Follow Me And Die - Cecil B. Currey

The Forest was the Victor

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is one of the best books written about the five month campaign in an area since known, at least in US military History, as the Huertgen Forest. After having read Charles B. MacDonald and Charles Whiting's books on the same subject, I was intrigued by the battle. Prior to my research into the subject, I incorrectly assessed the Huertgen campaign as an insignificant precursor to Ardennes Offensive. After reading FOLLOW ME AND DIE I came away with a greater appreciation for the battle and the devestation inflicted on American divisions that were fed into the bloody forest.

In military history the Huertgen Forest has been defined as 50 miles of woodland running from Monschau to the former Roman colony of Duren. Up until 1944 however, Huertgen Wald was technically nothing more than the woodlot adjacent to the minor crossroad village of Huertgen. As the Huertgen crossroads were an American intermediate objective, the whole forested zone, to the Americans, became the Huertgen Forest. Even today the area is studded with the remains of pillboxes, concrete anti-tank dragon's teeth obstacles, and hundreds of cuts and depressions in the forest floor of what used to be American and German foxholes.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE primarily focuses on the 28th Infantry Division's struggle to seize both sides of the Kall Gorge. In doing so the US 1st Army would gain a dominating position overlooking the Roer River and the Roer dams. At least that was the way the mission was portrayed after the war. As it turns out, discussion about the Roer as an objective -- of any sort -- was not mentioned or documented until well into the Huertgen battle. The battle for the Huertgen begins with a handful of scratch German units holding off superior American forces. After some particularly tough fighting the Americans slowly overwhelm the German positions on the Weisser Weh and fight their way into Vossenack. With initiative on their side, the 28th Division pushes elements, including tanks, down the the Kall trail and up the other side of the gorge. In briefly capturing Schmidt the US Army threw the German high command into panic as the Roer/Rur was threatened and a major roadway was cut. For the GIs their difficulties were only just beginning as much needed reinforcements to exploit and hold the Schmidt position arrived piecemeal. The Germans quickly reinforced the area and boxed in the Americans holding Schmidt and its neighboring town. Eventually the American postion became a hedgehog defense in a meadow just outside of town with several Sherman tanks and the surviving infantry staving off German attacks.

This was at a time when the 28th Division had actually passed through both belts of most of the formal Westwall defenses. The remainder of the German defenses were recently dug fighting positions, obstacles, and minefields. The greatest aid to the German defense was the rugged terrain.

The book highlights the fact that the Kall trail, the precarious US Army main supply route to Schmidt, and the surrounding forest was never cleared of enemy soldiers. As such a few American vehicles and soldiers could pass unmolested down the trail one minute and the path could be swarming with heavily armed Germans the next. The trail itself was so narrow that it barely constituted a decent footpath. Yet tanks and other vehicles were expected to maneuver down the dangerous route, across a stone bridge, and then climb an equally hazardous slope toward Schmidt. Many vehicles did not make it.

In the midst of this was an ad hoc American aid station set up in an abandoned German dugout astride the trail. The aid station was later regarded as sort of neutral territory with frequent German patrols simply checking to ensure that no weapons were kept there. Unfortunately when the 28th's battle subsided in the Kall the aid station was forgotten by both sides and many wounded GIs on stretchers were left to their fate and their remains not rediscovered until February 1945.

The Germans generally roamed the forested stretches of the Kall gorge with impunity and indeed at one time were able to counterattack and temporarily retake half of Vossenack. Meanwhile the American command got impatient with 28th Division Commander Norman "Dutch" Cota and could not fathom why division did not make any appreciable gains. On corps and army level mapboards the Kall trail was templated as if it was a major highway. Those sent to check on Cota's progress spent more time berating the general on his division's lack of progress rather than surveying the irregular and tough terrain on which it was deployed.

By December 1944 the battered 28th Division was withdrawn from the Huertgen front and moved to a rest and refit area in (what was thought to be) the quiet Ardennes. In reality the 28th never fully recovered from the beating it received in the Huertgen.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is packed with information and is a very readable history of the battle. The terrain is described so well that I used notes from the book to tour the battlefield. Additionally Currey includes detailed accounts from the soldiers about the ominous triple canopy forest and mortar barrages to the horrible autumn weather endured by the GIs. If you were only going to read one book about the Huertgen, FOLLOW ME AND DIE should be that volume.

