Extremely Rare
Battle of the Hurtgen Forest
Overview
The Battle of the Hurtgen Forest was the longest battle on German soil during WWII and one of the most costly for the U.S. Army. American forces attacked through dense, rugged forest to secure a line of dams overlooking the Roer River. The battle became a brutal attritional struggle.
Obscure Facts & Hidden Details
U.S. commanders repeatedly threw troops into the same killing ground rather than bypassing the forest. The 28th Infantry Division lost over 6,000 men in just two weeks—more than the entire division's combat strength.
The forest was so dense that tanks could not operate effectively. Artillery tree bursts—shells detonating in the canopy—created deadly wooden shrapnel that shredded soldiers.
The battle lasted four months and achieved virtually nothing. The dams the Americans sought to capture were secured only after the Germans opened them and flooded the Roer valley, delaying the advance for weeks.
The forest was so dense that tanks could not operate effectively. Artillery tree bursts—shells detonating in the canopy—created deadly wooden shrapnel that shredded soldiers.
The battle lasted four months and achieved virtually nothing. The dams the Americans sought to capture were secured only after the Germans opened them and flooded the Roer valley, delaying the advance for weeks.