The story from the card backs
Click on the card title to return to the card image (Thanks to Mary Lou Ailstock for typing.) 01. "Fight to the Death" "You must fight for the Reichland," commanded Adolf Hitler as he watched the German soldiers begin their march into Poland. the first hostile act of World War II began on September 1, 1938 as German planes and soldiers spread death through the streets of Poland. Bombers immobilized six polish cities, destroying their transportation facilities. the polish Army attempted to hold off the invading German troops. However, it was no match for Hitler's powerful Army. the German soldiers scorched the land, leaving little standing as they marched through the countryside. 02. Attack on Pearl Harbor On December 7, 1941, the early morning silence was disturbed by the sound of 360 airplanes flying towards Pearl Harbor. The sneak attack occurred as phoney Japanese "peace" envoys met with President Roosevelt. At 7:55 A.M., Japanese planes and submarines attacked the United States naval fleet which lay at anchor at Pearl Harbor. Over 2,000 officers and men were killed during the attack and an additional 1,000 wounded. Lost during the siege were 177 Army and Navy Airplanes. And so the United States was plunged into the dark days of World War II, which were destined to last for almost five horrible years. 03. Execution at Dawn Although born in Germany, Hans Krausse was a naturalized American citizen. Contacted by the U.S. Intelligence office, Hans agreed to do some undercover work and returned to Germany. Able to gain the confidence of several top German leaders, Krausse came into contact with secret military information. Hans relayed the data via shortwave radio to Allied listening posts. Throughout the war the daring U.S. secret agent sent vital information until he was discovered. One morning in early 1945 he was executed by a firing squad. Nevertheless, Hans' courageous work helped to shorten the 2nd World War. 04. Grenade of Death The G.I.s spoke of their hopes and dreams as they pushed the 105 Howitzer up the hill, unaware that death awaited them on the incline. "I've got the sweetest girl in the world waiting for me back home. We're gonna be married and have a flock of kids," A freckled-faced boy spoke now, "My dad just opened a gas station on Route 66. I'm gonna be the best mechanic on the whole dar highway." Probably, if they weren't living in an era of war, their plans would have come to pass. But they couldn't reckon on the two pound package of death which now headed toward them... a Japanese grenade! 05. Collision in the Sky Capt. Sid Hassin smiled as he watched the black smoke pour out of the tail of the Focke-Wulfe. Though the Focke-Wulfe was badly crippled, it was the intention of the German pilot to bring down the U.S. fighter plane, even if it meant destroying himself in a suicidal crash. The alert Capt. Hassin tried to veer off the collision course. With only seconds to spare, the U.S. flying ace pushed his ejection button. Thrown outward in the nick of time, Capt. hassin heard the terrific collision of planes as his chute opened. Slowly he fell towards earth, watching the remains of flaming steel disintegrate in the sky. 06. Watery Doom The bullets struck the U.S. B-25 in the right wing and sent it spiraling into the Coral Sea. Using all his strength, Capt. Allen Bradley forced the emergency door open and leaped into the icy water. Above him, allen heard the engine of a Japanese plane. Looking up, he watched helplessly as it dived towards him, sending bullets chopping into the sea. Now rising, the enemy plane circled above, preparing for a second pass. Suddenly three U.S. planes dropped out of the clouds, forcing the Japanese pilot to retreat rapidly. Moments later, Capt. Allen Bradley was climbing onto a life raft dropped by one of his rescuers. 07. Ambushing the General Cut off from his platoon on a routine mission, Lt. Robin Dark was surprised to come across a hut in a jungle clearing. Peering carefully through a dirty window, Robin saw a German and 3 Japanese officers studying a large terrain map. Creeping back into the jungle for cover, the lieutenant readied his machine-gun. After waiting for what seemed like hours, the door of the hut opened and a German General stepped out. "Hands up or I'll shoot," cried Dart. The German rushed toward him, reaching for his gun. Robin opened fire and seconds later, three other enemy officers came out, their hands above their heads. 