This is a fast moving and gripping story of one soldier's experiences during a critical period in World War II in Europe. Dan Smith, a soldier in the 117th Regiment of the famed 30th Division, gives his perspective on the year-long Allied Campaign, which started in early 1944, and which was designed to shatter the ruthless German military machine that had seized control of most of Europe during the early years of the War. The Allied Campaign was launched with the D-Day landings on the Normandy Beaches in June of 1944, and this invasion continued relentlessly, overcoming the German forces on all fronts and pushing and chasing them out of the European countries and eastward across Germany, trapping them between Allied forces advancing from the west and Russian forces advancing from the east -- with the War finally being won when Allied and Russian forces met at various places along the eastern border of Germany in May of 1945. Throughout the entire year of combat, Dan acted as an advance reconnaissance scout in a platoon of 18 men and 6 jeeps. While some of the recon work was done on foot, most of Dan's was done while riding in his jeep where he manned a 50 caliber machine gun fitted with a 30 power spotting scope which he confiscated from the Germans in northern France. It was a highly dangerous and challenging job. Those who served with Dan knew him as a man with the stuff that heroes are made of. They knew him for routinely taking dangerous risks that were beyond the call. They still remain amazed that he ever came back alive. He was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze star, and several other citations, along with a Purple Heart.

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