Amateur combat snapshots are nearly impossible to find. I only have a handful in my personal collection, and have only seen them for sale on rare occasions. In this photo, a veteran named Earl Reese snaps a photo while his squad is attacking through a forest on April 13th, 1945 while in the “Ruhr Pocket”. I have a collection of Reese’s photos and personal memoirs that were saved from the trash bin at an estate sale in California. Imagine images like these rotting away in a landfill?
Is that a ricochet dent on the M1 helmet?
Portraits of War 
Shame that the 395th was in a different part of the Ruhrkessel… I have yet failed to see some Allied photos (or German ones for that matter) from the region where I live?
Do you know of any US combat units on your area? I can search around if you provide me with a unit designation.
I need to look up my notes from my last visit to the IWM library. Will get back to ou!
My father was in the 395th and earned the Silver Star on April 14, 1945. Do you have any photo’s of the 395th on that day by chance? I’d be most grateful.