08. Death of a Frogman British Frogman Arnold Gray and Clark Staton swam silently toward the german U-Boat. Their mission was to set off high power explosives which would completely destroy the enemy ship. Reaching the submarine, the pair immediately started to connect the depth charge. They cursed the moonlight, which seemed to spotlight their work. Each scraping sound made against the side of the sub sent a chill of fear down their spines. So intent was Clark upon his work, that the first warning of discovery he had was the crack of a rifle bullet. Before Clark could dive for safety underwater, he felt a bullet burn its way into his body. 09. Hiding from the Nazis The French farm girl was bandaging Sgt. Ralph Morgan's wounds, when they heard an approaching jeep. "You must hide!", she said. The girl grabbed Ralph by the hand and pushed him toward a well. before he could climb inside, a Nazi jeep came into sight and the sergeant dropped behind the well for cover. The Germans questioned the girl and one went inside to search the house. the other soldier walked toward the well. Ralph crouched low, ready for a fight, if he was spotted. the german drank some water, then turned and walked back to the jeep. A wave of relief passed over Ralph as the two men drove away from the farm. 10. Medic Under Fire "Doc, you're wasting your time. If he isn't dead by now, some bullet will probably finish him off before you reach him." the medic ignored the advice, slung a first-aid kit over is shoulder and crawled away from the safety of his foxhole. Digging his knees into the mud, the medic inched his way under the gunfire, toward his wounded comrade. the soldier wasn't moving and the medic feared he was too late. the bullets flashed over his head and for a moment the medic almost turned back. He was just ten feet away from his goal when he knew he hadn't made a mistake. A weak, but grateful voice said, "thanks, doc, I've been praying for you." 11. Death Rides the Wing U.S. Capt. Daniel Wood raced down the runway toward the german FU 109. Behind him, the enemy was closing in. Wood hoisted himself up onto the wing of the plane just as the FU 109 slowly started to roll. he captain hoped to ride the wing down the runway where he might get a head start on his pursuers. Spotted by the pilot, Daniel fired a stolen Luger at the cockpit. the German slumped forward against the controls as the plane picked up speed. At the end of the runway, Daniel leaped clear of the plane. Just to his right were several German jeeps which he could use to get back to the American lines. 12. Death on the Bridge Robert Benjamin, an American photographer, was photographing some of Burma's scenic terrain when he came up with an unexpected scoop. A dozen natives were crossing a rope bridge when a Japanese plane began firing at them. Panic-stricken, the natives leaped off the bridge and into the swirling water. Several, unable to swim, were victims to the churning river. from his position on a nearby mountain, Robert photographed the scene. Ordinarily no word of the brutal attack upon the defenseless natives would have been known by the peace-loving nations. Robert;s dramatic pictures shocked an angry world. 13. Death in the Street Monsieur Jean Cavarte was an active member of the French underground. When several french civilians were killed wantonly by the Germans, Cavarte spoke out to his townspeople,"We must not tolerate any more abuse from the Nazi dogs. I vow I shall kill the next one that abuses any of our fellow patriots." But word of Cavarte's flaming speech reached the German leaders and they decided to exterminate him. A German tank rolled through the village and crushed many of the innocent villagers. When Cavarte appeared with a gun in his hand to protest, he was shot down by a German soldier. 14. "Stop Those Planes" General Otto Van Dorper stood by the anti-aircraft guns and shouted to the German soldiers, "Shoot those planes down!" the night sky was lit up by the bright beams from powerful searchlights and the exploding shells, yet none of the Allied planes burst into flames. the B-17s filled the sky, heading toward the industrial center of Berlin. "You fools... You are letting them get through." screamed the enraged general. Van Dorper pushed aside his soldiers and grabbed one of the anti-aircraft guns himself. But his effort was useless, for already the bombs had started to drop on Berlin. 15. Dog Warrior Capt. Brad Barnett had parachuted to safety when his plane was downed in combat, only to injure himself as he landed. Now, he knelt at the edge of a pond and ashed the blood form his wound. A rustle in the trees gave Brad his first hint of danger. Just a split second later, a powerful German shepherd was hurtling through the air, its huge teeth aimed at the American's throat. the weight of the dog knocked the captain off his feet. As he splashed in the water, brad heard a gruff voice call off the dig. getting to his feet, brad stared at a tightly clenched fist holding a german Luger. the American knew he was now a prisoner of the Germans! 16. The Ocean's Victims A U.S. cargo ship was carrying men and ammunition across the Pacific Ocean when it was struck by a Japanese torpedo. With the ship badly damaged, the men were forced to dive into the Pacific. A Navy battleship 30 miles from the scene of the disaster, picked up the emergency SOS on it's radio. Dispatching a helicopter ahead of it, the battleship was informed of the damage. Suddenly an excited message was received from the helicopter..."Jap plane firing at us... we're bailing out." When the battleship arrived, it picked up 87 survivors from the cargo ship, as well as two helicopters flyers. 