Historical US footage 1945:
The following footage was discovered by Rolf G. Wilmink,
Germany, 75th Inf Div history investigator. For additional information,
contact adress below.Most of the footage is taken around my hometown
of D-58840 Plettenberg, Westphalia, Germany, between March and
June 1945.
Explanation: CU = Close up, LS = left side ? MS =
?, bg = background, fg = foreground,
75th Division:
US INFANTRY NEAR COMMANSTER (?), Belgium, 23 Jan
1945 (LIB 2473, film no.: ADC3168)
MSs, Cus, soldiers of 2nd and 3rd Bn, 289th Regt,
75th Inf Div anvance thru snow-covered forest area.
ATTACK ON ST VITH, Belgium, 24 Jan 1945 (LIB, 2455)
VS, soldiers of the 48th Inf Regt, 3rd Bn, 7th Armd
Div, some wearing snow capes and white helmets, advance along
snow-covered road into the city, LHSs, deployed infantrymen and
M-4 tanks move across snow-covered field.
105MM Artillery fire near Rheinburg (D-47495 Rheinberg
?), Germany 15 March 1945 (LIB 4148, film no.: ADC 3595)
Seq: Soldiers of 899th Field Artillery Bn, 75th Div
unloading shells form vehicle and puting them in dugouts. VS,
crew loads and fires 105mm HOW.
(Note: we are not sure yet about the town, but the
cameraman Raymond W. Daum also noted Rheinberg, near the border
to Holland, around 6-7 March 1945.)
Aerial Artillery Observation, D-47441 Moers, Germany,
19 march 1945, (LIB 4149)
Avs, damaged town; shell craters in field (scratched)
SIGN PAINTERS, Ickern (part of D-44579 Castrop-Rauxel),
Germany (7 April 1945) (LIB 5159,
ADC 3904)
Seq.: Soldiers of the 289th Inf Regt, 75th Div paint
signs on various bridges and bldgs: "You are in Ickern, courtesy
of 298th Inf;" "Roses Is Red, Violets Is Blue, the 289th
Took Ickern for You, 75th Div."
CU, soldier paints "Kaput" on German 88mm
AA gun. CU, words on damaged German vehicle alongside highway:
"Cooks (scratched out) GI Tour on Hitler's Autobahn".
VS, wreckage of city. LSs, MSs, German civilians clean wreckage
of damaged bridge. VS, civilians carrying personal belongings
cross wrecked bridge.
MAY DAY - Stalag # 6 A (D-58675 Hemer near Iserlohn,
Westphalia) (1 May 1945) (LIB 6128,
film no.: ADC 1753)
HS, MS, Pan, Russian prisoners of war hold May Day
celebration in POW camp, Stalag 6A, after liberation by US Forces.
CU, Russian soldier carrying sign in Russian and English; "Long
live the American Army Which liberated us from Nazi captivity."
CUT - still portraits of Stalin, Truman, Churchill,
Lenin, Zhukov. LS, speakers platform with portraits of Stalin,
Truman and Churchill. LS, US Maj Gen Ray E Porter, CG 75th Inf
Div; Maj N Mironof (wearing white uniform) Camp commandant and
other russian officials on speakers platform. CUs, assembled Russian
prisoners. CUs, Russian nurses march past review stand. Follow
shots, Russian army band passes in review. VS, American D rations
and cigarettes are issued to released prisoners.
VICTORY PARADE (D-57076 Siegen, Germany) (9 May 1945)
(B-1208, film no.: ADC 4426)
VS, 75th Div band, halftracks and other vehicles
of the 440th AAA Bn, parading thru streets.
Note: We have found the cameraman of this footage,
T-4 Raymond Witham Daum, (Ser. Number 19164678) 167th Signal Corps,
Combat unit 126, in USA ! Also from them same unit, we found
the photographer Cpl. Joseph D. Karr !
He has this film listed under the library number
1208. We have a complete list of his films with title, LIB No.
and date, but not which military units are filmed.
