SNAFU DOCS NEWS

The Ghost Plane of La Fosse | WWII Documentary

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 08:52:47 GMT

The Ghost Plane of La Fosse

We are proud to announce the release of our very first 60-minute WWII documentary. The Ghost Plane of La Fosse features Victor Yansenne, who saw a US B-24 Liberator crash just outside his hometown of La Fosse, Belgium at the age of six on December 25, 1944. He saw two parachutes coming down to earth just moments before the crash. He assumed the other crew members died as the aircraft exploded just before hitting the ground. Victor spent the rest of his life trying to identify the crew. His only goal was that these men would not be forgotten.

The documentary is completely free to view on our YouTube channel. We can't think of a better way to spend your Christmas and the holiday season.

Finding The Little Boy From War-Torn Europe 1944 | WWII Then & Now

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 16:30:02 GMT

Dutch Researcher Searches and Finds Little Boy in 1944 Photograph

The stark black and white image of a sad little boy sitting on a pile of sacks in front of sign indicating the direction of Luxembourg and Echternach haunted Dutch researcher, Joey van Meesen. The photo was part of a collection of Lee Miller, an American female war correspondent who documented many aspects of World War II. In researching the photograph, van Meesen found out that the child’s name was Raymond Melchers and the image was taken just behind the front line in the village of Bech, Luxembourg.

For several years, van Meesen has been producing WW2 mini-documentaries and videos featuring “Then and Now” shots from Europe on his YouTube channel SNAFU DOCS. Captivated by the idea that the little boy in the photo could still be alive, he set out on a quest to film his search. Raymond Melchers was around the age of seven, 77 years ago in war-torn Luxembourg. This meant that van Meesen would be searching for an older man nearly 84 years old.

The film is captivating as the young researcher starts out with very little clues searching for the old man.

Watch “The Quest to Find this Little Boy – WWII Then & Now” mini-documentary below:

Camouflage in Normandy 1944 | WWII Then & Now

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 20:32:05 GMT

Le Pont Brocard 1944

On July 28, 1944, a US Soldier in a camouflage uniform, by the name of Joseph Defreitas, was preparing his food right after a heavy battle that took place in the town of Pont Brocard in Normandy, France. As he was doing so, a US Army photographer took a photograph of him. It is one of our most favorite pictures, because it’s so personal. The whole scene with his rough beard just speaks a thousand words. In this video we travel with Normandy Tour Guide Florent Plana to the area where this photograph was taken with the goal to stand in the exact spot as where Joseph Defreitas was preparing his food.

NORMANDY WWII THEN & NOW: SAINT-LÔ

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Sat, 03 Jul 2021 07:43:59 GMT

St. Lo 1944

On D-Day June 6, 1944, the US 29th Infantry Division landed on the western part of Omaha Beach for the Invasion of Northwestern Europe. The French city of Saint-Lô was one of the strategic objectives for Operation Overlord and a stepping stone into launching Operation Cobra, the break out of Normandy. For this reason, the allies performed strategic bombardments on the city on the night of June 6 and June 7, 1944. After a month of fighting by the 29th, 30th and 35th Infantry Divisions under the XIX Corps towards Saint Lo, the 29th Division entered the city on July 18, 1944.

Together with Normandy Tour Guide, Florent Plana and Lloyd Scott, we take some incredible Then & Now photographs 77 years after this battle.

Then & Now Photographs:

American Paratrooper First To Liberate City of Rotterdam and The Hague

Sat, 08 May 2021 14:43:03 GMT

The Unexpected Liberators

THE NETHERLANDS - On May 5, 1945, Lt. Peter G. Scotese of New York, his driver Tommie Mills, and their Dutch translator Adrie van Velzen, managed to drive their jeep through German occupied territory with the mission to reach Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The men were part of Company 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 17th Airborne Division. A few days earlier, Van Velzen had let Scotese know that he was worried about his parents whom he had not seen since he was arrested in November 1944 in the Rotterdam Razzia. Van Velzen later managed to escape and walked into the arms of the Americans, for whom he started working as an interpreter. Scotese managed to arrange a furlough and together with Tommie Mills, the three took an American jeep from a hospital where Scotese had previously stayed. The men were soon on their way to Rotterdam, where they were the first liberators in the area on May 5, 1945, even before the arrival of the Canadians. Two days later, on May 7, the group was to assist a Dutch resistance group to raid the German police prison, the Oranjehotel, near Scheveningen. The next day, VE-Day (Victory in Europe), May 8, 1945, they would all participate in the liberation parade in Vlaardingen.

