Mountain Ice WTO (id:#66644)

(Internet: Steven Swann ID: SF-Rng6c)   [next]   [previous]

Hill 400, Near Bergstein, Germany 1944-12-07 (4 others)

Overview:

On 19 November 1944 the Rangers were moved back to bivouac area in the Huertgen Forest, the whole battalion was alerted on the night of 6 December and moved out during that cold and wintry night to the Brandenberg area in Germany. The Rangers had been called to assault the icy, slippery Hill 400 which was approximately 403 meters (1,322 feet) high and steep, laden with many pillboxes and had the highest OP in the Roer Valley for miles around. The Rangers were told to hold Hill 400 for 24 hours or until duly relieved. At 0300h a patrol from "D" and "F" Companies was sent to reconnoiter the best plan of attack on the hill. As dawn came up, Ranger companies A, B, C, and E Companies got into position to secure the town of Bergstein, Germany where Hill 400 was located. On the morning of 7 December, Ranger Companies D and F launched an assault on Hill 400 at 0730h while the other Ranger companies held off German reinforcements from Bergstein. It was a bloody battle with heavy casualties, but very successful. The Germans repeatedly counter attacked. The various attacks were horrendous with so many heavy artillery barrages and the many resulting tree bursts preceding each counter-attack. The hill was held until relieved on or about December 9, 1944.

Defender: German (German Division)  

Errata (source)