Скачать или смотреть "I Knew We Were Going to Die": A WWII Soldier's Story of Survival, Fear, and Coming Home

In this powerful oral history interview, meet Thorvald Aanden, a World War II veteran from Fertile, Minnesota, who served with the 5th Armored Division under General Patton. Drafted in 1942 at just 21 years old, Thorvald endured a brutal 21-day voyage across the Atlantic, fought in five major campaigns (Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes, Central Europe), and witnessed the horrors of war firsthand—including a Christmas dinner interrupted by German strafing, a near-death foxhole escape, and sleepless nights fearing he wouldn't wake up.

Through candid recollections captured in 2004, Thorvald shares raw, unfiltered stories: the seasickness that left soldiers unable to eat, the freezing Quonset huts in England, standing guard while exhausted, and the Catholic priest who crawled across enemy lines to give communion to a wounded German soldier. He also describes returning home at 2 a.m., knocking on his parents' window, and the nightmares that haunted him for years afterward.

This is not a story of glory—it's a story of survival, sacrifice, and the quiet heroism of ordinary men who fought extraordinary battles.

If you value raw WWII veteran testimonies, untold stories from the European Theater, and preserving history before it's lost, this interview is essential viewing.

Topics covered: Draft experience, Atlantic crossing, combat in Europe, General Patton, German prisoners, war souvenirs (Luger pistol, binoculars), post-war trauma, homecoming, farming life after war.

KEYWORDS: WWII, World War 2, World War II veteran, 5th Armored Division, General Patton, Normandy, Ardennes, Battle of the Bulge, European Theater, veteran interview, oral history, WWII testimony, untold war stories, Minnesota veteran, Fertile Minnesota, combat soldier, WWII PTSD, homecoming, war trauma, military history, Greatest Generation

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SOURCES & CREDITS

Archival interview and materials:
Thorvald Aanden Collection, Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress (Fertile, Minnesota – United States Army, 5th Armored Division, World War II veteran).

Interview conducted by Carole Larson, October 29, 2004, on behalf of American Legion Auxiliary Unit, Fertile, Minnesota.

This documentary is created for educational and historical purposes, honoring Thorvald Aanden's service and preserving his testimony for future generations.

Learn more about the Veterans History Project: https://www.loc.gov/vets/

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FAIR USE NOTICE

This documentary contains material under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976 for educational, nonprofit, and historical preservation purposes. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute.