A WWII War Hero That You've NEVER Heard Of!!! | American Artifact Episode 52

We're all familiar with the names of WWII heroes like Audie Murphy and John Basilone. But what about men like George Spohn? How many men performed amazing acts of heroism that helped to win the war but who have gone largely unnoticed? In this episode, we're looking at some items at The Gettysburg Museum of History connected to one of these unsung heroes of WWII.
This episode was produced in partnership with The Gettysburg Museum of History. See how you can support history education & artifact preservation by visiting their website & store at www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory...
Support the effort to expand history education on PATREON: / historyunderground
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[@TheHistoryUnderground]

⭐ If you've watched a few episodes and feel like I've earned it, be sure to subscribe so that you don't miss any new content when it comes out. Also be sure to check out The Gettysburg Museum of History and their store at gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com.

[@joek7762]

Hey you should do one on Fort Fisher in North Carolina! Cure Beach or close. Last sea to land and visa versa battle of the Civil War. Went there a few years ago on vacay! But the history was so cool!

[@MrThebirddog]

You treated this with such reverence, I am sure his family is thrilled.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

I hope so. Thank you.

[@benjaminrush4443]

You are struck by the Pride this Man and the Generation had for their service to Country - the United States of America - when he wore his Uniform at their Wedding. Him and his Bride were on the "Top of the World". Amazing. Great Collection. Thanks.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Love these snapshots.

[@dotell3359]

From one veteran to all veterans I hope your day goes well.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@jefferyfowler7860]

To you and all veterans thank you for your service.

[@judygrandstrand9784]

Thank you for your service-blessings to you.

[@trumpsaid3550]

SALUTE BROTHER 🇺🇲👊

[@cyndiebill6631]

I love the fact that the families entrust their family history to Eric. Knowing that it will always have a safe place to be and will be shared with others has to be comforting to them. Thank you both for sharing this video it’s awesome to see all these amazing things.👍😊

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you.

[@terryeustice5399]

Thank you George Spann for your service. As well my father was one of those unsung heroes at Pork Chop Hill in Korea. He won the Silver Star. And many more awards. Thanks to these men we are a free nation. Thanks for their service. And thank you for sharing!

[@gregkerr725]

I went to school with a girl whose father was Walt Russell, played by Rip Torn in the movie Pork Chop Hill !

[@trumpsaid3550]

Your fathers NAME so that we may never forget? His footsteps I followed decades later. I would like to SALUTE the name of my brother in Arms. 💯🇺🇲

[@DustinWiseM1]

Very fitting episode for this Veterans Day. Thank you to you and Erik for bringing these videos to the viewers . As a grandson of a WWII I can never get enough of WWII content. May god continue to bless you and all our servicemen and servicewomen. 🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@jimcronin2043]

I'm grateful that you've made it possible to preserve these artifacts.. Otherwise these men would be forgotten. It also reminds us that along with them were countless men who performed heroically but their deeds were not recorded.

[@davidking6172]

It's great to know that Veterans like myself still have trophies that we bring back from overseas. These items should live on well after we have gone. Thanks guys for being great custodians for these little gems. ❤️ Eric your a good man. Keep up the great work.

[@moobaz8675]

A very nice collection and great story. Sadly my grandfather's wartime letters, trophies, uniform etc were thrown out because someone in the family thought it was clutter! I have saved a few things but its sad what was lost. It must have happened to so many other veterans.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Oh no. That is painful.

[@fredricjulien8738]

Thanks Eric and JD for letting us get to know George Spohn on this Veterans Day. So happy to see the family decided that all this would benefit the people (like myself) who never heard of this man. So much better on display to the public instead of sitting unseen in a chest in a basement.

[@jamesschroeder969]

Very fitting for veterans day. Salute to all our service personnel past and present

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@709stef]

I'm not American, but as your cousin up north I still find your videos fascinating as I love learning history even if it's from a different country. God bless and keep making great and informative videos, take care. Love from 🇨🇦

[@timf2279]

You mean Chicago lol?

[@katiemyers4174]

Erik's enthusiasm in talking about the artifacts had me on the edge of my seat! Thanks for sharing and I look forward to enjoying more episodes!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@phyllishershkowitz3806]

I love seeing these collections and learning about the person behind them. Eric is truly preserving history. Thanks for sharing this.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@normahird9059]

JD...thank you for this vlog on Veterans Day. My son just retired after 29 years in the Army. He was at the JFK Center for the Special Forces at Fort Bragg. Yep his rank was CSM. He has Purple Heart for a life-threatening injury in Afghanistan. He is my hero!

[@oldtanker4860]

Thank God men like that lived. May he rest in peace.