Good Job

I just read "A Dark and Bloody Ground" about the same battle and it made me get out this book, which I had read years ago. I think I like Follow Me better. It goes into a little more narrative detail and the maps are better. I also got a better feeling for the battle, and especially General Coda's incredable mistakes in this book than the newer work. Both are good but I think this one is a tad better written.

Into the Green Hell

One of my personal fascinations has been how the US 1st Army focused on the Hurtegen Forest. In my readings about this campaign, learned about the 28th Infantry Division (ID) and it's struggle in the Hurtegenwald. Mr. Cecil B. Currey's book, Follow Me and Die, tells the tale of the 28th ID and it's battle in the Hurtegenwald.

In this book, Mr. Curry provides a detailed analysis of what led up to the 28th ID's attack that November 2nd, how the Americans performed during the battle (pluses and minuses), and how the Germans reacted to the threat. Mr. Curry does a fabulous job describing a very complicated situation from the American perspective. Often, you're wonder how men could operate under the conditions described.

It should be noted that this is book is a historical analysis of the battle rather than a human remembrance. Mr. Curry includes veterans experiences, but their words are to facilitate the history, not to tell a story. A major focus for the book is identifying the parties responsible for what happened to the 28th ID and explaining what did happen to the 28th ID (note: I feel that Mr. Curry failed to attach enough blame to General "Lightning" Joe Collins. If his Corp had started their offensive as planned, the 28th ID's situation probably wouldn't have been as bad as it was).

If a person is interested in the fighting that occurred in the Hurtegenwald or excellent analysis of a battle, this book is outstanding. My Amazon rating for this, a solid 5!

One of the Best descriptions of the Hurtgen Forest Battles

I found this book to be an extremely readable and informative account of the Hurtgen Forest battles. You get a feeling for both the terrain and the battle itself and an understanding of the effect of the Kall Trail on the battles around Schmidt and Vossenach. Excellent.

Detail-laden but important World War II combat history.

Casual readers may have difficulty with the over-abundance of military detail and walk-on characters. But indespensible for history buffs interested in World War II ETO theater. Well researched, bloody and overwhelming narrative of the Huertgen Forest battle portrayed in movie WHEN TRUMPETS FADE. Ripe for reissue by a publisher!

The Forest was the Victor

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is one of the best books written about the five month campaign in an area since known, at least in US military History, as the Huertgen Forest. After having read Charles B. MacDonald and Charles Whiting's books on the same subject, I was intrigued by the battle. Prior to my research into the subject, I incorrectly assessed the Huertgen campaign as an insignificant precursor to Ardennes Offensive. After reading FOLLOW ME AND DIE I came away with a greater appreciation for the battle and the devestation inflicted on American divisions that were fed into the bloody forest.

In military history the Huertgen Forest has been defined as 50 miles of woodland running from Monschau to the former Roman colony of Duren. Up until 1944 however, Huertgen Wald was technically nothing more than the woodlot adjacent to the minor crossroad village of Huertgen. As the Huertgen crossroads were an American intermediate objective, the whole forested zone, to the Americans, became the Huertgen Forest. Even today the area is studded with the remains of pillboxes, concrete anti-tank dragon's teeth obstacles, and hundreds of cuts and depressions in the forest floor of what used to be American and German foxholes.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE primarily focuses on the 28th Infantry Division's struggle to seize both sides of the Kall Gorge. In doing so the US 1st Army would gain a dominating position overlooking the Roer River and the Roer dams. At least that was the way the mission was portrayed after the war. As it turns out, discussion about the Roer as an objective -- of any sort -- was not mentioned or documented until well into the Huertgen battle. The battle for the Huertgen begins with a handful of scratch German units holding off superior American forces. After some particularly tough fighting the Americans slowly overwhelm the German positions on the Weisser Weh and fight their way into Vossenack. With initiative on their side, the 28th Division pushes elements, including tanks, down the the Kall trail and up the other side of the gorge. In briefly capturing Schmidt the US Army threw the German high command into panic as the Roer/Rur was threatened and a major roadway was cut. For the GIs their difficulties were only just beginning as much needed reinforcements to exploit and hold the Schmidt position arrived piecemeal. The Germans quickly reinforced the area and boxed in the Americans holding Schmidt and its neighboring town. Eventually the American postion became a hedgehog defense in a meadow just outside of town with several Sherman tanks and the surviving infantry staving off German attacks.

