in the Hürtgen Forest, which became the longest battle on German ground during World War II, and the longest single battle the U.S. Army has ever fought. The battles took place from 14 September 1944 to 10 February 1945, over barely 50 mi2, east of the Belgian–German border.
The U.S.
For us the Hurtgen was one of the most costly, most unproductive, and most ill-advised battles that our army has ever fought.
The German Command could not understand the reason for the strong American attacks in the Hurtgen Forest...the fighting in the wooded area denied the American troops the advantages offered them by their air and armored forces, the superiority of which had been decisive in all the battles waged before.
I realized after the first week that the only reason I was still alive had more to do with my T/5 stripes than anything else. Were it not for those, I would have quickly been placed as a replacement in one of the rifle companies, and undoubtedly killed or wounded within days. As it was, I wasn't expendable yet. We lost so many good men.