17. Attack on Nazi Convoy On his way back to his home base, Major Ed Stanton was flying his F-47 over a barren stretch of mountains territory. Occasionally he would see a stray villager walking along a dirt road. When a line of trucks came into view, Stanton took the plane down for a closer look. Immediately he comprehended what was before him... Nazi convoy trucks heading for a rendezvous point where the staggering German Army was remobilizing. Wasting no time Ed's guns blasted unceasingly at the enemy. Time and again he attacked, until he had halted the forward progress of the five German trucks. 18. Jungle Duel Pvt. Len Brown, sole survivor of a scouting mission, had been awake for over 24 hours. He rested against a tree and finally continued along for another fifty yards. Very exhausted he at last sank to the ground and was unable to fight off the desire to nap for several minutes, The private was awakened by a shreiking japanese oath.. Opening his eyes, Brown saw a husky Japanese soldier racing towards him carrying a long hunting knife in is hand. Again the attacker uttered his death cry and Brown barely had time to reach for his revolver. he one shot that he got off, caught the Jap in the neck. brown promised himself never to doze off in the jungle again. 19. Hand to Hand Combat A squad of U.S. Marines were marcing through a section of Iwo Jima when 40 Japanese soldiers came treaming over a hill, racing at them. The Japs carried swords in their hands and showed every intentio of using them, as soon as they got a cance. The fast-acting Marines opened fire at the enemy, but soon the charging men were too close to shoot at. Using the butt end of their guns for weapons, the U.S. fighters clubbed the Japs. Though out-numbered, the strong-willed Japanese soldiers kept fighting back until hey could no longer stand on their feet. 20. Snipers in the Snow In November 1941, the German Army had pushed deep into Russia and was moving toward Moscow. Hitler announced prematurely to the world that "Russia is broken and will never rise again." But Russian patriots continued to fight against the invaders. Ivan Ivanov and his two comrades were laying mines outside the city of Leningrad when the sound of an approaching armored truck warned Ivan of impending danger. The Russians stationed themselves in a snow bank, waiting till the truck came within range. As the Germans passed in front of them, each patriot opened and hit his target. 21. Saved in Time Worst of all, Corporal Nat Coleman hated the jungle warfare. the inpenetratrable forest made mother nature his worst enemy. Only yesterday, one of the huge rotting trees had collapsed and crushed five men in his platoon. Sunlight was unknown in this world of blood-sucking leeches, scorpions, and giant mosquitoes.The sharp retort of a rifle caused Coleman to spin around. That's when Nat saw the remains of a coiled snake which had been split in two by a rifle bullet. Except for an alert buddy, the unsuspecting corporal would have been the next victim of the deadly snake. 22. Stockade Attack Once held by the Japanese, the Ryukyu Islands were falling rapidly into the Allied forces. After several months of fighting on Okinawa, the Allies knew that success was in sight. Using grenades, rifles, and torches, the U.S. Army attacked one of the last holdouts on the island. Several of the soldiers climbed on the roof of one of the buildings in the stockade and set fire to the flag of japan. Angered by the act, a group of soldiers emerged from one of the other buildings and began firing at the Americans. badly outnumbered and with limited ammunition, the Japanese soldiers were soon forced to flee into the jungle for safety. 23. Suicide Dive The American sub had surface off the Japanese held island of Okinawa. Without any warning, a Japanese fighter plane swooped down at the U.S. ship. It fired eratically, then it rose, circled in the sky and headed for the sub once more, this time at a steeper angle. "Kamikaze," was the cry heard from the deck of the sub. This was a word that brought terror to the allied seamen. the Kamikaze were Japanese pilots who would smash their planes into an enemy ship in the face of certain death. The anti-aircraft fire struck the diving plane several times. The flaming Kamikaze plunged past the sub and into the Pacific Ocean. 24. Trapped! The Norwegian waters were infested with German U-Boats. Upon one of the fjords, a surfaced submarine was being inspected by several German officers and sailors. The sound of an approaching enemy plane sent them scurrying below. Immediately an order to submerge was broadcast by the commanding officer. In the excitement, one seaman was left on the surface. Desperately the German tried to get below, pulling uselessly on the sealed hatch. As the Allied plane fired at him, the seaman screamed in terror. Slowly the icy waters rose around claiming their victim. 