At the Front in North Africa with the U.S. Army

In North Africa, soldiers of the French Foreign Legion pass in review in honor of the United States troops. On 7 Dec 1942, at Allied Force headquarters in Sidi-bel-Abbes, Algeria, Lt. Gen. Mark Clark, Lt. Gen. Kenneth A. N. Anderson, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham and Admiral Jean Darlan review American troops enroute to the Tunisian Front. Later, in Algiers, American tanks are loaded on invasion barges. They will follow the Mediterranean coastline to the city of Bone, 212 miles from Tunis, then travel overland to the Tunisian front. The troops, who are escorted by British destroyers, maintain a low silhouette, so that they will present a smaller target for enemy airplanes. In case of attack, all men are equipped with self-inflating life preservers. At the harbor of Bone, the nearest seaport to enemy-held territory, the tanks, which are armed with 37mm and 75mm guns and with 30 caliber and 50 caliber machine guns, are unloaded. Later, Nazi planes bomb and strafe the harbor and the town. During the raid, some of the residents of Bone hurry for shelter, while others come outside to watch. Spitfires and P38s take off from the Allied air field nearby, and the raid continues through the night. Fourteen Nazi planes are shot down; the Allies lose four. Now the tank convoy heads for the Tunisian front, followed by C-47 transport planes with supplies. The tanks climb into the Atlas mountains, where there are good roads. After a successful night raid on the enemy, U.S. paratroopers are guided back to their own lines by friendly Arabs. French soldiers guard all bridges, roads and other strategic points. At Souk-el-Khemis, an Allied hospital train makes a perfect military objective for the Nazis, and it is bombed and machine-gunned despite clear Red Cross markings. Arabs supply the troops with poultry and vegetables. The convoy now crosses into Algeria; all the tanks keep 150 yards apart to present a less attractive target. During Nazi air strikes at the Allied force airport at Souk-el-Arba, a gasoline dump is hit, and there are many casualties. The wounded and shell-shocked are carried away in armored ambulances. Unescorted, unarmed U.S. transport planes loaded with ammunition and gasoline make a long-distance flight to replenish destroyed supplies. Captured Italian paratroopers salute their American captors, apparently glad to be out of the fighting. On Thanksgiving, 1942, the convoy nears enemy-held territory. During the Battle of Tebourba, night patrols reveal a Nazi Panzer column southeast of town. At dawn, U.S. tanks deploy for battle, but a rainstorm temporarily postpones the fighting. When the rain ends, armored vehicles move to forward positions. The Allied artillery goes into action on the road from Medjez-el-bab to Tebourba. British artillery opens fire, as the infantry is spread out on the ground, with no trenches or large concentration of forces. Eventually, the Germans retreat. Nazi prisoners, veterans of the Afrika Korps, are taken, but they do not associate with the Italian prisoners. After this important victory, a once-conquered valley is free.