[@benitagrattan193]

That family sent those precious memories & souvenirs to the best place ever. What a interesting man he was. Excellent presentation. ♥️♥️♥️

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@timothyogden9761]

Thank you for your service George! Hope all that watch this trully appreciate your commitment to this country. Bless you

[@fredv7487]

Well done y'all. Love the stories about individual soldiers, any side.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@anthonydm2947]

Wow! I love hearing and learning about these unheard of heroes and untold stories. How fitting on Veterans Day. Great job and thank you. But also a deeper thank you to all of our military, our veterans and their families.🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@jimwiskus8862]

Thank you gentlemen for spotlighting Mr George Spohn.

[@philmathenia2265]

Thank You George Spann and many many more for your service.

[@Wreckdiver59]

Very nice grouping. I'm glad it was kept together and preserved. It would have been a terrible loss of personal history if it had just been tossed in the trash.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Agreed. It always pains me when I see things like this split up.

[@daveblackburn5393]

What an awesome grouping. Thanks for sharing the history on George. A true American patriot. Rip to this unsung wwtwo veteran. Dave blackburn

[@janetcarey6954]

What a blessing George Spann was to our country for his service!

[@beckybanta126]

Thank you to George's family in their donation of their family's history so we know & appreciate his service & bravery. So interesting. And thank you for keeping this marvelous museum full of items & information of our history. Each one tells a story! I won't ever be there so all the more appreciate "going there" through you. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@JB-pl8ph]

Thank you george..a true hero..respect from the netherlands,to all ww2 soldiers🙏

[@user-j4200]

Thank you Grandfather (WWII) and uncles (Vietnam) and all Veterans for your service.

[@down19992000]

I noticed that I was born on his 58th birthday. I am so glad that you guys get the stuff you do so that it can be shared with others.

[@edwardh1591]

Thank you for sharing. What a neat exhibit. A big than you to George Spann and the rest of our veterans. Happy Veterans Day.

[@jupite1888]

Great story and reminds me of another fairly unknown Hero Lt. Col. James “Maggie” Megellas most decorated soldier in the 82nd Airborne

[@timf2279]

Great nugget of WWII history. You're right he did keep everything.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Pretty amazing.

[@debbiesacry1097]

Think of how many other Heroes that are unknown. Thank you all for you service

[@kathygalloway2990]

Thank you George Spohn for your service!

[@davidk7324]

Much respect. Thanks to you both for bringing a part of CPT Spohn's story to us.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Our pleasure!

[@sherrilee230]

Thank you to all the service men and women for their service in the wars to protect the freedom of the free countries. Thank you

[@stephenhenion8304]

Keeping history alive.... thanks for sharing.... I'll keep u in mind

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you.

[@1psychofan]

Wow this is CRAZY awesome

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

That's what I thought.

[@jamesbodnarchuk3322]

Thank you for your service sir❤🇨🇦

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@umpmod28]

You had me at 45th division, my grandfather was in the 45th lost a leg at Anzio. He was a medic.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

That was one legendary unit.

[@davidensign5172]

To all the Vietnam Vets who returned to an ungrateful America -- WELCOME HOME! George Spohn, RIP brother in arms! JD, another face of war! Cool story for Veterans Day! Thanks!

[@markb.7642]

Excellent! Always a great video by you love seeing these type of collections, it brings a personal touch to the history of WWII and what those men accomplished.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you. Many thanks.

[@jefferyfowler7860]

Another outstanding video JD. 🇺🇸

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you. Appreciate that.

[@cleverusername9369]

At this point I'm starting to wonder if JD just lives at the Museum between his trips to Antietam, Guam, Normandy, etc. With all of the amazing artifacts in that museum's possession, living there would actually be awesome.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Ha! I go there a few times a year and we film a ton of content to last us awhile.

[@jeffe9842]

My dad participated in the Sicily invasion on July 10, 1943, was on the island when General Patton slapped the soldier (I read that he has slapped two soldiers on different occasions), and participated in some of the same campaigns that George Spohn participated in.

[@1psychofan]

Awesome episode-incredible collection

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you.

[@tonyk1584]

As usual JD, great stuff. The "separation papers" you showed and referenced is called form DD214. I have mine from when I was discharged in March of 1971 (ho hum). But what is really cool, is I have a copy of my dad's DD214 from when he was discharged in December of 1945 (definitely NOT ho hum). It is amazing how little the form changed in those 26 years. I wonder if they are still using essentially the same form today. In any event, to all my fellow vets, Happy Veterans Day and thank you all for your service to our great country.

[@scottbehlmann8031]

That's a very cool collection! Thanks for his service

[@Mist3rData]

This right here is history! Very cool to see such things

[@Schmittyapolis]

Thank you to his family for sharing these items with Eric, and subsequently all of us.

