Theresa Deane

500 Days of Front Line Combat: the Wwii Memoir of Ralph B. Schaps Theresa Deane

Made up of men from Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota, the 34th Infantry "Red Bull" Division was the first American division to sail for European Service in World War II. This is the account of one of these men, Ralph B. Schaps, a common soldier who saw over 500 days of front line combat-from North Africa to marching up the boot of Italy in pursuit of Rommel and Kesselring and the withdrawing German forces. After the 34th Division was inducted into federal service in February 1941, until May 1945, when ironically the German 34th Division surrendered to the American 34th Division near Milan, the reality of the hardships, fears and heroism of the front line soldier come to life in this personal history as told by one who was there.