|
|
|
The Westwall, or Siegfriedline, an immense, 650 km long fortified barrier along the German border, stretching from the Swiss border to the area where the Rhine flows into Holland. This is were the allied assault came to a halt after the failed attempt to capture the bridge across the Rhine in Arnhem. To gain momentum again, a small US offensive was staged to break through to the river Ruhr and from there through the Kolnisch Lowlands to the Rhine. After the capture of Aachen on the 21st of october, the 1st US Army had to secure their right flank, the Hurtgen Forest.
This dense, dark forest, an area 30 by 15 kilometers wide, was filled with conrete bunkers, dug-in strongholds, gorges, german soldiers, streams, barbed wire, tripwires, muddy roads, and mines: truly a Green Hell.
The 9th US Division already lost 4500 men during its attempt to cross the forest. They were relieved by the 28th Division. Within two weeks, losses were so high, they were replaced by the 8th Division. Another division, the 4th, followed by the 83rd and the 5th Armoured, were also send into the forest.. all in all, 120.000 men. Only on the 13th of december, troops of the 83rd and 5th division reached the other site of the forest, leaving 24.000 dead, wounded, missing or captured US soldiers behind...
 |
Dense, dangerous forests, granates exploding in the trees, creating showers of deadly shrapnell of metal and wood.. | |
Soldiers and vehicles had to plow through inches of mud and muddy roads.. |
 |
|
 |
After the battle, the once so proud trees , were reduced to mingled stumps and giant toothpicks.. |
 |
 |
One example of the many heroic actions of the soldiers; a sacrifice like this makes a deep impression on me...
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army,
Company F, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division.
Place and date: Hurtgen Forest near Schevenhutte, Germany, 17 November 1944.
Entered service at: Baldwin, New York
Born: Brooklyn, New York
G.O. # 115, 8 December 1945
Citation: He was platoon leader with Company F, 8th Infantry, on 17 November 1944, during the drive through the Hurtgen Forest near Schevenhutte, Germany. The American forces attacked in wet, bitterly cold weather over rough, wooded terrain, meet ing brutal resistance from positions spaced throughout the forest behind mine fields and wire obstacles. Small arms, machine gun, mortar, and artillery fire caused heavy casualties in the ranks when Company F was halted by a concertina type wire barrier. Under heavy fire, 1st Lt. Ray reorganized his men and prepared to blow a path through the entanglement, a task which appeared impossible of accomplishment and from which others tried to dissuade him. With implacable determination to clear the way, he p laced explosive caps in his pockets, obtained several bangalore torpedoes, and then wrapped a length of highly explosive primer cord about his body. He dashed forward under direct fire, reached the barbed wire and prepared his demolition charge as mortar shell, which were being aimed at him alone, came steadily nearer his completely exposed position. He had placed a torpedo under the wire and was connecting it to a charge he carried when he was severely wounded by a bursting mortar shell. Apparently re alizing that he would fail in his self imposed mission unless he completed it in a few moments, he made a supremely gallant decision. With the primer cord still wound about his body and the explosive caps in hi s pocket, he completed a hasty wiring syste m and unhesitatingly thrust down on the handle of the charger, destroying himself with the wire barricade in the resulting blast. By the deliberate sacrifice of his life, 1st Lt. Ray enabled his company to continue its attack, resumption of which was of positive significance in gaining the approaches to the Cologne Plain.
Recommended books:
A dark and bloody ground: The Hurtgen Forest
and the Roer riverdams1944-1945. vol.42 (Edward G. Miller, 1995)
Click here to find specific books about the battle of the Huertgen Forest! |
||
|
||
