In September, 2023 I lead a battlefield tour of the Battle of the Huertgenwald. In my group were three family members from Atlanta whose uncle was in D Co, 2nd Ranger Battalion. He survived the battle for hill 400 but would be killed several weeks later, east of Giessen. It was a moving experience to share this with the family and the other 15 tour group members.
I'm French and I've been living in Bergstein for two years. I see the hill from my window every day and I always think of that terrifying battle. The place is so quiet and peaceful now. It's hard to imagine what happened there. Thank you very much for this and other videos about the battle of Hürtgenwald.
Bonjour ! Je suis français aussi et je compte aller en bas de la colline 400 le 7 Décembre prochain au matin, pour les 80 ans de la bataille.. Je suis un peu confus sur un point, peut-être que vous étant sur place avez un peu plus d'informations. Je n'arrive pas à trouver le lieu exact de départ de l'attaque. La compagnie D est partie du champ à 9:45 et la compagnie F du champ que l'on voit à 6:54, c'est bien cela ? Je ne trouve que des sources conflictuelles d'autant plus qu'il n'y a pas de photos d'époque des lieux
Great series about the forgotten battle of the Hurtgen Forest JD, thank you. Hill 400 is a pretty good hike, I was able to visit the site back 2022. After seeing the hill in person; I can’t imagine fighting my way up it. Anyone interested in reading about the 2nd Rangers story from D-Day to Hill 400 I highly recommend the book The Last Hill.
I wonder how many American soldiers died in the taking and retaking of Hill 400, regular GIs, as well as the 2nd Ranger division. It is, sadly, a story that is, way too many times, very similar during wartime. The horrible loss of human life to take a hill and a lot of times, move on a short time later!
@@terryadams1951 If I remember correctly...to give you an idea about the casualties: Dog Company had 17 men left of the 65 men that went in. Fox Company had only 15 men left. . A total of 32 men survived this battle, out of 130 men that started the attack.
My grandfather was Rudder's demolitions officer, HQ co. at Pointe du Hoc. I have a few books on the 2nd Rangers. In one of my books, a Ranger said something like June 6, 44' may have been our "Longest Day" but Dec 6, 44' was the most brutal day. "Dog Company" is another good one that covers Hill 400.
Another great episode JD! I served with the 2nd Ranger Battalion when it was formed in 1974. We had the honor of meeting several WWII Rangers at a reunion in Las Vegas, so this hits home for me. - Rangers Lead The Way - All The Way (RLTW-ATW)
Thank you for putting this out there. A little known battle but it was instrumental in neutralizing German defenses on the border. I think this entire battle is overshadowed in history by the fighting in the Ardennes that took place a few weeks later. I think it's also important to remember that when the Rangers were trudging up that steep slope they were doing it in snow and mud which makes it even more incredible to imagine! Well done video!
Another incredible story of hero's amongst so many hero's. Each individual was so obviously a hero. From one veteran to all others. My father and grandfather fought in WWII with the 1st Infantry Division. Thank you all. A Vietnam Veteran 1967-1969. Phu Bai/Hue/Khe Sanh.
Today i went to visit Hill 400, waaw, how crazy this can be when you need to climb this hill while fighting, i used a small pad from Zerkall to get there, via the Mulhenweg, quiet steep hill, i was also in Vossennack to visit the grave off Robert Cahow (with the stones) and bunker 113, also in one of your video's, thanks for sharing them, afterwords i was at Simmerath at the Westwall for a visit of the Siegfriedline, impressive the week before i walked the Kall-trail from Vopssennack to Kommerscheidt, very beautyfull places to visit it seems, only 80 years later it is possible in peace., thanks and keep up the great work, grt Eric from Belgium, next stop is Bastogne and Foy, probably tomorrow
The view from the tower is amazing. Love the church bell and the rooster crowing. To know what that place looked like in December of 1944 and to see it now just comes to show how strong people can be in the face of war. 👍😊🐔
My father, George O Schneller, was there. I am very frustrated that I don’t know what role he played in the battle. He died when I was thirteen years old and I never asked the thousands of questions that I can think of today. I know he was still part of D Co. I wish I had been thinking of those things when I spent time with his comrade, Len Lomell. I did get to go to Pointe du Hoc. Thank heaven for that. I did hear first hand how much they revered Doc Block. Thanks for posting this important history on You Tube! I am also indebted to William Anderson, he helped to carry my wounded father to the medic during combat at Pointe du Hoc.
I love the battle damage! I can never get over it in the videos, it's an incredible reminder of what happened. Sort of like a permanent firsthand witness. Great video.
Another excellent video on a topic not well known. The book "The Last Hill" by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin is a short history of "Rudder's Rangers". The last 1/3rd of the books deals with Hill 400. I found it to informative and interesting. It covers the 2nd Ranger Battalion from D-Day to Hill 400. A few lapses in research but all in all a good account of "Rudder's Rangers'.
Thank you JD for the great video, thank you for taking one for the team and climbing the tower! look at the bright side, you didn't bonk your head!!! It's humbling to think of all the service men that lost their lives in war, even more humbling to hear stories like the two brothers that died so close to each other. Thank you for all you do!
