Battle of the Bulge: The Combat Photographer Who Was Killed After He Took This Last Photograph
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ย. 2024
- The Battle of the Bulge started on December 16, 1944 and lasted until January 25, 1945. On the very last the of this battle, US Army Signal Corps Camerman, Hugh F. McHugh followed the US 7th Armored Division outside the city of Saint Vith, Belgium to photograph its activities. McHugh took several photographs as the troops attacked the village of Wallerode. At one point he was on top of a hill overlooking to town, when he took a photograph of some troops. Seconds after, McHugh was shot by a German sniper and died instantly. He was the only photographer to be killed during the Battle of the Bulge.
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Today it's exactly 79 years ago that the Battle of the Bulge began. Please like and share this video in honor of Hugh F. McHugh
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Austrian weatherman needed five days of snow and got three
Did they kinda pick the spot where a sniper would have been ? I know nearly impossible. You have done a great thing to pay respects to his family and our country by your outstanding work. Thank you
Thank you for keeping the memories alive Joey! Peter F.
My grandpa was an M-18 gunner with the 704th tank destroyer battalion in this battle, those tanks had open tops, he said the only thing that saved his life, was because he took a leather jacket from a German prisoner. In Band of Brothers you see the trees exploding, he was defending a flank at Bastogne, a tree splinter nearly pierced the jacket right at the heart. They didn't have winter clothes though, so that tree splinter would have pierced his body. Either way, this investigative history, I am subbed!
Beautiful tribute.
Great video. Taking my Dad back to the exact locations and photographing him where he was in combat during WWII was a 30 year goal for me. Finally in 1994-1998, we made 4 trips to retrace his footsteps from Omaha Beach to SW of Leipzig, Germany. It was incredible, very successful, and one of the greatest times of our lives together.
My uncle Spencer was in Leipzig at the same time
So glad that you were able to convince your dad to take those trips. You're a good son for doing that.
Thank you. "Convince" is probably the wrong word. It was more like "force". He did not want to go; then only said he would go at the last minute so I wouldn't have to go alone. There were tough times over there, the worst were Omaha Beach and Nordhausen Concentration Camp. But after the first trip, he wanted to go back again. We went every year until the end. @@carlv8168
That sounds amazing. It was hard to get my grandfathers to talk specifics about the war. Very late in his life, my paternal grandfather started to describe what he saw landing on Omaha beach on D-Day. I wish I had recorded it. Unfortunately, my motormouth brother came over and interrupted us, and that was it. I meant to visit him to try to talk about it more, but he suffered a fall, and passed away in the hospital.
Yes, getting those heroes to talk was difficult. Initially, I had minimal success in the 1960s through 1980s, but once I got my Dad back on location, and later reuniting him with many of his combat Battalion, I finally got the details. Once he started talking, I think it helped him accept all that he had seen and been a part of. At that point, he would answer all questions and didn't mind talking about it. Best thing I ever did. @@texaswunderkind
I love that the manwho renovated the castle not only kept the names written on the walls, but researed them and put up a short history and photographs of the men where he could. What a lovely gesture.
the guy is a member of the German minority. Interesting blend of English, Flams and German.😁
Well said mate this video really touched me..
@@floriangeyer3454 Yeah, I was wondering why I suddenly could understand Flemmish. Now I know why! Thanks for that!
Its common in many towns for people STILL to this day, go to tend the cemeteries of American and British soldiers. The Netherlands had this song composed for the 20th anniversary of their liberation. th-cam.com/video/DRrTujHaHis/w-d-xo.htmlsi=QL-q1lPfz6bH3ASu
Yes very incredible. Glad that he has interest in history and really preserve it.
Thank you for how you honored that young man that lost his life way to early and so tragically.
It was very emotional to watch. Thank you for your hard work in researching, editing and presenting this outstanding video.
Thank you for your service.
Bless all of those who served.
It's one thing to remember our dead, but It's so much more when others do. This brings tears to my eyes, and I'm eternally grateful for you to recognize those boys.
So great to be remembered.
My grandfather was in the 7th Armored and was shot during the Bulge. He never talked about it except to say it was “rough.” He visited a French hospital and because of that experience he refused to go out on a stretcher when he was dying. He still had that conviction and trauma nearly 80 years later.