25. Stopped by Grenades “There’s a German jeep approaching, sir” said the G.I., putting down his binoculars. His sergeant looked down the road and could already see the vehicle with his naked eye. The two men waited in the bushes until the jeep was only 15 feet in front of them. Stepping out of the bushes, the sergeant aimed his rifle at the driver and shouted, “Halt!” The jeep slowed down momentarily and then suddenly shot forward past the Americans. “Give em a grenade,” was the shouted order. The soldiers hurled several grenades at the fleeing jeep and quickly stopped the Germans. 26. Blasting the Nazis In June of 1919, the German Army marched into France. Karl Hoffman, a Nazi General, was especially surly and harsh to the French civilians. One of the first acts of the secret French underground was to mark Hoffman for death. The patriots knew that the General spent half an hour every day at a sidewalk café, drinking with several of his officers. Plotting Hoffman's assassination, one man volunteered to drive the car, while two others would serve as executioners. Driving past the café where the General lunched, the patriots blasted Hoffman and his aides. The angered Nazis rounded up 150 Frenchmen and had them killed in retaliation for the bold assassination. 27. Train of Death Pfc. Clyde Peters watched from the hilltop as two Nazis set up a dynamite charge by the railroad tracks. Going down the hill as quickly and quietly as possible, Peters saw an unconscious American soldier stretched across the tracks. Unnoticed, Peters drew his gun and advanced toward the Germans, shouting, "Get away from that dynamite!" Though the surprised Nazis didn't understand English, they backed away from the explosives when they saw the gun. Keeping an eye on the Germans, Peters dragged the unconscious G. I. off the tracks as a big train rumbled past them. 28. Caught While Escaping All the horrors of the German concentration camps will thankfully never be revealed to the world. It is no secret, however, that millions of prisoners were inhumanely put to death by the Nazis. In the Belsen Concentration Camp alone 80,000 persons died of starvation, torture and disease. Escape was futile because of barbed wire fences and those caught were either shot instantly or used in some of the fiendish experiments conducted by the mad Nazi scientists. When the invading Allied Armies arrived in Germany, they found bodies of men, women, children and the aged lying unburied in the camps. The Nazi barbarics was a shock to all humanity. 29. Smashing Thru the Guards After being captured by the Germans, Major Jarvis Hutton was taken to a Nazi outpost where he knew he would be questioned and then imprisoned... if not killed. As he was being led to the general's headquarters, Hutton shoved his guard to the ground and ran to a nearby jeep. The major leaped in and started the engine in one swift motion. Gunning the jeep, Hutton crashed into a guard who tried to block his exit and sent his body flying into the air. A flashlight spotlighted the escaping vehicle and machine-gun bullets flew over his head. But Hutton escaped from the camp safely and eventually returned to his men. 30. Cossack Charge In 1943, Russia was no longer losing its war against Germany. The Nazi forces were stumbling backwards, falling prey to a now powerful and courageous Russian Army. In southwest Russia, large cavalry units of Cossacks tormented a weak and tired Germany Army. It were as if the pages of history were turned back as once more horsemen came charging out of the hills, waving their swords in the air and cutting down their enemies. The Cossacks were eager to repay the Germans for the horrors that had been perpetrated against Russia. 31. Battlefront Transfusion "I'll need more morphine for this man. When he regains consciousness, he'll be in terrible pain." Nurse Christine Speck concentrated on administering the plasma and forgot about the exploding shells and machine-gun fire that was all about her. Reaching the hospital tent, a medic looked over the wounded man and said, "His left leg can't be saved." As the stretcher was carried into the tent, Christine slumped down to her knees, put her hands over her face and sobbed. The medic came over..."That last case is getting you down huh?" She looked up sadly and said slowly, "Yes it is." But she got up and went bravely back to the battlefield to continue her duties. 