This was at a time when the 28th Division had actually passed through both belts of most of the formal Westwall defenses. The remainder of the German defenses were recently dug fighting positions, obstacles, and minefields. The greatest aid to the German defense was the rugged terrain.

The book highlights the fact that the Kall trail, the precarious US Army main supply route to Schmidt, and the surrounding forest was never cleared of enemy soldiers. As such a few American vehicles and soldiers could pass unmolested down the trail one minute and the path could be swarming with heavily armed Germans the next. The trail itself was so narrow that it barely constituted a decent footpath. Yet tanks and other vehicles were expected to maneuver down the dangerous route, across a stone bridge, and then climb an equally hazardous slope toward Schmidt. Many vehicles did not make it.

In the midst of this was an ad hoc American aid station set up in an abandoned German dugout astride the trail. The aid station was later regarded as sort of neutral territory with frequent German patrols simply checking to ensure that no weapons were kept there. Unfortunately when the 28th's battle subsided in the Kall the aid station was forgotten by both sides and many wounded GIs on stretchers were left to their fate and their remains not rediscovered until February 1945.

The Germans generally roamed the forested stretches of the Kall gorge with impunity and indeed at one time were able to counterattack and temporarily retake half of Vossenack. Meanwhile the American command got impatient with 28th Division Commander Norman "Dutch" Cota and could not fathom why division did not make any appreciable gains. On corps and army level mapboards the Kall trail was templated as if it was a major highway. Those sent to check on Cota's progress spent more time berating the general on his division's lack of progress rather than surveying the irregular and tough terrain on which it was deployed.

By December 1944 the battered 28th Division was withdrawn from the Huertgen front and moved to a rest and refit area in (what was thought to be) the quiet Ardennes. In reality the 28th never fully recovered from the beating it received in the Huertgen.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is packed with information and is a very readable history of the battle. The terrain is described so well that I used notes from the book to tour the battlefield. Additionally Currey includes detailed accounts from the soldiers about the ominous triple canopy forest and mortar barrages to the horrible autumn weather endured by the GIs. If you were only going to read one book about the Huertgen, FOLLOW ME AND DIE should be that volume.

Good Job

I just read "A Dark and Bloody Ground" about the same battle and it made me get out this book, which I had read years ago. I think I like Follow Me better. It goes into a little more narrative detail and the maps are better. I also got a better feeling for the battle, and especially General Coda's incredable mistakes in this book than the newer work. Both are good but I think this one is a tad better written.

Into the Green Hell

One of my personal fascinations has been how the US 1st Army focused on the Hurtegen Forest. In my readings about this campaign, learned about the 28th Infantry Division (ID) and it's struggle in the Hurtegenwald. Mr. Cecil B. Currey's book, Follow Me and Die, tells the tale of the 28th ID and it's battle in the Hurtegenwald.

In this book, Mr. Curry provides a detailed analysis of what led up to the 28th ID's attack that November 2nd, how the Americans performed during the battle (pluses and minuses), and how the Germans reacted to the threat. Mr. Curry does a fabulous job describing a very complicated situation from the American perspective. Often, you're wonder how men could operate under the conditions described.

It should be noted that this is book is a historical analysis of the battle rather than a human remembrance. Mr. Curry includes veterans experiences, but their words are to facilitate the history, not to tell a story. A major focus for the book is identifying the parties responsible for what happened to the 28th ID and explaining what did happen to the 28th ID (note: I feel that Mr. Curry failed to attach enough blame to General "Lightning" Joe Collins. If his Corp had started their offensive as planned, the 28th ID's situation probably wouldn't have been as bad as it was).

