First Phase of the Battle of Hürtgen Forest Begins

This phase concentrated on the town of Schmidt, astride an important German supply route,
and the town of Hürtgen, which was the site of a large American airfield. The Americans had been able to establish a forward airfield at Hürtgen, but the Germans had been able to establish a strong defensive position in the woods around the town. The Germans had also been able to establish