(4TH INFANTRY DIVISION) IN THE HURTGEN FOREST,
GERMANY, 16 NOVEMBER - 3 DECEMBER 1944
(RHINELAND CAMPAIGN)
By Major Frederick T. Kent
INTRODUCTION
This monograph covers the operations of the 22nd Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, in the Hurtgen Forest east of ZWEIFALL, Germany, during the period 14 November - 3 December 1944.
This operation can be summarized briefly by stating that it involved some of the fiercest fighting of the whole war under some of the most difficult conditions of weather, terrain and enemy resistance that were experienced anywhere on the European continent. The accomplishment of the regimental mission despite all these obstacles resulted in the award of the second distinguished unit citation received by the 22nd Infantry Regiment. 1
Prior to the beginning of this operation, the 4th Infantry Division was assigned to V Corps and occupied positions in the line south and east of MONSCHAU, Germany, on the southern flank of V Corps. The situation had been comparatively static in this area for some time; and, as a result, the Division was in good condition for the resumption of its usual mission - hard fighting against determined resistance.
The 1st US Army plan called for a large-scale coordinated attack beginning approximately 11 November to force crossings of the Roer River and permit the movement of 1st Army to the assault on COLOGNE. 2
In order to bolster the strength of VII Corps for the attack In its zone, two divisions, the 4th and the 104th, transferred to VII Corps. The 4th Infantry Division was relieved by the 9th Infantry Division and started moving to its new area on 6 November 1944. 3
The 22nd Infantry moved during the night of 8-9 November under conditions of extreme secrecy. All identifying markings on vehicles, uniforms, and equipment were removed or covered; telephone code names we're changed; and a code word "Red Wing" was used during the movement itself to identify the unit to traffic control personnel along the route. The movement was completed without serious incident, although driving conditions were extremely bad due to poor visibility, intermittent snow squalls, and slippery roads. The regiment closed into its assembly area east of ZWEIFALL by daylight, 9 November and started preparing to relieve elements of the 28th Division prior to the attack. 4
The 4th Division was assigned the mission of seizing crossings along the Roer River in the vicinity of DÜREN and to the south thereof and to assist the later advance of the 1st Division (to the north) to seize COLOGNE. 5
The attack by 1st Army was to be coordinated with an attack by 9th Army, and was scheduled to follow an intensive aerial bombardment along the entire front. This air preparation was dependent on the weather, and D-Day was set for some time during the period 11-16 November. The weather continued bad, and the attack was postponed from day to day until 16 November, when it was finally initiated. 6
The air operation, officially known as "Operation Queen" was the largest close-support bombardment ever flown by the RAF and US Air Forces. A total of over 9300 tons of bombs were dropped on enemy positions opposite the 1st and 9th Army fronts. 7 The ground attack, which jumped off at 1245, 16 November, progressed slowly in the VII Corps zone, and the 22nd Infantry fought continuously, except for a few brief pauses for reorganization, resupply, and mopping-up operations, until 2 December when its final objectives were taken and the regiment was relieved. 8
