U.S. ARMY OPERATION TORCH "AT THE FRONT IN NORTH AFRICA" JOHN FORD 75462

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This incredible WWII color film was shot in Tunisia by U.S. Army cameramen, and made with the input of Hollywood legends Darryl Zanuck and John Ford. It follows fresh American troops led by Lt. Gen Mark Clark and Lt. Gen Kenneth Anderson as they join the fight against the Afrika Korps. After arriving at the city of Bone, troops travel overland to the Tunisian Front. Advances are made into the Atlas mountains and enemy forces engaged. Nazi aircraft raid Bone and a hospital train near Souk-el-Khemis. Finally the convoy crosses into Algeria, all the while following protocols to lessen the chances of German air attacks. During the Second Battle of Tebourba, December 22-25, 1942, the Germans are forced to retreat and prisoners taken, but the battle for North Africa is far from over.
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[@hannibalbarca4372]

Thanks for sharing a so valuable chronicle about OPERATION TORCH. As a Canadian with part Algerians roots, names and areas like Oran, Algiers, Bone (Annaba), Souk Ahras are so familiar to me, (many things changed since this movie in Algeria but many things stayed unchanged). As a Canadian with part Russians roots, when I see the great sacrifice of many British, Canadian and American soldiers in Europe, North Africa and middle and far east, i remember my Russian Grandfather who fought in Stalingrad at the same time and miraculously survived.... May we never forget their great sacrifice and RIP for all fallen in this awful war....

[@lostoffgrid8927]

Thank you for sharing this. My uncle was killed in action in Algeria. His date of death was listed as Nov 8, 1942. He was a private in the infantry and 25 years old. I never learned much about his war battle as my father was stationed in the Pacific and so I learned more about those battles. So extensive were these events it boggles the mind even now so many years later this strange Memorial Day in the 2020 pandemic. May we never forget their great sacrifice RIP.

[@historynerd3861]

I wonder if he was in the 47th infantry regiment. I'm making a diorama on Battle of Safi

[@jasonfenton8250]

If he was 1st infantry, you can find very extensive archives on the 1st division museum website. Click on research, then digital archives. Reports and unit diaries from Torch might be relevant to you.

[@Zack-sr6do]

@@historynerd3861 Only 3 soldiers died in that battle.

[@bvoio2831]

Did he die onthe battle in Oran?

[@shelbygirard8798]

Thank you for sharing this film. My grandfather was in Operation Torch during World War 2. He did not talk about it very much but did state he had served there.He served in Italy and N. Africa. He was in the US Army, anti-aircraft. I am going to watch this film and hope to see a glimpse of him in it. He was born in 1924 and passed away in 2001.

[@amutah8063]

I once asked a WW2 veteran who fought in North Africa, Italy, France and Germany which country was the hardest and without hesitation he said Sicily. I thought he would say North Africa as it was hot and was they had little experience but apparently the terrain in Sicily was very difficult.

[@1murder99]

I was hoping to see my father in this film but didn't see him. He hit the beach at Casablanca on November 8,1942. He also made the amphibious assaults into Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and southern France.

[@kasrkin45]

What unit did your Father serve with? I love Family history!

[@1murder99]

3rd Infantry Division.

[@kasrkin45]

Excellent. Has he written his memoirs anywhere online? I do some research work for the 16th Infantry Regiment society, so I'm into that sort of thing.

[@1murder99]

He died in 2002 at 90 years of age without ever talking about his experiences with any of the family. Recently a cousin told me he was a sniper in the war but I have no idea if that is true or not.

[@kasrkin45]

I'm sorry to hear that, it's a real shame but very understandable as to why he did not wish to speak of his experiences. It is a possibility, although this was not a common type of soldier in the U.S Army, as portrayed in Hollywood movies. There was one designated marksman per rifle platoon (3-4 platoons making a company) and he was issued with the M1903 rifle when it was needed. But this was a situational role and most of the time, this soldier would go into action as a rifleman first and foremost.

[@RamdaniMourad]

excellent movie John Ford great director thank you so much

[@bourasabdennour8369]

Wow...amazing my father always talked to me about this documentary. I was really looking for it since a very long time ago, because I am from the city of Bône (Annaba). There is even a WW II British memorial and cemetery nearby my place.

[@MrMenefrego1]

Fascinating! Do you recall the name of the memorial?

[@amutah8063]

@@MrMenefrego1 It's called Bone War Cemetery.

[@MrMenefrego1]

@@amutah8063 Thank you!

[@UnfittingCarbon]

16:02 - "Tanks keep 150 yards apart, thus presenting a difficult target for a surprise air attack" - tank players in War Thunder could stand to learn from that technique...

[@nottherealpaulsmith]

12:17 the guy flashing a V was lucky he was doing it to a french soldier, the british interpreted that hand gesture very differently

[@radeakins]

A good book to read about this area of combat is 'Rommel, Gunner who?' by Spike Milligan.

