Remember Us: American Sacrifice, Dutch Freedom, and A Forever Promise Forged in World War II

Bill Hughes and the 784th Tank Battalion trains extensively before finally deploying to Europe in late 1944. After arriving at the front, they face freezing weather, a terrifying enemy, and logistical chaos. In their first combat encounter—an accidental friendly firebombing—Private Curley Ausmer is killed by machine-gun fire from his own jeep. However, the Army offers no official acknowledgment. For Hughes, the experience shatters his expectations of combat and introduces a painful truth: death in war is often unjust and unseen.

Stephen Mosbacher, a Jewish émigré from Nuremberg, trains as a Ritchie Boy, due to his fluency in multiple languages. After deploying to Europe in late 1944, he works as an interrogator for Patton’s Third Army and, later, in the 8th Armored Division. He interviews freed laborers and reconnects with a fellow émigré from Nuremberg before forming close bonds with a Dutch family in Margraten. He also searches for news of relatives lost to Nazi persecution.

Hutch spends February 1945 preserving art and architecture as a Monuments Man in war-torn Germany. Based near Maastricht, he oversees the repairs to Aachen Cathedral, which miraculously survived the bombing. Despite the contrast between art conservation and frontline combat, Hutch believes deeply in the value of cultural preservation.