The
Battle of Crucifix Hill was a
World War II battle that took place on 8 October 1944, on Crucifix Hill (Haarberg, Hill 239), next to the village of
Haaren in Germany and was a part of the U.S. 1st Division's campaign to seize
Aachen, Germany. The
Battle of Aachen was part of the
Drive to the Siegfried Line. The hill was named after a large
crucifix mounted on the top of the hill. The objective of the battle was to gain control of the hill, which was laced with a maze of pillboxes and
bunkers, so that the main objective of encircling Aachen could be completed. The hill was held by units of the
German 246. Volksgrenadierdivision.