PN1501

In December 1944, General George S. Patton Jr. was everywhere along the front, riding in his Jeep through the frozen mud of Luxembourg and France as the Third Army ground forward. One cold morning near Nancy, a scene unfolded that had nothing to do with the Germans. A white first lieutenant stood face to face … Read more

Heinrich Severloh has long been one of the most controversial figures of D-Day. The German soldier, remembered as the "Butcher of Omaha Beach," claimed he personally killed or wounded thousands of American troops on June 6, 1944. Modern research, detailed mapping, and a careful reading of his own memoir tell a far more complicated story. … Read more

In December 1944, the Ardennes Forest in Belgium had become a frozen nightmare. The Battle of the Bulge had just begun, Hitler's last desperate offensive, and German forces had smashed through Allied lines. The weather was the worst Europe had seen in decades, with snow, ice, and wind that cut through every layer of clothing. … Read more

Normandy, June 6, 1944. As the Western Allies began their amphibious landings along a 45-mile stretch of coastline, thousands more men were already engaged in life-or-death battles inland to keep those coming ashore safe from enemy gunfire. Of all the many actions that day, one immortalized on screen in the series Band of Brothers has … Read more

In December 1944, General George S. Patton Jr. was everywhere at the front, riding in his Jeep through the frozen mud of Luxembourg and France. But one cold morning near Nancy, France, a scene unfolded that had nothing to do with the Germans. A white first lieutenant stood face to face with a black second … Read more

In March 1945, in Germany, a supply sergeant named Harold Vance noticed a shortage in his inventory that he could not explain through normal consumption. Flour, potatoes, and canned vegetables had been taken in small amounts at irregular intervals over a period of three weeks. The quantities were not enough to disrupt operations, but they … Read more