Wilson's leadership and tactical skills were sharpened in the hurtgen because of his previous experience with differing terrain conditions on the battlefield. hurtgen was a heavily wooded forest located on the German Belgian border he described it as a hundred square mile force of steep hills rough ridges and deep ravines. the forest had low visibility. wilson didn't think digging trenches was the answer I'm this location but he thought moving further up the hill because gullies were natural targets for German artillery and he was right because the area was soon shelled and luckily the troops were not there. he followed his tactical skills and he considered the dense terrain. he suggested that attacking in a column of platoons would work that way we can have our men closer together we can control them and we can defend better. Wilson relied on scouts and radioing ahead to other regiments to communicate about enemy.movement. He had his troops create fields of fire which allowed them to clear brush and cut off tree limbs that might otherwise obscure or obstruct their view of the enemy. The field of fire we're not large open Fields but rather small clearings and meadows that allowed them to be within the woods but able to fire out to the open area beyond. finally Wilson ordered that his company take the small village of gross house it was a key to rain because it was vital to their attack plans they took the town easily and chose an avenue of approach that was unprotected and surprised the Germans from behind the town function as a command post for upcoming attacks.
