Re: Hurtgen forest

 Here is a sample of the guestbook from the Hurtgen site, kinda lets you see the human side of things.

My grandfather, Joseph A. Retzler, was trained with the 66th Blank Panthers Division but fought in the 60th Infantry Regiment of the 9th Infantry Division as a replacement troop. He arrived in Europe in late September and died the first day of attack by the 9th, on October 6, 1944. I have always wanted to learn more about him and found most of my information on my own research as my mother and her sisters were too young and my grandmother died many years ago. The site was fantastic and I wish I could go there to see where he died and the pics helped so much to fill a little gap. Thank you for creating this site to the men who's battle has been swept under the carpet even though it was the longest fought battle in American Army history.

My husband's Grand uncle fought in the 4th infantry in the Hurtgen forest. He said that it was the worst time in the war for him. He said that all the trees were just stumps from the shells and that when a shell hit a tree it would come directly down at you and be more lethal that way than any other way. He also remembers Screaming mimis, a rocket launched bomb that the germans would wind up and send into Allied forces. If you could hear it it had already passed you. But you didn't know when the next one was coming. If you were hit , you never heard it. After that battle his company had R&R in Luxemburg. They were surrounded by Germans and ran out of ammunition. Clarence, took a jeep and barged through enemy lines to get supplies. He earned the bronze star for his efforts.

My Uncle PFC Bruce L. Anderson with the 330th Inf Reg, Company B, The 83rd Div. He was killed on the 14th of December 1944 in the Hurtgen Forest and now rest at the Netherlands American Cemetary near Margraten, Holland. I'm Going to Europe again this September and will visit Bruce's grave and go into the Hurtgen.

It is a very moving description of the battles fought in the Hurtgen Forest and the cost to humanity. I grew up in Clear Lake, Wisconsin and went to High School with Robert Cahow who was killed in the Hurtgen Forest during WWII and his remains recently found. He was a very humble person and we had some good discussions about life in school and about world conditions at the time. He was a serious type of fellow. I flew P-38 (F5 Photo) aircraft in Italy, Corsica and Southern France during WWII.

thanks for sharing your web page my brother Lt hutton shearon was killed in the hurtgen on dec 12 l944 was with 83 inf 329 inf regt. co F i have never found any one who could tell me any one about his death.

My grandmother's brother, Wayne Abernathy, from Murphy, North Carolina, was a US Army veteran of Hurtgen Forest. He related this battle to me , not in detail of course, but in a way that outlined the hell on earth that it was. This battle led him to be a very devout Christian man for the rest of his life. He passed away on the bank of a small stream that passes behind the church he was tending, Boiling Springs Baptist Church, outside Murphy, North Carolina.

My father Billy Andrews was a rifleman in the 28th division of the 112th infantry. As children we would look at his mementos and the emblem that he called the "bucket of blood". He was captured by the German Army November 6, 1944 at Schmitt- Kommerscheidt. He was held at Stalag 12A & worked in Rostock at a food warehouse and then at a place called "Ray Farm". He will be 82 years old next month. Many of the soldiers were unable to discuss the war for many years and now it is too late for many of them to tell their stories. I am thankful that some of them, like my father are still around to tell their stories.

My father, John R.M. Chernitsky fought in the Hurtgen with the 110th Reg. Anti tank Company. 28th Inf. Division. He was captured prisoner during the Battle of the Buldge and spent 5 months as a POW. He's always said the Hurtgen was the worst fighting he saw during the was. He was a Tech Sargent.

     I have just returned from the Hurtgen Forest where my uncle Albert Schwarze fought. He was in the 9th division, 60 infantry, company C. He went into the forest on October 17, 1944, then was moved further north to Langerwehe area. He was killed on Dec. 12, 1944 between the towns of Etchz and Hoven. I would appreciate hearing from anyone with any information regarding these dates and places. It was a very moving experience to see the German bunkers, foxholes and the silence of the forest and battlefields. We must not forget those that sacrificed their lives for us!

      I have just finished translating -[from Spanish to English], a diary kept by a cousin who fought at the Hurtgen forest Oct. 24 entry: "I joined my company - Co. F. 47th Infantry, 9th division. I am on German territory."----Nov. 11 1944. "We were relieved on the evening of the 28th".---Nov. 27 "Oh incredible night!All night and all day the shelling of our positions has not ceased...I lost three of my sareants last night.All three at once! Two of them perhaps no longer exist. Cast was woumded in one hand only.We were driven back twice last night.It was impossible to get through to the rest of our company who needed our help bacause they had only 45 men left." This is a great piece. I call it A Testimony of Faith because of my cousins deep devotion.

Hello, this site is very interesting. My Dad was 1944 in the Hürtgen forrest,with the Hitler Jugend.His age is 1944, 14 years.My Dad works in a Mash(als Sanitäter im Lazarett).In the battel,he rescue hurt Soldiers and bring she to the hospital.An once the he was hurt on his Feet and come in the hopital in Roggendorf and frome there he comes to the Bridget of Remagen.And thanwas the war over for my Dad. P.S:Sorry, but my English is very Bad Frank

Paul

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Received on Sat Aug 10 16:11:29 2002