I went to School with Capt. Ralph E. Goranson daughter. His C Company was not at hill 400 but he was one of the very few Company commanders who went through the entire campaign with his company.
In the summer of 2023 i found a US bayonet right on the north slope of Hill 400 (M1905, short version i reckon). It is in a very bad condition, but this artifact is very valuable to me. If you have not seen the video of Bud Portratz, who was a veteran who fought in Bergstein and Hill 400, consider watching it. It gives me goosebumps every time he says 'fix bayonets'. I am so lucky to have one and i will allways be grateful for all the soldiers that fought for our freedom or their motherland. Salute!
Thanks for your trip and inspiring story about the battle of Huertgenwald, I decided to make the trip to see these battle scarred places. It makes me humble to see the dedidication of these warriors, something we often miss in our world these days.
Another great video and series JD. Did you know, in Call of Duty 2, the player takes part in the assault of Hill 400. Of course, it's not 100% accurate (it's a game), but it is based on this historical event and can be a way to introduce someone to the historical events of WW2. Most of COD2 is based on real events, from D-Day to Hill 400, just a little trivia for you. LoL
It’s amazing to me that these places speak only of peace now. I do know the past is present there, too, but the peace and the way life should be able to be lived is what occurs there now. Fascinating! Thanks, JD.
May sound silly to say but I recall this being one of the levels in COD 2 - say what you may about that franchise but in it's earlier days it really did respect the history. I'd never heard of this battle until I'd played it as a teen and decided to look into it's history.
fantastic story of this hill 400 which i have never heard of before. thanks so much JD for showing us these places where brave men died. great video. thank you Larry
Once again JD you have done an excellent job on this series. When you got to the base of Hill 400 and I saw the tower I kind of got transported back to Gettysburg looking up the face of Culps Hill.
Hey JD. I’m Leandro and i’m a fan and follower from Brazil. I follow The History Underground and really admire your post and lessons about souldiers and battles, specially in ww2. Congrats JD and keep it up, Don’t ever stop. And as the 101st Airbourne division paratroopers would say, Easy company, Currahee.
Hey Leandro. Thanks so much for the kind words. I've started offering the recent episodes with Portuguese subtitles so if you know anyone who might be interested in this history but doesn't know English, feel free to send it their way or share it on social media in your country.
Great job as always JD. Thanks for the video. So important to understand my father‘s (he was Navy) generation. What Americans had to go through as a nation. It’s to bad most younger people have no idea of what our past history is about. Keep up the good work brother.
Read that the engineers learned post-battle that demo alone wasn’t enough to destroy the bunkers. But if they were flooded, the water would amplify the effect of the explosives and leave them as one sees today.
Correct.That is why you see some of the bunkers have their roofs cracked open. The water and explosion would blow up the roof parts and break open the walls to the side, expanding them.
I live near the french- gerrman border and there ist a bunker blown up after the war a few Kilometers from my Home. I was there a couple of month ago and the explosion must have been gigantic. The roof completely turned over in the air and fall back on the bunker...😮
Highly recommend reading “The Last Hill” I just finished it before watching this video and it describes everything in greater detail and really goes into each individual ranger. Brought me to tears when I finished it.
This a great episode of the series. there’s an HBO movie called “ When Trumpets Fade “ about the battle that came out in ‘98 , it’s still available to watch and watching these episodes makes me want to see it again .
I remember this battle from the game, Darkest Hour(44-45). Taking the bunkers located in the field was so stressful, took 20 minutes to take it. I've died a lot in that field, can't imagine what taking it was like in real-life
I found a film titled "Assault On Hill 400". I thought that hill 400 sounded familiar, then I remembered you went there. I wanted to review your episode on this before watching the film. Thank you for helping provide background that I can understand what the film is meant to be.
Finally someone made a proper video on it ! After all those years reading about this battle I was delighted by the quality of your shots ! However, I was always convinced the rangers departed from the bottom of that field shown during the drone shot at 9:45, but it seems that you were on the sunken road the other side of the church am I right ?
@@TheHistoryUndergroundI can’t believe I was planning on a trip there and read several books about it and missed that the two companies were not at the same location for the assault, thanks for your answer ! I hope one day we cross path so that I can thank you for your work (maybe in Normandy in June if you’ll be there) 🫡
That village look like so peacefull,never imagine that village ever was tragic battle there...and that forest too.... So sad to see so many vandelism at world war 2 relic and proof.....😥😥😥
It's not possible to extend to you the heart felt gratitude you've shown and the deep respect for taking the time and effort, to be , boots on the ground in that one area. I do believe there are 2, possibly 3 MIA's on that patch of ground. Just one helluva damn Outstanding presentation JD. Many thanks Sir. 9th Infantry 7th SF Grp ARVN 72-75
JD- you really should consider going to Bad Aibling, Germany (Bavaria). Bad Aibling was an old German Air Base where lots of Air testing was done (planes, rockets). We used it up until 2005 when we turned it back over. I was stationed there until the hand over- it was a big intel post- still is, but no longer US military and you can drive right on. The US Army Clinic was actually where Hitler had an office (so we were told). It has tunnels all over underneath. It was also used for German refugees after WWII. Theres A LOT of history there- would love to hear your take.