God bless your grandfather and the many courageous young men just like him. So sorry for your loss.
Your Grandfather ✝️ God Bless Him, 🙏🏻Was With Pattons Third Army, The Proudest And Toughest, At The Battle Of The Bulge..🇺🇲
America fought for communism in WW2 through deception look at America and Europe and tell me the "good guys won"
They were incredible men. My grandfather was in Company A 77th medical battalion 7th armored division.
my grandfather was an raf spy pilot. the germans sabotaged his plane and he had to crash near a pyramid,..was found weeks later. he NEVER spoke about the war, my mother was named after his co-pilot
Excellent tribute! I really appreciate your respect for our heroes! While you sit in your peaceful, warm home tonight, think what it must have been like 79 years ago today, for those young American Soldiers out in the freezing cold on the front lines, with no combat experience when all hell broke out? Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle in American history!! Over 16,000 American Soldiers were killed!! We must NEVER forget their sacrifice! These types of tributes will keep their memory alive!!🪖🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Hey dummy it was all for nothing look at America and Europe the "good guys" didnt win communism won!
👍🇺🇲
I think about them all the time. And every time my heart breaks.
Should have stayed at home
And allowed the Nazis to occupy Western Europe? Surely you jest.
What you do is incredible. You did a great job in honoring him, I think he would be very proud. The end is very emotional, well done.
Thank you so much!
These men deserve to be forever honored for their sacrifices for our country and the world. Thank you for bringing us their stories!
The "good guys" didnt win WW2 look at America and Europe and tell me the good guys won wake up
Lol
We weren’t under threat.
You just come from a government programmed, bootlicking generation.
These men deserve so much more credit. They captured and preserved some of the only visual proof and references we have of these events in history.
Photographers do have to stop, frame the shot and snap the picture. He was most likely a preferred target for a sniper. All of his photos were well composed and he had a great eye in a dangerous environment. RIP Hugh. Great work.
@@darrel7589actually, yes. We had a price for our heads in Iraq and Afghanistan.
@@darrel7589 it shows what you know
Combat medics and photographers are the ballsiest IMO, one runs to compromised spots, the other stands out to pause and get the best angle.
@@WarPhotographer1974 TY for your service.
@@WarPhotographer1974 I'm curious as to why? I would think you'd be considered more of a non combatant like a medic. When I first started watching this I was wondering why the sniper chose to take out the photographer when there were guys with rifles right next to him.
Deeply deeply respectful tribute from a highly talented and humble young man. You are sir a credit to your generation for the way you have honoured a fellow young man who lost his life on foreign shores. Respect to you fully deserved.
A very respectful ending. Thank you for honoring these great men.
It is a presentation like this that makes me forever grateful for the many sacrifices given for America by individuals like Hugh Mc Hugh. Rest in peace my friend. You are never forgotten.
It's too bad that most young Americans today in that age group haven't a care in the world and don't have the least amount of interest in those young American soldiers who sacrificed their lives so that today's young people can absorb themselves in their selfish material world and being indoctrinated to hate everything that America stands for.
Amen.
The world is so much better isn’t it? Europe and America aren’t destroyed by immigrants now are they? We are now Babylon
As a retired combat photographer, thanks for this video! It’s amazing to honor the people that came before us.
Thank You!
i agree and thank you also @mattsmith8265
I had the honor of knowing a Battle of the Bulge survivor. His name was Gene Renoff (not sure of the spelling). Gene was shot by a German sniper and he laid in the snow for hours. Everyone who saw him fall thought he was dead. He said the snow helped keep him from bleeding to death. The 1970's was the last time I saw Gene. I'm sure he's passed by now. He was one of the kindest and nicest people I ever knew.
The honor, the respect and the passion that your entire crew puts forth in these videos is outstanding. As an American, I can only wish that our younger generations today would learn and appreciate what your group has done to remind us all of what WWII was like and bring us the incredible stories of the individuals that lived and died during that time period. Thank you SO much for what you do.
Couldn’t agree more. We need to do what we can to keep this history alive for generations to come. We need it for our great nation
You are a tremendous historian. Many thanks for all your hard work. The end of this video brought tears to my eyes. Mighty emotional. A great memorial tribute to cameraman Hugh F. McHugh.
