WWII U.S. Army Machine Gun Crew in Aachen, Germany 1944

In October of 1944 the U.S. First Army moved against Aachen, the first German city to be attacked by ground forces in the war. Fighting was bitter and the German surrender on 21 October came only after the city was virtually destroyed.

In this photo, taken by a U.S. Army Signal Corps photographer on 15 October 1944, an American light machine gun crew from 2d Battalion, 26th Infantry fires against Wehrmacht targets in the streets of Aachen. The photo is very clear and crisp showing details of the soldiers, their Machine Gun, Cal. .30, M1919A4 on its tripod, .30 cal. ammunition, and spent cartridges strewn on the paving stones.

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