Army & Navy – OPERATIONS: War through a Lens

Though the battle had barely ended, many U.S. citizens last week were seeing for themselves a lot of what had happened at Aachen. For the excellent photographic coverage of the First Army campaign in newspapers and newsreels, most of the credit belonged to the small, brave group of men comprising the 165th Signal Photography Company.

Laden with assorted cameras, the Signal Corps G.I.s of the 165th this week were again pressing close to the front, ducking fire with the infantry. As usual, their twofold mission was: 1) to bring back news pictures of U.S. troops in action; 2) to record as many battle details as possible for the War Department archives. Like scores of similar companies on other battlefronts, they had had a high proportion of casualties (seven dead, 14 wounded, three captured out of 62).* But their work had paid off by helping to make the battles of World War II the best understood in history.

Wrong-Way Pigeon. Part of their professional grief was the helpless frustration of losing hundreds of good shots. In the rush of Dday, many exposures were ruined, many negatives lost. One photographer who landed with paratroopers lost one movie and two still cameras while retreating under fire, barely managed to save another still camera to record the first few days’ action. Severely wounded, another was forced to destroy all his exposed films when capture became inevitable.

First Lieut. Martin Lederhandler, a former Associated Press photographer, had the most vexing experience. On D-day he entrusted a carrier pigeon with some 35-mm. negatives, then watched the bemused bird head off for the enemy lines. Weeks later he saw reproductions of his pictures on the front page of a German army newspaper found in Cherbourg. Under them was the legend: “Photos by 1st Lieut. Martin Lederhandler, U.S. Army Signal Corps.”

Despite such setbacks, the 165th established a high record of battle performance from its start. Chiefly responsible for its early record was the company commander, Captain Herman V. Hall, who lost a leg on the Normandy beachhead. When he was evacuated to England on the night of Dday. Captain Hall, mindful of his job, took back the outfit’s negatives for speedy distribution.

For his courage and resourcefulness. Captain Hall got the Distinguished Service Cross. Of the 62 men in the 165th, two others have won the Silver Star, six have won the Bronze Star, and one sergeant has been promoted on the battlefield to second lieutenant. But most of the recognition they receive is an anonymous Credit line: U.S. Army Signal Corps.

In the filming of Battle for the Marianas (TIME, Oct. 2) seven Marine cameramen were killed.