If a person is interested in the fighting that occurred in the Hurtegenwald or excellent analysis of a battle, this book is outstanding. My Amazon rating for this, a solid 5!

One of the Best descriptions of the Hurtgen Forest Battles

I found this book to be an extremely readable and informative account of the Hurtgen Forest battles. You get a feeling for both the terrain and the battle itself and an understanding of the effect of the Kall Trail on the battles around Schmidt and Vossenach. Excellent.

Detail-laden but important World War II combat history.

Casual readers may have difficulty with the over-abundance of military detail and walk-on characters. But indespensible for history buffs interested in World War II ETO theater. Well researched, bloody and overwhelming narrative of the Huertgen Forest battle portrayed in movie WHEN TRUMPETS FADE. Ripe for reissue by a publisher!

The Forest was the Victor

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is one of the best books written about the five month campaign in an area since known, at least in US military History, as the Huertgen Forest. After having read Charles B. MacDonald and Charles Whiting's books on the same subject, I was intrigued by the battle. Prior to my research into the subject, I incorrectly assessed the Huertgen campaign as an insignificant precursor to Ardennes Offensive. After reading FOLLOW ME AND DIE I came away with a greater appreciation for the battle and the devestation inflicted on American divisions that were fed into the bloody forest.

In military history the Huertgen Forest has been defined as 50 miles of woodland running from Monschau to the former Roman colony of Duren. Up until 1944 however, Huertgen Wald was technically nothing more than the woodlot adjacent to the minor crossroad village of Huertgen. As the Huertgen crossroads were an American intermediate objective, the whole forested zone, to the Americans, became the Huertgen Forest. Even today the area is studded with the remains of pillboxes, concrete anti-tank dragon's teeth obstacles, and hundreds of cuts and depressions in the forest floor of what used to be American and German foxholes.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE primarily focuses on the 28th Infantry Division's struggle to seize both sides of the Kall Gorge. In doing so the US 1st Army would gain a dominating position overlooking the Roer River and the Roer dams. At least that was the way the mission was portrayed after the war. As it turns out, discussion about the Roer as an objective -- of any sort -- was not mentioned or documented until well into the Huertgen battle. The battle for the Huertgen begins with a handful of scratch German units holding off superior American forces. After some particularly tough fighting the Americans slowly overwhelm the German positions on the Weisser Weh and fight their way into Vossenack. With initiative on their side, the 28th Division pushes elements, including tanks, down the the Kall trail and up the other side of the gorge. In briefly capturing Schmidt the US Army threw the German high command into panic as the Roer/Rur was threatened and a major roadway was cut. For the GIs their difficulties were only just beginning as much needed reinforcements to exploit and hold the Schmidt position arrived piecemeal. The Germans quickly reinforced the area and boxed in the Americans holding Schmidt and its neighboring town. Eventually the American postion became a hedgehog defense in a meadow just outside of town with several Sherman tanks and the surviving infantry staving off German attacks.

This was at a time when the 28th Division had actually passed through both belts of most of the formal Westwall defenses. The remainder of the German defenses were recently dug fighting positions, obstacles, and minefields. The greatest aid to the German defense was the rugged terrain.

The book highlights the fact that the Kall trail, the precarious US Army main supply route to Schmidt, and the surrounding forest was never cleared of enemy soldiers. As such a few American vehicles and soldiers could pass unmolested down the trail one minute and the path could be swarming with heavily armed Germans the next. The trail itself was so narrow that it barely constituted a decent footpath. Yet tanks and other vehicles were expected to maneuver down the dangerous route, across a stone bridge, and then climb an equally hazardous slope toward Schmidt. Many vehicles did not make it.

In the midst of this was an ad hoc American aid station set up in an abandoned German dugout astride the trail. The aid station was later regarded as sort of neutral territory with frequent German patrols simply checking to ensure that no weapons were kept there. Unfortunately when the 28th's battle subsided in the Kall the aid station was forgotten by both sides and many wounded GIs on stretchers were left to their fate and their remains not rediscovered until February 1945.