[@CMMC-zb1gw]

The absolute best place these items could have gone.

[@andrewevans1658]

Excellent video!!! I have all of my grandfather's "stuff" from WWII.

[@1psychofan]

I would love to have that notebook transcribed so I could browse it myself….those collections. Memoirs etc are my passion

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yeah, wish that I'd had more time to go through it.

[@1psychofan]

@@TheHistoryUnderground I do transcription for Air Museum of The Ozarks. If ever they want to scan a document to me I’ll help them with it.

[@jondoe399]

Great content JD. Thank you.

[@joemabry9643]

Wow. Enjoyed that. Thank you.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Our pleasure!

[@MrEaglesfan40]

Great history The Greatest Generation Thank you sir for showing this

[@gregkerr725]

We have a carbon flimsy from my Dad's service as a combat engineer in WW2. It's from the commander of a tank battalion addressed to my Dad's battalion commander detailing My Dad and another guy leading a patrol to determine the pattern of a German mine field. It states the enemy was 70 to 80 yards away. Dad and the other sergeant successfully determined the pattern and then dragged a wounded comrade out of harms way. Another man had been hit and was still out there and Dad crawled out there but found the guy was dead and did not attempt to drag the body back while under fire. Thing is, other then the complimentary words that commander wrote to Dad's commander...that flimsy copy of the memo was all Dad got. I always thought he should have gotten some kind of valor award.

[@luskimo1]

he is one of the greatest generation....an ordinary man who performed extraordinary feats

[@Jerry-fn5nx]

Amazing collection 👍

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks 😊

[@FJB23577]

😥 all I can say is you guys do a wonderful job at bringing us these videos. Myself I live with my dad to take care of him. He's 88 and is still in pretty good shape but the family didn't want him living alone anymore but he was in the Korean war and the stories he tells are quite amazing. I was in the service during peace time so I didn't get to see any combat. Peacetime is hard to find these days. Anyway thanks again I truly enjoy these videos.

[@keithsifford5326]

Another outstanding segment!

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rlcoop1]

Thanks for another great video.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks for watching!

[@larryburwell8550]

Interesting story of this soldier and great history lesson

[@Chiller01]

My dad was in the 15th Air Force stationed near Foggia. Was awarded 2 bronze stars. He didn’t bring back any souvenirs to my knowledge. I would have been like that guy in the photo with an STG 44 slung on one side and a K98 slung on the other and maybe holding an FG42 in one hand and a fist full of daggers in the other.

[@jcricket-vr5xr]

Awesome video

[@pauldouglas3084]

It was so interesting I love leaning different stuff from different men during ww2 that's why I love ww2 keep up with the good work can't wait f for the next video mate 👍

[@andycraddock7677]

Thank you Erik for such a fascinating presentation on a great American hero. Passed, but certainly not forgotten. A word too often used IMO, but undoubtedly applicable here. Thanks to Capt. Spahn for his heroic service defeating fascism and honors to his family for gifting such an impressive trove of Capt. Spahn’s service memorabilia. I just finished re-watching Ken Burn’s “The War,” and specifically Episode #3, which deals largely with the Sicilian and Italian campaigns. One thing is certain: Italy was no “soft underbelly” approach to Germany, a quote often credited to Sir Winston Churchill. The fighting was vicious. Can you imagine going up against Italian machine-gun nests, possibly with the enemy firing the MG-42 (and its terrifying rate of fire), while also being peppered with Potato Masher grenades (I’m just taking a reasonable guess on what the Italian soldiers were fighting with), and knocking at least 2 nests out armed only with a Thompson (Erik stated Capt. was armed with a submachine-gun, and American grenades)? What guts it took to do that.

[@irishwarrior35]

Did anyone else see at the bottom of the page he read from RESTRICTED lol....Thank you George!!!

[@camdodge9891]

Wow Awesome video thanks JD

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jdevol7274]

George thank you for my freedom.

[@bmcg5296]

The Thunderbirds who had the longest serving infantry commander in Felix Sparks. Who from what I remember was in active combat for 500 days in WWII! Meant to add that greatest generation of so few are around now, is heartbreaking and scary. In thinking myself I was born only a 29 years after after what all these men had been through. We need to save items from our enemy otherwise how can you prove they existed in the context of teaching history of those who were evil minded?

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Completely agree. Thank you.

[@bmcg5296]

@@TheHistoryUnderground any man J.D from that era who fought the three forms of fascism. They are all hero’s no matter how tiny a part they played!

[@fs357mag]

Very interesting and excellent video. A+

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Many thanks!

[@helenabiesma5560]

yes this again reflect the serious collectors spirit that this museum is interested in - lo e it and good luck

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thank you.

[@deweymiller1602]

Love it and the story...

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Thanks!

