They were called a bunch of rag-tag soldiers, a “show division” not really meant for battle, knitted together among others with actors from the Army’s discontinued War Show Task Force and a defunct Army college program for soldiers not destined for any combat. But then they attacked the vaunted Maginot Line of underground fortresses occupied by the Nazis, arguably the stiffest spot along the Franco-German Rhine River border of Alsace, France. By the time the dust settled, the 100th had advanced further east than any division of the U.S. Seventh Army in the overlooked, yet supremely critical, third and southern front against Adolph Hitler.

About the Author

Joseph Militano is a former investigative reporter and senior defense industry executive of more than forty years. His personal interest in the Sons of Bitche stems from his father, who served with the 100th Infantry Division in WWII. Prior related works include publishing of the defense industry publication, The Defender, and editor of the book I Remember Papa...A Sicilian-Americans Century that includes the account of a young U.S. soldier going off to war in France, leaving his pregnant wife behind.