The Camera Of A Soldier That Died In A 1944 Battle Was Just Found. Wait Til You See What Was On It.

Captain Mark D. Anderson of the United States Navy and historian Jean Muller were searching for artifacts from The Battle of the Bulge in the mountainsides of Luxembourg when their metal detector alerted them to something just under their feet.

Below Anderson and Muller was a foxhole that was dug during the crucial World War II battle and in it they found the belongings of an American soldier, Technician Fifth Grade Louis J. Archambeau. Among the things that Archambeau, who died in the battle, left behind was a camera with an undeveloped roll of film in it. Anderson and Muller developed the film and, after spending 70 years in a foxhole, a dead soldier’s photographs were finally brought to life.

higherperspective.com...

Here are some of the haunting images developed from the film... I like the one with the solider on the gun with a pipe in his mouth. He looks a real character.

The Battle of the Bulge resulted in more American casualties than any other battle in World War II. Spanning December 16, 1944 to January 25, 1945, roughly 19,000 American soldiers lost their lives

An amazing find. May all those that died in the Great Wars Rest in Peace..

purp..

a reply to: purplemer

Haunting ? for me no. Personally , I find them stark and empty, devoid of humanity. Just war, yet again. Old or new images, does it really matter ??

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

That's amazing that the film survived underground so long and could still be developed.

a reply to: purplemer

Nice find purp, they still are the greatest generation. Thanks.

When I worked in a photo lab I developed some film that was from the Korean War. It belonged to a Korean War vet who had passed away and I suppose he was worried that he might get into trouble for taking these photos. They were perfect and were mainly of warplanes of the era. I am sorry I can't show you these.

When I look at those pictures I can feel the cold.

I lived not far from that region, and in winter it was very "chilly on the willy".

Those guys took a lot of hardship.

a reply to: seabhac-rua

Same here. So many lost their lives because of the cold itself. The number of casualties caused by the cold is astounding. The pictures evoke a feeling of isolation. That pipe photo made me laugh. That would be something my brother would have done had he been in the war.

originally posted by: myselfaswell
a reply to: purplemer

Haunting ? for me no. Personally , I find them stark and empty, devoid of humanity. Just war, yet again. Old or new images, does it really matter ??

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

The haunting bit is that the archaeologists were able to dig into the ground, find a camera, recover the pictures and go back in time to see what was happening all those years ago, and even see a picture of what the people looked like.

Yes, they may be stark and empty, but that's why they are haunting.

You never seem to disappoint in finding amazing reads purp. Here we have a soldiers last gift to the world found 70 yrs after he died. Anytime we find new media on that dark time in history it is an amazing find, to me at least. Again thanks much.

a reply to: stormcell

All good mate, and I see your point, I'm not going to argue semantics. I just didn't appreciate the line, and I know it wasn't your's;

I like the one with the solider on the gun with a pipe in his mouth. He looks a real character.

Images such as these, whether they are dug out of the ground, or taken from last weeks conflict somewhere, well I don't know, there's just nothing positive there, only fear, and projected bravado.

I'll go to sleep tonight wondering how much the fella with that pipe in his mouth managed to sleep before, well, there's the worst ponderance of all.

There's no glory in it.

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

Great find Purp.That would turn out to be Germany's last big offensive in europe and a fiercely fought battle.I find it amazing that this camera and film managed to survive in the ground all these years intact.

a reply to: purplemer

What a great find, Purp and thank you.
My dad did the Pacific theater and didn't have to worry much
about the cold; just bugs big enough to be pack animals if
they had better attitudes.
The 101st WAS the only whole division to receive a
presidential citation during WWII. And for good reasons.
A really long, bad vacation taken by the Band of Brothers.

My dad lost some photos he had taken in France. He wrote in a V-Mail back to his parents. I wished I knew the general vicinity where he lost the photos.

originally posted by: Painterz
That's amazing that the film survived underground so long and could still be developed.

Which is why you are seeing a huge resurgence in film. There is a huge difference between the tangible and intangible — analogue/film and digital.

a reply to: myselfaswell

Consider the point of fact that if those brave soldiers had not done what they did you most lightly would be unable to post such a response. Considering our internet in its present form is not exactly synonyms with Nazi values, freedom of speech being the main perpetrator there I imagine.

Pictures of such an event help us to identify with what those brave souls achieved at the expense of so many to allow the very freedoms we presently enjoy. There is a measure of beauty in that fact alone, i find the images humbling.

originally posted by: PGTWEED
My dad lost some photos he had taken in France. He wrote in a V-Mail back to his parents. I wished I knew the general vicinity where he lost the photos.

According to the V-Mail dated August 7, 1944. My Dad wrote that he lost his bed roll that had some photos in it.

originally posted by: myselfaswell
a reply to: stormcell

All good mate, and I see your point, I'm not going to argue semantics. I just didn't appreciate the line, and I know it wasn't your's;

I like the one with the solider on the gun with a pipe in his mouth. He looks a real character.

Images such as these, whether they are dug out of the ground, or taken from last weeks conflict somewhere, well I don't know, there's just nothing positive there, only fear, and projected bravado.

I'll go to sleep tonight wondering how much the fella with that pipe in his mouth managed to sleep before, well, there's the worst ponderance of all.

There's no glory in it.

Kind Regards
Myselfaswell

Glory? Meh, that's a matter of opinion. An example of the hardship brave men went through to end the Nazi scourge--absolutely.