The Germans generally roamed the forested stretches of the Kall gorge with impunity and indeed at one time were able to counterattack and temporarily retake half of Vossenack. Meanwhile the American command got impatient with 28th Division Commander Norman "Dutch" Cota and could not fathom why division did not make any appreciable gains. On corps and army level mapboards the Kall trail was templated as if it was a major highway. Those sent to check on Cota's progress spent more time berating the general on his division's lack of progress rather than surveying the irregular and tough terrain on which it was deployed.

By December 1944 the battered 28th Division was withdrawn from the Huertgen front and moved to a rest and refit area in (what was thought to be) the quiet Ardennes. In reality the 28th never fully recovered from the beating it received in the Huertgen.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is packed with information and is a very readable history of the battle. The terrain is described so well that I used notes from the book to tour the battlefield. Additionally Currey includes detailed accounts from the soldiers about the ominous triple canopy forest and mortar barrages to the horrible autumn weather endured by the GIs. If you were only going to read one book about the Huertgen, FOLLOW ME AND DIE should be that volume.

Good Job

I just read "A Dark and Bloody Ground" about the same battle and it made me get out this book, which I had read years ago. I think I like Follow Me better. It goes into a little more narrative detail and the maps are better. I also got a better feeling for the battle, and especially General Coda's incredable mistakes in this book than the newer work. Both are good but I think this one is a tad better written.

Into the Green Hell

One of my personal fascinations has been how the US 1st Army focused on the Hurtegen Forest. In my readings about this campaign, learned about the 28th Infantry Division (ID) and it's struggle in the Hurtegenwald. Mr. Cecil B. Currey's book, Follow Me and Die, tells the tale of the 28th ID and it's battle in the Hurtegenwald.

In this book, Mr. Curry provides a detailed analysis of what led up to the 28th ID's attack that November 2nd, how the Americans performed during the battle (pluses and minuses), and how the Germans reacted to the threat. Mr. Curry does a fabulous job describing a very complicated situation from the American perspective. Often, you're wonder how men could operate under the conditions described.

It should be noted that this is book is a historical analysis of the battle rather than a human remembrance. Mr. Curry includes veterans experiences, but their words are to facilitate the history, not to tell a story. A major focus for the book is identifying the parties responsible for what happened to the 28th ID and explaining what did happen to the 28th ID (note: I feel that Mr. Curry failed to attach enough blame to General "Lightning" Joe Collins. If his Corp had started their offensive as planned, the 28th ID's situation probably wouldn't have been as bad as it was).

If a person is interested in the fighting that occurred in the Hurtegenwald or excellent analysis of a battle, this book is outstanding. My Amazon rating for this, a solid 5!

One of the Best descriptions of the Hurtgen Forest Battles

I found this book to be an extremely readable and informative account of the Hurtgen Forest battles. You get a feeling for both the terrain and the battle itself and an understanding of the effect of the Kall Trail on the battles around Schmidt and Vossenach. Excellent.

Detail-laden but important World War II combat history.

Casual readers may have difficulty with the over-abundance of military detail and walk-on characters. But indespensible for history buffs interested in World War II ETO theater. Well researched, bloody and overwhelming narrative of the Huertgen Forest battle portrayed in movie WHEN TRUMPETS FADE. Ripe for reissue by a publisher!

The Forest was the Victor

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is one of the best books written about the five month campaign in an area since known, at least in US military History, as the Huertgen Forest. After having read Charles B. MacDonald and Charles Whiting's books on the same subject, I was intrigued by the battle. Prior to my research into the subject, I incorrectly assessed the Huertgen campaign as an insignificant precursor to Ardennes Offensive. After reading FOLLOW ME AND DIE I came away with a greater appreciation for the battle and the devestation inflicted on American divisions that were fed into the bloody forest.