32. Confession by Force Lili, a servant of a German general in occupied France, secretly worked for the French resistance. A brave girl, Lili relayed important information to her comrades that she picked up while going about her duties. One evening, the general caught the young girl wandering around the castle. "You were warned not to snoop around my quarters. Now we must find out if you are all you seem to be." The girl was taken to the basement of the castle where she was imprisoned. Beaten and interrogated, Lili nevertheless, was able to convince the Germans that she was only a poor working girl. 33. Nazi Terror "Where is your husband," barked a Nazi at the French woman. Her young son stood at her side. "He-He is working on the farm," was the nervous reply. "Are you sure he isn't out shooting at German soldiers?" asked the second Nazi. The young boy broke loose from his mother and punched at the German with his fists. "Leave my mommy alone, you big bully." The tall German grabbed the boy by the neck and the French woman reached for a kitchen knife. However, a warning shot from the rifle of the other Nazi stopped the fracas. "See that your husband stays on the farm and does not aid the French resistance," said the Germans as they left. 34. Saving his Buddies On a scouting mission, Pvt. Donaldson came across two wounded Americans propped against a tree. Before he could say anything, a rifle was shoved against his back. "You will help remove these two dogs to my camp." A Japanese held the rifle and issued the orders. The men moved slowly through the jungle, with the enemy soldier continually chiding them. Then, without any warning, Donaldson heard a thud, followed by a scream of pain. Turning around, the private saw a marine had leaped out of a tree and plunged a knife into the back of the tormentor. 35. Terror From the Sky Sgt. Paul Alexander hurried down the dusty, English road as soon as he saw the two children ahead of him. A young boy was riding a bicycle, with a girl walking along side of him. “Hey you kids, get off the road,” he shouted, knowing of the constant danger. No sooner had he issued his warning then he saw a Nazi plane swoop out of the sky. Bullets from the plane tore into the road as Alexander ran toward the children. Frightened by the plane, the boy had fallen off his bike and his sister was trying to help him up. The sergeant grabbed one child in each arm and dove into the roadside grass for protection. 36. Helpless Paratrooper The German Messerschmidt had scored a direct hit. Quickly the P-40 was in flames and the pilot, Lt. Lawrence Rice, bailed out. Below hi, the ground resembled a plaid, quilt blanket. Above him, Rice saw the burning remains of the P-40. Suddenly a cold realization spread through Rice as he saw the Messerschmidt circle in the sky. he paratrooper broke into a frightened sweat as the Nazi pilot brought the plane closer and closer. the bullets from the machine-gun flashed by and Rice knew he was hopelessly trapped. Finally the bullets cut into him, bringing a moment of intense pain, and then... darkness. 37. Jungle Execution In May of 1954, the American forces continued to shatter the Japanese on Okinawa. Only small pockets of holed-in Japanese continued to offer any resistance. Two japanese soldiers, retreating through the jungles, captured four American Marines. Catching the marines unaware, the Nips decided to take then as hostages. It was the hope of the Japanese to use their captives as a bargaining point, if they should run into any other American forces. But as the American gunfire came closer, the two Japanese soldiers began to panic. Deciding that their prisoners were slowing them down, the Japs mercilessly executed the marines. 38. School Bombing Miss Anderson, an instructor in a private school in London, had been informed by the school authorities of the possibility of a German air-raid. At the sound of the alarm, she was to take the children to the basement shelter. The day's lesson had been underway for half an hour when planes were heard flying overhead. Since no alarm had been heard, Miss Anderson assumed that they were R.A.F. planes off on another mission. Suddenly explosion after explosion rocked the school building. Frightened students screamed as glass flew through the classroom. The German bombers had successfully broken through the British defenses, without any warning to the civilians. 39. Death Blow The Japanese officer beat a heavy club in the palm of his hand, in a threatening manner. "Since you refuse to tell me what I wish to know, you leave me no choice..." With that the officer turned and left the American alone in his cell. Tired from the continual questioning, the G.I. fell asleep... The following dawn, the American was awakened by a sharp kick. "Come you dog," spoke the guard. From his cell he was dragged to the beach along with several other prisoners. There, with hands tied behind their backs, the Americans were executed one at a time. 40. The Flaming Sea The Squadron of Japanese fighter planes intercepted the U.S. bombers before they could do any damage. A B-25 was hit several times and burst into flames before it hit the water. Seven of the nine men were able to make it out of the plane, but this did not grant them any safety. Angry flames swallowed up several more victims, as man after man leaped into the burning sea. In half an hour, a PT which was stationed in the area, arrived to pick up the crew from the downed B-25. Unfortunately, the ship picked up only three badly burned survivors. 