Today is my birthday.
Thank you for taking me with you on your journey.
Ernest Woodrow Neeld is my grandfather and fought with Patton’s Armored Fist, the Texas Oklahoma regiment. He was born December 5,1916 and died in 1996.
He was fluent in German which he learned while serving in the army.
Thank you again for bringing us these then and now stories.
Greetings from the high plains of Texas.
Happy birthday and respect for your grandfather
@@megandarling2215
I miss him terribly.
Thank you.
@@ryandavis7593 your welcome friend he was a brave man
I hate wars. I think of my own son at age 20. Just kids. Heartbreaking. Thank you for taking the time to honor these men and time. I love history.
I was a British Army photographer and often when you tell people that was your job in the army they always tend to say ‘why does the army need photographers?’… they never seem to realise all these photos that they’ve seen from various wars since WW1, (in fact Rodger Fenton was one of the first war photographers as he photographed the Crimean war, but he was a civilian) were taken by military photographers. It’s obviously vital to keep folks back home, and the world at large, up to date with what is happening on operations. I’ve been lucky enough to get access to parts of the Imperial War Museum others never see due to being a service photographer, getting to see artefacts such as notes made by cameramen and photographers as they jumped into France with airborne forces or land on the beaches in Normandy. A truly vital part of the war effort and such an important historical contribution towards how we see and remember all conflicts. Thanks for highlighting a very under recognise aspect of service life, great watch.
My son who is in the United States Navy stationed in Sicily just recently visited bastogne and went to the Easy Company foxholes. He took over a hundred pictures for me. Thank you for these wonderful videos
A lot of those foxholes are still in great shape!
Many re-dug, but still...
I found this to be a wonderful piece. It was a sacred moment seeing where photographer McHugh took his last breath. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Thank you to all the WWII vets who have given all to keep America free.
My uncle fought in the Bulge, 1st Infantry division. My dad was in the pacific at Guam and Okinawa. But my cousin was a Combat Camerman in Vietnam, 221st Signal Company.
My uncle too, was in the Battle of the Bulge and was killed there on Jan. 9, 1945. His brother, my father, was in the 5th Rangers and climbed the cliffs at Point du Hoc during D-Day. He survived and lived until the age 92. Two heroes.
@@kevinburke7932 God bless your father and uncle.
God bless your father, uncle and cousin!
Bless all the men who paid the ultimate sacrifice. It’s almost too hard to fathom what they went thru… for is.
So your cousin filmed war crimes with 3 million killed Vietnamese people?
I went to enlist as a Combat Photographer after being on an AA flight on 9-11. When I got to MEPS it was a year long wait to get into the school. I asked what unit and job would get me on the front lines the quickest. Growing up witnessing Desert Storm I was afraid I would miss my chance to go to war... I became a Combat Engineer in a Sapper Squad as part of TF-1-64 3RD ID. I picked up the best digital camera at the time that would fit in a grenade pouch, the Cannon Digital Elph at a wopping 2MP. It made it through Ah Najaf, Thunder Run 1&2, as well as Fallujah. I'm sure it still takes a good picture. Maybe I'll do something with the few hundred pictures that I took during that deployment. So far they sit in a suitcase in the closet net to my bed. This video kind of hit me. Maybe I'll start taking photos again... Who knows. Keep up the great content. Essayons.
Essayons ? ; p
@@MarcDufresneosorusrex "Let us try"
I think, sometimes we get lost in the casualty numbers of the second word war and forget the person/individual. This is a truly remarkable piece of history and makes it become more human and real. These guys weren’t just a black and white photo. Respect for the work you do.
This videos of travelling back in time always give me chills.
Thank you. That was extremely moving. “They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them , nor the years condemn. We will remember them.”
Joey, Florent and Thulai. You guys do some of the best, if not the best videos honoring those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom. Your work makes me reflect and appreciate all those brave soldiers for what they did. You guys are the best.
This comment needs more thumbs up!
Thank you for putting this togeather, May we never forget.
Brilliant tribute. Hope someone in his family is fortunate enough to see this video. I salute you.
Wow. I actually wept. So many brave men caught up in world circumstances beyond their control. Thank you for this production.
