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The Forgotten Forest Trivia Quiz

The Battle for Hurtgen Forest is one of the forgotten battles of WWII. The 50 square miles of hilly, rugged terrain on the Belgian-German border was a meatgrinder for American troops. How much do you know about this forgotten battle?

A multiple-choice quiz by kabar22003. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
kabar22003

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
162,968

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
7 / 15

Plays
1978

Awards
Top 5% quiz!

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Where is Hurtgen Forest? Hint

North of Aachen

West of Aachen

Somewhere in Belgium

Slightly southeast of Aachen, Germany

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Question 2 of 15

2. Why were the Germans delighted at the American decision to take Hurtgen Forest? Hint

The area was of little military value

Their troops were heavily dug in

All of these

Weather and terrain considerations meant the American artillery and air support was almost useless

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Question 3 of 15

3. Who commanded the German defenders at Hurtgen? Hint

Rommel

Von Runstedt

Model

Guderian

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Question 4 of 15

4. When did the battle for Hurtgen Forest begin? Hint

December 16th 1944

September 11th 1944

September 19th 1944

November 2nd 1944

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Question 5 of 15

5. What casualties were taken by the 3rd Armoured and the 9th Infantry Divisions in the initial fighting at Hurtgen? Hint

Nearly 80%

30%

20%

50%

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Question 6 of 15

6. What was the only way for a soldier to protect himself from artillery fire in the Hurtgen if he was caught in the open? Hint

Throw himself on the ground

Dig in

Run

Stand upright at the base of a tree

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Question 7 of 15

7. The 28th (Keystone) Division attacked at Hurtgen on November 2nd. What is an unusual fact about this Division? Hint

It was (and is) the oldest Division in the US Army

It was a National Guard Division

It was a new Division in WWII

It had an odd-shaped emblem.

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Question 8 of 15

8. How did the Germans refer to the 28th Division? Hint

Red Rock Division

Weird Emblem Division

Keystone Division

The Bloody Bucket Division

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Question 9 of 15

9. What famous author/correspondent was present during the Battle of Hurtgen Forest? Hint

Damien Parer

Ernie Pyle

Ernest Hemingway

Robert Capa

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Question 10 of 15

10. What happened in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest on December 7th 1944? Hint

The Americans decided to pull out

The town of Hurtgen was taken

Hill 400 was taken

The Americans broke through to the Roer River

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Question 11 of 15

11. What happened to Model after the battle? Hint

He shot himself

He went missing

He surrendered

He was killed in the battle

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Question 12 of 15

12. There's another strange fact about the battle for Hurtgen Forest. What is it? Hint

Nisei (Japanese Americans) fought there

African American troops fought there

Three quarters of the combattants on both sides were German or of German ancestry

Pack mules were used

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Question 13 of 15

13. Who was a former colonel of the 9th infantry who, much later, became the commander of US troops in Vietnam? Hint

James Gavin

Charles Whiting

Creighton Abrams

William Westmoreland

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Question 14 of 15

14. Who is the one American soldier most remembered from the battle of Hurtgen Forest? Hint

No one is especially remembered

Norman Cota

Eddie D. Slovik

Slim Jim Gavin

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Question 15 of 15

15. Which veteran of Hurtgen Forest, under the Eisenhower Administration, persuaded the South Vietnamese to accept American military advisers? Hint

James Gavin

Norman Cota

General "Lightning Joe" Collins

William Westmoreland

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Where is Hurtgen Forest?

Answer: Slightly southeast of Aachen, Germany

The forest is shaped like an axehead. Half lies in Belgium, the other half in Germany. It has been described as "being like a green cave, always dripping water. Fir trees interlocked their lower limbs so everyone had to stoop all the time". Add sleet, rain, fogs, and knee-deep mud, and you'd wonder why anyone could be bothered fighting for it.

2. Why were the Germans delighted at the American decision to take Hurtgen Forest?

Answer: All of these

"Lightning Joe" Collins wanted to protect the right flank of his advance, but in reality Hurtgen could have been surrounded and its defenders left to die on the vine. What's more, the Germans could easily flood the area. How could they lose?

3. Who commanded the German defenders at Hurtgen?

Answer: Model

Model was a "fire brigade" type commander. He had scored huge defensive success on the Russian Front, and more recently had defeated the British/American Operation Market Garden. Oddly enough, von Runstedt, who was C-in-C West, didn't like him very much. Rommel had been forced to commit suicide in the aftermath of the July Plot, and Guderian was out of favour with Hitler at the time.

