This is CBS I On The World.

Here's John Batchler.

Patrick K. O'Donnell, the author of Dog Company, The Boys of Pante de Oc,

the Rangers who accomplished today's toughest mission and led the way across Europe.

It is now late summer, 1944.

The Rangers have been on several trips in different directions, including being

guards for German POWs and taking what you'd have to say as a break between

their impossible mission on D-Day and now another impossible mission given

them by command.

If I understand Patrick's presentation correctly, the Allies needed a big

port and the Germans knew it, so they were destroying what port facilities

at Shereborg existed and they were holding off at Khan.

This will be a problem for the Allies across 45 into 45, the long tail

and they need a big port that breast the port behind their lines cut off now from

reinforcements by Germany.

Breast is a fortress that Hitler orders to hold till the end at all costs.

The Rangers are part of a unit given the impossible task of assaulting minefields

and heavy guns and the dug-in garrison of good troops commanded by overall

commanders who are in communication with Germany hold it all costs, destroy the

facility.

Again, the Rangers know that their mission here is unlikely, except we come to

September 6th.

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