Over fifty years after the carnage at Normandy, Dr. John Kerner draws from his wartime journals and letters home to present an insightful portrait of war. Medical units under his charge pushed through western Europe, improving the treatment and transportation of the wounded during some of the most brutal fighting. Amidst the mud and blood of combat, this decorated medical officer shares a time and place when living beyond each day was in serious question. Kerner's account includes some of the greatest moments in World War II: the dramatic breakout of the Normandy hedgerow country, the thrilling dash across France in the summer of 1944, and the siege of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.