41. Hospital Raiders Army nurse Susan Thompson was shoved to the floor by one of the three intruding Japanese soldiers when she tried to stop them. The soldiers ran through the ward of the hospital terrorizing the patients, wrecking medicine cabinets and pouring plasma on the floor. As one of the Japanese soldiers splattered gasoline over the floor, another lit a torch and was ready to ignite the entire ward. Suddenly a gunshot rang out and one of the Japanese slumped to the floor. Standing in the doorway were two U.S. Marines. The Japs, who only moments before were brazenly destroying the ward, now had their hands held high above their heads. 42. Fiery Death The German city had been heavily bombed by the Allied airplanes. Two U.S. G.I.s walked over the charred ruins, surveying the damage and searching for the wounded. They stopped short as a Nazi soldier stumbled out of a demolished building and headed toward them. "Throw down your gun," one of the Americans spoke out. The only retort they received was a volley of machine-gun fire. Quickly, one of the G.I.s reached for his M-1 and fired at the resisting Nazi. Instantly the German was engulfed in flames and no longer a threat to the two Americans. 43. Disaster in the Street The people looked up at the sky in horror as two German aircraft attacked the R.A.F. plane high above the city. Hit several times, the British plane burst into flames. Anxious civilians, watching from the city streets, began to run in fear. A segment of the plane detached and fell in a flaming inferno to the ground. Then, like a steel silver bird the plane fell to the earth with a thunderous crash. Missing several large buildings, the plane slammed into a trio of automobiles, completely demolishing them. The bodies of several of the crew were hurled into the air by the impact of the crash. 44. The Torture Chamber When Corporal Vincent Pierce opened his eyes, his hands were still securely roped behind him. All that Pierce could recall were the beatings he had received since he had been captured last week... A heavy stone door swung open and a strong-armed assistant entered along with a Japanese officer. "We have been gentle with you so far, Corporal Pierce. Yet, you continue to refuse to answer my questions. Now we must play rougher." With those words, the heavy set servant brought forth a white-hot poker. Corp. Pierce was still determined not to reveal any information and he wondered how much of this new torture he could stand. 45. Train Yard Bombing Joshua Padang looked up at the sky as the Japanese bombers flew over his home on the Island of Singapore. His people had been warned of the impending invasion and now it had come. To the North, Joshua saw Japanese troops parachuting to the ground. Reports had come over the radio that the train yards had been hit hardest of all by the bombers. Joshua's father and two older brothers worked at the yards and he was now awaiting word as to their safety. Burned into the youngster's mind forever was the brutal attack that he had seen perpetrated against his people. Joshua didn't understand the war but he realized the Japanese were destroying his beloved Malaya. 46. Assassin in the Sky BANG! The sound of a gunshot snapped Squadron Leader Lenton upward in the pilot's seat. A tall German stowaway held a Luger to his head. "You'll get just what your friend got if you don't take this plane down", he growled roughly. Squadron Leader Lenton knew he must act fast. Quickly the pilot took the control and raised the bomber's heavy nose in a steep climb. Before the German knew what had happened, the ship stalled and was diving steeply. As the Nazi lost his balance and fell, Squadron Leader Lenton recovered control of his plane. The pilot sprang out of his seat and knocked the German unconscious. 47. Battle on the Beach The men charged off the assault boat with their carbines clutched high in the air. Pvt. Allen Bund splashed knee-deep in the water, along with his marine buddies. Japanese guns greeted them, fired by an unseen enemy somewhere behind the tree-line on the shore. Allen saw one of his friends fall face down into the water, a victim of a Japanese bullet. Others fell into the water around him and Allen thought, "My God, we're all going to be killed." But the wave of panic left him as he saw other assault boats unloading on either side of him. Pvt. Bund helped lead the push forward and the island fell to the Marines. 48. Exploding Grenade The American soldier spoke to a young Italian mother, who carried an infant son in her arms. He had found her wandering around the ruins of her bombed city in a daze. "The shelter is about two blocks from here, ma'am. "I'd better go with you, because there are still some Nazis on the Island." As the private spoke, a vengeful German watched from a demolished building across the street. The Nazi grabbed one of his grenades, and flung it at the unsuspecting trio. The G.I. saw it land and without any thought for himself, he threw his body at the live grenade. Although badly hurt, his fast thinking saved the mother and child from any injury. 