(Important ! Please note that Mr. Daum named our
town Plettenberg in a drawing wrongly as "Lettenburg"
so please look for this name during research. )
86th Division:
General Eisenhower visits 86th Inf Div
D-57439 Attendorn, Germany, 13 April 1945 (LIB 5520,
film no.: ADC 4015)
VS, recon party of the 86th Inf Div, 343rd Regt in
jeeps and M-8 armored light cars prepare to leave area. VS, Five-star
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower and members of the 18th AB group visit
86th Div Hq. CU, General five-star insignia on jeep. LSs, MSs,
CUs, large number of German prisoners recently captured in Ruhr
Valley pocket are assembled in village. CU, German officers smoking
and relaxing.
(note: more of the 86th Div hold on request)
99th Division:
Capture of (D-56598) Rheinbrohl, Germany, 19 Mar
45 (LIB 4373) film number: 111 ADC 3634
VS, infantrymen fire small arms at fleeing German
soldiers. MSs, Cus, M-4 tank with loudspeaker system attached.
MSs, four captured German soldiers run thru streets, followed
by US soldiers in jeep. VS, German civilians leave town. Some
civilians hold white flagws. MS, HSs, M-4 tank on outskirts of
town fires across open field. LS, direct hit on bldg stored with
ammunition. Excellent scenes, US soldiers run thru debris-filled
streets, followed by tanks. VS, infantrymen and tanks move thru
shell-ron town. One tank passes burning vehicle. VS, two civilians
holding white flag approache tanks and surrender. MS, infantrymen
move thru town searching for snipers. MS, group of civilians gathers
in open field, in bg smoke rises from shelled town. (Note:town
was taken by Recon Troop A, 18th Cav Sq., 14th Cav Gp, attached
to 99th Inf Div.)
Crossing the Wied river (D-53547 Rossbach (Wied),
Germany, 23 March 1945
(M-1490, LIB 4513)
VS, German civilians entering church for questioning
by soldiers. MSs, soldiers of 395th Regt, 99th Div, marching thru
shell-torn town. MS, civilians carrying belongings walking along
road. MLSs, prisoners leaving church and being lined up. LSs,
burning village with wrecked bridge in fg. Dusk, MS, soldiers
running across ponton bridge over Wied river into town. MCUs,
several wrecked and burning houses. VS, civilians gathering their
belongings and going into church. LS, men and vehicles crossing
ponton bridge over Wied river. VS, destroyed concrete bridge over
river. MSs, soldier unreeling wire and passing it across river.
Infantry and tanks capture german PWs (D-56581 Kurtscheid
& D-56579 Bonefeld, Germany) 25 March 1945 (LIB 4668) film
no.: 111 ADC 3767-1
MSs, men of 393d Regt, 99th Div, marching prisoners
thru streets.of shell-torn town. VS, soldiers climb onto M-4 tanks
and move thru streets. MSs, soldiers bring in prisoners and search
them. MSs, German soldiers with handup, running twd soldiers to
surrender.
US Troops advancing near Lohnen (?) Germany, 25 March
1945 (LIB 4669)
VS, trrops of 120th Inf Regt, 30th Div, moving thru
wrecked town. MS, soldiers playing harmonica while marching. MS,
M-29 Cargo Carrier flying Red Cross flag moving along road. VS,
German prisoners being marched thru streets as tanks and vehicles
move in opposite direction.
Soldiers of 99th Div enter Wetzlar, Germany , 29
Mar 45 (LIB 4885) film no.: ADC 3877
VS, platoon of infantry of B Co, 3rd Bn, 393 Regt,
first element of 99th Inf Div entering city.as citizens watch,
German civilians carry their belongings walk along streets past
US soldiers. Some try to hide their faces. LS, Ernst Leitz optical
factory. US soldiers in fg.
Traffic over Main river (Mülheim, Germany, 29
March 1945 (LIB 4856)
VS, vehicles of 90th Div cross temporary bridge over
Main River.