Thank you, again, J.D. for another outstanding video of the Huertgen Forest. The tower atop Hill 400 doesn't seem that high until you reach the top! During my last trip there, the wind was a bit stiff, which made the walk up the stairs and standing at the top seem even more precarious. You showed the impromptu memorial for Carl Winsch, a missing Ranger. He is one of two Rangers (the other is William Gervais) missing from combat on the hill. They were last seen during the late morning of December 7 moving from the Company F command post at the top of the hill to contact Company F's 1st Platoon down the northern slope under fire (possibly the first German counterattack). They never made it. Some of the Ranger veterans suspected Germans captured them. Maybe one day they will be found.
Thanks for that extra info. And yeah, with that battle space being so compact, it seems likely that the remains would be found sooner rather than later.
Thanks for providing a good understanding of what happened on Hill 400 👍 I see there's a movie made last year "loosely" based on the battle, but after watching the preview and seeing all the B list actors, I'll wait until I don't have to pay to watch 😅
Outstanding piece JD. Very, very well done! I will be totally honest in that I have done very little reading about the Rangers in WWII. Obviously, well known for Point Du Hoc, but knew very little beyond that. This is very informative and has generated some interest. Any books you might recommend about the Rangers in Hurtgen? Also, the part about the two brothers sounds like a movie script waiting to happen. Very moving!
Hi, I can highly recommend Robert W. Black's book "Rangers in World War 2.", which has some of the best descriptions of the fighting at Hill 400. Very impressive descriptions in that one.
JD.. good video my friend . Why did they give hills numbers ? The first time I heard of numbered hills was way back in the 1960s on a two part episode of COMBAT ! The show name was hill 256 . O yes I'm old. Thank you Frank from Montana......
I remember Hill 400 from call of duty 2! Lol Cool to see it in real life! That tower gave you an amazing view of the terrain, Definitely not quite as flat as it looks and your other videos
There was a tower at the top of Hill 400 during WW2 as well. I’m sure the one you climbed isn’t the original but I bet it gives a good idea of where the tower was during the battle.
I have been ther 2 days ago, hard to imagne/understand how they got up there while fighting, took the very small trail from Zerkal, everyone who is intrerested should visit this Hill 400 and walk up there, Heroes this men, Thank you, grts Eric BE
Well now you've gone and done it! That was commendable of you climbing that tower in order for your Viewers to fully appreciate the scope of the armed struggle in the Hurtgen Forest. Came upon this half-watched video I started some other time figuring my brain will fill it in AND NOW due to your professional effort I will re-watch it all. An Aside: This battle is notorious for having been the, Meat Grinder," it was. Of all the reviews and documentaries the question has always plagued me WHY!, didn't someone, a General of course, not decide to have the entire forest flattened given the extreme casualties. Now am fairly sure Napalm had been invented circa, 1942 and first used, Dec, '43, in a battle in Sicily by the Army Air Corp to aid the Infantry by destroying a wheat field they felt the German's were hiding. Now previous documentaries have shown by the amount of munitions used and implemented there was no effort going on to "preserve" the forest. At the same time the skies of Germany had been mostly cleared of the Luftwaffe and the forest itself would've blinded most air defense efforts so that wasn't a deterrent. Of course someone might suggest, No on thought of it, which would've been an impossibility given the entire Time Period in which the battle took place. An unacceptable explanation is Egos of command leadership were at stake competing for the glory of the eventual "Winner" or Winning Team in charge of the battle, In any case, to the casual historian it remains a curiosity as to why it was never tried and explanation too simple a rationale to not have been provided
Did the American Soldiers get any air support at all here? If not they absolutely should have. And the US Army should have sent one of the Anderson brothers into another unit. I completely understand that that may not have been wanted by them, but two brothers in such a hot battle in the same unit shouldn't have been. The dear poor parents who got those telegrams. What happened with the Anderson brothers certainly is a reminder of the Sullivan brothers. Though there were two lost versus five, but no less a heartbreak and sacrifice. Very interesting please keep them coming JD, your doing an excellent job.
Excellent video of the German fortified hill known as hill 400 and the battle that took place under the cold and bitter rain and snow fall, but it is a shame that an element of the 5th Armored Division’s regiment was omitted. Combat Command R entered the village of Burgstein on November 26th to December 8th and took on very heavy casualties fighting before and during the Rangers engagement. 5th AD, 47 AIB should be acknowledged along with the campaign in the Hurtgen Forest, especially now as the campaign is coming to light in Army history.
Other than climbing the cliffs at Point du Hoc, the Rangers didn’t have much resistance. The airforce had bombed all the gun positions and the rest were pulled back inland. You can still see all the destroyed bunkers today.
