Surviving the Odds: D-Day to V-E Day with the Fourth Division in Europe

Publisher's Notes: Surviving the Odds is a compelling first-hand account of Jack Capell's experiences in WWII as a front line Combat Infantry Rifleman. While a number of veterans have told their stories, this newly published book is unique because it tells one soldier's account of the War in Europe from D-Day to the fall of Hitler's Nazi Empire. Few such personal accounts of the war exist because most of the soldiers who fought on the front lines for any length of time did not survive. By 1943, Adolf Hitler had turned the coast of Europe into a fortress -- 3,000 miles of heavy gun emplacements, machine gun nests, mines and barbed wire -- to protect his conquests. Hitler believed his Atlantic Wall was impenetrable. Capell was drafted at the age of 19 and sent to the U.S.'s 8th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Division. His first moment of combat was the morning of June 6th, 1944 -- D-Day. In the chaos of the first waves of landings on Utah Beach, Capell and his jeep were dumped in deep water. Under heavy German fire, he spent most of D-Day rescuing men and equipment and bringing them to the beach. Once inland, Capell's fractured regiment re-formed near Cherbourg, France. Most of those who landed with the author on D-Day had already been killed or wounded; replacements filled out the ranks. Now a combat-seasoned veteran, Capell's story continues on through some of the heaviest front line fighting in France, Belgium, Luxemburg and Germany. Under the order of "NO RETREAT AND FIGHT TO THE DEATH," the 4th Division suffered more casualties than any other U.S. division that fought in WWII. Capell's 8th Regiment was one of the first to breakthrough Hitler's Siegfried Line, fought through the deadly Hurtgen Forest, held the line in the Battle of the Bulge, cleared a path for Patton's tanks at St. Lo, and helped surviving prisoners as the gates were opened at the infamous Dachau Concentration Camp. Capell tells his story from beginning to end with a compelling mix of history and the day-to-day experiences of a combat soldier. He tells of the absolute horror of the battlefield and the sickening smell of death that never went away. Surviving the Odds includes humorous episodes and the mistakes made by both the U.S. and German high commands. And through it all, Capell's story highlights the moments of humanity and heroism amidst the horror of war.