US and allied prisoners of war (Wetzlar, Germany,
29 March 1945, LIB 4857)
Note: The following scenes were taken at Dulag-Luft,
a prisoner-of-war camp for allied airmen near Wetzlar.
MCUs, Col Charles W Stark of Orlando, Folrida senior
officer at camp and Lt Commander Rober E. Jennings of US Navy.
Town and Factory, Aue, Germany, 6 April 1945 (LIB
5206, film no.: ADC 3923)
VS, vehicles of 99th Div Sector, 393rd Regt, travel
thru wet and muddy streets on outskirts of town. Civilians, some
carrying their belongings, walk along street. LMSs, rubble,destroyed
bldgs; burst water pipe sends out stream of water. LS, surburban
street with US tank parked on road. A tank in bg backs into a
driveway.
7th Armored Div, (D-57368 Lennestadt-Oedingen,Germany,10
apr. 1945 (LIB 5307) film number: 11 DC 942
LS, MS, tank moving into position on street. RVs,
infantrymen of 99th Div push thru town past burning bldgs. and
debris.Tank destroyer (M-10 motor carriage) halted at coner near
church. MS, infantrymen of armored division are silhouetted as
they go over high point of territory. LS, burning buildings.
CU, German rifle lying in stream. LS, MS, German
civilians with their belongings in yard in front of building.
LS, infantrymen atop tank as it enters town. LSs
to MSs, burning US tank in backyard of home; clothes on line in
fg.
General Eisenhower visits 99th Div (Fretter (correct:
D-57413 Finnentrop-Fretter) Germany, 13 April 1945 (LIB
5424, film no.: ADC 4015)
MSs, Cus, jeep bearing 5-star Gen Dwight D Eisenhower
and 4-star Gen Omar N Bradley puls up to camera. MSs, Cus, Gen
Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, Gen Bradley, 12th Army Group
commander; Lt. Gen Courtney H Hodges, FUSA Commander; Maj Gen
James A Van Fleet, III Corps Commander, and Maj Gen Walter E.
Lauer, 99th Inf Div.greeting each other outside of Div bldg.
CU Gen Eisenhower leaves bldg and enters jeep. CU,
Gen Einsenhower seated in Jeep, waves to enlisted men as he departs.
"I" Co takes hill (LIB 5498, film no.:
ADC 4146)
(D-58791) Werdohl, Germany (about 20 min away from
me) 14 April 1945
MS, soldiers of I Co, 3rd Bn, 393rd Inf Regt, 99th
Inf Div, move up hill and thru wooded area near city. MCU, soldiers
crouched in woods.
Tanks, Infantry (LIB 5498)
Westengel (?), Germany (Westenfeld near D-59846 Sundern
?) 11 April 1945
MS, Cus, infantrymen of the 80th armd Inf Bn aboard
tanks of the 9th Armd Div drive thru the town and along roads.
German Prisoners and Surrender of German Tank BN
(LIB 5683, film no.: ADC 4206)
Sundwig and Iserichn (correct: D-58636 Iserlohn),
Germany, 16 Apr 1945 (877´ silent)
MSs, German soldiers pile their arms and ammunition
on ground. VS, German tiger tanks, loaded with German soldiers,
and other vehicles move slowly thru the town square surrendering
to troops of the 99th Inf Div.
MSs, CU, German tankmen standing in formation.
Seq: German tank commander, Lt. Ernst, surrenders
his men to a US officer. LSs, MSs, CU, convoy of trucks loaded
with German prisoners moves out of area. MSs, Cus, German prisoners
loading onto trucks under supervision of US soldiers.