49. Death Struggle The American cupped his hands and swallowed a mouthful of the sandy, salty water in an attempt to quench his maddening thirst. Before he could drink again, he was hit from behind and pushed into the lake. The G. I. realized it was a Japanese soldier, who had probably been watching him for some time. The Jap was on him and wrapping his hands around his throat. With a mighty effort, the American pulled his enemy down into the water beside him. Then he pushed the Jap's head under the water and held it until the struggling body grew limp and air bubbles rose to the surface of the lake. 50. Bomb Victims The Luftwaffe filled England's night skies regularly during the late months of 1940. German Bombers struck at the key cities of England as the Blaz became as expected as tea at four. Striking in full moonlight, the Nazi Aircraft destroyed much of London's famous churches and monuments. It was the grim duty of the R.A.F. rescue workers to search for the victims of the bombings. Thousands of civilians were buried alive under the rubble and often the rescuers would keep digging blindly for hours before they would find someone. During the raids, small villages were also hit in an effort to destroy the morale of Britain. 51. Tangled on a Tree Lt. Richard Hedgins was one of the U.S. jumpers to land in Holland in 1944. Coming down in a wooded area, Hedgins chute became entangled in a tree. Before he could work his way free, a German soldier stumbled upon him. The Nazi fired quickly at the Lieutenant and missed. Before he could take aim again, a gunshot rang out from the distance and the German fell to the ground. A Dutch resistance fighter, cutting through the woods, had seen the German and killed him. The Dutchman then cut Lt. Hedgins down from the tree and the American was off to join his buddies who were fighting the Germans at Nijenegen. 52. Flames of Death "You know too much for your own good, my dear. When the Americans arrive, they will make you tell them everything." With that, Gen. Rudolf Stiener ordered his headquarters to be burned, so that the Allies would not find any valuable war documents. Because he couldn't take his secretary with him, and since she did know many of the German military secrets, Stiener ordered her death. But the Allied forces arrived in Rome, quicker than was expected. They were in time to save the girl, seize the German documents and see that Gen. Stiener stood trial as a war criminal. 53. Beautiful Spy For months, Belle Byrd had been relaying vital information to the Americans via a short-wave radio which she kept hidden in her famous Philippine Nightclub. But the Japanese who occupied the islands, heard rumors about Belle's activities and sent several soldiers to question her. When the Japanese arrived, they wrecked Belle's club and terrorized the patrons. Belle was tied up in a backstage dressing room and roughly interrogated. Bravely, the young woman denied all the charges and convinced the soldiers that they had been misinformed. Angered by their failure to learn anything, the soldiers set fire to the nightclub and watched it burn to the ground. 54. United States Sailor The United States Navy played a major role during the Second World War. Rallying rapidly from the effects of the sneak attack at Pearl Harbor, the U. S. Navy scored their first major victory over the Japanese in the Coral Sea. Shortly after, they dealt the Japanese a severe blow in vicious sea, land and air battles in the Solomon Islands. The Navy submarines continually crippled Japan by cutting off her supplies of oil and other essentials. At the close of World War II, the United States Navy was larger than all other navies of the world combined. It was stocked with battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, submarines, destroyers, escort vessels, small craft and planes. 55. U. S. Commando The U.S. Commando units during World War II were made up of volunteers. The American units were patterned after the successful British Commandos, who were already active. Given a rigorous training in the United States, the Commandos were then shipped overseas to take part in the war in Europe or along the North African Coast. The role of a Commando was extremely dangerous, for it involved conducting secret raids into German-held territory. The Commandos continually harassed the German forces by blowing up supply lines and wrecking the enemy's communication facilities. 56. U. S. Marine The U.S. Marines were stationed throughout the Pacific when the Japanese struck at Pearl Harbor. Their first major roles in the war were at Wake, Bataan and at Midway, where heroically stood up to the Japanese onslaught. In 1942 the Marines demonstrated their fighting ability at Guadalcanal and the following year on Tarawa and New Britain. Guam and Enwetok in the Marshall Islands were the marine victories during '44. In 1945, the Marines landed and crushed the Japs at Iwo Jima and with the U.S. Army at Okinawa. Today the U.S. Marines still serve in Japan, Okinawa and at United Nations installations all over the world. 