In military history the Huertgen Forest has been defined as 50 miles of woodland running from Monschau to the former Roman colony of Duren. Up until 1944 however, Huertgen Wald was technically nothing more than the woodlot adjacent to the minor crossroad village of Huertgen. As the Huertgen crossroads were an American intermediate objective, the whole forested zone, to the Americans, became the Huertgen Forest. Even today the area is studded with the remains of pillboxes, concrete anti-tank dragon's teeth obstacles, and hundreds of cuts and depressions in the forest floor of what used to be American and German foxholes.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE primarily focuses on the 28th Infantry Division's struggle to seize both sides of the Kall Gorge. In doing so the US 1st Army would gain a dominating position overlooking the Roer River and the Roer dams. At least that was the way the mission was portrayed after the war. As it turns out, discussion about the Roer as an objective -- of any sort -- was not mentioned or documented until well into the Huertgen battle. The battle for the Huertgen begins with a handful of scratch German units holding off superior American forces. After some particularly tough fighting the Americans slowly overwhelm the German positions on the Weisser Weh and fight their way into Vossenack. With initiative on their side, the 28th Division pushes elements, including tanks, down the the Kall trail and up the other side of the gorge. In briefly capturing Schmidt the US Army threw the German high command into panic as the Roer/Rur was threatened and a major roadway was cut. For the GIs their difficulties were only just beginning as much needed reinforcements to exploit and hold the Schmidt position arrived piecemeal. The Germans quickly reinforced the area and boxed in the Americans holding Schmidt and its neighboring town. Eventually the American postion became a hedgehog defense in a meadow just outside of town with several Sherman tanks and the surviving infantry staving off German attacks.

This was at a time when the 28th Division had actually passed through both belts of most of the formal Westwall defenses. The remainder of the German defenses were recently dug fighting positions, obstacles, and minefields. The greatest aid to the German defense was the rugged terrain.

The book highlights the fact that the Kall trail, the precarious US Army main supply route to Schmidt, and the surrounding forest was never cleared of enemy soldiers. As such a few American vehicles and soldiers could pass unmolested down the trail one minute and the path could be swarming with heavily armed Germans the next. The trail itself was so narrow that it barely constituted a decent footpath. Yet tanks and other vehicles were expected to maneuver down the dangerous route, across a stone bridge, and then climb an equally hazardous slope toward Schmidt. Many vehicles did not make it.

In the midst of this was an ad hoc American aid station set up in an abandoned German dugout astride the trail. The aid station was later regarded as sort of neutral territory with frequent German patrols simply checking to ensure that no weapons were kept there. Unfortunately when the 28th's battle subsided in the Kall the aid station was forgotten by both sides and many wounded GIs on stretchers were left to their fate and their remains not rediscovered until February 1945.

The Germans generally roamed the forested stretches of the Kall gorge with impunity and indeed at one time were able to counterattack and temporarily retake half of Vossenack. Meanwhile the American command got impatient with 28th Division Commander Norman "Dutch" Cota and could not fathom why division did not make any appreciable gains. On corps and army level mapboards the Kall trail was templated as if it was a major highway. Those sent to check on Cota's progress spent more time berating the general on his division's lack of progress rather than surveying the irregular and tough terrain on which it was deployed.

By December 1944 the battered 28th Division was withdrawn from the Huertgen front and moved to a rest and refit area in (what was thought to be) the quiet Ardennes. In reality the 28th never fully recovered from the beating it received in the Huertgen.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is packed with information and is a very readable history of the battle. The terrain is described so well that I used notes from the book to tour the battlefield. Additionally Currey includes detailed accounts from the soldiers about the ominous triple canopy forest and mortar barrages to the horrible autumn weather endured by the GIs. If you were only going to read one book about the Huertgen, FOLLOW ME AND DIE should be that volume.

Good Job

I just read "A Dark and Bloody Ground" about the same battle and it made me get out this book, which I had read years ago. I think I like Follow Me better. It goes into a little more narrative detail and the maps are better. I also got a better feeling for the battle, and especially General Coda's incredable mistakes in this book than the newer work. Both are good but I think this one is a tad better written.

Into the Green Hell

One of my personal fascinations has been how the US 1st Army focused on the Hurtegen Forest. In my readings about this campaign, learned about the 28th Infantry Division (ID) and it's struggle in the Hurtegenwald. Mr. Cecil B. Currey's book, Follow Me and Die, tells the tale of the 28th ID and it's battle in the Hurtegenwald.

