Our original design is packed with historical references:

• What became known as the "Battle of the Bulge" was the Ardennes Offensive, and the response of the Allies, the Ardennes Counteroffensive.
• The battle lasted for five weeks from December 16, 1944 to January 28, 1945, towards the end of the war in Europe.
• The 101st Airborne Division was surrounded at Bastogne and being shelled.
• "NUTS" was the (probably sanitized) reply from Brig. Gen. Anthony Mcauliffe to the letter from the attacking German Forces offering an opportunity to surrender.
• An excerpt from Mcauliffe's Christmas Letter to his troops:

We are giving our country and our loved ones at home a worthy Christmas present and being privileged to take part in this gallant feat of arms are truly making for ourselves a Merry Christmas.

/s/ A. C. McAULIFFE
/t/ McAULIFFE
Commanding.

• The Sherman Cobra King that broke through to link up with the 101st Airborne Division on the outskirts of Bastogne on December 26.
• The line running down the center is a tracing from the map of enemy positions on December 25.