German Occupied Territory

Rotterdam was situated in the industrial and urban part of the country that had been under German occupation since May 14, 1940. On May 5. 1945, the German Army in the Netherlands officially surrendered. However, it was not until several days later that the Canadian Army would “liberate” the bigger cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht and surrounding towns. This meant that on May 5, a big part of the country was still under German control. This did not stop Scotese, van Velzen and Mills who arrived in Rotterdam in the afternoon of May 5, 1945. Canadian troops were officially assigned to liberate and occupy the western part of the Netherlands, but they would not arrive until May 8, 1945. Peter Scotese, Tommie Mills and Adrie van Velzen were the first liberators to arrive in the city.

R aiding a Prison Facility

Their adventure did not stop here. Two days later, May 7, the group would help a Dutch Resistance Group to raid a prison facility near the Dutch coastal town of Scheveningen, several miles from The Hague. This prison was the last stop for many resistance members. After trial most of them would be executed in the dunes on the coast. Almost risking their lives, the group of Peter Scotese and the resistance group bluffed their way inside the facility to liberate the leader of that Dutch resistance Group. They all made it out alive and were honored the next day.

WWII Then & Now: The Forgotten Americans in The Liberation of the Netherlands

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 13:00:02 GMT

The 104th Infantry Division 'Timberwolves'

The US 104th Infantry Division, known as the Timberwolves, is one of the most unknown US units that took part in the liberation of The Netherlands. In this episode, WWII researchers & battlefield consultants Joey van Meesen and Florent Plana will walk in their footsteps and discover their courageous and heroic stories.

Market Garden Failed

After the breakout of Normandy in August 1944, it took the allies less than a month to reach the borders of Germany and The Netherlands. On September 17, 1944, Operation Market Garden took place which was planned in order to bypass the German West Wall Defensive line, and encircle the German industrial hearth in the Ruhr area. Up to that point it was the largest airborne operation in World War II. However, the operation failed and the hope to end the war before Christmas was over. All this time access to the Belgian port of Antwerp had not been secured and so the allied armies planned a series of operations to make this happen. This series of operations is also known as the Battle for the Scheldt and started on October 2nd , 1944

The Scheldt
In order to support the ongoing battle for the Scheldt, the allies launched Operation Pheasant to clear the German troops from the Province of North Brabant in The Netherlands. The majority of Operation Pheasant was conducted by British, Canadian and Polish troops, but there was one American unit that took part in it as well. That unit was the US 104th Infantry Division nicknamed Timberwolves.

104th Infantry Division Then & Now in Holland 1944:

D-Day in Color: Preparing for the Normandy Invasion

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 16:00:48 GMT

World War II Color Photography

Black and white photography was the norm for combat coverage during World War II, but Army cameramen did use color to a limited extend. The bunk of the color photographs were taken in 1944 and 1945.

A series of color photographs were taken as American troops were preparing themselves for the Normandy invasion. What we see are faces of so many young men that were about the head for mainland Europe.

Official Battle of the Bulge Color Photographs

duda-wsm@mijndomein.nl — Sun, 14 Mar 2021 10:10:46 GMT

Color Photography During The Battle of the Bulge

Black and white photography was the norm for combat coverage during World War II, but Army cameramen did use color to a limited extend. The bunk of the color photographs were taken in 1944 and 1945. A series of photographs were taken during the final days of the Battle of the Bulge near the town St. Vith.

Walter Cronkite Photographed a Dutch War Hero with the 101st Airborne Division

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 09:15:25 GMT

To hell and Back

Jaap Bothe, a very well respected name within the history of the Dutch Korps Kommandotroepen , was a member of the No. 2 Dutch Troop. As a 16 year old, he started working as a servant on the S.S. Towa on the Dutch-South America line. In the port of Montevideo he witnessed the sinking of the German battle cruiser Graf von Spee in 1939. On his way home he witnessed the hell of Dunkirk and made an emergency stop in Cardiff, only to miss the boat back home. That same ship was torpedoed and Jaap Bothe had escaped death.

Eventually, Bothe ended up in Canada and joined the Prinses Irene Brigade where also the No. 2. (Dutch) Troop was formed. In September 1944 some of these commando's were attached to several Airborne units to take part in Operation Market Garden. Jaap W. Bothe was attached to the 101st Airboren Division. He was given an American paratrooper uniform and US army equipment and came in by a glider near Son, Holland on September 18, 1944. During the flight, war correspondent and post-war TV-Host Walter Cronkite was sitting opposite him. Most of his tasks were related to translating and madiating between the Dutch civilians and American troops.

