HSG - MOH Cpt Brown - Combat Mission: Afrika Korps

8 October, 1944, Crucifix Hill near Aachen, Germany "The trouble with Big Red One, is that they believe, the US Army consists of the First Division and ten million replacements." That is how the rest of the American Army viewed the 1st Infantry Division. The 1st Division under the command of General Huebner closed the ring around Aachen. Then he set about the task of reducing the defenses of the city. Immediately to his south lay the town of Verlautenheide. Early on the morning of Sunday, October the 8th, the 1st Infantry Division attacked the town. After a fierce artillery barrage the German defenders were driven from the town or captured. Now there were two hills between the 1st Infantry and Aachen. These were Hill 239, known as "Crucifix Hill", and Hill 321, known as "Ravelsberg Hill". At 1:15 in the afternoon the 18th Infantry Regiment, under the command of Col. George A. Smith, Jr., began the assault on Hill 239. The battle for Aachen had begun. When Capt. Bobbie E. Brown's Company C moved out, the hill had already been hit with an artillery barrage and a flight of P-47's. Crucifix Hill was a pillbox-studded position just north of the city. It was the key to the defense of the city. 246th Volksgrenadier Division was waiting for the Americans. They were well dug in with pillboxes covering all the approaches. For his actions on this day, on Crucifix Hill, Captain Brown received the Medal of Honor.