Joey, that was outstanding! You, Flo, Myra, Bob and the team never cease to amaze me in telling the story of and honoring our soldiers. The story of McHugh will live on thanks to this video! -Bronson
Thank you for telling us the story of Hugh McHugh. Thank you for taking the time & effort. Thank you.
Thank you for your work documenting so well the story of one American soldier, who would have otherwise been lost to Time. So many stories...
Wow! Thank you so much ❤
There are no words other than thank you. RIP Hugh.
Thank you for finding his story and telling it. Thank you for honoring him.
A moving tribute. Thank you.
I am genuinely moved by the respect shown by both you and the gentleman who owns the castle. To have not painted over the names on the wall of troops in your country that were not your own, to track down the ancestor of one, to take such great trouble finding the locations and the reverence with which you treated it all was very touching. So many fine young men wasted on both sides.
Very Fitting Credits to Hugh. A Very Brave Young Man ! Thank You and Your Friends for Your Sacrifice !
Let Us Never Forget their Sacrifice for Freedom !
Also Great Respect to the Owner of the Castle who has Preserved their Names !
Thank You Sir ! You are Very Honourable !
This is an amazing tribute to this man. One of my absolute favorite WWII related activities is seeking out the exact spot where photographs were taken and finding the same scene in the modern world. It’s something I did many times when I was living in and traveling around Europe.
Combining that activity with this tribute to his life is such a moving way to honor his service and his bravery and sacrifice.
Thank you so much for preserving the memories of these Americans on our behalf. These people, from this part of our history, mean a lot to us, and it means a lot to see that you all treat them with this kind of respect.
Like others have mentioned here about their relatives, my Grandad was in the Battle of the Bulge and never spoke about it, talked about other parts of the war he was involved in, but bot this, my dad said it really changed him for a while.
Outstanding job retracing McHugh's last day through his photography, moving and very touching throughout!
this photographer was so young and what could you do against a sniper! And especially with the 4x5 inch plate camera that required all your attention with taking cassettes in and out and turning them, and cocking the shutter to take 2 photos.
Thanks for this impressive video!👌🏻
Excellent job. I almost cried.
Imagine spending weeks and months wearing the same clothes in that freezing cold and wet environment. On top of that, you are constantly on edge, never knowing where the next sniper may be.
Again, great work done with great respect. Thank You! 👍👍👍
Many thanks to the owner of the castle and the crew who helped put this video together.
Nice work. I appreciate the respect this video shows for the fallen army photographer. He is not forgotten.
Beautiful tribute to this young man. May he never be forgotten.
What an EXCELLENT tribute sir. ❤
Thank you for bringing our attention to this story, and for telling it so beautifully. I’m proud to say that two of my first cousins (also from New York) served in France, Belgium and Germany under Patton. Both survived the war, but one (a forward artillery observer) was hit and severely wounded by three German machine gun rounds, one of them lodged so close to his spine that the doctors were afraid to remove it. He died two years ago at the age of 97 - with that round still inside him.
Your Content is excellent. What a honor you do the men who walked these footsteps. As someone who loves history, I find it amazing that we can see the exact spots these photos were taken and can compare how they have changed.,Awesome stuff! 🇺🇸
Full of respect to the owner of the castle who saved a part of history for others to see. Thank you for not destroying a touching memorial to a very young man who only shot his camera. This was a very well presented and informative video, full marks to all concerned. We should never forget what these young men went through! Thank you.
We must never forget the sacrifices these brave men made for our freedom.
Our Individual Freedoms were never under any threat from outside forces. we should honor these Men of course but to say it was for freedom is just not true. Most were drafted into the war so what they fought for was really for each other and the people back home. The fight for our Individual freedoms has always been between the people and our government and I think we forgot that and that has consequences. that generation fought the Nazis and Japanese and my generation are the ones who are required to fight for freedom our 1st and 2nd amendments are under constant attack and I dont think were up for it.
They gave up their tomorrows so we can live our todays in freedom.
@@kennethcurtis1856 No it wasn’t about freedom, it was to defend our entire system which is our constitution & Bill of rights of which our freedoms come from. This is important bc “freedom” is only a concept but our Constitution & Bill of rights is real and if that was what they died to defend then the people today actively trying to take those things away might have a little more pushback from the “men” of this Country.
