Dogface

the long version

"The 79th Infantry Division of the United States Army landed in Normandy, France, starting on June 12, 1944, and first engaged in combat on June 19. By Victory Day, the 79th Infantry had completed 248 days of combat and was known as one of the best attack divisions in the U.S. Army. Dogface shares the story of an 18-year-old infantryman, Robert J. McDonnell, who fought in the 79th throughout its entire WWII service. It begins with a glimpse of his childhood, growing up in Saginaw, Michigan with eleven siblings in the wake of the Great Depression, when combat was limited to battling over a piece of bread to eat. Dogface then chronicles McDonnell's experience as a soldier, from being drafted and leaving home for basic training, to front line combat and life in a foxhole, to Victory Day in Europe, and ultimately his return home"--p. [4] of cover.