Battle of Crucifix Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Crucifix Hill |
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| Part of World War II | |||||||
 German soldiers on the hill. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Germany |
 United States |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Gerhard Wilck | Henry G. Leonard, Jr. | ||||||
The Battle of Crucifix Hill was an important fight during World War II. It happened on October 8, 1944, on a small hill called Crucifix Hill (also known as Haarberg or Hill 239). This hill was near the village of Haaren in Germany. The battle was part of a bigger plan by the U.S. 1st Division to capture the German city of Aachen.
The hill got its name from a large crucifix that stood on its top. American forces needed to take control of this hill. It was full of hidden German defenses like pillboxes (small concrete bunkers) and bunkers. Capturing the hill was key to surrounding Aachen. German soldiers from the German 246th Volksgrenadierdivision defended the hill.
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The Fight for the Hill
The U.S. 18th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division led the attack. Their 1st Battalion, commanded by Lt. Col. Henry G. Leonard, Jr., was tasked with taking the hill. They used special teams to attack the pillboxes. These teams had flamethrowers, Bangalore torpedoes (long explosive tubes), and demolition charges.
Support came from tank destroyers and self-propelled guns. These vehicles fired directly at the German pillboxes. As the first group of soldiers from C Company moved forward, they faced heavy enemy fire. They were caught between two pillboxes. German artillery shells also rained down on their exposed positions.
A Heroic Act: Captain Bobbie E. Brown
Captain Bobbie E. Brown was the commander of C Company. He was a former boxer who had become an officer during the war. During the intense fighting, Captain Brown saw a nearby pillbox causing trouble. He grabbed a pole charge (an explosive on a long pole). He ran about 100 yards under enemy fire and placed the charge on the pillbox. This destroyed it.
He did this two more times, successfully destroying two other pillboxes. On the third attempt, a mortar shell wounded him. Even though he was hurt, he refused medical help and kept moving up the hill.
After the hill was secured, Captain Brown went alone on a reconnaissance mission. This meant he went to scout ahead to find enemy troops beyond the hill. He purposely drew enemy fire to discover where the German positions were. While doing this, he was wounded two more times.
The information he gathered about German positions was very important. It helped his company stop two German counterattacks. Only after their position was completely safe did he allow his wounds to be treated. For his brave actions during the Battle of Crucifix Hill, Captain Brown received the Medal of Honor.
Trying to Take the Hill Back
On October 12, four days after the main battle, two German infantry regiments tried to recapture Crucifix Hill. There was fierce fighting. The Germans managed to take control of the hill for a short time. However, by the end of the day, the American forces had pushed them back. Both German regiments were almost completely destroyed in the process.
See also
- List of military engagements of World War II
- Battle of Aachen
- Battle of Hurtgen Forest