In this book, Mr. Curry provides a detailed analysis of what led up to the 28th ID's attack that November 2nd, how the Americans performed during the battle (pluses and minuses), and how the Germans reacted to the threat. Mr. Curry does a fabulous job describing a very complicated situation from the American perspective. Often, you're wonder how men could operate under the conditions described.

It should be noted that this is book is a historical analysis of the battle rather than a human remembrance. Mr. Curry includes veterans experiences, but their words are to facilitate the history, not to tell a story. A major focus for the book is identifying the parties responsible for what happened to the 28th ID and explaining what did happen to the 28th ID (note: I feel that Mr. Curry failed to attach enough blame to General "Lightning" Joe Collins. If his Corp had started their offensive as planned, the 28th ID's situation probably wouldn't have been as bad as it was).

If a person is interested in the fighting that occurred in the Hurtegenwald or excellent analysis of a battle, this book is outstanding. My Amazon rating for this, a solid 5!

One of the Best descriptions of the Hurtgen Forest Battles

I found this book to be an extremely readable and informative account of the Hurtgen Forest battles. You get a feeling for both the terrain and the battle itself and an understanding of the effect of the Kall Trail on the battles around Schmidt and Vossenach. Excellent.

Detail-laden but important World War II combat history.

Casual readers may have difficulty with the over-abundance of military detail and walk-on characters. But indespensible for history buffs interested in World War II ETO theater. Well researched, bloody and overwhelming narrative of the Huertgen Forest battle portrayed in movie WHEN TRUMPETS FADE. Ripe for reissue by a publisher!

The Forest was the Victor

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is one of the best books written about the five month campaign in an area since known, at least in US military History, as the Huertgen Forest. After having read Charles B. MacDonald and Charles Whiting's books on the same subject, I was intrigued by the battle. Prior to my research into the subject, I incorrectly assessed the Huertgen campaign as an insignificant precursor to Ardennes Offensive. After reading FOLLOW ME AND DIE I came away with a greater appreciation for the battle and the devestation inflicted on American divisions that were fed into the bloody forest.

In military history the Huertgen Forest has been defined as 50 miles of woodland running from Monschau to the former Roman colony of Duren. Up until 1944 however, Huertgen Wald was technically nothing more than the woodlot adjacent to the minor crossroad village of Huertgen. As the Huertgen crossroads were an American intermediate objective, the whole forested zone, to the Americans, became the Huertgen Forest. Even today the area is studded with the remains of pillboxes, concrete anti-tank dragon's teeth obstacles, and hundreds of cuts and depressions in the forest floor of what used to be American and German foxholes.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE primarily focuses on the 28th Infantry Division's struggle to seize both sides of the Kall Gorge. In doing so the US 1st Army would gain a dominating position overlooking the Roer River and the Roer dams. At least that was the way the mission was portrayed after the war. As it turns out, discussion about the Roer as an objective -- of any sort -- was not mentioned or documented until well into the Huertgen battle. The battle for the Huertgen begins with a handful of scratch German units holding off superior American forces. After some particularly tough fighting the Americans slowly overwhelm the German positions on the Weisser Weh and fight their way into Vossenack. With initiative on their side, the 28th Division pushes elements, including tanks, down the the Kall trail and up the other side of the gorge. In briefly capturing Schmidt the US Army threw the German high command into panic as the Roer/Rur was threatened and a major roadway was cut. For the GIs their difficulties were only just beginning as much needed reinforcements to exploit and hold the Schmidt position arrived piecemeal. The Germans quickly reinforced the area and boxed in the Americans holding Schmidt and its neighboring town. Eventually the American postion became a hedgehog defense in a meadow just outside of town with several Sherman tanks and the surviving infantry staving off German attacks.

This was at a time when the 28th Division had actually passed through both belts of most of the formal Westwall defenses. The remainder of the German defenses were recently dug fighting positions, obstacles, and minefields. The greatest aid to the German defense was the rugged terrain.

