice of these men and women."Adda told the students about the conditions the soldiers endured as they fought the Germans.He mentioned about the dark nights where visibility was extremely limited unless there was a building burning in the background or a bright moon to produce light. On those dark nights, the Germans would sneak close the American lines. At one point, he awoke to find enemy soldiers less than 25 feet away from him.He told about the burst of gunfire and the ground erupting right next to him, making him realize he was the target of the Germans.Adda also told of sacrifices his friends made.Maresca said when he graduated from high school, the future was not optimistic because of the aggression being shown by Japan and Germany.He learned drafting at Bethlehem Steel, and then graduated. Then he was drafted and assigned to an engineering division with the Army. One of his jobs was to help build bridges.During the Battle of the Bulge, there was a river with no crossing, so Maresca was assigned to help construct a bridge across it."The Germans got wind of this and started to throw everything at us," he said.Maresca was one of the first of the engineers wounded. He said he was taken to a field hospital in France and it was nothing like those portrayed on the hit TV program

M.A.S.H.He told the students how thankful he was to be alive. He said, "On the way back to that ambulance, I said to myself, 'I made it. The war is over for me. What a relief.'"Snyder displayed his Army jacket. On it was his Purple Heart.He read an essay about the importance of Veterans Day.After the talks, the veterans socialized for a while with the students. So impressed were some of the students that they even asked the veterans for autographs.