4. When did the battle for Hurtgen Forest begin?

Answer: September 19th 1944

On September 11th 1944, Staff Sergeant Warner W. Holzinger of the US 5th Armoured Division had the honour to be the first enemy soldier to stand on German soil in WWII.

November 2nd 1944 saw very heavy fighting in the Hurtgen Forest, as we'll see, and December 16th was the opening day of the Battle of the Bulge.

5. What casualties were taken by the 3rd Armoured and the 9th Infantry Divisions in the initial fighting at Hurtgen?

Answer: Nearly 80%

Casualties like that hadn't been seen since the US Civil War. Even then, the worst battles had lasted for only days. This slugging match went on for six months.

6. What was the only way for a soldier to protect himself from artillery fire in the Hurtgen if he was caught in the open?

Answer: Stand upright at the base of a tree

The Germans fused their shells to burst in the tree tops. In addition to shell fragments, a lot of wood slivers went flying also, and these could be just as lethal. If the soldier threw himself flat as he was taught, he'd just make himself a bigger target. Digging in was useless unless a foxhole could be roofed over (Over Head Protection is the technical term for this).

7. The 28th (Keystone) Division attacked at Hurtgen on November 2nd. What is an unusual fact about this Division?

Answer: It was (and is) the oldest Division in the US Army

The Office of the Chief of Military History certifies the 28th as the oldest US Army Division, established by General Order 1, 12th March 1879.

8. How did the Germans refer to the 28th Division?

Answer: The Bloody Bucket Division

The Keystone emblem is red, and looks like a bucket. The Germans called it The Bloody Bucket because of the terrible casualties the Division suffered. By November 13th, all the officers in the Rifle Companies had been killed.

9. What famous author/correspondent was present during the Battle of Hurtgen Forest?

Answer: Ernest Hemingway

Strange, but true. On November 16th, a Colonel Lanham remarked to Papa Hemingway that he was thinking of relieving one of his battalion commanders. Hemingway off-handedly said, "You won't have to. The man stinks of death."

Ten minutes later, news came in that the officer had indeed been killed. Colonel Lanham wondered how the hell Hemingway knew, and I myself wonder. Then again, maybe I don't want to know.

10. What happened in the Battle of Hurtgen Forest on December 7th 1944?

Answer: Hill 400 was taken

The Second Ranger Battalion stormed Hill 400 and took it despite 5 counterattacks and 90% casualties. No less than 4 US Army divisions had previously attacked the hill, but every attempt to take it had been defeated. Sadly, the hill was recaptured by the Germans two and a half weeks later, and not retaken by US forces until February 1945.

11. What happened to Model after the battle?

Answer: He shot himself

Model had been disgusted when von Paulus surrendered at Stalingrad. In Model's opinion, a German Field Marshal did not surrender. His body was later recovered by his son, and he was buried in Vossenack nearby.

12. There's another strange fact about the battle for Hurtgen Forest. What is it?

Answer: Three quarters of the combattants on both sides were German or of German ancestry

Neither African-American or Japanese American troops fought there, due to US policy at the time. The use of pack mules had been suggested humorously to General James Gavin, but the joke fell flat with him, as he records in his memoirs. But since the 28th was a Pennsylvania Division ... Well, ever heard of the Pennslyvania "Dutch"?

13. Who was a former colonel of the 9th infantry who, much later, became the commander of US troops in Vietnam?

Answer: William Westmoreland

Did Westmoreland learn anything from the Hurtgen Forest, one wonders?

14. Who is the one American soldier most remembered from the battle of Hurtgen Forest?

Answer: Eddie D. Slovik

Norman "Dutch" Cota commanded the 28th Division. Gavin commanded the 82nd Airborne Division, and was the one General who asked why the battle was fought at all. Slovik, however "voted with his feet" and deserted. He was the only American GI shot for desertion in WWII. However it must be said that the Germans shot something like 50,000 men for desertion.

15. Which veteran of Hurtgen Forest, under the Eisenhower Administration, persuaded the South Vietnamese to accept American military advisers?

Answer: General "Lightning Joe" Collins

Once again, did anyone learn anything? This is my first quiz, hope you liked it.

Source: Author kabar22003

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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