What is the toughest battle ever fought by United States forces?

CH (MAJ) William Beaver — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:02:17 -0400

In your opinion, what was the toughest military battle ever fought by United States forces? Why? What was it's significance? What was the toughest era to be a combat Soldier in, according to your opinion?

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2016 1:03 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:03:07 -0400

Phillipens. WWII

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Apr 11 at 2016 1:05 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:05:19 -0400

I think all eras are tough in their own ways. After the adaptation of technology, the problem comes with opposing forces finding a counter to the technology, or forcing us into situation where we cannot use it.

It can be argued that many of our troops struggled during the early World Wars, but this can be due to the lack of equipment while troops were serving in the front lines. In today's world, troops are well equipped (for the most part), but the issues they are facing are not knowing who the enemy is. Surprises are around ever corner.

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made Apr 11 at 2016 1:05 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:05:58 -0400

I would vote for the civil war. The weaponry was more improved than the tactics by far.

Response by SGT Ben Keen made Apr 11 at 2016 1:08 PM

SGT Ben Keen — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:08:59 -0400

This is a rather difficult question to answer. Grouping some of the iconic battles such as Battle of Gettysburg, D-Day, the Battle of the Buldge, the battle of the Hamburger Hill, the fight of Fallujah and so into one list and asking which one was the toughest really deflates their importance. Each of these battles were the toughest in their own right based on the time and technology at hand. They would each have been easier if certain technology and strategic advancements were made in time for those attacks. But that technology and strategic advancements only came to be in part due to these battles.

So for me, I do not see out weighing the other to become the "toughest battle of all time".

Response by CSM William Payne made Apr 11 at 2016 1:11 PM

CSM William Payne — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:11:50 -0400

Antietam / Sharpsburg September 17, 1862. 130,000 soldiers counting both sides, 22,000+ casualties, 3,600+ dead in basically one day.

Response by Cpl Jon Westbrook made Apr 11 at 2016 1:12 PM

Cpl Jon Westbrook — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:12:26 -0400

I have to go with WWI here. People have never felt panic until they start getting shelled and gassed in a confined area and aren't able to flee. If you go over the top you get killed by the enemy, if you run you get killed by your own officers. They didn't have proper gas masks so their lungs were fried and they slowly drowned in their own blood.

The dead piled up a few yards from the trench, and swelled and burst in the sun because they couldn't get to them safely. thousands of dead rotting horses and cattle lay everywhere, and the soldiers were forced to stand in their own feces. Not to mention the rain and the cold. And if you did manage to go over the top you were most likely killed by mines, artillery, or cut down by machine guns while you were tangled up in concertina wire. And the worst part was the mental portion. There was absolutely no hope. There weren't towns being captured all of the time, you'd drive them back a few hundred yards, only to be chased back a week later into the same hole you had just left.

It was a grey, desolate wasteland of absolute hell. Id take any other war before I went through that.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Apr 11 at 2016 1:20 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:20:54 -0400

The one you were in... its consequences were potentially the worst thing in your life.

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Apr 11 at 2016 1:24 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:24:27 -0400

We should come up with some nominations from each conflict and get a bracket going.

Response by SPC David S. made Apr 11 at 2016 1:35 PM

SPC David S. — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:35:24 -0400

Battle of Meuse-Argonne World War I. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive was the largest in United States military history, involving 1.2 million American soldiers, and was one of a series of Allied attacks known as the Hundred Days Offensive, which brought the war to an end. The battle also cost 26,277 lives, and 95,786 wounded, making it the largest and bloodiest operation of the war for the American Expeditionary Forces.

Response by SGT John " Mac " McConnell made Apr 11 at 2016 1:37 PM

SGT John " Mac " McConnell — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:37:59 -0400

This is A very tough question in itself... Toughest is a generalized term. Everybody has their own idea when it comes to what it means. So only one battle comes to mind for me. The Battle for Iwo Jima..https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Medal_of_Honor_recipients_for_the_Battle_of_Iwo_Jima

List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Battle of Iwo Jima - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Battle of Iwo Jima took place in February and March 1945 during World War II and was marked by some of the fiercest fighting of the war. The American invasion, known as Operation Detachment, was charged with capturing the airfields on Iwo Jima.

