United States Army 3rd Armored Division soldiers in Cologne (Köln) Germany during World War II. Destroyed buildings along Old Town Cologne. Debris on the street. A tank's gun traverses. Cologne Cathedral (Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany) in the foreground. A soldier standing beside a Jeep uses a field phone. Soldiers advance on the street.
United States Army 3rd Armored Division soldiers in Cologne (Köln) Germany during World War II. Wrecked buildings and rubble along the street sides. Tanks advance through the debris filled streets. Two soldiers atop pile of debris poised with rifles at the ready. Soldier in prone position atop pile of debris fires a machine gun. View of a German Mark V Panzer (Panther) tank in Komödienstrasse near the Cologne Cathedral. This is shortly after it had knocked out at least one U.S. M4 Sherman tank in Cologne that day. The Panzer is one of three German tanks remaining in the city. Combat camera footage from Cameraman Jim Bates shows the attack on the Panther tank as seen from Bates' position in the Deutsche Arbeitsfront building. The Panther is hit by fire from gunner Corporal Clarence Smoyer in an M-26 series Pershing tank (a T26E3) with a 90mm gun, which had just rolled into position at the crossing of An den Dominikanern and Marzellenstraße. (The Pershing tank is not seen in this footage. It is at street level in front of the building, with the cameraman above). German soldiers jump from the Panther tank. The German Panther Tank receives additional fire from the Pershing and is consumed in flames. Smoke rising from the tank. Camera pans to view of the Cologne Cathedral (Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany) and then back to the burning Panther tank.
United States Army 3rd Armored Division soldiers in Cologne, Germany during World War II. Damaged buildings and rubble along the street. Split column of the United States troops walking towards Cologne Cathedral. United States Army M-26 Pershing tank moves into position. It fires at the building. Ruins of the city. View of the Cologne Cathedral (Domkloster 4, 50667 Köln, Germany).
U.S. soldiers of the 8th Armored Division in Wachtendonck (Wachtendonk), Germany during World War II. View from high point overlooking country road in Germany. A line of U.S. Army 2.5 ton canvas-covered trucks parked along the roadside. After some blurring, scene shifts to a halted convoy of U.S. Army vehicles and troops along left side of road, being passed by troops riding in M3 half-tracks and Jeeps headed in the opposite direction. View from stopped convoy shows a Brockway B-666 Bridge Erecting truck passing. Next, a large group of women, children, and elderly civilians are seen leaving town of Wachtendonk, on foot, with few possessions. They walk past a parked Brockway B-666 truck. A mother and a father, carrying small child, walk on village street.
Allied bombing of Dresden, Germany during World War 2. Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers in flight over Dresden and bombing it with incendiaries at night. View of unusual German Scarecrow antiaircraft weapon, exploding with huge flash of fire, near Allied bomber formation. Bombs being dropped on transportation lines. United States 8th Air Force aircraft in flight at high altitude, leaving contrails behind. A B-17 from U.S. 8th Air Force, 1st Air Division, 1st Bomb Wing, 92nd Bombardment Group, is identifiable from its Triangle B tail code. Another is identifiable from 91st Bomb Group, by its Triangle A tail code. The B-17s bomb targets in Eastern Germany, such as Kemnitz. View of B-17s bombing Dresden. Bombs being released and striking targets.
Captured Nazi German prisoners-of-war are being made to march with their hands raised on the streets of Halle, Germany by United States soldiers after the liberation of Halle, Germany during World War 2. German soldier, wearing round glasses, marches with his hands raised.
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