The book highlights the fact that the Kall trail, the precarious US Army main supply route to Schmidt, and the surrounding forest was never cleared of enemy soldiers. As such a few American vehicles and soldiers could pass unmolested down the trail one minute and the path could be swarming with heavily armed Germans the next. The trail itself was so narrow that it barely constituted a decent footpath. Yet tanks and other vehicles were expected to maneuver down the dangerous route, across a stone bridge, and then climb an equally hazardous slope toward Schmidt. Many vehicles did not make it.

In the midst of this was an ad hoc American aid station set up in an abandoned German dugout astride the trail. The aid station was later regarded as sort of neutral territory with frequent German patrols simply checking to ensure that no weapons were kept there. Unfortunately when the 28th's battle subsided in the Kall the aid station was forgotten by both sides and many wounded GIs on stretchers were left to their fate and their remains not rediscovered until February 1945.

The Germans generally roamed the forested stretches of the Kall gorge with impunity and indeed at one time were able to counterattack and temporarily retake half of Vossenack. Meanwhile the American command got impatient with 28th Division Commander Norman "Dutch" Cota and could not fathom why division did not make any appreciable gains. On corps and army level mapboards the Kall trail was templated as if it was a major highway. Those sent to check on Cota's progress spent more time berating the general on his division's lack of progress rather than surveying the irregular and tough terrain on which it was deployed.

By December 1944 the battered 28th Division was withdrawn from the Huertgen front and moved to a rest and refit area in (what was thought to be) the quiet Ardennes. In reality the 28th never fully recovered from the beating it received in the Huertgen.

FOLLOW ME AND DIE is packed with information and is a very readable history of the battle. The terrain is described so well that I used notes from the book to tour the battlefield. Additionally Currey includes detailed accounts from the soldiers about the ominous triple canopy forest and mortar barrages to the horrible autumn weather endured by the GIs. If you were only going to read one book about the Huertgen, FOLLOW ME AND DIE should be that volume.

Good Job

I just read "A Dark and Bloody Ground" about the same battle and it made me get out this book, which I had read years ago. I think I like Follow Me better. It goes into a little more narrative detail and the maps are better. I also got a better feeling for the battle, and especially General Coda's incredable mistakes in this book than the newer work. Both are good but I think this one is a tad better written.

Into the Green Hell

One of my personal fascinations has been how the US 1st Army focused on the Hurtegen Forest. In my readings about this campaign, learned about the 28th Infantry Division (ID) and it's struggle in the Hurtegenwald. Mr. Cecil B. Currey's book, Follow Me and Die, tells the tale of the 28th ID and it's battle in the Hurtegenwald.

In this book, Mr. Curry provides a detailed analysis of what led up to the 28th ID's attack that November 2nd, how the Americans performed during the battle (pluses and minuses), and how the Germans reacted to the threat. Mr. Curry does a fabulous job describing a very complicated situation from the American perspective. Often, you're wonder how men could operate under the conditions described.

It should be noted that this is book is a historical analysis of the battle rather than a human remembrance. Mr. Curry includes veterans experiences, but their words are to facilitate the history, not to tell a story. A major focus for the book is identifying the parties responsible for what happened to the 28th ID and explaining what did happen to the 28th ID (note: I feel that Mr. Curry failed to attach enough blame to General "Lightning" Joe Collins. If his Corp had started their offensive as planned, the 28th ID's situation probably wouldn't have been as bad as it was).

If a person is interested in the fighting that occurred in the Hurtegenwald or excellent analysis of a battle, this book is outstanding. My Amazon rating for this, a solid 5!

One of the Best descriptions of the Hurtgen Forest Battles

I found this book to be an extremely readable and informative account of the Hurtgen Forest battles. You get a feeling for both the terrain and the battle itself and an understanding of the effect of the Kall Trail on the battles around Schmidt and Vossenach. Excellent.

Detail-laden but important World War II combat history.

Casual readers may have difficulty with the over-abundance of military detail and walk-on characters. But indespensible for history buffs interested in World War II ETO theater. Well researched, bloody and overwhelming narrative of the Huertgen Forest battle portrayed in movie WHEN TRUMPETS FADE. Ripe for reissue by a publisher!