[@petepal55]

We lived in Tripoli from 57 to 60 while Dad was stationed at Wheelus AFB. 120° in the shade every day, it hit the 60's every night. The poverty was unbelievable, theft from the infidels in myriad forms was a game many played. We were 'required' to have a maid, Fatima, and a houseboy, Abdul, that were paid 500 and 250 Lira a week, respectively. That's $5/2.50 at the time. We lived in a walled compound constructed of 2'x4' sandstone blocks, the same as the 2-story house. The wall was 8' tall w/glass embedded in the top that had to be rechipped and replaced regularly because the thieves would try to dull it and a 10' wrought iron gate.

[@hannibalbarca4372]

29:15 : Italians paratroopers looks like very happy to have been captured by allied forces : for them, WWII ended and unlike the Russian POW in eastern front, they had a good chance to survive until the end of war.

[@MrMenefrego1]

My father, a WWII Combat Vet, told me about a "Scrounger", (a soldier with the ability to 'acquire' or 'appropriate', i.e., to steal various necessities for front-line troops) in his unit at the U.S./German front; the 'Appropriator' would go back to the reserve areas and take what ever he could lay his hands on and return the pilfered goods to the front-line troops; C-rations were number one on the list. Although, my father explained that the "Scrounger" would often return with U.S. officers rations, which were, of course, much more luxurious than were the C-rations issued to the troops. One day the "Scrounger" returned with a dozen or so cakes and various types of homemade pies, which were "As rare as hen's teeth" according to my father. Not long after his acquisition of the cakes and pies an officer from the reserve unit area showed up and inquired as to where they had obtained such delicacies, to which the scrounger replied, "They were a gift from our 'Uncle Sam' ". lol.

[@gloriadevos1790]

Jeff di Giusto hello, please forgive me, I'm using my wife's YT account to post this comment. I'm a retired US Army Infantry NCO and was in two major wars in my 26 years of Active Duty. What in your comment that got my curiosity up was the term "scrounger". The term is still used today and that person can find what's critically required to maintain our unit effectiveness. I suppose I was the scrounger in my battalion since many NCO's never grew up in places where bartering was one way we got what we needed. In 2003, Iraq was like the Wild West! Everything involved with the old government was in ruins. So when we arrived there on 18 May 03 (1st Armor Division, 2-6 INF Regt) we realized this wasn't quite what we planned on. Almost immediately we took on various roles to rebuild the Iraqi infrastructure and along with that, we didn't have anything more than some older desert tents but not enough to provide shelter for everyone so, we found some recently abandoned barracks on the base we were assigned to and then made plans to restore them. I acquired two large window A/C units because my men were exhausted and couldn't sleep in the high heat, even at night! I traded a Toyota Land Cruiser for those two A/C units and it made a huge impact on my men's mental health. So after a while I had about 10 A/C units which I gave to units that needed them, first priority was our Medics, we need need them to be on their game when things happen. I won't go into all my escapades but the one thing a scrounger must never do is to enrich himself when scrounging. I would help out anyone in my unit and also when we were home in Germany, Officers and NCO's asked me to help replace lost and damaged items and so I did. I can say that honor and loyalty is a huge part of how a scrounger works, if someone suspects the scrounger will just resell the things they give him then nothing will happen and I'm done.

[@MrMenefrego1]

@@gloriadevos1790 I guess the term of "Scrounger" was just too perfect to change. When I served, (over 1000 years ago! lol) we didn't have a designated 'Scrounger', we all kind of just looked out for ourselves. It would have been much more productive for our unit if we could have found one guy with the very same abilities which my fathers 'Scrounger' and, apparently you had of obtaining those crucial items. Good job with the AC units, a cool and rested Soldier is much more effective than a hot and worn-out one. Thank you for your Service my Brother. *God Bless, Semper Fi and Oorah!* (Since you were Army I'll include an 'Hoorah'!)

[@ponchozorch4981]

Did anyone else notice the face in within the white star that's on the side of the half track ambulance? Go to the 26.26 time frame and watch the white star.

[@mountainfox8455]

In my village at the hills near the city of Jijel at the center east of Algeria, a German Bomber crashed during operation Torch. The elders told us that the plane was on a mission to bomb the port, it got hit by ground AAA fire, limbed through trying to get away but lost alltitude and ended up crashing against a small hill. The pilots were injured but survived the crash. They tried to head east to escape towards Tunisia but were captured by the allies forces. Some of the large airplane parts were still visible in the 80's but very likely covered by brush these days. We were told stories on how the locals due to shortage of lantern fuel resorted to using the airplane fuel which led to fire accidents and burns as the plane gasoline is way more flammable.

[@walterzoomie]

Imagine having to go up against Panzer 4s and 88mm anti tank guns and their experienced crews in a Grant/Lee and your noob crew! A few months after this battle the US got it's ass handed to them at Kasserine. Very costly lessons learned early in the war...