My father, William (Red) Leonard Graham, was on Point Du Hoc and Hurtgen Forest. I don't know much about what he went through, except what family told me at his funeral. The only way to study or learn is through books because the building, in St. Louis, which held the paperwork, burned to the ground. I did a project in college in 2010. I read The Battalion and Rudder's Rangers, in which there is a section where it breaks the Battalion in companies and in alphabetical order. Depending on which battle, dad was with Easy or HQ Companies. In the books, he was with HQ. My dad earned five bronze stars and a purple heart. Other than that, I know nothing. I realize there's a huge age gap, but I would like to know. There's not many WW2 veterans alive if someone can lead me in the right direction.
Hello ! I don't know if that'll be of much help but in the the book "The Liberation of Pointe du Hoc" by JoAnna McDonald we can find a roster of the personnel who participated in the attack on Pointe du Hoc. Unfortunately I couldn't find your father's name in it, which made me to believe that: - He was in HQ Company at that time, as only part of HQ landed on the Pointe. - He landed on the western end of Omaha Beach with the rest of the battalion. If you know for sure that he was at Pointe Du Hoc on DDay and not Omaha, you might want to contact the author, as there might have been a mistake (which is possible as I found another William Graham, from D Company LCA 860, unfortunately KIA that day). Otherwise I do know that the last surviving WW2 veteran from the 2nd Ranger Battalion, PFC John M. Wardell, was in E company and arrived as a replacement shortly after D-Day. He was in Normandy last June for the 80th anniversary. I don't know how you could contact him but maybe he knew your father.
Book about 2nd Ranger on D-Day and Hill 400 was great. The fighting on that hill was like no other. 40 hours of hand to hand repelling the German attacks….I believe not many walked off that hill….
In September, 2023 I lead a battlefield tour of the Battle of the Huertgenwald. In my group were three family members from Atlanta whose uncle was in D Co, 2nd Ranger Battalion. He survived the battle for hill 400 but would be killed several weeks later, east of Giessen. It was a moving experience to share this with the family and the other 15 tour group members.
The story of the two brothers who died within meters of each other really moved me.
As ever, thx JD.💜"Lest we forget"💜
Awful.
Very sad
It’s a very moving tale 😢❤
I'm French and I've been living in Bergstein for two years. I see the hill from my window every day and I always think of that terrifying battle. The place is so quiet and peaceful now. It's hard to imagine what happened there. Thank you very much for this and other videos about the battle of Hürtgenwald.
Bonjour !
Je suis français aussi et je compte aller en bas de la colline 400 le 7 Décembre prochain au matin, pour les 80 ans de la bataille..
Je suis un peu confus sur un point, peut-être que vous étant sur place avez un peu plus d'informations.
Je n'arrive pas à trouver le lieu exact de départ de l'attaque. La compagnie D est partie du champ à 9:45 et la compagnie F du champ que l'on voit à 6:54, c'est bien cela ?
Je ne trouve que des sources conflictuelles d'autant plus qu'il n'y a pas de photos d'époque des lieux
Great series about the forgotten battle of the Hurtgen Forest JD, thank you. Hill 400 is a pretty good hike, I was able to visit the site back 2022. After seeing the hill in person; I can’t imagine fighting my way up it. Anyone interested in reading about the 2nd Rangers story from D-Day to Hill 400 I highly recommend the book The Last Hill.
Crazy what those guys did to take that hill.
I wonder how many American soldiers died in the taking and retaking of Hill 400, regular GIs, as well as the 2nd Ranger division. It is, sadly, a story that is, way too many times, very similar during wartime. The horrible loss of human life to take a hill and a lot of times, move on a short time later!
@@terryadams1951 If I remember correctly...to give you an idea about the casualties: Dog Company had 17 men left of the 65 men that went in. Fox Company had only 15 men left. . A total of 32 men survived this battle, out of 130 men that started the attack.
@@YuriBeckers9thIDWow- those poor guys!! My God - it was a bloodbath!! All American heroes that should never be forgotten!!!🇺🇸💪💝🔥🫶🏻👏💯
My grandfather was Rudder's demolitions officer, HQ co. at Pointe du Hoc. I have a few books on the 2nd Rangers. In one of my books, a Ranger said something like June 6, 44' may have been our "Longest Day" but Dec 6, 44' was the most brutal day. "Dog Company" is another good one that covers Hill 400.
Another great episode JD!
I served with the 2nd Ranger Battalion when it was formed in 1974.
We had the honor of meeting several WWII Rangers at a reunion in Las Vegas, so this hits home for me.
- Rangers Lead The Way - All The Way (RLTW-ATW)
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Great series on the Hürtgen Forest, a very costly but largely forgotten battle. Thanks for shedding more light on it.
Thank you!
Thank you for putting this out there. A little known battle but it was instrumental in neutralizing German defenses on the border. I think this entire battle is overshadowed in history by the fighting in the Ardennes that took place a few weeks later. I think it's also important to remember that when the Rangers were trudging up that steep slope they were doing it in snow and mud which makes it even more incredible to imagine! Well done video!