Response by MSgt Stephen Council made Apr 11 at 2016 1:46 PM

MSgt Stephen Council — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 13:46:02 -0400

I have decided to retract my response.,

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2016 2:49 PM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 14:49:50 -0400

I might suggest the undersea (submarine) campaign of WW2 for all the nations involved.

Response by SSG Ed Mikus made Apr 11 at 2016 3:06 PM

SSG Ed Mikus — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:06:21 -0400

US Civil War would have to be the toughest, followed by the US Revolutionary War.

Response by SGT Philip Roncari made Apr 11 at 2016 3:07 PM

SGT Philip Roncari — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:07:26 -0400

I don't know if it was the toughest battle but have read the losses in the 8th Airforce during WWII actually exceeded all Marine casualties in the Pacific,I would have to say the Civil War as the toughest era for the combat Soldier though

Response by Matt McCormick made Apr 11 at 2016 3:36 PM

Matt McCormick — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 15:36:41 -0400

Gettysburg

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made Apr 11 at 2016 4:57 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 16:57:13 -0400

I was way wrong: Battle of Normandy World War II June 6 to August 30, 1944 29,204 killed. This does not include the vast number of WIAs.

This is the result of 150,000 making a landing on a heavily fortified beach.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2016 5:33 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 17:33:04 -0400

Vietnam. Guerilla tactics were terribly effective against the traditional combat tactics we brought to that fight. I suspect the numbers would support, but I have not confirmed.

Response by SSG James Elmore made Apr 11 at 2016 5:52 PM

SSG James Elmore — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 17:52:53 -0400

The toughest battle for some was coming home and leaving the fight where it should be.....

Now if you do come up with the brackets like SSG Carlos Madden said I would vote!

Response by CPT Joseph K Murdock made Apr 11 at 2016 6:04 PM

CPT Joseph K Murdock — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 18:04:50 -0400

I am no civil war expert by any means, so I will try to use logic. The Civil War was marked by many 2000-4000 KIA battles which leads me to believe great armies disengaged before annihilation. However, I would guess 4 times the KIA were injured.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2016 6:18 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 18:18:30 -0400

The battle for Iwo Jima was the toughest battle.

Iwo Jima was considered to have great tactical importance. There were two airfields on the island under Japan’s control. They could be used by Japanese fighter planes to attack American bombers on their flights to Japan. Under American control, the airfields could be used as emergency landing bases for damaged airplanes in the bombing raids. They could also be used for American fighter planes to escort the bombers, as they needed smaller runways for take-off.

The toughest era to be a combat soldier is the era that you are in. There are no easy wars, All wars are hell for the participants.

Response by SSgt Dan Montague made Apr 11 at 2016 6:38 PM

SSgt Dan Montague — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 18:38:11 -0400

Getting benefits or treatment through the VA?

Response by SFC Everett Oliver made Apr 11 at 2016 7:23 PM

SFC Everett Oliver — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 19:23:47 -0400

This year I have asked a 93 year old WW2 Marine Veteran to give the Key Note address in the Cemetery for Memorial Day. He is the oldest Veteran in the village. I have had the rare opportunity to sit with him while he talked about Tarawa Atoll. After listening to him describe the screw ups in tactics and the actual course of the battle (he went in on the Balloon boats), there is little to say but to wonder how anyone survived and how we could have won.... Hearing first hand I have to say Tarawa was the toughest fight, certainly not the bloodiest but the toughest.

Response by SSG Alvin Amezquita made Apr 11 at 2016 7:38 PM

SSG Alvin Amezquita — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 19:38:23 -0400

Battle of the bulge

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2016 8:10 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 20:10:06 -0400

I acknowledge fully that I've only been in for a hot minute but I'd have to say our battle against the PC culture of today. It's seemingly destroyed the fabric of our military.

Response by 1SG Nick Baker made Apr 11 at 2016 8:20 PM

1SG Nick Baker — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 20:20:11 -0400

Gettysburg had 51, 000 casualties and Nam 58,000; numbers are rounded off.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 11 at 2016 8:46 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 Apr 2016 20:46:54 -0400

Very good question and a very tough answer. There are so many battles but I would have to go with the Lost Battalion during WWI in the Argone Forrest that was led by Major Charles White Whittelsey of the 77th Div. They were so far past the allied lines that they were cut off and repelled many German attacks. At one time they were under artillery fire and had to use carrier pigeons to call of the barrage because they were hitting their own.