Send additional infos on films
about the 75th, 86th, 99th Div
For copies of films, contact:
Rolf G. Wilmink
P.O.Box 1652
58816 Plettenberg, Westphalia
Germany
Ph.: 01149-2391-3945
Fax: 01149-2391-3706
EMail: mkw-detective@t-online.de
75th Vets homepage: www.plbg.de/75th |
and other footage taken in
the area of Westphalia to:
National Archives at College Park
Attn. Mr. Charles De Arman
Motion Picture, Sound and Video Branch
8601 Adelphi Rd.
College Park, MD 20740-6001
Phone: 1 - (301) 713-7060
Fax: 1 - (301) 713-6904
eMail: mopix@nara.gov
Internet: www.nara.gov/nara/nail
|
(update: 20 Jan 1998)
World WAR II Combat cameramans’s list of subject filmed for US army Signal corps
Original stock was 35 mm nitrate - Locale: European Theather, Now chronological listing.
Cameraman: T-4 Raymond W. Daum, Ser. Number 19164678
167th Signal Photo Corps, Combat Unit 126
current adress: Carmel, CA, USA (hold on request)
Date: Title: LIB No.:
04 Nov 44 Front Line Chow 449
22 Nov 44 Preparing for Drive 663
28 Nov 44 "105" Howitzer 978
30 Nov 44 Btn. Aid Station 1021
03 Dec 44 Roerdorf,(?) Germany 1082
06 Dec 44 Rest area 1176
06 Dec 44 Prisoners of War, Welz (D-52441 Linnich), Germany 1065
08 Dec 44 Dutch prisoners 1229
09 Dec 44 Ubach, Germany (D-52531 Uebach-Palenberg) 1242
10 Dec 44 Anglo-American players 1247
11 Dec 44 German civilians 1289
16 Dec 44 Bridge construction 1360
18 Dec 44 GI trim Xmas tree 1461
22 Dec 44 Field artillery digs in 1575
23 Dec 44 Mechanized Cavalry 1576
24 Dec 44 Laying of mines 1585
25 Dec 44 Gas masks-Xmas in Beeck and Wuerm (D-52511 Geilenkirchen)1613
28 Dec 44 Border inspection 1723
30 Dec 44 German equipment and munitions 1741
31 Dec 44 Aerial reconaissance over german lines from 1-4 planes 1792
01 Jan 45 GI’s ice skate 1787
10 Jan 45 Prummern, Germany (D-52511 Geilenkirchen) 2152
15 Jan 45 Germany equipment 2235
18 Jan 45 Meterology 2391
24 Jan 45 Actress Katharine Cornell Entertains GI’s 2476
25 Jan 45 Actor Brian Aherne visits troops 2492
25 Jan 45 Brachelen, Germany (D-41836 Hückelhoven) 2503
29 Jan 45 Randerath Coverage (D-52525 Heinsberg) 2594
30 Jan 45 Randerath, Germany (D-52525 Heinsberg) 2590
19 Feb 45 Front line training 3134
25 Feb 45 Tanks firing 3352
26 Feb 45 Tanks in action 3430
26 Feb 45 35th Div takes Hillfarth (?) 3430
28 Feb 45 Moving up for attack 3480
01 Mar 45 Reactions of german civilians 3538
02 Mar 45 Venlo, Holland 3638
03 Mar 45 Reconaissance 3608
04 Mar 45 We contact british troops 3688
05 Mar 45 Spearhead tankers 3701
06 Mar 45 Moving into Rhineberg (D-47495 Rheinberg) 3767
06 Mar 45 Negro tankers moving into Rhineberg (D-47495 Rheinberg) 3767
07 Mar 45 Rhineberg, Germany (D-47495 Rheinberg) 3823
24 Mar 45 Rhine River (Fluß Rhein) 4610
26 Mar 45 Bridge at Wesel (D-46485 Wesel/Rhein) 4943
30 Apr 45 Displaced persons 6146
05 May 45 Siegen, Germany (D-57076 Siegen) 6648
05 May 45 Military government in (D-57076) Siegen, Germany 6821
09 May 45 Victory Parade (in D- 57076 Siegen, Germany) 1208 film no.: ADC 4426
11 May 45 Restoration of Beethoven museum 6589