Combat Stories of World War II    This was the old main site....

A Trip to the Huertgen Forest

 

                                                                                                                    

v                    The Infamous Hill 400 in the Huertgen Forest                   The Kall Trail                              Huertgen Forest Foxholes  in 2006

 


Accolades from Readers

Index of Stories

The Battle of the Huertgen Forest
 
Robert Knaack's Story
 
The Gerd Horner Story
 
The Fritz Tillmanns Story
 
The Roland Fischer Story
 
 Hans Falkensteins Week in the Forest

   

A Touching Story
 
The Chronicles of Ron van Rijt
 
The Million Dollar Wound
 
General Gavin's Story
Counter Attack on Schmidt
 
The Jagdpanthers
                          
The Gunther Schmidt Story
 
 
                         Murphy's Law covering Rules of Combat

The Luftwaffen Battle Report               

Response From Readers One

Readers Two

Readers Three

Readers Four
 
Readers Five
 
Readers Six
 

This picture of author Hans Falkenstein and friend Fritz Tillmans was taken February 2003 as they prepare to place flowers at the grave of fallen comrades of the German 89th ID.

Click here to read their story

 The photo of a lovely Belgian lady is Regine Villers who has made it her job to tend the grave of American GI. A photo of the GI is shown in the picture below.

    

 
 

 

Below is a picture of the soldier who lies buried in the plot shown above. The New Jersey GI is Frederick F. Villani.

 

 

                     Click for his touching story.

   

 This young lady (actually a mannequin) was pressed into service at this site. Click for her interesting story.

 

 

   

See the making of this photo

 

Shown below is Gerd Horner and on the left is visitor Colonel Vernon Greene US Ret. Veteran of the78 Lightning Div. The two former enemies recount their experiences in this  now ancient battle.             Click for Gerd's story.

Another veteran of the battle  and comrade of those who fought there, meet August Goevert, who sends his greetings to our readers 


     

    A twelve year old Dutch boy drew his impression of an American GI as shown below.

     

       

    Here is a photo of Fritz Tillmann who spent three weeks in a disabled American tank. A wonderful guy according to friend Ron van Rijt.  

    Click to read his story

     

    Shown above are the graves of  American soldiers killed in action in the Hurtgen Forest (Germany), and buried in the American Cemetery at Margraten in Holland with graves tended by the Dutch, some of whom appear to be quite young.

    Another photo of Ron van Rijt preparing for another sojourn into the Huertgen Forest.

         Story

                                                       This picture, taken in March of 2006, shows the road where it all began - the Battle of the Huertgen Forest.

      In mid-September, the 39th/9th Infantry Divisions attacked along this road.

      The Henri-Chappelle Memorial Cemetery

      .

      American soldiers await the inevitable

       

       

       Click to find out more about these vehicles

      The Photo directly above  and to the left are from the Paul Lambert collection. Click on any picture for a larger view of these amazing photographs.

       

      Continue to next page


       To New all inclusive site - new material

      All of the stories on this site are true and most are written by Ernest Herr - Combat Vet WW2  Links to the stories can be clicked by the pictures associated with the story or can be found at the Index at left.
        Shown below is Robert Knaack who, after more than a half century, returns to the Huertgen Forest and finds  that his personal foxhole is still serviceable. Robert exited the battle after being hit by a German mortar shell. Read his story to sense what it might have been like there in the winter of 1944.    Click to read Robert's story
       

                         This Dutch gentleman, Ron van Rijt, has made the Huertgen Forest his stamping ground. He is the source of many of these pictures and stories. For   Click to read his story 

      Below is a German veteran playing a favorite song, "Lili Marlene" on his harmonica. The visitors to the forest seem visibly impressed. 
        Another perfect way to visit the Huertgen Forest

        When Visiting the Huertgen Forest you could end up visiting with these three old Forest Vets.

         

          

          German tank veteran Mathias Hutmacher from the 341 Panzer Brigade spins a story for American GI from Tennessee who was visiting while on leave from his own battles in Iraq.

         

        Below shows a picture of a Huertgen Forest battle scene taken in the year 1944. Directly below the same building can be seen as it looks in the year 2006.
         
         
         
           
         
         
         

        This may be the last picture of this German  reunion - the 272 Volksgrenadier Division - the names of these surviving German Veterans are, from the left, Mr. Thierbacher, Mr.Gellermann, Mr. Storm and Mr. Ips
         
         

        The German soldiers may not have had jeeps but they did have their version which does look pretty neat.

         

         

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