[@Gunsandfun1961]

Awesome generation.... thanks to all of you bad ass boys and girls who sacrificed for America....the greatest country on earth.....

[@dr.lareme7737]

Interesting. I always thought the Silver Star was one below the MoH. In fact I was mistaken, it is the DSC (Army), Navy Cross, Air Force Cross, and Coast Guard Cross depending on the service. The the difference between a Silver Star and the DSC is the Silver Star is awarded for "gallantry in action" and the DSC or Service Cross is awarded for "extraordinary heroism in combat".

[@adammitchell3462]

Wow,I love to hear personal stories like this. I have family that served in Europe and was wounded in ww2, but that's all that I know,, I wonder if I could somhow learn more about his service?

[@codymypony1467]

That baseball has my last name Roth on it, that's cool!

[@marypasco2213]

He sounds(ed) just like my late-Mother - a Packrat! God Love Them Both. 🇺🇸❤️TO ALL THAT HAVE SERVED, AND ARE SERVING, THANK YOU SO MUCH.❤️🇺🇸

[@jeffheld3971]

Although I cannot see that “thin / flimsy” paper behind the map - I think it is a “map overlay”. Instead of constantly marking up a map & consequently rendering it fully marked up & useless; we would make an overlay for each action / operation. That paper could be tracing type paper. In modern times we used combat acetate with alcohol pens (so the acetate could be cleaned off for the next action / mission) or we used thin clear pieces of plastic. I often wrote critical info on the inside of my HMMWV windshield with a ‘China marker’.

[@johnjacobs1625]

Thank You GEORGE SPOHN!! I Can't Believe Babe ROTH Signed that Ball!! !! Wink wink!!

[@randyronny7735]

At the time families did not seem to care much about keeping memorabilia. My dad's stuff was left at his aunt's house, where he was raised. He said they threw it in the burn barrel, so he ended up with nothing.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Oh no!

[@randyronny7735]

@@TheHistoryUnderground That is all he told me about his service, other than he was a BAR instructor. Then he told me more the week before he died in 1999.

[@oifiismith]

Good Veteran's Story on this Veterans Day, Mahalo One day, I will have to put all my OIF 2 souvenirs together. Nothing awesome, like guns, gold or flags. The 1st wave took most good stuff😪. But one of my best ones is a helmet from the Iran/Iraq war, that was from the Cross Sabers in Baghdad. Keep up the great work and for helping history stay alive.

[@michaeldouglas1243]

I learned something there J.D. u explained that campaign Ribbon so I walked over to Paps shadow box and his is exactly rhe same as Spann. 1 invasion and 6 campaigns. And coincidentally his 2 nazi flags one is cut out like that also. Pretty neat

[@henkisa]

respect

[@patrickmccrann991]

The revolver appears to be a British Webley, a standard sidearm in the British Army.

[@rockstarJDP]

This was incredible, I'd love to see the full collection in depth! I have a quick question also, I used to have an M1 helmet from the Vietnam era, bought on ebay for like ten quid, it had the word salvage printed in the liner in yellow. I'd assumed it was just a surplus item that got chucked away and salvage meant it was to be melted down when the new kit came in but my uncle said salvage means it was retrieved from a battlefield. I've always wondered if it was legit as I'd assumed for the price it sold for that it was a replica or a movie prop or something, any ideas? It came with no history from the seller, but it was quite worn.

[@josephhewes3923]

You should transcribe the names on the baseball onto a piece of paper, and look up the men on it.

[@mr.pickles810]

There is a good series on netflicks its in a comic book format if thats right but its called liberator they talk about that unit as they went through Sicily and italy

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yep. The Liberator. Enjoyed it.

[@phantomtitan9792]

Sounds like a true bad ass

[@fastede52]

🇺🇸Happy Veterans day 🇺🇸

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

🇺🇸

[@pigybak]

Appropriately on Veterans Day

[@The.Original.Potatocakes]

I really want to buy a WW2 Colt 1911. How much do they go for?

[@MrBradleyDavid]

Essayons!

[@josephhewes3923]

I doubt the helmet was his actual combat helmet. It's the same with M1 Garands. The family says "this was his rifle in WWII." When in reality, it wasn't. The US Army doesn't let you take your rifle home. The US Army doesn't let you take your helmet home. Those items stay with the army.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

You would be surprised at what some of these guys came home with that they maybe weren't supposed to.

[@pigybak]

Was it a DD 214 back then?

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yep.

[@ernestbetz6346]

look up matt urban

[@willemstreutgers1154]

for me there are 2 wwII heroes. Alan Turing and Marian Rejewski Check them out and you will agree.

[@TheHistoryUnderground]

Yep. They certainly made their contribution.

[@billyjoe6933]

Grouping