All for a Piece of Dirt

The moment Captain Richards entered the battalion command post, he knew Major Carnes was pissed. “Those krauts snuck an observation post on Hill 179 last night and hammered regiment’s supply column this morning. Colonel Ranking is on my ass and …

1944-09-22

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The moment Captain Richards entered the battalion command post, he knew Major Carnes was pissed. “Those krauts snuck an observation post on Hill 179 last night and hammered regiment’s supply column this morning. Colonel Ranking is on my ass and wants us them off that hill now. You got that Captain Richards?” Back at the company CP, Captain Richards, pointing at spot on map, looked around at the grim faces of lieutenants Murphy and Cherry, and said “There’s an enemy outpost here on Hill 179, directing mortar fire on our supply convoys. Major Carnes wants it eliminated yesterday. I think your best approach will be here, from the south. Any questions? Alright then, get your men ready to move out immediately.” As they left the CP, Murphy groused, “All this for a piece of dirt.”

Hurtgen Forest, Germany

The Battle of Hürtgen Forest was a series of fierce battles fought from 19 September to 16 December 1944, between American and German forces on the Western Front during World War II, in the Hürtgen Forest, a 140 km2 (54 sq mi) area about 5 km (3.1 mi) east of the Belgian–German border. It was the longest battle on German ground during World War II and is the longest single battle the U.S. Army has ever fought. The U.S. commanders' initial goal was to pin down German forces in the area to keep them from reinforcing the front lines farther north in the Battle of Aachen, where the US forces were fighting against the Siegfried Line network of fortified industrial towns and villages speckled with pillboxes, tank traps, and minefields. A secondary objective may have been to outflank the front line. The Americans' initial tactical objectives were to take Schmidt and clear Monschau. In a second phase the Allies wanted to advance to the Rur River as part of Operation Queen.

Wikipedia: Battle of Hürtgen Forest

American

German