Dramatic Photos

Defiant in Death

A stoic Officer Cadet, Gunther Billing is secured to a stake by U.S. Military Policemen in preperation for execution by firing-squad on Dec. 18, 1944. Moments later, he called out "Heil Hitler" as the lethal fusilade was fired. He had been caught posing as an American GI when he and two others were stopped at an American roadblock. Billing's was just one of 2,000 English speaking Germans who disguised themselves as American troops and wreaked havoc behind Allied lines. (scannrd by HOS Bandit)