George Stevens (December 18, 1904 – March 8, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer. During World War II, Stevens joined the U.S. Army Signal Corps and headed a film unit from 1943 to 1946 under General Eisenhower. His unit shot footage documenting D-Day — including the only Allied European Front color film of the war — the liberation of Paris and the meeting of American and Soviet forces at the Elbe River, as well as horrific scenes from the Duben labor camp and the Dachau concentration camp. Stevens also helped prepare the Duben and Dachau footage and other material for presentation during the Nuremberg Trials. In 2008, his footage was entered into the U.S. National Film Registry by the Librarian of Congress as an"essential visual recor" of World War II. The Special Coverage Unit (SPECOU) was placed under the control of the Supreme Headquarters' Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF). The SPECOU consists of 45 people: writers like Ivan Moffat, William Saroyan and Irwin Shaw; cameramen like Dick Hoar, Ken Marthey, William Mellor, Jack Muth; sound operators as Bill Hamilton, who comes from Columbia, assistant directors, as Holly Morse, who has worked with Hal Roach.
VS of Stevens and others in unit dressed in German hats. Shots on bridge over river. Old chateau or apartment building bombed out. Appears to be mausoleum with caskets with swastikas on them. GIs swimming in cold river. Men sitting by campfire. Stevens and others swimming. Stevens and others by jeep overlooking lake. This may be Berchtesgaden. VS of lake. Small two-engine German fighter in field. Village square with sign that reads:"Brenner Pass" Shot of main street of town, CU of sign that reads:"Brenner" Men of unit in street. Barricade reads:"All vehicles stop here" Sign with snow-capped mountain in BG reads"Entering S49 area"
GIs swimming; Brenner Pass