[jmacusa]

The Hurtgen Forest didn't have any air fields and in truth was a total disaster. It accomplished nothing. Because of the over cast, damp and rainy conditions the Americans couldn't use their air power, artillery was all but useless against dug in, well fortified and well constructed concrete bunkers and they couldn't use their armor as well. The 9th.Inf. Div. and the 30th.Inf. Div. suffered horrendous losses and on December 14, 1944 the Allied High Command called off any further operations. Two days later 0n the 16th. of December the Germans came barreling out of the Ardennes hell bent on splitting the Allied armies in two and reaching the port of Antwerp.

[Chainmail]

Makes you wonder why our commanders back then thought that that place, that time was important enough to push unsupported and inexperienced troops into battle. As an officer, I was always trained to push until you find the hard center and then work around the edges to find soft points or gaps to get around behind them.

Bad weather or not, artillery is what you use against strongpoints - not bodies.