Hurtgen Forest

This is the 2nd bloodiest battle in WW2. This was to prevent the Germans from flanking the advance into Germany.

The troops advanced into the forest and were stopped. They eventually won the battle. After it came the battle of the Bulge.

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The US had 20,000 casualties in this extensivly long, bloody battle. The US had to do this, so, sadly, POINT OF NO RETURN. 

Had the USA not done this, the passing allies next to the 50 square mile forest would have been crushed. Was this a good or a bad decision? 

The mortars' igniter touches tree branches, blowing the mortar up. The shrapnel of the mortar AND tree branches spewed everywhere, causing TWICE as much deadly effect. US troops without Mortars in not well protected foxholes are easy prey for the 2x as much shrapnel.

And the poor US troops in unguarded foxholes getting pummeled by thousands of mortar shells and dying from them.

And so it goes, the US preventing flanking inch by deadly inch. Finally, FINALLY, the USA took the forest with 20,000 casualties.

Sergeant Streczyk was also in this battle. On the links on the D-day page tell about his actions on D-day. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Streczyk is a wikipedia article about him.