[@haroldvoss5886]

WW2 was not an internet pixel tank game.. The Lee was more than capable

[@MrMenefrego1]

@@haroldvoss5886 Well said. Sadly, this generation has little experience with something called, "Reality". Spending, or should I say wasting the majority of their time playing games like little children.

[@haroldvoss5886]

@@MrMenefrego1 I completely agree with you . My Grandson is one that plays one of those games its called World of Tanks, and that kid THINKS because a Tank in a game is worthless it had to be so in real world, then they watch something like this video and leave the stupidity comments trying to sound like they have a clue, .. Anyway thanks for the thought there usually I get tag teamed by 20 or 30 kids for pointing out some inaccuracy it was actually nice to read a comment that was not one that is uninformed.. Have a great day bud

[@MrMenefrego1]

@@haroldvoss5886 A little common sense wouldn't hurt these lost and truly lazy kids either. Believe it or not, I actually have a 36 year old son who hasn't had even ONE JOB in his entire life! I started working on my fathers farm, as-well-as the neighbors farm when I was 7 years old and, other than 3 years in the Marine Corps, I haven't stopped working yet. I hired my son to work for my company, he lasted literally 5 minutes before he just walked away; he did more damage than good. These worthless bums don't seem to realize that life is NOT FREE, someone is paying for their meaningless lives of leisure: usually the American tax payer or their poor parents. I cut my son off when he turned 21, I think 21 years old is an old enough age to support himself. I know what you mean about getting attacked by these Millennial Snowflake types when making comments denouncing their so called "Social Justice" and other un-American B.S. They place the blame for their pathetic lives everywhere except for where it belongs, themselves! Poor babies! My heart breaks for our once great nation, thank God for President Trump! Take care my Brother.

[@MrMenefrego1]

@Nobby Barnes awww poor baby... What, you haven't had a job in your entire life either? Must be a Millennial thing. Buck-up kid, maybe you can qualify for a welfare program.

[@Theakker3B]

I like how he pronounces Junkers hehe

[@blueseanomad7435]

What? You've never heard of a JUNKer before? :)

[@compatibiliteauditconseils8231]

Tank u .

[@James-nl6fu]

The newsreel called the American M3 tanks, (by the British specification) General Grants when they're actually General Lees with their very American 50Calibre machine guns. Nobody's perfect. The American troops were nearly all conscripts with no combat experience against Afrika corps veterans.

[@fromthesidelines]

Released theatrically in 1943.

[@ScafidiTravels]

The results of this invasion can still be seen in Tunisia to this day. The north of Tunisia is filled with World War II military cemeteries, of both Allied and Axis troops. There is a massive US military cemetery here in the capital Tunis. I recently visited Borj Cedria, which is Tunisia's only German World War II Military Cemetery and the Commonwealth War Graves in Béja & Medjez-el-Bab: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHS8hXqmiZ17nbM

[@daveybyrden3936]

These American troops were not fighting the Afrikakorps as the caption states. They were fighting the 5th Panzer Army. The Afrikakorps were far away in Libya and the British were dealing with them.

[@TheLocalLt]

David Byrden you realize this is wartime propaganda and in America’s main streets the Nazis in Africa were the afrikakorps

[@model-man7802]

It's just like now,people will believe anything they are told by the press.Its easy for us knowledgeable people who have studied this war our entire lives to point this stuff out but the average Joe on the streets wouldn't know.

[@daveybyrden3936]

@@TheLocalLt No, it's not wartime propaganda. The caption was written in 2015.

[@TheLocalLt]

David Byrden providing a summary of the information from the film, which is wartime propaganda information

[@eblingus]

Additional info on the Second Battle of Tebourba tiger1.info/event-page/Tebourba-battle

[@mistervacation23]

Look to the cookie Elaine look to the cookie. Maybe the dingo ate your baby. These pretzels are making me thirsty.

[@Norg1]

parts of north africa are very lush and green like a dry green like what would u compare it to italy and like the balkins ..??? in terms of enviroment

[@DaveSCameron]

#OurHistory 🇨🇦🇮🇪🇬🇧📚🙏

[@eblingus]

"General Grants" Um,, no, those are M3 Lee's.

[@Linuxpunk81]

Tanks employing US pattern turrets were called the "Lee", named after Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Variants using British pattern turrets were known as "Grant", named after Union general Ulysses S. Grant.

[@Page-Hendryx]

You, sir, are autistic.

[@spikydipple]

Clark isn't good for my Tourettes.

[@H4CK61]

Seem to be a lot of British doing the fighting?

[@bsastarfire250]

My father was on HMS Alarm a British minesweeper. The sister ship Algerine was torpedoed by an Italian submarine with very heavy casualties. He had to board Algerine to evacuate casualties, he was only 20.

[@kev_sen]

Torch was presented politically as a mainly American operation to dissuade the Vichy French from presenting opposition even though it was a 50/50 affair. The Vichy French held a grudge against the British for destroying their fleet and the Allied High Command was worried if they publicized the British presence too much it would make it difficult to convince the French to flip. Many British soldiers took part in Torch.