Another incredible story of hero's amongst so many hero's. Each individual was so obviously a hero. From one veteran to all others. My father and grandfather fought in WWII with the 1st Infantry Division. Thank you all. A Vietnam Veteran 1967-1969. Phu Bai/Hue/Khe Sanh.
Heroes is the plural of hero.😇
Thank you for your service as well as that of your father and grandfather!!! You are all American heroes!!! God bless you and your family!!!🇺🇸💪💝🫡🥰👏
I just read "The Last Hill" about this battle and it is hair raising. Thanks for providing some visuals to go along with the story JD.
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Great book. My father served with 2/517 PIR which helped finally secure Hill 400 in early February ‘45.
Today i went to visit Hill 400, waaw, how crazy this can be when you need to climb this hill while fighting, i used a small pad from Zerkall to get there, via the Mulhenweg, quiet steep hill, i was also in Vossennack to visit the grave off Robert Cahow (with the stones) and bunker 113, also in one of your video's, thanks for sharing them, afterwords i was at Simmerath at the Westwall for a visit of the Siegfriedline, impressive the week before i walked the Kall-trail from Vopssennack to Kommerscheidt, very beautyfull places to visit it seems, only 80 years later it is possible in peace., thanks and keep up the great work, grt Eric from Belgium, next stop is Bastogne and Foy, probably tomorrow
The view from the tower is amazing.
Love the church bell and the rooster crowing. To know what that place looked like in December of 1944 and to see it now just comes to show how strong people can be in the face of war. 👍😊🐔
My father, George O Schneller, was there. I am very frustrated that I don’t know what role he played in the battle. He died when I was thirteen years old and I never asked the thousands of questions that I can think of today. I know he was still part of D Co. I wish I had been thinking of those things when I spent time with his comrade, Len Lomell. I did get to go to Pointe du Hoc. Thank heaven for that. I did hear first hand how much they revered Doc Block. Thanks for posting this important history on You Tube! I am also indebted to William Anderson, he helped to carry my wounded father to the medic during combat at Pointe du Hoc.
Oh wow. That is amazing.
I love the battle damage! I can never get over it in the videos, it's an incredible reminder of what happened. Sort of like a permanent firsthand witness. Great video.
Another excellent video on a topic not well known. The book "The Last Hill" by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin is a short history of "Rudder's Rangers". The last 1/3rd of the books deals with Hill 400. I found it to informative and interesting. It covers the 2nd Ranger Battalion from D-Day to Hill 400. A few lapses in research but all in all a good account of "Rudder's Rangers'.
The Hurtgen series has been absolutely fantastic! I’ve been looking forward to this one! Looking forward to the watch
Glad you enjoy it! Hope to go back someday.
@@TheHistoryUnderground fantastic as always! I hope to visit someday also! I’m from England so have to no excuse as it’s not far
Thank you JD for the great video, thank you for taking one for the team and climbing the tower! look at the bright side, you didn't bonk your head!!! It's humbling to think of all the service men that lost their lives in war, even more humbling to hear stories like the two brothers that died so close to each other. Thank you for all you do!
I went to School with Capt. Ralph E. Goranson daughter. His C Company was not at hill 400 but he was one of the very few Company commanders who went through the entire campaign with his company.
Holy moley - what a tough objective! Brutal. That memorial cross is a fantastically appropriate piece.
In the summer of 2023 i found a US bayonet right on the north slope of Hill 400 (M1905, short version i reckon). It is in a very bad condition, but this artifact is very valuable to me. If you have not seen the video of Bud Portratz, who was a veteran who fought in Bergstein and Hill 400, consider watching it. It gives me goosebumps every time he says 'fix bayonets'. I am so lucky to have one and i will allways be grateful for all the soldiers that fought for our freedom or their motherland. Salute!
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Your videos are leagues better than anything the history channel has done in years. They need to make you their show runner.
Thanks! Probably too ugly for tv though.
😂🤣😂 better than any of those pawn stars guys
German soldiers murdered US war crimes by US officers
@@patricknolan5904I was just gonna say if Pawn Stars can make it, JD has nothing to worry about 😅
Thanks for your trip and inspiring story about the battle of Huertgenwald, I decided to make the trip to see these battle scarred places. It makes me humble to see the dedidication of these warriors, something we often miss in our world these days.
Story about the Anderson brothers puts a major lump in your throat. Thanks again for this awesome on scene documentary.
Another great video and series JD. Did you know, in Call of Duty 2, the player takes part in the assault of Hill 400. Of course, it's not 100% accurate (it's a game), but it is based on this historical event and can be a way to introduce someone to the historical events of WW2. Most of COD2 is based on real events, from D-Day to Hill 400, just a little trivia for you. LoL
Your Hurtgen series is among your best !! Thank you very much.
Thank you 🙏🏼
Salute to the Anderson brothers. Love the drone footage and coverage of the memorials to our fallen on German soil.
It truly is amazing the job you do on this show thank you
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One of the most detailed videos of an individual battle I’ve watched on any channel. Thank you
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It’s amazing to me that these places speak only of peace now. I do know the past is present there, too, but the peace and the way life should be able to be lived is what occurs there now. Fascinating! Thanks, JD.