The Germams mistook this small band of soldiers as the rest of the allied lines thus causing the Germams to focus their attention to this particular front while the rest of the Allies were able to break through on another front.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 12 at 2016 6:16 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 18:16:15 -0400

d day with out question

Response by SGT Paul Mackay made Apr 12 at 2016 6:31 PM

SGT Paul Mackay — Tue, 12 Apr 2016 18:31:44 -0400

Vietnam

Response by SSG Ralph Innes made Apr 13 at 2016 2:59 PM

SSG Ralph Innes — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 14:59:19 -0400

So far all have been excellent answers. However, being a paratrooper I would also mention the 173rd Airborne Brigade Operation Hump battle for Hill 65.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Apr 13 at 2016 10:14 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 22:14:09 -0400

Fire Base Ripcord: It isn't the worst one, but it is one of the least known because of the time period it happened. http://www.ripcordassociation.com/c.aspx?n=facts-about-ripcord

Facts about Ripcord

FSB Ripcord, Facts, History, details, Vietnam 1970

Response by 1SG Keith Jamison made May 7 at 2016 7:32 PM

1SG Keith Jamison — Sat, 07 May 2016 19:32:22 -0400

Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes Forest. Fighting the Germans and the bitter cold with lack of cold weather gear had to be rough!

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2016 11:07 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 May 2016 23:07:47 -0400

I was going back and forth on this one between Guadalcanal and the Battle of Hürtgen Forest. Guadalcanal – 6 mos, Hürtgen Forest 4 mos. My vote goes to Guadalcanal which used the combined forces of the Marines, Navy and Army.

The speed bumps that were the battles of the Philippines, Guam and Wake did not really present the US Forces with enough time or experience to fully appreciate the fighting abilities of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy. The bigotry standard for the day left no doubt that the buck toothed, bespectacled, little yellow heathen would be pushed aside when met with a truly sizable American force as was assembled for Operation Watchtower.

Six months later, after the US suffered 7000+dead and 7000+wounded, 29 ships 600+ aircraft destroyed, the Americans declared victory. I believe the real takeaway was the realization that of the 36,200 less than a dozen Japanese were captured preferring to die than face the shame of surrender. Note: Some of those, didn’t actually surrender, they were captured while unconscious.

D-Day … Casualties were terrible however, the beaches were pretty much secure in less than two days making the Atlantic wall as big and expensive a failure as the Maginot Line.

Gettysburg …Tragic … but lasted 4 days

Bulge … Brutal, lasting 40 days, it was but Hitler’s Hail Mary pass with as many variables working against it as the von Schlieffen plan and doomed to inevitable failure.

Runners up: Battle of Cold Harbor, Kasserine Pass, The Italian Campaign from the tip of the Boot to Rome, Battle of Hürtgen Forest,Iwo Jima, Chosin Resevoir, Khe Sanh, Hamburger Hill,

For US Forces, in ferocity, scale and duration … Guadalcanal.

Response by MSgt Art Busch made May 11 at 2016 4:14 PM

MSgt Art Busch — Wed, 11 May 2016 16:14:20 -0400

Defense Appropriations in Congress.

Response by Cpl Ronald Peters made Jun 4 at 2022 10:28 PM

Cpl Ronald Peters — Sat, 04 Jun 2022 22:28:47 -0400

The next one. All Combat is Hell and we could all argue why what we went through was tougher or we could pay homage to Great warriors of the past. But many of us, not or Vietnam Veterans, had the support of a greatfull Nation. I don't know if that will ever happen again in the future
Our Country has been so divided by the Liberals who want to make it a Socialist aka Communist country. They have also printed more money to pass out and be abused and kicked back to special interests than our combined past history. This has many who won't even get a job while companies are posting to pay $18 an hour to flip a burger or stock a grocery shelf. They have been teaching the youth to be ASHAMED of being American or for having one Color of skin.
How for GOD and America's sake will we be able to get enough Volunteers to Proctect what is left of our Country? Then will they have enough Love of our Country and our way of Life to actually defend Her? Will the public, let alone Congress, Support our Warriors?