Nieuwe alinea

In the middle of October, Jaap Bothe and the other members of No. 2 Dutch Troops were attached to the Nr 4 Commando Brigade and would join the 52nd Lowland Division in the attack on Walcheren near Westkapelle and Vlissingen (Flushing). On November 1st, 1944, Corporal Bothe was part of the group that would go from Breskens to Flushing. "When they launched the first attack near Flushing, I was in the second landing boat. Medic Bill de Liefde showed us the way and signalled with a green army lamp. Our ship hit a pole head. They were slippery wet and I couldn't get over it because of my rubber soles. I slipped back in and my backpack was in the way. Not really enjoyable when they fire their machine gun at you with tracer rounds." The battles that followed were some of the toughest phases of his war time experiences. Fortunately, Vlissingen was captured on November 3, 1944. Corporal Bothe made it out alive and survived the rest of the war.

Jaap Bothe left the Army shortly after the liberation of Europe in 1945. He had a tough time finding getting back to work. He became a crane operation, but was physically rejected and had to retire early after a heart attack. For his actions in World War II and the liberation of The Netherlands, Jaap was awarded the Bronzen Kruis (Bronze Cross) by Prins Bernhard on May 12, 1951. In 1985 he donated his commando dagger, which he received after completing his commando training 1942, to the collection of the Prinses Irene Brigade. It was a very emotional moment for him, but at least it was preserved.

Jaap Bothe passed away on August 12, 2005.

Sources Used:

- US National Archives

- http://www.prinsesirenebrigade.nl/

- https://www.korpscommandotroepen.nl/

Then & Now: The Liberation of Haguenau 1944-1945

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 08:59:41 GMT

Unbelievable Then & Now!

The city of Haguenau is well known for its appearance in HBO's Band of Brothers when elements of the 101st Airborne Division moved into area. However, the liberation of Haguenau goes beyond the 101st Airborne Division. In this new video we look at the other units that liberated the town by hunting down some incredible Then & Now photographs.

After more than week of fighting, the 79th Division took Haguenau on December 10, 1944. After that the fighting continued and the Division moved up further to the German border into the Siegfried Line. On December 16, 1944 the Germans launched their massive counter attack in the Ardennes not far from Haguenau. That counter attack became as the battle of the bulge. The front line remained stable in area of Haguenau, but what the Allies did not expect was that the Germans had a follow up plan. On December 31st, 1944, the Germans launched another massive counter attack in Vosges area to destroy the American 7th Army and use the Rhine valley to retake Strassbourg. After three weeks of fighting and giving up ground, Haguenau became a battle zone again.. The Moder River formed a natural border between the American and German lines. The 101st Airborne Division was rushed up to the front here in the last week of January 1945 to relieve the 79th Infantry division and strengthen the positions along Moder River.

The 36th Infantry Division relieved the 101st Airborne Division on February 27, 1945. And two weeks later on March 15th, the allies resumed the offensive. However it wasn’t until March 19 that the last German was cleared out of Haguenau after house-to-house fighting.

The above and below pictures are all related to the 314th Infantry Regiment of the 79th Infantry Division. They liberated Haguenau on December 10, 1944.

36th Infantry Division

The photographs below are all related to the 36th Infantry Division. They took up the positions in Haguenau in late February 1945 after replacing the 101st Airborne Division.

Several other photographs exist of the Haguenau area. Many more of them probably exist somewhere in the US National Archives. Below are a couple of photographs that I found myself in the US Archives. These are also photographs of the 101st Airborne Division.

WWII Then & Now: British Troops Meet American Troops in the Ardennes

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 16:17:13 GMT

WWII THEN & NOW: LA ROCHE-EN-ARDENNE

In this episode we will be focusing on the town of La Roche in the Ardennes where several incredible photo’s were taken during the Battle of the Bulge. The Belgian town La Roche didn’t see a lot of combat during the Battle of the Bulge. The strategic crossroad town is situated in a valley making it hard to defend. From December 20, 1944 and January 10, 1945, the Germans used the town’s road network. The Americans knew of its importance and hammered the German troops who used the town, with their artillery. Furthermore on December 26 and 27, 1944, The American high command decided to Bomb La Roche, destroying most of it and killing 114 civilians.

Then & Now Photographs we made for this video.