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What a poignant statement you e made. Perhaps the true echos of war, of brutality and death are silence.
Another great episode and I love the drone shots. Keep up the great work, sometimes I feel like I am right there with you.
These men fought and died for our freedom. Thank you so much for showing everyone where they made their sacrifices.
I know the feeling about heights JD! I too have a problem with heights especially on ladders! Stay safe and thank you for another great video.
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Oh ya when I saw that tower my first instinct was "nopey nope nope" JD you are a brave man
Wonderful video. Thank u so much. RIP to the soldiers who lost their lives.
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Heart wrenching. To keep pressing on despite the odds against them. Informative video as always. The scenery is beautiful!
An amazing story of bravery-beyond words-thank you!
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May sound silly to say but I recall this being one of the levels in COD 2 - say what you may about that franchise but in it's earlier days it really did respect the history. I'd never heard of this battle until I'd played it as a teen and decided to look into it's history.
Thanks for this Hurtgen series. An underexposed piece of WWII history. Much appreciated, thanks.
fantastic story of this hill 400 which i have never heard of before. thanks so much JD for showing us these places where brave men died. great video. thank you Larry
Once again JD you have done an excellent job on this series. When you got to the base of Hill 400 and I saw the tower I kind of got transported back to Gettysburg looking up the face of Culps Hill.
Similar feeling with the Culp’s Hill tower.
@@TheHistoryUnderground yes that tower on Culps Hill is a tall one for sure.
Hey JD. I’m Leandro and i’m a fan and follower from Brazil. I follow The History Underground and really admire your post and lessons about souldiers and battles, specially in ww2. Congrats JD and keep it up, Don’t ever stop. And as the 101st Airbourne division paratroopers would say, Easy company, Currahee.
Hey Leandro. Thanks so much for the kind words. I've started offering the recent episodes with Portuguese subtitles so if you know anyone who might be interested in this history but doesn't know English, feel free to send it their way or share it on social media in your country.
Great job as always JD. Thanks for the video. So important to understand my father‘s (he was Navy) generation. What Americans had to go through as a nation. It’s to bad most younger people have no idea of what our past history is about. Keep up the good work brother.
An amazing thought provoking video JD! Beautifully captured and edited with profound sound (music). Thank you.
Another good one JD . Truly the greatest generation
Read that the engineers learned post-battle that demo alone wasn’t enough to destroy the bunkers. But if they were flooded, the water would amplify the effect of the explosives and leave them as one sees today.
Interesting. Never heard that.
All about compressobilety. Or you dump LPG or Asetileen into the bunker. Does wonders for underground bunkers 😂
How interesting. Too bad they didn’t use “propane gas”. That levels houses and city blocks today.
Correct.That is why you see some of the bunkers have their roofs cracked open. The water and explosion would blow up the roof parts and break open the walls to the side, expanding them.
I live near the french- gerrman border and there ist a bunker blown up after the war a few Kilometers from my Home. I was there a couple of month ago and the explosion must have been gigantic. The roof completely turned over in the air and fall back on the bunker...😮
The sacrifice these men made is just so moving! It is a good thing you tell their storie, it should be rememberd!
Highly recommend reading “The Last Hill” I just finished it before watching this video and it describes everything in greater detail and really goes into each individual ranger. Brought me to tears when I finished it.
This a great episode of the series. there’s an HBO movie called “ When Trumpets Fade “ about the battle that came out in ‘98 , it’s still available to watch and watching these episodes makes me want to see it again .
I remember this battle from the game, Darkest Hour(44-45). Taking the bunkers located in the field was so stressful, took 20 minutes to take it. I've died a lot in that field, can't imagine what taking it was like in real-life
Rough place.
I found a film titled "Assault On Hill 400". I thought that hill 400 sounded familiar, then I remembered you went there. I wanted to review your episode on this before watching the film. Thank you for helping provide background that I can understand what the film is meant to be.
"And, I'm not exactly a fan of heights"- might be a bit of an understatement, JD!🤣🤣
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This whole series was fascinating! Thanks
Another fantastic video JD Thank you
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Just another true story of these Rangers on that Hill 400. Thanks for documenting this brutal History.
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Nice job. Thank you. Having just finished a book about this battle it was great to see the real thing.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thx JD., for braving the stairs for the view. It was magnificent !! We all know you would have rather been bumping your head in a bunker. Cheers.
Finally someone made a proper video on it ! After all those years reading about this battle I was delighted by the quality of your shots !
However, I was always convinced the rangers departed from the bottom of that field shown during the drone shot at 9:45, but it seems that you were on the sunken road the other side of the church am I right ?
Yeah, Co. D set off from the sunken road. Glad that you enjoyed it!
@@TheHistoryUndergroundI can’t believe I was planning on a trip there and read several books about it and missed that the two companies were not at the same location for the assault, thanks for your answer !
