Historical Timeline of Events

Finally, the Americans reach their objective.

by Rainer Monnartz

Nov. 27, 1944 (Monday)

At dawn, US infantrymen attack the village of Hürtgen from three directions, and despite ever increasing artillery fire, they soon reach the first houses - better said: the ruins, because the stretched out village is already totally shot to pieces. Tank shells will blow up the rest.

In distant Berlin, Hitler sets the date for the Ardennes Offensive as: December, 7. According to his order the Roer bridgeheads have to be held by all means up to then.

Nov. 28, 1944 (Tuesday)

At dawn, the Americans attack the area of Hürtgen with all available weapons.

Kleinhau and Grosshau are strafed and bombed by fighter bombers. After the ground is prepared by fighter bombers, Hürtgen itself is attacked by ground troops which had already reached the edge of the village the day before. An hour long house-to-house fight ensues.

Because the Germans can only defend themselves with hand-held weapons, and although the Americans advance with Sherman tanks, it takes until the afternoon, before Hürtgen is finally seized.

There is great relief at the Allied Supreme Command: the first Allied convoy reaches the harbor of Antwerp.

From now on supplies can roll to the front much more quickly.

Nov. 29, 1944 (Wednesday)

From the occupied town of Hürtgen, the Americans push ahead towards Kleinhau, where the Germans only offer limited resistance. Nevertheless, similar to Hürtgen, the place is in ruins. Here and also in Kleinhau the defenders had been strengthened at the last minute by units of the 3rd (GE) Paratrooper Division which consists mostly of very young members of the Hitler Youth.

Kleinhau is in American hands.

With the thrust from Meroder Forest on the village and Castle Merode, two American companies fall under fire and are decimated, finally left with only a dozen soldiers.

Late in the evening, the Americans have won the three-day-long battle for Lamersdorf (near Eschweiler-Weisweiler), when the last Germans withdraw to the east bank of the Inde and try there to establish a line of defense.

Nov. 30, 1944 (Thursday)

The next objectives of the Americans in the Hürtgenwald are the German artillery bastions on the heights of the Brandenberg - Bergstein ridge, which pounded them so viciously, during the November battles around Vossenack and Schmidt. A thorn in the flesh is the vitally important Castle Hill or Hill 400, which is situated between Bergstein and Zerkall. Hill 400 (400.5 meters above sea level) commands the terrain for miles around. The defenders not only have an excellent view over the entire combat area, but they also coordinate their artillery from this position. The Americans attack from two sides: along the Brandenberg - Bergstein ridge, and out of Vossenack through the Tiefenbach valley (Lucas Mill) towards Bergstein. Success is modest - still the outnumbered German defenders can hold on.

Grosshau is lost to the Americans.

Dec. 02, 1944 (Saturday)

The American attack on Brandenberg gets stuck in mine fields and German artillery fire from Kommerscheidt and Schmidt. Also the thrust through the Tiefenbach Valley towards Brandenberg doesn't make much progress.

Dec. 03, 1944 (Sunday)

Supported by air strikes, the Americans seize Brandenberg. Since German resistance isn't so strong any more, they try to reach Bergstein in the afternoon, however they are stopped by an air assault of some 60 German Messerschmidt fighter planes. It's the largest German air assault during the whole Huertgen Forest campaign.

The Americans, who jumped off from Vossenack to Bergstein, succeed in taking the heavily contested Lucas Mill in the deep gorge of the Tiefenbach valley. However they are pinned down at the so called "Hubertushöhe" (Hubertus Height), west of the town of Bergstein. The Hubertushöhe hereby changes hands several times.

In the meantime, the fights become more difficult not only because of the mud caused by the endless autumn rainfalls, but increasingly also because of dropping temperatures, which lead to the first cases of frost bite on both sides. High losses and total exhaustion are the provide the occasion for replacing units, on both German and American sides.

Dec. 04, 1944 (Monday)

While the Germans strengthen their forces at the Roer dams in expectation of an American attack to the south, the Allies start with a series of bombardments of the Urft Dam, to preempt the constant threat of flooding by the Germans. The water mass falling in the Schwammenauel reservoir as a result of the destruction of the Urft Dam is expected to wash away the weak Schwammenauel Dam at the same time. This operation , which lasts until 11 December , fails, with no breach made.

Dec. 05, 1944 (Tuesday)

Blessed with clear weather conditions, the US Air Force massively bombards Bergstein, whereby ground troops assisted by heavy armor finally manage to occupy the village. For the time being, the German defenders of Castle Hill are able to maintain their positions.

The last German strongpoints in Vossenack are lost.

From the region of Grosshau and farther to the north of Inden the Americans start attacks towards the Roer river and the city of Düren.

Dec. 06, 1944 (Wednesday)

The Germans fruitlessly attempt a counterattack but Bergstein remains in American possession.

At Merode the 26th US regiment once again suffers a heavy setback. Village and castle remain in German possession.

Dec. 07, 1944 (Thursday)

In the fight for Hill 400 or Castle Hill near Bergstein, the Americans use several units of Rangers (elite troops, who were previously committed at the encirclement of Aachen), supported by armor. Although suffering heavy losses, they are able to achieve the storming and capture of this German stronghold. Up until late in the evening, the Germans repeatedly try to regain this strategically important crest, but in vain.

West of Gey, American armor and infantry form for the attack.

Dec. 08, 1944 (Friday)

The Roer dams receive the heaviest bombardment since the beginning of the Allied air offensive on 4 December. Altogether 205 Allied bombers unload their freight.

Dec. 09, 1944 (Saturday)

Within the middle of the whole front, the Roer now forms the main combat line. The Americans try to gain a foothold east of the Roer only at isolated places, as is the case near Flossdorf. In view of the fact that the Roer dams are still in German hands, the Americans don't launch a large attack for the time being. Not only have they learned by now the importance of the dams, the 30th (US) Division also has German papers, stating that at the crucial moment a demolition of the dams is intended.

So they essentially concentrate their troops for the raid on Düren.

HORIZONTAL FLOURISH LINE



Source:
Original text by Rainer Monnartz, Geschichtsverein Hürtgenwald e.V.
German to English translation made by Scorpio and Christine Greenthaner.

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