Thank you for this very touching piece. My father was in St.Vith at the time and captured one month later in February and sent to Stalag IX B in Bad Orb. Your dedication and hard work deserves a reward.
Brought me to tears. Thank you. These guys will never be forgotten.
Wow, very emotional ending, brought me to tears watching it. Never ever forgotten.
This was gripping. Big respect to him for preserving the names/history of the soldiers.
These men sacrificed everything to keep us safe. What an amazing story. Tugged on the heart strings a little towards the end. Great job 👏
What amazing man, if it wasn't for men like this photographer. We would never knew what these men went through. Thank you hugh McHugh for taking these amazing photos. Rest in peace....
It truly is an early Christmas present when my favourite WW2 then and now channel posts a video. Thanks guys!
Wonderful work!! God Bless Hugh's Soul and God Bless his family!
My neighbor was a combat cameraman for the 166th Signal Corps and was attached to the 4th Armored division. He rode on the outside of the tanks that entered Bastogne and said the 101st Airborne put him in a barn full of parachutes so he'd be safe.
Was that Sam Gilbert?
@@SNAFUDOCS Bill Cummings. He took the photo of the Sherman that was first in Bastogne.
Thank you for such an honoring video of all these men that fought and died during WWII. These were of the greatest generation. We salute them.
Bless you for remembering and honoring a tragic loss ...war truly is hell on earth
It’s so easy to view our landscape only in a present-day context and not recognise that the same landscape has borne witness to thousands of years of history, significant events and the people involved in them. Photographs can remind us of some of them and this young soldier’s last journey is forever immortalised in the video tribute. His family will have grieved his loss, his final moments so far from home. May he and his fallen comrades rest in peace. Their sacrifice should never be forgotten.
Appreciate so much that you are preserving their memory. Yours is important work.
Excellent job of researching this individual solder-one of many, killed too soon. My father (died in 1969) was a flyer-a pilot shot down 22 August 1943. He evaded and escaped over the course of many months. With the aid of a book published years later by a fellow evader, I was able to find many of the places he traveled. In one building, a private home in Quimper, Normandy France, I got a tour by the son of the family who aided him with the French Underground. Inside, I saw the exact room he hid in. That building, and it’s contents, were unchanged from Nov 1943. On a separate trip to France, I explored a WWI battlefield near Verdun. It was remarkable to see. The ground hid the rubble of an old long-destroyed town, and the trees that had grown up over that rubble were exactly 70 years old. Everyone of them. I was there 70 years after that 1917 battle. For history buffs, there is still much to find in Europe. If you bring a metal detector you will find evidence of war nearly everywhere. Thank you for your efforts and diligence to find some closure for this one man, and others no doubt. I periodically go back to find my old tree fort from 1966 at Ramstein AB. There are still tree fort pieces in that tree, which continues to grow larger. The last time I was there in 2006 pieces were still in that tree! My tree fort long out-survived the Third Reich.
It’s a beautiful thing that you are doing so that these unsung heroes may be remembered. And how sad and disgusting that the sniper targeted non-combatants.
As an American, who’s great grandfather stormed Omaha Beach with the 29th, thank you for placing our flag next to his grave. You gave him the same respect any proud American as myself would. Thank you. Merry Christmas
Hi Joey, the ending brought tears 😢to my eyes the way you showed extreme respect and tenderness to one of the heroes that helped to liberate your country of birth. Thank you❤❤❤ for what you do.
Brilliant work!
Now Hugh F McHugh is a person who we get to live just a bit of his last day. Most of the solders he photographed were important but not personal to us as a whole. I turned down an offer to be a Viet Nam combat photographer. I will never know what might have happened to me. I was lucky to spend my Viet Nam era Army Signal Corp duty in Taiwan. Hugh F McHugh is a hero with a name.
any atypical food/desserts from taiwan ?
Thank you for sharing. My grandfather fought in the US 3rd Army under Patton during the Battle of the Bulge. I always love learning about these stories and how the memories of the men who fought are still kept alive today. great work.
Thank you for taking the time and energy to recognize who a TRUE HEROE is. You produced a dignified and honorable tribute for this fine young man and all the other men who gave all. God Bless.