I hope one day we cross path so that I can thank you for your work (maybe in Normandy in June if you’ll be there) 🫡
So well done, such detailed information, god rest their souls. Thank you for your video.
That village look like so peacefull,never imagine that village ever was tragic battle there...and that forest too....
So sad to see so many vandelism at world war 2 relic and proof.....😥😥😥
Ugh. I know. Hate graffiti.
@@TheHistoryUnderground won't mind if at right place but not nice to world war 2 evidence place....
It's not possible to extend to you the heart felt gratitude you've shown and the deep respect for taking the time and effort, to be , boots on the ground in that one area.
I do believe there are 2, possibly 3 MIA's on that patch of ground.
Just one helluva damn Outstanding presentation JD.
Many thanks Sir.
9th Infantry
7th SF Grp
ARVN 72-75
Quality…thanks very much keep it coming ✌️ x
Fascinating story well told.
Love the videos and commentary every-time
Incredible episode!
Thank you for explaining this ! working on some 2nd ranger stuff at the moment and need to hear their history in and around hill 400 .
JD wow nice job awesome video thank you & this series is absolutely fantastic
another great vid keep them coming jd
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JD- you really should consider going to Bad Aibling, Germany (Bavaria). Bad Aibling was an old German Air Base where lots of Air testing was done (planes, rockets). We used it up until 2005 when we turned it back over. I was stationed there until the hand over- it was a big intel post- still is, but no longer US military and you can drive right on. The US Army Clinic was actually where Hitler had an office (so we were told). It has tunnels all over underneath. It was also used for German refugees after WWII. Theres A LOT of history there- would love to hear your take.
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Great video JD!
Thank you, again, J.D. for another outstanding video of the Huertgen Forest. The tower atop Hill 400 doesn't seem that high until you reach the top! During my last trip there, the wind was a bit stiff, which made the walk up the stairs and standing at the top seem even more precarious.
You showed the impromptu memorial for Carl Winsch, a missing Ranger. He is one of two Rangers (the other is William Gervais) missing from combat on the hill. They were last seen during the late morning of December 7 moving from the Company F command post at the top of the hill to contact Company F's 1st Platoon down the northern slope under fire (possibly the first German counterattack). They never made it. Some of the Ranger veterans suspected Germans captured them. Maybe one day they will be found.
Thanks for that extra info. And yeah, with that battle space being so compact, it seems likely that the remains would be found sooner rather than later.
I could sense your distress on the tower 😂. I’m afraid of heights as well. I was holding my breath as you were climbing. 😅
Thanks for providing a good understanding of what happened on Hill 400 👍
I see there's a movie made last year "loosely" based on the battle, but after watching the preview and seeing all the B list actors, I'll wait until I don't have to pay to watch 😅
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You going up the stairs is me going up Culps Hill Tower. Scared of heights but one that needed to be done to fully appreciate the situation.
I love your videos! Great content buddy!
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Respect to all the Veterans of this battle❤️🇨🇦🇬🇧🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Really enjoyed the video mate 👍
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Outstanding piece JD. Very, very well done! I will be totally honest in that I have done very little reading about the Rangers in WWII. Obviously, well known for Point Du Hoc, but knew very little beyond that. This is very informative and has generated some interest. Any books you might recommend about the Rangers in Hurtgen? Also, the part about the two brothers sounds like a movie script waiting to happen. Very moving!
Check out The Last Hill.
@@TheHistoryUnderground thanks JD! Much appreciated sir!
Hi, I can highly recommend Robert W. Black's book "Rangers in World War 2.", which has some of the best descriptions of the fighting at Hill 400. Very impressive descriptions in that one.
@@YuriBeckers9thID - Ahhh. Wasn’t aware of that one. Thanks!
@@YuriBeckers9thID Thank you sir! I'll have to get that one as well. I have The Last Hill in my Amazon cart ready to go!
Wowzer, what a view.
Thank you as always, great job!
Hill 400 my favorite hell let loose map!!
JD.. good video my friend . Why did they give hills numbers ? The first time I heard of numbered hills was way back in the 1960s on a two part episode of COMBAT ! The show name was hill 256 . O yes I'm old. Thank you Frank from Montana......
Oftentimes, it's derived from the height on the topo map🤠
@@randystolz thank you for that information I know it sounded like a joke but it wasn't I could never figure it out. Frank from Montana......
Thanks. Looks like someone else and other question but yes, in this particular case, Hill 400 was 400 meters in elevation.
I served in the bundeswehr, until today hills are named by their height
@@meinereiner8109 thank you for your response Frank from Montana....
I remember Hill 400 from call of duty 2! Lol
Cool to see it in real life! That tower gave you an amazing view of the terrain, Definitely not quite as flat as it looks and your other videos
Whoever holds the hill, dominates the valley.
Very interesting 👍.
Thank you! Cheers!
Also happy New Year. My family is looking forward to your 2024 trips and vids
Absolutley stunning your Hurtgens Series. If you ever happen to be in Cologne. Give me a call.
Thanks!