57. U. S. Paratrooper The United States Paratroopers during World War II were all volunteers. Each of the sky soldiers underwent weeks of hard training and was instructed on the dangers of his assignments. Often the paratroopers had to land behind enemy lines to blow up a bridge or cut off supplies. The paratroopers' equipment consisted of a bazooka, knife, machinegun, grenades and a medical kit. During the war, the airborne troops played a part in many land, sea and air operations. Paratroopers spearheaded U.S. attacks in Sicily, Normandy and Holland. 58. Japanese Soldier The Japanese Army was trained largely in Japan-controlled Indo-China beginning in 1940. Equipped with the best material that could be obtained by the Japanese, the men were specially given instructions in jungle warfare. Taught to use trickery and to make the most of nature to infiltrate enemy lines, the Japanese soldier became one of the craftiest fighters of the Second World War. His fighting equipment was particularly suited for jungle fighting; far more so than any of the United States equipment at the crucial period just after Pearl Harbor. In fact, it took several years until the U.S. gained full superiority in this kind of equipment. 59. Nazi Soldier When World War II broke out in 1939, General Heimrich Von Braucthitsch was in command of the German Army. Two years later, Adolph Hitler took over the command, when he blamed his generals for failure in the Russian campaign. The German Army was well-trained, well-equipped and they believed, destined for victory. Britain, France, Russia, Greece, Italy, Belgium, Yugoslavia, Poland and The Netherlands were among the nations that reeled from the blow of German might. Yet by September 1944, the total losses for Germany were 3,875,000 dead, permanently disabled and missing. It soon became obvious that the resources of the Reichland had been taxed to the limit. 60. Charles DeGaulle Charles DeGaulle, a French Army officer, statesman and patriot was born in 1890. In 1940, DeGaulle was a brigadier general and an undersecretary of state. A weak and frightened French government, sought an armistice with the Nazis, but DeGaulle, in a radio broadcast, appealed to the people of France to continue fighting. When the German's marched into France and occupied Paris, Charles DeGaulle became the symbol of the French resistance movement. Near the climax of the war, he marched through Paris streets with the Allied troops, despite the dangerous presence of Nazi snipers. In 1958, DeGaulle became the President of France. 61. Winston Churchill Born in England in 1874, Winston Churchill began his career in politics in 1900. Churchill watched as Hitler assumed leadership in Germany in the 1930's and he warned that the shadow of war was creeping across Europe. Despite Churchill's urgings for preparations for the war, his government largely ignored the demands. Finally in 1940, when Churchill became the Prime Minister of England, he was able to obtain aid from the United States. Churchill's leadership during the war years was an inspiration to the British people and the free world. In 1953, Winston Churchill was knighted by Queen Elizabeth. 62. Gen. Douglas MacArthur In July 1941, with the threat of war growing, General Douglas MacArthur was named to head the U. S. Army forces in the Far East. By 1942, MacArthur was attempting to save the Philippines from the Japanese. Though he was turned back, the General promised to return. As the Supreme Commander of the Southwest Pacific, MacArthur's forces succeeding in halting the enemy's advance after a hard-fought campaign in New Guinea. In 1944, the General kept his war-promise, as he and his men landed again in the Philippines. The Japanese were shortly cleared off the islands. On September 2, 1945, General MacArthur received the formal surrender of Japan aboard the U.S.S. Missouri. 64. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower In his first major role in World War II, Lt. Gen. Dwight Eisenhower headed the Allied landings in French North Africa in 1942. As a result of this victory, the Allies were prepared for the invasion of Italy and Sicily the following year. Named as the Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe, Eisenhower then helped shape the huge force which landed on Normandy's beaches on June 6, 1944. Despite continual German resistance, his troops broke through the enemy lines on July 18. The following month, Paris was liberated and the German downfall in the war was imminent. In 1952, Dwight Eisenhower was elected the 34th U.S. president.
Cloth Patches
01. 7th Army 02. Army Air Force 03. HQ. European Theater 04. 2nd Division 05. 17th Airborne Division 06. 59th Division 07. 63d Division 08. 10th Mountain Division 09. 11th Airborne Division 10. 77th Division 11. 187th Airborne Reg. Team 12. 4th Air Force 13. Alaska Air Command 14. Aviation Cadet 15. Air Material Command 16. 99th Infantry Battalion 17. 442nd Regimental Combat Team 18. One Hundred First Division 19. Armored Force 20. U.S. Wing Marking 21. 73d Air Base 22. 31st Bombardment 23. 3d Observation 24. VF-2
British Cloth Patches (in no particular order) |