This is incredible. It’s important to keep their history and stories alive. Amazing video! My neighbor Everett Cummings was Military Police and was stationed in France during WWII and he’s show me pictures and tell me stories of his service and time in Europe. These men were hero’s and a different breed. Before he passed away he gave me some of his medals and ribbons which I still have to this day. It’s incredible these structures are still standing today
Thank you for the flags, the flower, and especially the video. It is gratifying that citizens of other nations make the time and effort to bring these stories to the world. Very much appreciated!!! Thank you so much!
Amazingly brave to retrieve the camera! What a lovely tribute to the brave that risked everything. RIP Hugh
Thank you guys, I'm really impressed.... and deeply touched....
This is the best channel on the internet! Thank you for keeping our soldiers memories alive and for caring for them in their final resting places in Europe
Your series takes so much of this region back to horrific times... a beautiful area that at that time was an active and terrible field of conflict.
Thank you so much for the donation!
Thank you for doing this. It warms my heart that this young man will not be forgotten
Thank you for honoring those brave men.. I was so impressed that the gentleman who lived in the Castle had made a memorial to these men in his stable even after so much time has passed.. I appreciate the respect and high regard of these soldiers by the local people.. Let the memory and sacrifice of these heroes never fade ! God Bless...
The original photos and the present day photos were great. The ability to pause and really compare the two photos is greatly appreciated. This should be done more often. Excellent tribute, very well done sir.
Thank you for honoring these soldiers. The content is amazing, but these gestures mean so much to me, and I’m guessing I’m not the only person who feels this way. You guys are amazing.
A great video which really touched me, especially as McHugh was a non combatant and carried a camera instead of a rifle, but an enemy sniper still thought it was ok to pick him as a legitimate target.
Keep up the great work you are doing.
If we speak their names they will not be forgotten. 📷🙏🏻
I stumbled upon your page and I was immediately impressed.
My grandfather fought in The Battle of the Bulge and survived but would never talk about it
Thank you for your videos
My great uncle was killed in B o B in Dec 1944 defending a critical town north of their location in this video. It’s eerie to see. Also neat to see a German land owner there preserving the American history. 👍🏼
Another excellent stoty..thanks so much for keeping these guys and picture locations alive.
Well done folks - excellent research and investigation. As a former professional road cyclist , I often trained around these areas and know them well.
Wow, this is just incredible work !!
The cameraman, Hugh F. McHugh gave his life to capture history and you are bringing us that history, thank you for honoring his work and sacrifice and bringing the horrors of war to light because for some reason we want to ignore it !!!
Blessings
Excellent!
It is so nice to have McHugh's name remembered for all time rather than be forgotten or be another nameless casualty of war like so many others, and it's also good that there is a photograph of him too. A very sad story. RIP Hugh McHugh.
VERY well made tribute!!
I find the tree at the 5th minuite beautiful, you can see in the old picture the foliage there had been damaged but it survived. And what a "language" it has! The tree speaks a story too.
Thanks for making these kind of videos respecting the memory and history.
Beautiful.
♥️😭So young. Just want to thank him all the guys who risked their live to get these stories told so the American people would know what was happening all those miles away.
Such a tribute to those who served .
My Father was also a Photographer too, He'd passed away in 2002. I used to follow the track where about he took his photos back in 1960th, more than a decade earlier than the year I was born. Yeah I had that same feeling 😢
Very cool. My grandfather was there at the end. He was a replacement and he was on body recovery. He got all the combat he wanted though on the Final Drive in Germany. Spent his 19th birthday on the Rhine River and he was nearly killed shortly after crossing over. Charles William Ellis. 95th infantry division. 3rd army. Machine Gunner.
As a matter of fact, my grandfather had only turned 19 and a guy who was around 35 years old had taken my grandfather under his wing and acted as a sort of mentor and regrettably he was shot straight between the eyes in the same foxhole as my grandfather and papa had ptsd for the rest of his life. I love you PAPA
Wallerode looks like a lovely place in 2023. These then and now episodes are fascinating and personalize the war often down to the individual soldier like Hugh McHugh.
RIP
Love the research you guys do to match the foto’s with events that took place about 80 years ago.
“I mean, they say you die twice. One time when you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later on, when somebody says your name for the last time.”
One of my favorite quotes