@@TheHistoryUnderground Cologne is a trip worth to follow the path of Eagle 7 and Clarence Smoyer 😉
There was a tower at the top of Hill 400 during WW2 as well. I’m sure the one you climbed isn’t the original but I bet it gives a good idea of where the tower was during the battle.
Thank you
Welcome! Thanks for watching.
I have been ther 2 days ago, hard to imagne/understand how they got up there while fighting, took the very small trail from Zerkal, everyone who is intrerested should visit this Hill 400 and walk up there, Heroes this men, Thank you, grts Eric BE
Very interesting video
Good morning Sir, you are the man! Any American WWI videos on the front burner? Starting this in school next February.
Well now you've gone and done it! That was commendable of you climbing that tower in order for your Viewers to fully appreciate the scope of the armed struggle in the Hurtgen Forest. Came upon this half-watched video I started some other time figuring my brain will fill it in AND NOW due to your professional effort I will re-watch it all. An Aside: This battle is notorious for having been the, Meat Grinder," it was. Of all the reviews and documentaries the question has always plagued me WHY!, didn't someone, a General of course, not decide to have the entire forest flattened given the extreme casualties. Now am fairly sure Napalm had been invented circa, 1942 and first used, Dec, '43, in a battle in Sicily by the Army Air Corp to aid the Infantry by destroying a wheat field they felt the German's were hiding. Now previous documentaries have shown by the amount of munitions used and implemented there was no effort going on to "preserve" the forest. At the same time the skies of Germany had been mostly cleared of the Luftwaffe and the forest itself would've blinded most air defense efforts so that wasn't a deterrent. Of course someone might suggest, No on thought of it, which would've been an impossibility given the entire Time Period in which the battle took place. An unacceptable explanation is Egos of command leadership were at stake competing for the glory of the eventual "Winner" or Winning Team in charge of the battle, In any case, to the casual historian it remains a curiosity as to why it was never tried and explanation too simple a rationale to not have been provided
Hey JD will you be in normandy in June for the 80th anniversary of D-Day ?
Yes.
Thanks
Fantastic!
RLTW
Did the American Soldiers get any air support at all here? If not they absolutely should have. And the US Army should have sent one of the Anderson brothers into another unit. I completely understand that that may not have been wanted by them, but two brothers in such a hot battle in the same unit shouldn't have been. The dear poor parents who got those telegrams. What happened with the Anderson brothers certainly is a reminder of the Sullivan brothers. Though there were two lost versus five, but no less a heartbreak and sacrifice. Very interesting please keep them coming JD, your doing an excellent job.
Excellent video of the German fortified hill known as hill 400 and the battle that took place under the cold and bitter rain and snow fall, but it is a shame that an element of the 5th Armored Division’s regiment was omitted. Combat Command R entered the village of Burgstein on November 26th to December 8th and took on very heavy casualties fighting before and during the Rangers engagement. 5th AD, 47 AIB should be acknowledged along with the campaign in the Hurtgen Forest, especially now as the campaign is coming to light in Army history.
playing ww2 shooters alot and playing hill 400 maps alot it was stressful even in a game to take.
Heck of a rough place.
Other than climbing the cliffs at Point du Hoc, the Rangers didn’t have much resistance. The airforce had bombed all the gun positions and the rest were pulled back inland. You can still see all the destroyed bunkers today.
My father, William (Red) Leonard Graham, was on Point Du Hoc and Hurtgen Forest. I don't know much about what he went through, except what family told me at his funeral. The only way to study or learn is through books because the building, in St. Louis, which held the paperwork, burned to the ground. I did a project in college in 2010. I read The Battalion and Rudder's Rangers, in which there is a section where it breaks the Battalion in companies and in alphabetical order. Depending on which battle, dad was with Easy or HQ Companies. In the books, he was with HQ. My dad earned five bronze stars and a purple heart. Other than that, I know nothing. I realize there's a huge age gap, but I would like to know. There's not many WW2 veterans alive if someone can lead me in the right direction.
Hello ! I don't know if that'll be of much help but in the the book "The Liberation of Pointe du Hoc" by JoAnna McDonald we can find a roster of the personnel who participated in the attack on Pointe du Hoc. Unfortunately I couldn't find your father's name in it, which made me to believe that:
- He was in HQ Company at that time, as only part of HQ landed on the Pointe.
- He landed on the western end of Omaha Beach with the rest of the battalion.
If you know for sure that he was at Pointe Du Hoc on DDay and not Omaha, you might want to contact the author, as there might have been a mistake (which is possible as I found another William Graham, from D Company LCA 860, unfortunately KIA that day).
Otherwise I do know that the last surviving WW2 veteran from the 2nd Ranger Battalion, PFC John M. Wardell, was in E company and arrived as a replacement shortly after D-Day. He was in Normandy last June for the 80th anniversary. I don't know how you could contact him but maybe he knew your father.
Great show and some list their background backdrop music, some like that type.
Book about 2nd Ranger on D-Day and Hill 400 was great. The fighting on that hill was like no other. 40 hours of hand to hand repelling the German attacks….I believe not many walked off that hill….
Were do you get the music for your videos