Video

Across France

We hope you enjoy this collection consisting of short film clips, primarily in black and white. Every effort has been made to ensure these film clips are in the public domain. Specifically, a few of these videos were taken by photographers of the US Army Signal Corps. If you discover any to not be in the public domain, please contact us and they will be removed immediately.





  79th Infantry troops in La Haye Du Puits, France. View through a damaged wall of a ruined building with sign on a shop reading 'M. Gigory.' A World War I memorial and fountain topped by bust of a French soldier, is guarded by US troops. A nearby sign points to it reading: 'water point.' American troops move on street and in a narrow alley. Troops arrive in a jeep. Two German prisoners sitting on the hood of the jeep with their hands raised are brought at gun point. The jeep moves on. More prisoners are driven away on jeeps. Heavy concentration of troops in the area. July 1944. [ Read more ]





  Soldiers of the 314th Infantry Regiment load onto assault boats at the bank of river Seine. Men row across the river in assault boats. The boats being manned by United States 304th Engineers Division. Location: France. 20 August 1944. [ Read more ]




  Replacement soldiers are divided up among the units of 2nd Bn, 313th Infantry Regiment. A sergeant checks in the men and assigns them to their new unit as they load up into trucks for transport to the front. 12 October 1944. [ Read more ]




  On 6 January, at 0830, the 2nd BN, 314th Infantry Regiment, supported by a company of 749th tanks, moved out to Rohrwiller. Foggy conditions provided excellent cover, the objective was met and the town under 314th's control by 0100. [ Read more ]




  US soldiers of the 779th Ordnance Company, 79th Division vote in Luneville, France during World War II. [ Read more ]




  Historic raw combat footage of the US 79th Infantry Division during the Invasion of Normandy in the Summer of 1944. [ Read more ]




  In the Forret de Parroy, 9 October 1944, near Luneville, General George Marshall, Lt. Gen. Jacob Devers, commander 6th Army Group, Lt. Gen. Thomas Handy, War Department; Maj. Gen Wad Hallisp, commander XV Corps, arrive at the forward command post of the 79th Infantry Division. Maj. Gen. Ira T. Wyche, commander 79th Div, greets them upon their arrival. After conferring in a dugout that serves as the division CP the generals leave the area by Jeep. [ Read more ]




  J.J. Witmeyer describes the fighting in the bocage in Normandy, and how the casualties were so severe that the massive loss of life, especially his own troops caused him to lose his humanity and change from a civilian to a killer.




  Attack on Cherbourg, France; US troops advance and attack outside of Cherbour, June 23, 1944; General Patton giving speech in England. [ Read more ]




  79th Infantry Division assault on pillboxes in Cherbourg. [ Read more ]




  In support of the 79th Infantry Division, the 813th Tank Destroyer Battalion fires into the city of Fremonville, France. [ Read more ]