Activities of American first Army in Germany, advancing eastward in late 1944 during World War 2. Animated map shows: 4th and 8th infantry division move out from Stolberg and enter into Hurtgen Forest . U.S. 4th Infantry attack with field guns and artillery. Field gun amidst pile of shells fires toward Hurtgen Forest. 4th Infantry Division troops crawl up a hill in the Hurtgen Forest, sometimes pinned down under enemy German fire. Armor comes to their aid and casualties are treated by medical corps personnel. U.S. Army tanks arrive to support the infantry and they continue forward, where footage shows U.S. mortars and artillery bombing Grosshau, and point of view shot of a U.S. Army machine gun firing at a target in the town of Grosshau. Animated map shows: 5th and 8th Inf. Divisions enter into Kleinhau. Kleinhau is bombarded by a heavy volley of U.S. Army rockets and artillery from units of the 5th and 8th Infantry Divisions. Allied fighter bombers in flight over the area. Artillery is loaded and fired at close-range on target of Kleinhau which was then captured. U.S. Army Soldiers around the ruined buildings of Hurtgen, eating and drinking during a break. Infantry division move towards another towns. U.S. Army soldiers take a moment to relax during the long drive eastward. U.S. soldiers fire mortars from positions along the west bank of the Ruhr.
Activities of American First Army advancing eastward in Germany in December of 1944 during World War 2. Units of the 9th Divisions are moved up by truck and meet retiring units of the 1st Division at a road intersection. They enter town of Lucherberg after an artillery barrage, then attack through Inden and close in on Pier Germany. View of ruined buildings and wreckage in Pier, Germany. Sign of 'Duren'. U.S. Army 3rd Armored Division enters into German town on trucks and army tanks. 3rd Armored Division fires artillery at town of Schlich Germany, and are joined in the attack by soldiers of newly arrived 9th Infantry Division. Artillery barrage underway, with targets in Schlich visible in distance. Armored vehicles and soldiers move through mud advancing on Schlich with new piece of equipment known as a rotary mine exploder. German troops are rounded up as prisoners by U.S. Infantry. Gunners fire. On December 11, German prisoners assemble for inspection. Some of the German prisoners appear to be young boys. Smoke screen thrown up by Allies to cover movement of armored column heading into German towns across open field. U.S. Army soldiers enter into wrecked town of Geich, Germany, where buildings are destroyed and still burning. Armor and supply vehicles move through mud. Infantry of 83rd Division arrive as reinforcements and march in snow covered area toward a suburb of Duren. U.S. mortar fire pins Germans retreating toward Ruhr. Infantry attack to clear town outside Duren, and Infantry mop up, clearing German snipers. German troops and female collaborators are rounded up as prisoners. American First Army infantry forces marching on a road, continuing eastward.
Air and Ground Forces cooperation in Aachen, Germany. The ruins and collapsed buildings of Aachen Germany on October 15, 1944, following Allied bombing. Smoke rises from ruins. View of a field area and then a giant explosion as a ground target is detonated with explosives. Large cloud of smoke rises. U.S. Army soldiers inspect exploded area.
Activities of American First Army from Aachen to Roer River in Germany. Animated map shows First Army entering into Hurtgen Forest and arrive Cologne plain going through the Roer River. 28th Division controls key roadways of Vossenack and Schmidt. Engineers build roads through the Hurtgen Forest. Large tree trunks are laid into place as foundation and then milled wooden planks are nailed atop to quickly create a usable road surface. Jeep passes over the newly built road. U.S. Army forces start a fire for protection against the cold. 28th Division troops with mortar and machine gun support advance (November, 1944) through a wooded area. Infantry columns move to the front. Smoke clouds rise. Ground forces move out from wooded area. German POW's file into an assembly area and are evacuated by truck. U.S. Army soldier hangs a sign around the neck of a Germany prisoner of war that says "200,000th prisoner of war captured by troops of U.S. First Army." Artillery and antitank guns are placed for defense. Soldiers work on telephone tower. Underground emplacements are built as snow falls. (World War II period).
German military preparations to fortify the Italian coast near Anzio and Nettuno, during World War 2. Thousands of German heavy artillery shells stacked in an ammunition dump in Italy during World War 2. German soldiers form line and pass shells and other ammunition to each other for loading into trucks. View from German Coastal shore guns overlooking the Anzio-Nettuno areas in Italy, before the Allied amphibious attack of January 22, 1944. German soldiers attend to their guns. German soldiers preparing more gun positions on side of a mountain. A German tank being covered with foliage, on a mountainside.
World War II P-47 aircraft of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) take off and land at Chievres Airfield (A-84) in Chièvres Belgium. Airplanes take off from the muddy air base. Trees in the background. Second plane landing has nose art that is difficult to read, but the aircraft serial number 42-76114 (which was piloted by George Swink of the 396th Squadron. Swink's aircraft was downed by flak on 25 December, 1944 and his status after was POW). Various scenes of P-47 Thunderbolts taking off and landing.
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