This Panther was the spearhead of Kampfgruppe Peiper. It penetrated close to its objective only to be knocked out near Stoumont by the 740th Tank Battalion. Colonel Jochen Peiper was given the strongest elements of the 1st SS-Panzer Division and used them to good effect as the only division commander to make a major breakthrough. His unit became infamous for the Malmedy massacre of American prisoners and medics. While the German propaganda machine made the most of his exploits, his unit ended the Battle of the Bulge only 40 kilometers from its start point and far short of its objective thanks to stiff resistance from scattered U.S. units.