Battle of the Bulge Then & Now: Blocking the 2nd SS 'Das Reich'

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 16:18:10 GMT

Battle of the Bulge Rare WWII Then & Now Photographs: 2nd SS Division Das Reich

BATTLE OF THE BULGE THEN & NOW - Our brand NEW Battle of the Bulge Then & Now video just went live! By taking 10 almost NEVER SEEN before Then & Now photos we are following the route of the German 2nd SS Panzer Division and covering the heroic story of Richard Wiegand who stopped them in their tracks. Bob Konings is a tour guide and one of the best Battle of the Bulge researchers out there. This area is his specialty and so he is the perfect person for this relatively unknown area of the Battle of the Bulge.

Many thanks for WWII Researcher and Grandmenil local, Bob Konings for helping us to produce this video. Together with Florent Plana from World War II Veterans' Memorie s we are able produce an untold story of the Battle of the Bulge.

All of the Battle of the Bulge Then & Now Photographs covered in this video:

PARALLEL WWII Then & Now Short Film reaches milestone.

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 23:06:46 GMT

WWII THEN & NOW - Three months after uploading our first Then & Now Short Film, we are happy to announce that we reached 200.000 views. The goal for this short film was to play two films parallel to eachother, creating a bridge between 1945 and 2020. We did not intend to indepthly cover the story of the 70th Division at Wingen-sur-Moder; it is more a form of art than it's a documentary

In 2021 we plan to create another WWII Then & Now short film

Battle of the Bulge: Bastogne WWII Then & Now

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 08:11:48 GMT

The Siege of Bastogne

BASTOGNE 2020 - For this year's anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge the team of SNAFU DOCS produced sevaral Then & Now videos.

The Battle of the Bulge is a term for history buffs that is inseparable with the German Counter Offensive against the US frontlines in Belgium and Luxembourg that started on Decemeber 16, 1944. The offensive was intended to stop the Allied use of the Belgian port of Antwerp and to split the Allied lines, allowing the Germans to encircle and destroy four Allied armies and force the Western Allies to negotiate a peace treaty in the Axis powers' favor. The Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle ever fought by the US Army in World War II.

In this episode of WWII Then & Now we travel around the city of Bastogne to take several Then & Now comparison photographs to cover the story of the 10th Armored Division and the 101st Airborne Division.

Many thanks to WWII Researchers: Bob Konings , Joey van Meesen and Florent Plana for helping to produce this video.

For this video we used several images from the US National Archives.

Then & Now Photographs

In order for you take a better look at the Then & Now photographs in the video we put them all here at the bottom!

Bastogne Then & Now

Foy, Belgium Then & Now

Noville, Belgium Then & Now

WWII Then & Now: Airborne in Normandy

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 10:03:38 GMT

The 82nd and 101st Airborne Division on D-Day

The US Airborne Divisions in Normandy played a critical role on and after D-Day. The 82nd Airborne and 101st Airborne Division were to block approaches into the vicinity of the amphibious landing at Utah Beach, to capture causeway exits off the beaches, and to establish crossings over the Douve River at Carentan to assist the U.S. V Corps in merging the two U.S. beachheads.

In this episode we will be focusing on the American Airborne Forces that took part in Operation Overlord. We selected thirteen amazing airborne-related photographs that were taken in Normandy in 1944. Some of the photo's include members of Band of Brothers' Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment.

A massive thanks to Florent Plana from World War II Veterans' Memories for helping to produce this video.

Airborne in Normandy Then & Now Photographs

Omaha Beach WWII Then and Now

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 07:34:01 GMT

Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach is one of the most visited WWII Battlefields in Europe. In the past 76 years Omaha Beach became a term that for many people is inseparable with the seaborne landings on D-Day June 6, 1944. On this day, Americans, British, Canadian and French forces conducted seaborne and airborne landings on the Normandy coast which marked the start of the Liberation of Europe. In total, five beaches were selected for the seaborne landings. Two of those belonged to US forces. Omaha Beach was one of the two. The Three small villages of Vierville-sur-Mer, St Laurent sur Mer and Colleville-sur-Mer lay just behind the Omaha Beach Sector. They played a major role in the Operation Overlord and especially the logistic apparatus of the US Army. All the troops that made it off Omaha Beach on and after D-Day must have passed through one of these towns. In this video we visit the sites of the 1st, 2nd and 29th Infantry Division. These Then & Now photographs are a truly fascinating and interactive way to learn about history. For as you know, a picture is worth a thousand words. By taking these Then & Now photographs we hope to form a direct link with the past as we explain the differences between 1944 and 2020. May we never forget.

All of the Omaha Beach Then and Now Photographs:

Omaha Beach WWII Then & Now Photographs

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 08:02:40 GMT

The Normandy Invasion

A massive thanks to Florent Plana from World War II Veterans' Memories for helping to produce this video